Hi, think about your own setting, how it's set up and then decide on an area that you're involved with and can cover the criteria, eg. are you ever deployed to the book area or table top activities? Role play or home corner? or an outdoor area, maybe a sand pit or somewhere the children ride-ons and pushalongs.
Role of the adult - thinking about the area you've chosen, what do you do there? Do you check the area and all the toys for risks so that you know everything is safe? Do you ensure there are resources available that you know the children are interested in? Are you expected to sit, stand, engage with the children? Do you make observations of a child for their development record?
Equipment and resources - what type of resources are in your chosen area? Would you say they are appropriate for the age of the children eg. not too challenging or too easy?
Choice and independence - are children able to choose to visit your area freely or are they expected to take part? Can they select different resources to play with whilst there?
From
page 211 of the EYE handbook
Role of the adult
While the physical environment is important, an enabling environment also includes adults who carefully observe children and are ready to use there observations to support children. In an indoor environment, an adult may see that a baby is looking at a window and so carries the baby over so that theycan look out together. In an outdoor environment, an adult may see that a toddler is becoming friustrated with a large tricycle and so will offer help or the choice of a tricycle that is lower in height.
Equipment and resources
Enabling environments, as we have seen, contain equipment and resources that are suited to children's developmental ages and needs. This helps children to build on their existing physical skills but also to master new ones. A range of equipment and resources also helps children's cognitive development as, through different types of play, they learn new concepts explore shapes and textures. Equipment and resources that are carefully selected also mean that children can find challenge in them but not become frustrated. This supports their confidence.
Choice and independence
As we have seen, choice and independence are key features of enabling environments. They are important because they support children's emotional development. They provide children with opportunities to be competent and so help children to gain in confidence.
Hope this helps xx
How enabling indoor/outdoor play environments meet age, stage and needs of children
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