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The centre I did my placement is Explorers Early Learning Williamstown, which is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. There are 10 rooms in the centre with different age-group from Nursery to Kinder. The centre is designed to stimulate children’s cre

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Documenter name: Brittany Ly
Age group of the learning: 3-4 years old
The Kindergarten program uses play based approach that emphasises learning through exploration and investigation. Children have an opportunity to have indoor and outdoor play for everyday routine. There are also Sustainability, Music & Movement, French and Speech Therapy program available.

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How does imaginative and pretend play enhance children’s development?

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Based on my observations during the first week of the placement, children in the Kingfishers communicated and interacted with their peers to share their thought and feelings through play. Children are interested in pretend play, using their imagination effectively. As I observed, children love to talk about people around them, who have a strong attachment with them such as their families and friends. In the first observation (date 30/03/2021), children were creating their artworks by using sand coloured, one child said they drew about bad guys and good guys and said that how he thinks about what they did while others drew their families. In the second one (date 31/03/2021), children were engaging in group to make a birthday party for a friend. By using natural materials and pretend play, children used some rocks in the pot with water to make mash. In the last one (date 01/04/2021), children drew their families, mummy and daddy in the art corner with their peers by using different colours from the crayons, markers. They said that they drew the house for travel, watching rainbow with mummy. In short, by using imaginative and pretend play, children easily express their feelings and ideas. When children use their imagination, it is a cognitive skill that is necessary to exercise their brain and think creatively.

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"“I will show you how to make it. We need to wash it and boil potato with hot water. That what my mum does at home”

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""This is good guys and bad guys here. The good one is helpful and the bad one isn’t."

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"The house I drew is for travelling. Mommy, my big sister, little sister, daddy and grandma will go with me.”

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Based on 3 observations, I can say that children have a strong sense of well being (EYLF outcome 3), as they love talking about people around them, such as their families and friends. Additionally, they are confident and effective communicators (EYLF outcome 5) by interacting with their peers and educator verbally and non-verbally for a range of purposes. When interacting with others, they also learn to behave with care and respect (EYLF outcome 1). Moreover, children also used their imagination and creativity when they played (EYLF outcome 4). Children had a connection with the world and the nature by using natural materials for play space and showed their knowledge about what the colour of the sky, how to make mash potato and where the crocodile lives (EYLF outcome 2).

As I observed, in play, children’s feelings are closely connected with the development of imagination and creativity. According to Lev Vygotsky, imaginative play is an important way for children to develop thinking and speaking. He believed that play promotes cognitive, social, and emotional development in children. When children are around 3 years old, they are curious about adult’s world. Pretend play gives them an opportunity to be in adult world such as being the doctor, driving a car. “It lets kids try out way of ‘being’ and doing things that they can’t do in real life. It helps them feel in control of their world.” (Yorganop,2016) On the other hand, it also builds their thinking skills to make them find it easier to think and plan using rather than words. Based on my observation, children could act out scenarios of their choosing in a safe space, so they are able to learn about other people’s perspectives. By merely being with and interacting to other children, pretend play provides an opportunity for children to enhance their language and social skills. Children talked about their families, shared with their friends about how they love their families. According to John Bowlby, he believed that children develop a strong bond to the person who cared for them most closely. He also believed that responsive and consistent caregivers meant children formed secure an attachment which helped them to develop healthy social and emotional behaviours (Yorganop,2016). When children feel safe and comfortable, they will be able to explore the environment, communicate with others so it is very essential for their development. Furthermore, based on what I observed, I realized that through communication, children can learn from others, by watching what they do and doing things with them. Lev Vygotsky said children have two level of ability, what they can do on their own and what they can do with help from someone else (Yorganop, 2016). “This mean that learning with and from others is prioritised.” (Nolan & Raban-Bisby, 2015). Based on socio-cultural theories, children are social beings who makes sense of the world through activities within their cultural situation (Yorganop,2016), this mean viewing a child’s development in the situation of their communities” (Nolan & Raban-Bisby, 2015).

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Imaginative play is a healthy contributor to a child’s development, as the Pre-service Teacher, I would actively encourage children when they engage in imaginative play. First, to be inclusive for all children in the room, I would promote children’s imagination in group time by using stories. As a Pre-service Teacher, I can be a role model by using different tone or voice to be different characters in the stories.

On the other hand, I also could invite children to recreate their favourite story. At this time, I would ask them open-ended questions such as “What do you think happened next?”, “What if the cat didn’t find the way home?”

Moreover, in the room I would provide materials and resources that children can explore based on their interests and enhance pretend play. I would provide dolls and puppets in the room that children have regular access to them. Through pretend play, children easily attribute feelings and ideas, express their thoughts and own ideas. In the room, there is a kitchen corner that children love doing cooking and spending time with their peers for role play such as family game, daddy and mummy. I would set up the kitchen with different materials (natural, wooden and recycle) where children can explore their interest in cooking and baking. I would scaffold different types of cuisines and cooking styles. Also, providing various kinds of dress-up is a great way to promote children imaginary play and keep children entertained.

Furthermore, in the art corner where children use their imagination to create their art works, I would provide a variety of loose part, different types of materials such as crayons, papers, old magazines to allow children to fully explore and enhance their creative explorations.

When educator doing cleaning in the room, involve children in and incorporate incidental learning into these situations.

For outdoor play, in the sandpit, children will be provided with a different obstacle course and pipes/water wall. As children love making waterfall, volcano, and building towers with their imagination in the sandpit, the educators will talk about construction during group time and scaffold their learning during their conversation while building tower. Children also will be asked open-ended questions which will help them to understand how water flows through the water wall.

Finally, indoor and outdoor program will run the whole day if possible so children will be able to make choice wherever they want to be. Educators will give plenty of playtimes to let children have as much time as possible to explore where the play takes them. By doing progressive meal, it means that children will be able to continue to play and join the meal when they are ready.