DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
Elements of competence
CCLD 206.1 Participate in activities to encourage communication and language
CCLD 206.2 Encourage children’s drama and imaginative play
CCLD 206.3 Encourage children to be creative
CCLD 206.4 Support physical play
CCLD 206.5 Encourage children to explore and investigate
CCLD 206.6 Contribute to the assessment of children’s learning through play
About this Unit
This unit is about supporting children’s learning through play. Although the unit is suitable
for work with young children in their pre-school years and in early education settings it is
applicable in other circumstances with older children.
This unit is for you if you work in a setting or service whose main purpose is to support the
care, learning and development of children in partnership with their families. The unit is
suitable if you work as an assistant supporting children’s play and learning in a variety of
different settings such as centre or home based childcare, crèches or pre-schools.
Keywords
What we mean by some of the words used in this unit
Appropriate activities for the children concerned: these could
Appropriate activities for
include sewing, threading, use of scissors, small construction
fine motor skills
Questions that give children opportunities for a range of
Appropriate language (to
different responses; modelling correct use of language; using
enhance children's
opportunities for specific types of language to enhance areas
communication skills and
of learning such as mathematical, exploration/investigation or
learning)
children's personal development
The children you work with, except where otherwise stated
Children
Resources found in the local community, such as parks,
Community resources
allotments, libraries, people and organisations
This is where children develop and communicate their own
Creativity and creative
ideas using art, design, making things, music, dance and
play
movement. Children can express their creativity in every area
of play and learning
Information and Communication Technology
ICT
Pretending, includes role play i.e. acting the role of another
Imaginative play
person either alone or in groups, acting out difficult scenarios,
/drama/role play
can be drama activities with or without adult support
Any objects that interest children and can extend their
Objects of interests
learning e.g. fossils or stones, living things such as insects,
food items
Play focusing on movement of the body
Physical play
Play is activity children are motivated to do from within
Play
themselves:
 it is freely chosen
 children play in their own chosen way
Props
Themes
Objects and materials children use to support their
imaginative play or drama e.g. dressing-up clothes, dolls,
puppets, masks
An idea or subject that is continued through a range of
activities
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
1
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
Evidence Requirements for the Unit
It is essential that you adhere to the Evidence Requirements for this Unit
GENERAL GUIDANCE
 Evidence must be provided for ALL of the performance criteria and ALL of the
knowledge.
 Work with children and families does not lend itself to a series of fragmented
activities. When assessment planning it is essential that assessors and candidates
identify opportunities to integrate a number of activities for assessment on any
particular occasion.
 Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out
during performance to ensure that theory and practice are linked.
 The evidence must reflect, at all times, the policies and procedures of your workplace
as linked to current legislation and the values and the principles for good practice in
children’s care, learning and development.
 All evidence must relate to your own work practice.
SPECIFIC EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS UNIT
Simulation:
 Simulation is permitted for this unit.
The following forms of evidence ARE MANDATORY:
 Direct Observation: Your assessor * must observe you in real work activities which
will provide evidence of some part of each element in this unit.
 Reflective Accounts: You should describe your actions in a particular situation and
explain why you did things. You may be able to use a reflective account to provide
some of the performance evidence for this unit, for example, setting up a role/pretend
play activity with children, using community resources such as parks or libraries.
Issues for consideration:
 None
Competence of performance and knowledge could also be demonstrated using a variety
of evidence from the following:
 Questioning/Professional Discussion: Questions may be oral or written. In each
case the question and your answer will need to be recorded. Professional discussion
should be in the form of a structured review of your practice with the outcomes
captured by means of audiotape or a written summary. These are particularly useful
to provide evidence that you know and understand principles which support practice,
policies, procedures and legislation, and that you can critically evaluate their
application e.g. how you make sure that your planned activities meet the play and
learning needs of individual children, implementing formal curriculum frameworks
and guidance documents that apply to your setting.
 Products: These are non-confidential records made, or contributed to, by you, e.g.
curriculum plans, play plans, materials you have made to support children's play and
learning, such as board games or puppets.
