hey,
plan and prepare the play and learning environment, goes hand in hand with the risk assessment. this is because when you prepare the environment, anything the children play with should be checked by you as a practitioner.
PLAN AND PREPARE- think in stages of development
Babies- no sharp or small objects. Shiny objects and objects with different textures like clean play mats with different areas, like plastic mirrors that have been sewn into the mat. Rattles that have been clean with milton(I think that's the name of it). it's used in nurseries and most settings. these would help their fine motor skills, gripping and grasping.
Objects that can make different sounds, because you want to create stimulating environment so they can start to recognise things of interest. for babies who cannot sit up yet without support, baby chairs with colourful objects hanging down for them to play with.
for babies learning to walk, you want baby walkers that are checked for any broken pieces or signs of wear and tear. (all risk assessment) this encourages their gross motor skills.
the floor would need to be soft and walls colourful, displays with different textures.
furniture would need to be sturdy and anything that can topple over would need to be removed,as the child is exploring so will grab anything they can see once they can crawl or walk or grab etc.
for older children, you would think of more outdoor material to include as they are using their larger muscles, such as bi/tricycles to encourage them to pedal and operate large equipment. Also, apparatus, would need to be checked along with everything at least three times a day. before children come to school, just before they use equipment and at the end of the day. any equipment that is damaged needs to be removed and recorded during risk assessment and then replaced.
apparatus would need to be dry if rain has fallen. soft turf underneath it, as children always fall.
Whatever activity is being set up, you would read the manufacturer's guidelines in each case making sure the toys, materials or equipment is suitable for that particular groups age. if a child who had a disability is present but it says in the manu.. guidelines that it is suitable for them, you would have to make that decision, based on whether the child understand how to use whatever it is safely, you would do this by closely supervising the child and making future decision based on this.
Sand activities outdoor, need to be covered at the end of the day and always checked for any broken pieces of sticks, glass, litter etc. if left uncovered, foxes, cats,dogs etc. end up urinating if this goes undetected, can obviously cause cross infection/ contamination and lead to illness.
water, needs to be covered at the end of each day or cleaned and refilled everyday...to avoid having any animals fouling in there. also according to ages, it would have to be less children at the water tray and it would need to be small trays. with pre schoolers high supervision and not much water to avoid drowning (all included when doing risk assessment.) as children get older, needs change, need bigger trays, more children can play at water tray, and more water can be used. in all cases children must have on water aprons to prevent body temperatures from dropping drastically when outside which would lead to them catching cold.
In all activities, ground rules need to be set with children to prevent accidents.
painting activities- checking wooden brushes for any chips n the wood, needs to be removed.
there needs to be adequate amounts of space prepared for physical outdoor play. for example: bicycles would need there own area. skipping ropes, hoops, balls etc, need to be locked in a shed or taken inside for the same reason as the sand- the animals fouling...
sorry, to clarify- risk assessments need to be carried out in both the indoor and outdoor environments. EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE CHECKED.
Risk assessments vary because children are individuals, this wold take you to abilities and needs. it all depends on the activity though. think about children with visual impairment, you would have to consider things like space, making sure that luminous/fluorescent tape is placed on tables, chairs, floors, corridors. Equipment would need to be fluorescent and need to be audible aided to ensure the child's needs are being met and they are still included etc.
for a child in a wheel chair- that's physical impairment, there would need to be built in ramps, making sure that activities are at the child's height, and ensuring that equipment is accessible to the child so that they can learn independence.
for a child with autism- there are many different types so I can only generalise so you have the gist. just making sure that there are activities prepared to help the child feel engaged, as most autistic children are not able to concentrate for long periods of time. you would have to think of activities to engage the child, according to what they are interested in. Most children with autism are interested in patterns, sequences and repetition so numeracy- number games, mathematical games etc...
for a child with hearing impairment, would need more visual aid- more pictures, colours etc, each case would be different. everything I have written is generic things i'm thinking as i type.
in each setting no matter the age, you would remove any sharp objects. under the COSHH act, you are required to make sure that all domestic and cleaning substances are locked away in a cupboard and out of reach.
well, I'm not sure if i've covered everything. But I hope this has helped. It seems like a large assignment.
Good luck!!!
Extra long reply, but should cover most of what you asked x
Major Help Needed Plz
for ure help, it has been really really helpful nd very in depth nd i can finally finish this assignment now and hand it in. Thanks agen 
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