k3d439..unit 314

how can activities for babies and young children under 3 years be themed and linked to extend their skills,knowledge and understanding

[sarahnev707]

According to the Eyfs, babies and children under 3 should never be exposed to traditional 'themed' activities - they are too young and our remit is to follow their interests.

In fact, there is a school of thought which says that themes are not appropriate for any children and all planning should be done from observations of what you have seen and heard them doing and saying.

Generally accepted good practice says that after the age of 3, when they are starting to need some firmer structure to their days beyond their routines, children might be introduced to subjects which will interest them such as looking at minibeasts etc.

Up until then it is play that follows their schemas, learning styles and interests.

Hth

[Avengelyne]

In the Preschool (2-5) i work in we use very loose themes...

If a child say's i went to Disneyland we might incorporate a Disney theme - making mickey mouse hats, singing disney songs, reading disney stories, having show and tell where the children can talk about whatever they like, but allows the "interested child" a chance to tell all about going to Disneyland

We also had Chinese New Year last week as we have a chinese child in the class (also celebrate Divali, Christmas and other religious festavals) We made Chinese lanterns, did "Chinese writing" with straws, brushes and black paint, made a Chinese lion and did some lion dancing

One of our children is obsessed with elephants so we did jungle and elephant pictures, put toy elephants in the sand and water tray, made a HUGE elephant picture for the wall with the childrens hand prints, read elephant stories, talked about elephants in terms of size, colour, number of legs.. etc etc

Everything is based on the children's interests... with the schema's, learning styles, eyfs and all the rest planned in accordingly!!

thx people xx