Making the most of children’s interests to encourage children’s curiosity and enjoyment in their learning
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Information about the setting
At Nant Dyrys, passion for in the moment planning has become the setting’s new best friend. The sense of enjoyment, enthusiasm and exploration amongst both children and practitioners has become the daily norm as the setting often erupts into great learning opportunities filled with awe and wonder. The whole team share the vision for developing meaningful opportunities to respond to children’s interests and fascinations.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The setting seeks to take advantage of children’s interests at the time / in the moment to encourage further curiosity and enjoyment in their learning. In 2021, practitioners were fortunate to participate in the pilot scheme to develop and promote the Curriculum for Wales. The following year the setting was recognised for its contribution and commitment in successfully implementing the curriculum with a positive effect on children’s development.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
Enabling environments
An in the moment activity simply cannot be planned in advance but requires an enabling environment, with practitioners who are able to effectively encourage children’s curiosity and are able to adapt effectively to children’s needs as the excitement of learning unfolds.
Planning in the moment can be broken down into three simple categories.
1.Firstly, the curiosity of the child or spark of interest.
At this stage practitioners are openly observing children to be able to reflect and respond to the individual needs of each child within the setting.
2.This is followed by responsive and instinctive interactions by well-resourced practitioners.
Practitioners are encouraged to follow the child’s lead and model a joyful approach to learning. They support and enhance the child’s natural curiosity and extend learning through exploration and play.
3.Lastly, written evidence.
Regular professional dialogue amongst all practitioners takes place. Observations are then gathered, discussed and documented, highlighting ‘teachable moments’ and outcomes. They then reflect on the learning and identify children’s individual challenges and next steps.
What impact has this work had on provision and children’s standards?
The benefits of following the child’s lead, and not limiting them to adult agendas, enables children to investigate their intrinsic curiosity. Exploration through play is fundamental to development and provides fantastic opportunities for positive outcomes.
A good example of an invitation to play was when one of the practitioners entered the setting wearing a wig. Children laughed and enjoyed the scene, and shouted ‘you’ve had your hair cut.’
Instinctively, role play took place with an enabling adult modelling how to dress up using props for a night at the bingo.
Music was introduced to the tune of ‘The Osmonds: ‘Puppy love’. This sparked the curiosity of many other children in the room who then joined the play by rolling their hair in curlers, adding a spitz of perfume whilst trying on vintage outfits and wigs. Throughout this period of play, children’s well-being was evidently enhanced, with some children drawing on their experiences from home by imitating their own mothers / grandmothers. Children became confident to dress up and experienced life in the past together.
Practitioners believe that moments such as these encompass the ethos of the enabling elements of the pathways to be met.
The setting developed a useful document to help record the ethos of the curriculum for Wales, highlighting things as they happen and celebrating children’s achievements. This enables it to highlight interests and experiences whilst capturing purposeful learning opportunities that occur during play and exploration.
Practitioners feel that this approach to education captures the holistic view of the child. It also removes the pressure of a more conventional teaching style, which was often adult led. Practitioners now spend quality time actively engaging in rich meaningful interactions that provide knowledge about children’s individual personalities and abilities. It also enables practitioners to remember experiences in depth and document them effectively without the weight of paperwork.