Home learning ideas for 2 year olds

Home learning ideas for 3 to 5 year olds

Key points for outdoor learning

• Outdoor environments have unique characteristics and features.
• Learning outdoors has equal value to learning indoors.
• Outdoor learning has a positive impact on children’s well-being and development.
• Children need the support of engaged adults who are enthusiastic about the outdoors and understand the importance of outdoor learning.
• Outdoor learning is enhanced by an environment that is resourced with play materials that can be adapted and used in different ways.
• An approach to outdoor learning that considers experiences, rather than equipment, places children at the centre of the provision.

Outdoor learning resources

There's lots of resources available to schools and settings to support outdoor learning, and the development of outdoor spaces. Examples include:

• The Woodland Trust - offer downloadable resources and a free trees scheme
• Play England - provide advice and support for children's outdoor play
• RHS Campaign for School Gardening - resources and information to help with growing fruit and vegetables

Find more outdoor learning resources in the useful information and documents section.

Observation

You need to observe children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles. This allows you to shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations, to enhance their development and progression.

You can record your observations of a child using our observation template, and provide parents or carers with our observation from home slips.

Assessment

Assessment is an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support. Ongoing assessment (also known as formative assessment) is an integral part of the learning and development process.

You can use our assessment templates below to record a summary of a child's learning and development on entry, and their termly review.

Prime assessments (for children under the age of 3)

• Prime on entry summary for children under the age of 3
• Prime termly review for children under the age of 3

Prime and specific assessments (for children aged 3 or over)

• Prime and specific on entry summary for children aged 3 or over
• Prime and specific termly review for children aged 3 or over

Planning

You need to consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in your care, and use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development.

You can use our template continuous learning plan or objective led plan for individual children, and our template weekly activity plan.

There are a range of example continuous learning plans available in the useful documents section.

Tracking

Our toolkit to support the tracking of attainment and progress has been designed for early education and childcare providers in Barnsley. As part of the toolkit there's an easy to use Microsoft Excel tracker that allows providers to monitor the development of individuals and groups.

For a copy of the tracker please contact us using our online form.

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) 3

The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) 3 is the revised version of the internationally used and respected tool to measure and improve the quality of early years provisions.

ECERS-3 has an increased focus on literacy, mathematical learning, and the role of the adult to maximise teaching and learning.

Infant and Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS)

The Infant and Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) has a focus on auditing the environment for the youngest children (0 to 2 and a half years old) in order create a sense of attachment and wellbeing to promote development.

Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW)

The Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW) scale has been developed to assess the quality of adult support and interactions in promoting children’s sustained shared thinking and emotional wellbeing.

The SSTEW scale builds on the ITERS and ECERS to provide more focus on the adult role. The SSTEW scales go further in defining what adults actually do that support children's emotional wellbeing and their learning behaviours and attitudes.

Movement Environment Rating Scale (MOVERS)

Movement Environment Rating Scale (MOVERS) is a method of measuring the quality of environment and pedagogy in which children are encouraged to be physically active. It applies the methodology used in the ECERS-3 and SSTEW scales, making it easy for educators familiar with these to adopt.

MOVERS is an invaluable tool for research, self-evaluation and improvement, audit, and regulation.