Planning for under-twos as well as older children is a requirement under the National Standards. It is important, therefore, to use child observations to guide this, so that what is planned is both relevant and suitable to the child.
Take the case of two-year-old Molly. Observations of her show that she really enjoys water play, doll play, transporting objects, such as stones, twigs and leaves in a truck, looking at books and being outside. Molly also enjoys the company of one other child, Mohammed.
Armed with this information the practitioner may talk to the parent or carer and colleagues to discuss what they have observed of Molly's interests, and then putting all views together, the practitioner will be able to record these and plan to support Molly's developing interests.
In the case of two-year-old Molly her keyperson may decide to build on her interests in water and doll play by inviting her to watch as a new-baby visitor to the nursery is bathed. Later she may help her to bathe some dolls, using a mild soap, sponges and a jug to rinse their hair.
If Molly enjoys these activities and is given opportunities to both see and talk about bathing a baby, when she next explores water, and plays with the dolls she will begin, with support, to make links between the two experiences.
A further way that her keyperson could extend her interests would be to find books with a related interest such as Baby's Bathtime by Fiona Watt (Usborne Publishing, 2.99) or Hat Off, Baby! by Jan Ormerod (Bodley Head Children's Books, 3.99).
Molly's keyperson may notice that while she is bathing the dolls she covers them in bubbles, and then completely covers them in talcum powder before wrapping the towel right round the doll each time she pulls one from the bath. She might wonder if Molly is exploring an enveloping schema in these activities - a schema being a repeated pattern of behaviour through which the child explores a particular interest.
When her keyperson noticed that Molly enjoyed moving items about in a truck she might have identified this as part of a transporting schema. Giving Molly opportunities to develop her interest in transporting will help her as a learner by allowing her to explore and experiment. It will also support her feelings of self-esteem as she figures out how to do something by herself.
Molly's family may decide that they will also encourage her transporting schema by borrowing a truck, with a trailer on the back, from the local Sure Start toy loan scheme, so that she can carry autumn leaves, twigs and gravel in it at home.
To support Molly's social development her keyperson may discuss ways to encourage her to enjoy the company of other children, besides Mohammed.
And, because she is a little timid with her peers, her keyperson may plan for her to spend more time with younger children where 'being bigger' may help her gain more self-confidence as she interacts with them.
This may then extend to encouraging Molly to accompany a younger child from the baby or toddler room into the outdoor area to show them what she enjoys, or taking them to where she and the two- to three-year-olds are mainly based to show them 'her' room.
Planning in this way will support all the aspects of the Birth to Three framework as well as several schemas (see box, right).
Assessment
Assessment can serve several purposes, and with the under-threes should be a means of gathering enough information about a child to give a rounded picture of that child and its interests, and to identify to what extent and in what areas the child is progressing. At the same time it should indicate if the child has any individual needs, and should help in the identification of any special needs.
When assessment informs practice, it helps practitioners to identify the child at the present time and signposts areas for future development and support. So, if we return to the planning for Molly, we can see that from the childcare workers' observations of her, and after discussions with her family, they have recognised her current interests and they have made plans based on these.
Their planning has covered several components from each of the aspects in the Birth to Three Matters framework, and, also includes plans to support her transporting and enveloping schemas.
As observations of Molly continue and discussions between her keyperson, other childcare workers and her family carry on, assessments will reveal the various things that she enjoys and is able to do. All of these insights will then form the basis of records which are developed with her family to show an emerging picture of Molly over a period of time, identifying her learning and development in the four aspects of the Birth to Three framework.
PLANNING TO SUPPORT A CHILD'S INTERESTS
Plans to support Molly's interests
Inviting her to watch as a new-baby visitor, to the nursery is bathed Helping her to bathe the dolls, using a mild soap, sponges or flannels and a jug to rinse their hair To see a baby being bathed and to talk about the experience To find books, rhymes and stories that would continue to support her enthusiasm.
To give Molly opportunities to explore her interest in transporting
To work with Molly's family who may decide that they will also encourage her transporting schema
To plan to allow her to spend more brief periods of time with the younger children
To encourage Molly to accompany a younger child from the baby or toddler room into the outdoor area and her room where she and the two- to three-year-olds are mainly based
Birth to Three Matters Aspect and components
A Strong Child: Me, Myself & I: Realising she is separate and different from others A Sense of Belonging: Enjoying being with familiar and trusted others
A Competent Learner
Being Imaginative: Exploring and re-enacting pretend play with gestures and actions, feelings and relationships, ideas and words
A Skilful Communicator
Being Together: Encouraging conversation
Finding a Voice: The impulse to communicate
A Competent Learner:
Making Connections: Finding out about the environment and other people
A Skilful Communicator
Listening and responding:
Enjoying and sharing stories, songs, rhymes and games
A Skilful Communicator
Being Together: Being with others
A Healthy Child
Emotional Well-being: Developing healthy independence
A Strong Child
A Sense of Belonging: Having a role and identity within a group
A Healthy Child
Healthy Choices: Becoming aware of others and their needs
Schema
Enveloping schema in which the child likes to cover things completely
Transporting schema in which children are interested in the movement of objects from one place to another
As above