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I used this infographic from VU to guide me in making this project work

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I used this infographic from VU to guide me in making this project work

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My placement is located one suburb away from the Melbourne CBD in Parkville. I am doing my final placement in their kinder room for 25 days with my mentor, Claire and her co-educator, Nick.

At my placement, everything revolves around the kids’ interests. The educators don’t follow a rigid plan; instead, they’re flexible, adapting to what the children are curious about on any given day.

Play-based learning is a huge focus, and it’s great to see how activities are tailored to the kids’ strengths and where they need more support.

The center follows the Reggio Emilia approach, which means the children are seen as independent learners, not just passive participants. The space itself plays a massive role – it’s designed to encourage exploration, almost like a teacher in its own right.

The kids even help set up their own activities, both indoors and outdoors. Claire and Nick don’t just lead activities; they guide the kids while learning alongside them, which creates a collaborative culture in the room.

It’s less about instruction and more about discovery, for both the kids and the educators.

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During the Mini Olympics, I introduced a footy accuracy challenge where children aimed at buckets placed on rocks. This sparked a noticeable interest in ball-related games and activities.

Following this, during free play, I further observed the children's natural gravitation towards ball games. For example, After observing the children’s interest in ball activities and their excitement during the Mini Olympics, I had a conversation with Nick, my co-educator. We discussed how the children were doing great with simple tasks like throwing and kicking but could benefit from more structured activities that involved teamwork and coordination.

Nick pointed out how even during free play, they tended to focus on individual actions—dribbling or kicking on their own—rather than engaging with each other to form a proper game.

This conversation inspired me to design an inquiry project that would take their interest in ball games further. I wanted to create opportunities for the children to build on their natural enthusiasm by improving their ball-handling skills, learning to communicate during games, and working together to achieve goals.

This led me to focus on using outdoor ball activities as a way to enhance both physical and social development.

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Inquiry Question:
In what ways can outdoor ball activities be designed to challenge children’s motor skills while encouraging communication and collaboration in a shared play space?

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With this in mind, I planned and implemented the following outdoor ball activities to foster both physical coordination and teamwork:

Jumping and Throwing Challenge:
As an extension of the interest in the game of basketball and the mini olympics challenge, I introduced a new challenge where the children would jump from a tall platform onto a mat while throwing a ball into a crate I held up. To add complexity, I had them attempt a front flip upon landing. This activity combined coordination, timing, and body control, encouraging the children to push their physical boundaries while also practicing their accuracy mid-jump.

Collaborative Team Game - "Poison":
I introduced a game called "Poison" where children had to pass a basketball to each other while avoiding being hit by it. The game required quick communication and strategy, as the children had to work together to keep the ball in play. It was a fun way for them to develop both their physical skills and teamwork, as they learned to strategize and rely on each other.

Ball Passing and Team Communication:
I implemented a simple ball-passing exercise where the children had to pass the ball to each other while navigating obstacles or making it to a target. This activity encouraged them to focus on their teammates and trust each other’s abilities. The task required communication, coordination, and patience, reinforcing the importance of working together to achieve a shared goal.

Creative Free Play with Balls:
To encourage child-led exploration, I provided a variety of balls during free play and left them to experiment. Watching how they navigated challenges like scoring points, sharing the space, and negotiating rules gave insight into how outdoor environments can enhance autonomy, creativity, and peer negotiation.

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Physical Growth and Coordination:

The "Jumping and Throwing" challenge was a big hit. Initially, some of the children were hesitant to jump from the platform, but as they became more confident, their throws became more accurate and their body control improved. The added complexity of the front flip helped them engage with their balance and spatial awareness in a fun, playful way.

Teamwork and Collaboration in "Poison":

During the "Poison" game, the children quickly realized that to succeed, they needed to work together and communicate. I noticed that some of the quieter children began to take on leadership roles, helping to direct the game and encourage others. The activity not only improved their coordination but also showed how teamwork could elevate the experience and lead to greater success.

Ball Passing for Communication and Trust:

In the ball-passing exercises, I saw the children develop a strong sense of trust in each other’s abilities. They quickly learned that success depended on everyone’s participation. As they became more comfortable with the activity, they communicated more effectively and worked together to achieve their goal, enhancing both their physical coordination and social skills.

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My question was:
In what ways can outdoor ball activities be designed to challenge children’s motor skills while encouraging communication and collaboration in a shared play space?

To find the answer I tried:

Structured activities like the "Jumping and Throwing" challenge, team-based games like "Poison," and collaborative ball-passing exercises to observe how these activities impacted motor skills and teamwork.

What happened was:

The children showed significant improvement in both physical coordination and teamwork. The structured ball games helped them develop their motor skills, while the team activities encouraged communication and cooperation.

I learned:

Outdoor ball activities are highly effective in not only developing physical skills but also fostering social collaboration and leadership. The balance of structured challenges and free play allowed the children to explore their abilities while working as a team.

In future, I will:

Continue to introduce new and dynamic ball activities that push the children to further develop their physical skills while deepening their ability to work together. I will also incorporate more leadership opportunities to allow each child to take on different roles in a team setting.

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1. Introduce More Complex Physical Challenges:
Add dynamic elements like obstacles or relay-style tasks to increase the challenge and promote both physical coordination and strategic teamwork.

2. Encourage Peer Leadership:
Rotate leadership roles in team-based ball activities, giving each child the opportunity to guide their peers and develop their communication and leadership skills.

3. Reflect on Individual Growth:
Continue observing how each child engages with ball activities to identify areas where they can improve, both in terms of physical development and social collaboration.