Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision

Playing and exploring in the early years

What is playing and exploring?

Playing and exploring is a characteristic of effective learning and involves children investigating and experiencing resources and materials.

In the early years it is important to bear in mind the child’s age and stage of development when identifying need.

  • Identification – what you may see in the child

    • Has difficulties following routines.
    • Engages in repetitive play and may not engage in spontaneous play.
    • Has difficulties in understanding and following routines.
    • Lack of curiosity and/or sensory exploration, for example, repeatedly lining up cars.
    • Little engagement in role or imaginative play.
    • Limited representation of experience in play.
    • Little interest in watching peers’ play.

  • Planned provision in the setting

    Based on need, some of this provision will be effective.

    • Model how to explore and investigate objects.
    • Provide resources that are at children’s developmental age.
    • Provide activities that encourage children to use all their senses, for example, treasure baskets, sensory boxes.
    • Provide the same learning outcomes in many ways and consider how opportunities for children to develop skills in various areas of provision are planned. For example, turn taking, rolling a ball back and forth, placing pieces in a puzzle.
    • Provide open-ended play opportunities.
    • Encourage children to make choices. Adults model choice making and provision enables this.
    • Offer limited choices to support meaningful decision making alongside visuals, for example milk or water at snack time.
    • Use visual support to teach play routines.