10 Tips to Recognise and Organise Childinitiated Play
Anna Ephgrave
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Child-initiated play
Anna Ephgrave
What I will cover
• Why child-initiated play is so valuable
• Ten tips to recognise, organise and support
child-initiated play
All in 15
minutes!
Why is child-initiated play so
important?
Babies are born with a
natural desire to explore
and learn – ie. They are
born with a desire to
initiate their own play.
Adults don’t have to force
babies to learn – but
adults can certainly stop
the learning.
Brain research tells us more
Simplistic
but
effective
image
Minimal learning
Maximum learning
Brains of young children are “lit up” to their maximum
when they initiate their own play, in an enabling
environment, supported by skilful adults.
So child-initiated play is important
because …
It is child-initiated
play that most often
leads to deep level
learning – when
children operate at
the limits of their
capabilities, thus
maximising progress.
10 tips to help recognise, organise and
support the best child-initiated play
1. Recognise deep level learning
Ferre Laevers describes
levels of involvement.
Level 5 involvement is
characterised by
creativity, concentration,
energy and persistence
with the child operating
at the limit of their
capability.
Review your provision if you do not see this sort of
involvement for most of the time from most of the children.
Scan these brains
2. Organise the timetable
Keep
interruptions to
a minimum
No need to stop
for PE, assembly,
playtime, snack
time, focus tasks
3. Organise the indoor/outdoor flow
If possible, have the
doors open to
outdoors from the
moment the children
arrive. Plastic strips
in the doorways will
help to keep out the
cold.
4. Have everything available outdoors
Don’t set out resources
– let the children select
for themselves.
Plastic wont rot in the
rain – so don’t hide it
away!
Open-ended resources allow children
to demonstrate their own ideas.
Blocks are one of the best resources
for child-initiated play.
Note the tarpaulin to
cover the shelving at
night – no need to pack
away or to set up.
Use levels of
involvement to assess
resources and areas –
review and change your
provision if necessary.
5. Have everything available indoors
Adults should
not make the
choices.
Leave the tables
clear – the
children select
where to go and
what to do.
Sometimes
“less is more”.
6. Allow the children to take risks
When children take risks, they
demonstrate deep levels of
involvement.
If they are confident to take
risks with climbing,
woodwork, cycling etc. , then
they will be more willing to
take risks with other new
learning experiences.
7. Adults should go to where the
children are playing
8. Adults should observe the play
and sometimes get involved
It is in that moment
of curiosity,
puzzlement, effort
or interest, the
‘teachable
moment’, that the
skilful adult makes
a difference.
From National Strategies document “Learning,
playing and interacting.”
9. Interactions are the teaching and
should fit the unique individual child
The interaction will be different for each child and
each activity – the adults need to know the children
very well.
Children initiate the
play, but might get
stuck at one point. This
is when they need an
adult to model a skill,
find a resource, provide
vocabulary, encourage
or make a suggestion.
In this way, the adult
supports without taking
over.
10. Record the play and interactions
afterwards
Amber was
trying to cut out
her drawing,
but she was
holding the
scissors
awkwardly. I
modelled the
correct grip and
she then cut the
paper easily.
While practitioners are writing, they are not interacting.
Child-initiated play, without adult involvement, can deteriorate
to chaos as children encounter problems or obstacles and there
are no adults to support and help them.
So …. “Leave the writing till later and join the play now!”
Summary
Involvement indicates learning & this happens most often
when children initiate their own play
1. Recognise deep level learning
2. Organise the timetable
3. Organise the indoor/outdoor flow
4. Have everything available outdoors
5. Have everything available indoors
6. Allow the children to take risks
7. Adults should go to where the children are playing
8. Adults should observe the play and sometimes get
involved
9. Interactions are the teaching and should fit the
unique individual child
10. Record the play and interactions afterwards
Child-initiated, and
adult supported
Questions & Answers
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