Week 5 (Day 10)

To focus on employing play pedagogies, I used a collaborative and imaginative "Build a Dino" exercise on the tenth day of my placement. Play-based learning fosters curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and imagination, in line with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) Outcome 4, which emphasises the importance of creativity and perseverance in learning (Department of Education, 2022).  

During morning tea, I led the discussion about dinosaurs where everybody seemed interested. As I knew, they love talking about dinosaurs, I told them that I have arranged an activity for them to do after morning tea. And I asked them to wash their hands once they finished their meal while I went to an activity area to setup. After I was done setting up, I called them one by one for an activity in a table where everybody seemed excited and sat down waiting for my instructions. I provided them scissors to cut different shapes and sizes out of paper and a dino outline to attach those shapes with sticky glue. I encouraged children’s creations, promoting teamwork and shared thinking. As an illustration of inclusive practices in line with NQS Element 1.2.1, which emphasises the significance of responsive and equitable learning experiences, children collaborated with their peer where they helped each other building dinosaur (ACECQA, 2022).

After morning tea, children explored ideas like herbivores and carnivores and having a lively conversation about dinosaur diets. Their imaginative play was expanded upon and connected to practical knowledge through this discussion. Later in story time, we read Dinosaur Roar! by Paul and Henrietta Stickland, which encouraged children to try using opposites and descriptive language. In the afternoon, children proceeded on the project by creating habitats for their dinosaurs’ using sticks, leaves, and rocks from the playground. The benefits of outdoor play for encouraging independence and sustained engagement were evidenced by their improved problem-solving and teamwork skills because of this unstructured play.

As I reflected on the day, I became aware of how well play pedagogies support inclusion and comprehensive education. By encouraging the children to explore and supporting their ideas, I was able to design an engaging and meaningful experience that helped the children grow in several aspects.    In the future, I hope to advance my work by implementing play-based learning to foster children's independence, creativity, and social skills.