Posted: January 27th, 2025

Play and Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education Assessment 2: Digital Task

TCHR5001
Unit Name: Play and Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education
Assessment 2: Digital Task

Part A: Play Space Design
Instructions:
You are asked to design an indoor or outdoor play space for an age group of your choice (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, or 3-5 years). Consider elements such as the layout and available resources, how they are used, and their purposes. Think about how your design fosters key areas of development, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. You may use any computer program to create the design, or it can be hand-drawn. Your design must be inserted into this template (in the section below) and clearly labeled. In a separate section following the design, provide a 250-word written statement explaining how your personal philosophy on play-based pedagogy has informed your design for this particular age group.

Design:

(Insert design here)

Written Statement:
My working philosophy for play-based learning for infants (0-1 year) is based on the principle that play is essential to early learning. By recognizing the developmental milestones of this age group, I ensure the space is tailored to their unique needs while being engaging and flexible. This design was inspired by my conviction that the quality and safety of a learning environment enhance development through multi-sensory and mobile environments that foster physical learning. This puts the space and all its facilities into various sections to meet the developmental needs of the infants in place.

The vast soft structure play area is helpful for babies to develop new budding motor activities such as rolling, reaching, and even crawling (Arthur et al., 2021). A modular, reconfigurable layout also allows the space to adapt as infants’ developmental needs evolve. The tummy time zone is also aimed at helping with other important motor development, especially the need to strengthen the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and arms.

The outer crawl tunnel and the sensory wall can be considered as an activity designed to enhance cognitive and sensory skills through visualization, touch, and movement (Aras, 2019). These elements stimulate curiosity and exploration, which are such important aspects of learning in an infant. Additionally, the inclusion of natural and contrasting elements within the sensory wall supports visual development in early infancy. It also respects other aspects of infants’ kind of caring schedule that play a great role in their lives. These three areas exclude each other as they know that these care activities are good chances for one-to-one interaction, language, and emotional attachment.

While playfulness is imperative, safety decisions cannot be overlooked, characterized by soft flooring, rounded design edges, and easy supervisory vision. Furthermore, adjustments such as removable cushioning can support hygiene and ongoing maintenance of the space. The educator area is situated in a manner that will enable the educator to have a vision of all the areas, hence meeting the purpose of documentation and planning. Storage is accessible yet secure, allowing educators to rotate materials to maintain novelty and challenge, supporting the dynamic nature of infant development. This environment, aligned with my philosophy, supports the rapid growth and development of 0–1-year-olds by providing a balance of stimulation and comfort, opportunities for movement and rest, and spaces for both individual exploration and warm, responsive caregiving interactions.

Part B: Play-Based Learning Experience
Instructions:
Using the provided learning experience plan template, plan a small group play-based learning experience for the chosen age group (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, or 3-5 years). The activity will take place in your designed play space (Part A). Ensure your learning experience includes objectives based on the Early Years Learning Framework Learning Outcomes. Emphasize how the activity will foster growth across various domains – physical, cognitive, social, and emotional. Then, write a 250-word statement explaining the theoretical perspectives that underpin your planned learning experience.

Name of Experience: Sensory Basket Exploration

Aim:
To engage infants in sensory exploration that promotes cognitive development, fine motor skills, and early language acquisition through the discovery of various safe, everyday objects with different textures, shapes, and sounds.

EYLF Learning Outcomes:

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity (AGDE, 2022)
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners (AGDE, 2022)
Age Group: 0–1 years

Timing:

Procedure (How you will implement this plan) Considerations (Space, Time, Supervisions, Differentiation) Environment (Resources/Materials) Teaching Strategies
5 minutes: Introduction: Gather infants in the soft play area. Introduce the sensory basket, showing excitement about the objects inside. Ensure all infants are comfortable and can see the basket. Account for infants with sensory sensitivities or preferences. Soft play area with comfortable seating for infants. Sensory basket filled with safe, interesting objects of various textures, shapes, and sounds. Use animated facial expressions and tone of voice to engage infants. Model curiosity and enthusiasm. Encourage peer engagement through shared interactions.
15–20 minutes: Body of the learning experience: Allow infants to explore the objects freely. Describe the objects as infants interact with them, using simple language to name textures, shapes, and sounds. Demonstrate different ways to manipulate the objects. Observe each infant’s level of engagement and provide support as needed. Be prepared to redirect if infants put objects in their mouths. Ensure ample space for infants to explore. Have duplicates of popular items to prevent conflicts. Use descriptive language consistently. Respond to infants’ cues and vocalizations. Scaffold exploration by demonstrating new ways to interact with objects. Introduce basic cause-and-effect concepts through modeling.
5 minutes: Conclusion and transition: Begin to slowly pack away the objects, singing a simple clean-up song. Thank each infant for their participation. Be sensitive to infants who may not want to stop playing. Prepare for the next part of the routine (e.g., nap time, feeding). Allow time for a smooth emotional transition. Have a designated place to store the sensory basket. Use gentle physical cues along with verbal cues to signal the end of the activity. Validate any feelings of disappointment while maintaining a positive tone. Reinforce key sensory learning themes as part of the transition.
Written Statement:
This learning experience for 0–1-year-olds is strongly based on the Sensorimotor stage of Cognitive Development discovered by Jean Piaget. Through direct and self-guided interaction with sensory objects, infants gain foundational experiences in environmental responsiveness and self-expression. In this stage of development, the baby finds out about the environment through their sense organs and motor output (Piaget, 1952). The sensory basket exploration gives very many chances for an infant to learn in this style, handling objects and evaluating cause-and-effect. Also, in this experience, I outlined the sociocultural theory by Vygotsky, especially the role of the educator.

The set-out design of the experience has also considered the Reggio Emilia approach because this approach supports children’s independence and capability of learning (Reggio Children, 2010). Providing autonomy for independent exploration promotes infant agency and respects their capacity to direct their learning. Besides, the given experience fits in Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, focusing on the trust versus mistrust stage (Erikson, 1950). The children and infants are assured, and the right attachment is made with the educators or caregivers during the activity through warm and responsive touch.

Part C: Play-Based Resource
Design: Infant Sensory Board

(Insert image or design of sensory board here)

Written Statement:
The Infant Sensory Board is a carefully designed play-based resource aimed at supporting the sensory exploration and development of 0–1-year-old infants. This hands-on resource promotes active engagement while offering structured opportunities to refine sensory and fine motor skills. This multi-sensory approach supports the integration of sensory information, a crucial aspect of brain development in the first year of life (Fox et al., 2010).

Playing with the elements of the board enhances physical aspects of the child, such as motor mastery and hand-eye coordination. Each interactive feature is thoughtfully positioned to encourage maximum engagement and safe exploration, aligning with infants’ developmental interests. Additionally, the inclusion of a teething-safe edge thoughtfully addresses the oral sensory needs of this age group.

Caregivers should narrate and describe infants’ interactions with the board using terms about texture, colors, and actions to enhance receptive language (Tomasello, 2003). This dynamic interaction also strengthens caregiver-infant bonding as language exchange and emotional validation take place. Closeness with other young people helps infants build up confidence in their caregivers and acquire secure attachment, which is essential to social and emotional growth (Barblett, 2010).

References
Aras, S. (2019). Cognitive development in early childhood. In S. Bembry R. Rillero (Eds.),_Early childhood education_ (pp. 45–60). New York, NY: Wiley & Sons.
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2021). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (8th ed.). Melbourne, Vic: Thomson.
Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE]. (2022) Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia (V2.0).
Barblett, L. (2010). Why play-based learning? Every Child, 16(3), 4–5.

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