 Confidential Records: These may be used as evidence but must not be placed in
your portfolio, they must remain in their usual location and be referred to in the
assessor records in your portfolio e.g. child observations and assessments and
individual child records to which you have contributed.
 Original Certificates and other evidence of prior experience and learning:
Where you have relevant prior experience it must match the requirements of the
standards. Certificates of training, awards and records of attendance must be
authentic, current and valid. Your assessor will also want to check the content of
such training so that this can be matched to the standards and check that you have
retained and can apply learning to practice, e.g. training and qualifications that relate
to child development, ICT training.
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
2
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play


Case Studies, projects, assignments: These methods are most appropriately used to
cover any outstanding areas in the knowledge requirement of your award.
Witness Testimony: Colleagues, allied professionals, children, young people,
families and carers may be able to provide testimony of your performance. Your
assessor will help you to identify the appropriate use of witnesses.
*This is a mandatory unit and as such Direct Observation MUST be carried out by an
assessor. Expert Witnesses could supply additional evidence.
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
3
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS UNIT
Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out during
performance to ensure theory and practice are linked.
You need to provide evidence for ALL knowledge points listed below:
To be competent in this unit, you must know and understand the
following:
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Enter Evidence
Numbers
How to support children’s communication, intellectual
development and learning in your setting
How to support children’s play and communication development in
bilingual and multilingual settings and where children learn
through an additional language
A basic outline of the expected pattern of children's physical,
communication and intellectual, social, emotional and behavioural
development for the age group with which you are working
How the activities and experiences for children and babies and
children under 3 years relates to formal curriculum frameworks and
frameworks for babies and young children in your home country
The role and importance of play in children’s learning
Why young children learn best through play and should not be
undertaking formal learning activities before they are ready
Types of music, movement, songs and games to encourage
communication that are appropriate for the children with whom you
work
How to use ICT to support play and learning
Appropriate language to use to encourage children's
communication and learning to include: benefits of open-ended
questions, the use of language to extend learning, such as use of
mathematical language or encouraging children to question
The scope and benefits of play where children use their imagination
to make one thing stand for another and to play out different roles
How drama and imaginative play can be used to encourage
children's learning, including the types of materials, equipment and
props that support this area of play
Recognising that children will play out roles they see at home and
in the world around them and the need for sensitivity in dealing
with stereotypes
Why it is necessary for children's imaginative play to flow freely
and with minimal adult intervention, whilst recognising that
sometimes sensitive intervention maybe necessary to move the play
along
The importance of encouraging creativity and the scope of
activities involved
How you would display children's work to its best effect
How to support children’s confidence and self-esteem when they
make and create things, making sure that the emphasis is on the
process of creating something rather than the end product
Suitable activities for the development of children’s fine and gross
motor skills
How physical play can help children to assess risk in a safe and
controlled environment
The benefits to children of physical play and exercise and the need
for sensitivity in dealing with those who find it more difficult to
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
4
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
participate
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
5
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
To be competent in this unit, you must know and understand the
following:
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Enter Evidence
Numbers
The kind of objects that engage children's interest at different ages
and with different needs and abilities
The benefits to children's learning of grouping together objects with
similar characteristics and learning to sort and classify
The benefits to children's learning of knowing about their own
background and community
How to provide a stimulating environment and not stifle children's
curiosity, problem solving and exploration
The importance and scope of practical daily activities such as
cooking and gardening to enhance children's learning
How you set up activities to help children learn and the most
effective types of activities, toys, equipment and experiences
How to lay out furniture and equipment to make the best use of
space and help children gain access to play and learning activities
The use of everyday routines to support play and learning
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
6
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
