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Question: Why is it important to engage children in hands on learning?

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1: The activity I have planned for the child is playing with popsicle sticks. I believe this is an opportunity for children to explore freely with the items provided. During this activity I have planned for the child to colour in the popsicle sticks and make something interesting using it. While the child was doing this, she created a house with popsicle sticks. Doing this activity with the child I believe it engages her as it is a really hand on activity. Being hands on is very important as this allows the child to engage in kinesthetic learning. It allows children to experiment new things and learn from their mistakes and understand the potential gaps between theory and practice.

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#2 Painting . Painting can help your children communicate their emotions or feelings. Painting with your child helps them express themselves without the use of words. I believe this is because of all the different colours of the paint. Painting helps your child develop mobility skills. During our zoom session I explained to the child what we are doing, and she did seem very interested and was carefully listening. In this zoom session I have decided to do hand painting. The child however wanted her mother to participate in the activity as well. Hand painting requires hand eye coordination and this is a really important skill to have at their age. Painting is a great way for children to progress and discover their creativity. I have decided to do another painting session with this child as I believe she really enjoyed it last time, however this time round I decided to do finger painting so it could really be hands on and she can use her fingers more.

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#3 Making a clock with paper plate: In our online session I have decided to make a clock with paper plates. During our session I explained the activity to the child, however at the same time I made sure that I had a pre made clock so that the child was able to see what it’s supposed to look like. As the child’s mother was with us during our online zoom session, she was able to help and guide her while I was talking to the child. Doing this activity allowed the child to talk and ask a lot of questions about the activity. I believe it is a great way for the child to also learn how to tell the time. Hands on learning is a great way to learn for most children because of its engaging nature.

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My overall experience with placement, I believe I was able to observe the child in each zoom session and was able to connect with the child The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) adopts a comprehensive approach to children’s learning and development.” Each child has a different learning method. In my online sessions I wanted to be very hands on with the child. My first activity popsicle sticks the child was very engaged as it was a very hand on activity, she enjoyed it. Piaget's theory of constructivism argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences. Piaget's theory covered learning theories, teaching methods, and education reform. (Piaget's Theory on Constructivism, 2020) My second activity was painting. This was our second time doing a painting zoom session. The child was already aware what to expect. The child wanted his mother at all times during the zoom session. Lev Vygotsky is known for his sociocultural theory. He believed that social interaction plays a critical role in children's learning. He believes that the relationship children have with their families is crucial as they learn everything through the interactions with the more knowledgeable partners (Brooks, 2011). The last activity was making a clock with paper plate. The child enjoyed the zoom session and was listening to me at all times. At one point during the session the child wanted to do everything on her own and did not want to be interrupted by anyone. The theory by “Loris Malaguzzi is best known for his instrumental role in the creation and development of the Reggio Emilia approach. The child-centered early educational philosophy that hinges on the belief that children are powerful and capable individuals, with the ability and desire to construct their own knowledge” (Who is Loris Malaguzzi? | The Compass School, 2020).

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During my virtual placement zoom was my online tool. Before every session I would always ensure that the parent has organised everything so that we can have a smooth start. The child that I would be observing every session was a 3-year-old girl. In the three sessions the child needed popsicles, colouring in pens, paint and a paper plates. The purpose of the learning experience with the child and myself is to ensure that the child is having fun during our session as well as learning. During my sessions I aimed to do a lot of hands on activities with the child. I believe this is important to consider because this allows the child to experience something, rather than just being told about it. “Hands on learning is particularly important for young children, as this is how they are programmed to learn. “(2020)

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The activities I have planned during these sessions are all to help children be more hands on and engaged. My second activity was painting. It is important to consider open conversations. A good way to start may be to describe what you as the teacher sees. Making comments such as, “Your painting has a lot of different colours and a lot of lines through it”. Wait to see if the child responds as she may want to respond or just continue with her painting. My first activity included popsicles. The child made a house with popsicles. A question that could be asked to the child is “Why did you draw a house”? “Does this make you feel a certain way”.

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2020. [online] Available at: <https://appletreekindergarten.com/blog/benefits-hands-learning-children [Accessed 15 August 2020].

Teach-nology.com. 2020. Piaget's Theory On Constructivism.
Available at: <https://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/piaget [Accessed 17 August 2020].