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Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR] 2016, ‘Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework’, Early Years Learning and Development Outcomes, State of Victoria, viewed 17 November 2020, <https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf >.

Verywell mind 2020, Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, viewed on 17 November 2020, < https://www.verywellmind.com/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences-2795161>.

Yorganop 2016, Theories and Theorists in Early Childhood Who are they and what did they tell us? Ideas for practice, Yorganop, Perth, WA, viewed 17 November 2020, <http://web.archive.org/web/20180316184334/http://ipsuwa.yorganop.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/combined-theorists-resource.pdf>.

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I will provide the children with the opportunity to provoke their critical thinking as they engage with varieties of open-ended materials. As they become curios to learn about various resources and how to use them and why we use them and what for, they will challenge themselves to critically think and reflect on their learning. For example, they will have the opportunity to make mud paint (using natural resources), instead of play-dough children can make slime and make creations out of slime such as caterpillars, butterfly, various fruits. (use of natural and recycled materials).

Children pursue their learning through their own interests and imagination. Provoking children to have a sense of inclusion in their learning environment by various intentional teaching methods and spontaneous play-based learning experiences allows the children to involve in decision making, acknowledge each child has a voice. Encouraging them to freely explore and provide uninterrupted play time helps in developing their self-confidence to have a sense of identity.

As an extend learning/ future planning for children’s learning, offer them with the opportunity to make fruit salad with fruits they learned about which leads them to learn about healthy eating and use fruit scraps to make compost which enables them to learn about environmental sustainability.

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Analysing the observations of the ordinary moment it is evident that children learn through play. As stated in the VEYLDF, “Play is essential to stimulate and integrate a wide range of children’s intellectual, physical, social and creative abilities”: Practice principles for children’s learning and development - Integrated teaching and learning approaches. (DEEWR 2016).

Throughout all the experiences, it is clearly seen that hands-on experiences allows the children to develop their fine motor skills as they use their fingers to manipulate play-dough, through holding crayons to draw and using paint brushes and leaves to paint. (VEYLDF Outcome 4: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing). As the children engage in various learning experiences, they are able to learn about different learning environments, various types of play materials, concepts which challenges them in intellectual thinking, open-ended questions which leads to scaffolding their learning which links to Lev Vygotsky’s Cognitive Development Theory. It is important that children learn and interact in different learning environments which allows them to explore their interests within various ranges of experiences. (DEEWR 2016, Yorganop 2016).

Moreover, according to the Behaviourist theory by B.F. Skinner, he mentions that learning is ongoing, and a regular process and the environment determines the child’s development and learning. Children were provided with the opportunity to engage in nature painting outdoors where they can observe the natural environment around them while drawing and play-dough experiences were indoors. Children develop their critical thinking, explore creativity through various methods of learning, for example, the children were provided with visual aids of fruits to in fruit recognition experience which represent visual spatial intelligence of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence and by developing fine motor skills through play-dough, painting and drawing represent bodily kinesthetic intelligence of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence. (Yorganop 2016, verywell mind 2020).

Furthermore, according to psychosocial theory by Erik Erikson, he believes children’s learning and development is supported by social interactions. Children were engaging in group experiences which allowed them to interact verbally and non-verbally with their peers. They were able to engage in collaborative play, sharing materials, and develop communication skills by constructing meaningful conversations and asking open-ended question. (Yorganop 2016).

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The ordinary moments that I collected, inspired my question to explore reasons behind it and made me to think about different hands-on learning experiences and how it supports children’s learning and development. All the ordinary moments displayed variety of hands-on experience for children inspired by children’s interest. Children were actively engaged in the learning experiences in the ordinary moments with their peers which allows them to develop their social skills such as taking turns sitting down, sharing play materials and etc.

Throughout all the experiences, children were able to explore a vast range of materials, feel different textures, which encourages the children to develop sensory skills and curiosity. Third ordinary moment was chosen as an extended learning for the children as they spoke about fruits in the first ordinary moment. Repetition, extending learning experiences as of children’s interest allows the children to be more interactive and scaffold their learning.

Children were intrigued by the different learning experiences, materials they engaged with as they find extra ordinary moment of play within the ordinary moments that they engage in which in-turn support children's learning and holistic development.

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Ordinary moment 3 (Fruit Recognition): 11th November 2020 at 09.30am

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Ordinary moment 3 (Fruit Recognition): 11th November 2020 at 09.30am

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As I placed papers on the table and kept a basket of crayons and a basket of flash cards printed with fruits, children started coming and sitting down looking at the resources on the table excitedly. Luka and Eric were grabbing the chair from either sides from their hands screaming “aaaahhhhh…..”fighting to sit on the same chair “alright, stop please! is it okay to grab and snatch things? I asked showing my hand with the stop signal. Luka looked down holding on to the chair. We can take turns to sit Luka and Eric I said. While I was speaking to them, I noticed Ashley taking an apple fruit card and started drawing on the paper with a red colour crayon. As the conflict was sorted all the children took different coloured crayons and started drawing looking at the fruit flash cards while Olivia was peeping into the crayon basket looking for a crayon saying “yellow, Banana”.

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Ordinary moment 2 (Nature painting): 09th November 2020 at 10.45am

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Ordinary moment 2 (Nature painting): 09th November 2020 at 10.45am

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“Leaf” said Anna, pointing her finger towards the bunch of leaves kept on the table outdoors while Eric kept on murmuring “Geen Geen” softly looking at the paint tray. As I provided them with paper writing the children’s names on the back of the paper, they started to pull the leaves out of the bag which was kept on the table. Some of them dipped the paint brush in paint and painted on top of the leaves while the other children dipped the leaves in paint and moved it up and down and sideways on the paper printing different parts of the leaves on the paper. “More, more…” said Anna dipping her leaves in various coloured paint.

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Ordinary moment 1 (Play Dough): 06th November 2020 at 10.00am

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Ordinary moment 1 (Play Dough): 06th November 2020 at 10.00am

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As I was observing the children engaged in play dough learning experience, “hungry caterpillar” Ashley said, I asked are you making a hungry caterpillar? What colour is the caterpillar Ashley? I asked while Ashley lifted her head and looked at me with a confused face. At the same time Eric mentioned “Strawberry”. “Yum, Eric do you like strawberries?” I questioned. Aayush said “I like stlawberries” (Meaning to stay strawberries). As all the children were making various creations from play dough, Anna lifted the play dough piece on to her palm and pointed towards me. “Oh! What have you made Anna?” “Ball” she replied smiling at me.

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How does hands on activities support children’s learning and holistic development?

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Name of the documentator: Iroshani Mallika Arachchige

Age group of the learners: Birth to 2 years old

Time period: 26/11/2020 – 13/11/2020

A Place walk to my onsite childcare centre

My placement was done at Great Beginnings Notting hill childcare centre which is located near Monash University which provides high-quality childcare and early education for children from birth to six years. The learning and development is supported as they offer a play-based curriculum guided by the national Early Years Learning Framework and a kindergarten program to prepare the children socially and academically for school. They strive to provide Interest-based learning that places children at the helm of their early education experiences.

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I wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung First People as the traditional owners of the land we live and work on.  I pay my respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging.