Promoting creativity and structured play in the early years

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Promoting creativity and structured play in the
early years

• Lynne Wilson
• 20.10.05

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Creativity

• It is important that we foster creativity at an
  early stage so that children are more prepared to
  lead an active role in their own learning,
  developing better self-esteem and more willing to
  take chances. (Creativity Counts, A Report of
  Findings from Schools 2004)
• What is creativity?
• Are we all creative?
• Why is creativity important?
• How can you spot creativity?
• How can teachers promote creativity?

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The importance of structured play in the early
years

• Structured play is a vehicle for creativity.
• It allows children to learn through play,
  through active engagement and to learn through
  doing.
• Purposeful and structured play creates an active
  learning environment.
• Piaget stated that children learn through
  spontaneous exploration.
• Play is an essential activity for all children.
  Not only is it enjoyable but it also makes an
  invaluable contribution to childrens educational
  and social development.

Gronlund, Gaye Bringing the DAP Message to
Kindergarten and Primary Teachers Northen,
Stephanie Play Galbraith, Sam The Importance of
Play, A Play Agenda for the Scottish Parliament
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Advantages of Structured Play in the early years

• Inclusion of all children regardless of ability
• Children learn the importance of co-operation
• Children develop confidence and positive
  attitudes
• Greater interpersonal skills are developed
• Aids transition from nursery to Primary 1
• Leads to greater creativity
• Greater parental involvement in early years
• Children learn to interact, question and explore
  their environment.
• Teaching staff can learn a lot through watching
  children at play and identify problems early.

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Structured Play areas

• Imaginative/dramatic play
• Language area
• IT area
• Art craft
• Construction
• Physical play
• Sand water
• Malleable materials
• Small world/table top

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How, when and where?

• HOW With nursery and infant staff, draw up a
  list of structured activities, drawing from all
  areas of the curriculum and including outdoor
  play
• WHEN Daily in nursery, three times a week for
  Primary 1, twice a week for Primary 2 and once a
  week for Primary 3
• WHERE In spare infant classroom, in open area in
  infant department and in infant
  playground/playing fields.

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Early Intervention Strategies

• These are the eleven strategies of the Early
  Intervention programme
• Involve nursery settings in the programme by
  supporting the early literacy and numeracy
  learning opportunities offered to pre-school
  children.
• Target children in P.1 and P.2, building on the
  nursery experiences of all 4 year old.
• Support emergent writing and reading through
  early identification of children at risk of
  experiencing failure.
• Support early numeracy by providing interactive
  learning and teaching opportunities in the
  classroom beyond.
• Support Early Years staff through staff
  development opportunities.

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Early Intervention Strategies

• Give children, P1 and P2 teachers access to
  Support for Learning expertise.
• Develop the use of child profiles to establish
  starting points for the early literacy
  curriculum.
• Promote home/school learning links emphasising
  the role of parents.
• Work co-operatively with Community Services staff
  on a programme of Family Learning.
• Involve parents in the planned literacy and
  numeracy programmes in nursery and P1 and P2.
• Establish a baseline assessment procedure in P1
  working co-operatively with Support for Learning
  teachers.

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Early Intervention strategies to promote
creativity and structured play

• Target children in P.1 and P.2, building on the
  nursery experiences of all 4 year olds.
• Promote home/school learning links emphasising
  the role of parents.
• Support emergent writing and reading through
  early identification of children at risk of
  experiencing failure.
• Support early numeracy by providing interactive
  learning and teaching opportunities in the
  classroom beyond.

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Promoting Creativity and Structured Play

• Target children in P.1 and P.2, building on the
  nursery experiences of all 4 year olds.
• Aids transition
• Continues creative development
• Involves all nursery staff, infant staff and
  parents
• Promotes personal achievement and success
• Uses three main activity types
• Activities changed regularly to maintain interest
  and motivate children to learn

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Promoting Creativity and Structured Play

• Promote home/school learning links emphasising
  the role of parents.
• Important for parents to experience first hand
  the benefits of structured play
• Involves parents in a variety of aspects of early
  education
• Parental involvement eases transition
• Parental understanding may lead to greater
  encouragement thus improving our pupils
  attainment

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Promoting Creativity and Structured Play

• Support emergent writing and reading through
  early identification of children at risk of
  experiencing failure.
• All children come to school with a range of
  knowledge about reading and writing
• A writing table and book corner should be
  available at all times to develop interest in
  language
• Children should be read to daily and be
  encouraged to read favourite books, home made
  books, environmental print
• Emergent writing should be discussed and
  displayed to buid confidence

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Promoting Creativity and Structured Play

• Support early numeracy by providing interactive
  learning and teaching opportunities in the
  classroom beyond.
• Structured play allows opportunities for children
  to learn about mathematical concepts through
  doing
• Activities allow children to practise in
  meaningful contexts
• Activities allow for consolidation and extension
• Open ended questions activities can promote
  creativity in young children

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Impact on Early Years Educationat Bankier
Primary School

• A structured play programme set up in nursery and
  Primary 1 and 2 with the aim to increase
  creativity
• Higher attainment and achievement in language and
  maths
• Greater sense of success and self esteem for all
  children
• An infant department leading the way in education