Transcript Infant and Toddler Invitations for Learning

Infant and Toddler
Invitations for Learning
Interpreting Play and Exploration
Play and Exploration
Vision
Children and their
Learning
Experiences
Children and their
Relationships
Children and their
Environments
Play and Exploration
Principles of
Early Learning
Children as
Competent
Learners
Holistic
Development
and Learning
Strong Positive
Relationships
Stimulating and
Dynamic
Environments
What is an invitation for
learning?
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An intentional, planned collection of
materials which are set out to invite the
children to play by stimulating interest
in exploration of the materials
A way of using open ended materials
with which children can engage in
multiple ways
Concerns for Infants and
Toddlers
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Safety and supervision:
choking hazards, toxic materials
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Cleaning and sanitizing materials:
infants and toddlers often ‘mouth’ materials
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Ensuring activities are developmentally
appropriate
Safety and Supervision
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Keep in mind that the following activities
have been closely supervised by the
educator(s) to ensure the safety of the
children
You may wish to replicate these
invitations, slightly alter them if you think
a different material would be more
appropriate, or you may have your own
ideas you would like to try
So what do they look like?
There is no standard template for
invitations. There are many variations
to the ways invitations can be set up.
Here are some possibilities…
Experimenting with Light
Who could resist this invitation to play with flashlights?
The overhead lights have been turned off so the effects of the
flashlights are more evident.
Adding the tunnel enriches the
exploration with the flashlights.
Invitations for learning should be visually pleasing or interesting.
Materials are
thoughtfully arranged
in an interesting way.
Things might not go the way
you thought they would…
The educator expected that
the children would use the
hammers provided to pound
in the golf tees but the
children pushed them into
the foam with their fingers.
Educators should have some
ideas about what might
happen but be open to other
possibilities.
The children also decided that the activity would be better on the floor than on the
shelf where the educator had presented the invitation.
Bubble wrap taped to the floor provides an
invitation to explore texture.
Allow the
children to
explore the
properties
of the
materials.
Enrich the children's
experience with language.
Talk about what it feels and
sounds like.
Children learn from each other. Relationships are important.
Children are naturally curious.
Provide opportunities for them
to learn in this natural way.
How Young Children Learn
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Infants and toddlers learn about the
world through active exploration with
their senses.
They need to touch, see, taste, smell
and listen to the materials in their
environment.
This learning is supported by their
relationships with caring adults.
Toddlers like to dump and fill so we should provide
them with opportunities and materials to do this.
Dump and fill play
promotes physical
development including
gross and fine motor
control.
Invitations for learning should encourage small group interactions of peers.
The water table can provide a calming activity for many children.
Infants too
small to stand
at the water
table can
experience
water play in
other formats
such as tubs
on the floor.
Note the towel under the tubs to keep any spills or splashes from
creating a safety hazard of slippery floors.
Exploring the properties of water such as observing that some materials
sink and some float, the water temperature (warm or cool) and the
sensation of wet and dry provide for holistic development of the child:
intellectual, physical, spiritual and social emotional.
Infants often use their entire bodies to explore their environment.
This blanket provides various textures of fabric.
The different fabrics provide many
choices to explore. This exploration
helps the child determine which tactile
input she prefers.
This blanket has the textures all one colour- white. This
allows the child to focus on the tactile sensory input rather
than being distracted by the visual input of various patterns.
For young children, sometimes you need to bring the invitation to them or place it where
they can crawl to it. Materials that may be mouthed should be removable and washable.
These items are attached by velcro.
Using your sense of smell
Children enjoy using their sense of
smell to learn about what they like
and dislike.
Leaving the materials out and
available allows the children to
revisit the activity throughout the
day or week.
Another way to present the same idea. This could be an
extension based on observations of children noticing
various smells in their environment.
Why provide invitations for
children?
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Introduces children to new concepts
Builds on an interest of the children
Allows children to learn new skills
Provides novelty and excitement
Allows for active learning
“an engaged child is a happy child”
Quote from a Saskatchewan Educator