CCLD 206.1 Participate in activities to encourage communication and language
Performance criteria
DO
1
2
3
4
5
6
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
Take time to communicate with children
during everyday activity and routines
Use music, movement, rhythm and games
to encourage communication
Use eye contact, body movement and
voice effectively to encourage children’s
attention and participation
Use appropriate language to enhance
children’s communication skills and
learning
Use role play effectively to encourage,
support and model language and
communication
Make sure what you do is suitable for the
children’s age, needs and abilities
CCLD 206.2 Encourage children’s drama and imaginative play
Performance criteria
DO
1
2
3
4
5
6
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
Contribute to providing a range of
materials, equipment and props to support
drama and imaginative play
Select equipment and materials in
collaboration with children that extends
awareness of their own and other cultures
Encourage children to avoid stereotyping
within their drama and imaginative play
Encourage children to explore the feelings
and roles of others through drama and
imagination
Support opportunities for children’s
drama and imaginative play to flow freely
without adult intervention unless
requested by the children or when
additional props or ideas are required
Make sure what you do is suitable for the
children’s age, needs and abilities
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
7
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
CCLD 206.3 Encourage children to be creative
Performance criteria
1
2
3
4
5
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
Provide a range of materials, equipment
and props to support creativity following
the children’s interests and setting
requirements
Encourage children’s involvement in
creative activity and play with sand, water
and other basic materials
Encourage participation in:
a) mark making
b) painting
c) drawing
d) modelling
e) printing
Make sure what you do is suitable for the
children’s age, needs and abilities
Help display children’s work in ways that
encourage them and support their selfesteem
CCLD 206.4 Support physical play
Performance criteria
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Encourage and support all children to
participate in physical play enabling an
appropriate element of risk and challenge
within their play, according to their age,
needs and abilities
Help children to assess risk to themselves
and others in their physical play
Encourage children to take part in
physical play using their whole bodies by
providing interesting and stimulating
opportunities
Use available space effectively
Give children opportunities to develop
their fine motor skills by providing
appropriate activities and experiences
Safely supervise children’s physical play
without over or under protecting them
Encourage children to take turns and
consider others
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
8
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
CCLD 206.5 Encourage children to explore and investigate
Performance criteria
DO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
Examine and display objects of interest
with children taking the opportunities
offered to enhance children’s learning
Help children to use indoor and outdoor
areas
Find out about community resources to
encourage children to explore and
investigate
Engage children’s curiosity by providing
interesting and stimulating activities and
experiences and by showing your own
interest in exploring and investigating
Help children to use ICT as part of their
exploration and investigation
Use activities to engage children’s
curiosity, making sure that activities are
carefully prepared, safe, and that children
are supported appropriately
Make sure the environment is safe and
organised in ways that are child friendly
and enable children to explore and
investigate freely
Make sure what you do is suitable for the
children’s age, needs and abilities
CCLD 206.6 Contribute to the assessment of children’s learning through play
Performance criteria
DO
1
2
3
4
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
Observe children learning through play
Record your observations using
recognised recording formats
Contribute to assessments of children’s
progress and maintain appropriate
confidentiality
Contribute to planning for children’s
learning through play using your
observations and those of other people as
a basis
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
9
DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
To be completed by the Candidate
I SUBMIT THIS AS A COMPLETE UNIT
Candidate’s name: ……………………………………………
Candidate’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………………………..
To be completed by the Assessor
It is a shared responsibility of both the candidate and assessor to claim evidence, however, it
is the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the accuracy/validity of each evidence claim and
make the final decision.
I CERTIFY THAT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO MEET
ALL THE ELEMENTS, PCS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS UNIT AND THAT THE
CANDIDATE HAS DEMONSTRATED THE APPLICATION OF THE PRINCPLES
AND VALUES.
Assessor’s name: …………………………………………….
Assessor’s signature: ………………………………………....
Date: …………………………………………………………..
Assessor/Internal Verifier Feedback
To be completed by the Internal Verifier if applicable
This section only needs to be completed if the Unit is sampled by the Internal Verifier
Internal Verifier’s name: ……………………………………………
Internal Verifier’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………..…………………………..
Unit: DT1J 04 (CCLD 206) Support children’s learning through play
10