Unit 6 pp

CACHE Level 2 Intro to Early Years Education© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE LEVEL 2
INTRODUCTION TO
EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
AND CARE
Unit 6 Supporting children’s play
Session 1

Starter activity
1. Understand the play environment (1.1)
Time: 10 mins
What could this be?
Be creative use your imagination

LO1 Understand the play environment.
AC 1.1 Explain what is meant by ‘the play environment’.
AC 1.2 Explain how environments support play.
Learning Outcomes

• Children do not need expensive equipment in order to play.
• Children will play wherever their imagination takes them.
• A table can become a cave, a cardboard box can become a pirate ship, and
a saucepan can suddenly become a hat.
The play environment

Create a spider diagram/ wordal:
• Gives children choices
• Stimulates children
• Meets individual needs
• Is exciting
• Empowers children
• Has a positive atmosphere
Add at least 3 additional examples
of your own
Add Unit 6 -1.1 to the top of your page
• Encourages imagination
• Is safe
• Challenges children
• Is all around us
• Includes everyone
• Is welcoming.
The play environment

Pairs activity
Time: 15 mins
Get in pairs and sit back to back with
given questions each
Imagine that your partner is a new
parent/carer who is deciding whether
to send their child to your setting.
Describe your play environment to
them, using points given for support .

• An early years setting will have a range of toys and equipment for children
to play with, but they will also provide space for children to make their
own play.
• Children love to explore, imagine and invent.
• Any safe environment can support play, but the environment needs to be
positive and welcoming for children to want to play.
• The environment should be stimulating but not too busy, or children will
become distracted when playing.
How the environment supports play

Group activity
Time: 20 mins
Revisit your Teddy Tots floor plan showing where you would place activities and
equipment.
Consider:
• The age of the children
• A variety of equipment
• Space for imagination
• Indoor and outdoor space
• Safety considerations
• Meeting individual needs.
Be prepared to explain how your environment will support a variety of types of
play. Photocopy your completed floor plan and add Unit 6 1.2 to the top of your
page

CACHE LEVEL 2
INTRODUCTION TO
AND CARE
Session 2

Starter activity
What are
your feels
of this
image?

LO1 Understand the play environment.
AC 1.2 Explain how environments support play.
AC 1.3 Explain how to work with others to create enabling play environments
in early years settings.
Learning Outcomes

• Practitioners can work with others to create an enabling play
environment.
• The team may work together to change the layout of the environment to
make it more suitable for the children who use it.
• The setting may get outside professionals to come in and redesign the
outdoor play environment to make it more exciting and stimulating.
• Practitioners may work with parents/carers to create a home corner that
reflects the diversity of the local community.
Working with others

Classroom discussion activity
Time: 15 mins
Discuss how your setting’s play environment is organised.
Move around the room to answer the given questions
• If you could change one thing about the play environment in
your setting, what would it be and why?
1. Understand the play environment (1.2, 1.3)

Independent research activity
Time: 15 mins
Use the following link to find out information about your local park or play
areas: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-park
Choose two children’s play areas close to you and, using this website,
research what they have to offer.
Consider:
• Facilities
• Opening times
• Special events
• Which one do you think has the best play environment for children of all
ages? Why do you think that is?

CACHE LEVEL 2
INTRODUCTION TO
AND CARE
Session 3
http://fcpsweb/ProSolution/Pages/Home/Home.aspx

Starter activity
2. Understand how the early years practitioner supports
children’s behaviour and socialisation within play environments
(2.1)
List as many activities that you can
think of that support children
socialisation?

LO2 Understand how the early years practitioner supports children’s
behaviour and socialisation within play environments.
AC 2.1 Describe the role of the early years practitioner in supporting
children’s socialisation within play environments.
AC 2.2 Explain how modelling positive behaviours impacts on children’s
behaviours.
Learning Outcomes

• Practitioners will plan activities that encourage children to work and play
together.
• Some children find it easy to be around others.
• Some children may be shy and nervous in a group situation.
• Practitioners will observe children and, where necessary, support children
to socialise with others.
(2.1)
Supporting children’s socialisation

Pairs activity
Describe one of
the activities listed
in your starter
activity, and
explain how it
encourages
children to play
together.
(2.1)

• Some children who attend the setting may not have had previous
experience of playing with other children.
• They may be an only child, or it may be that the other children in the
family are much older.
• Some children who attend the setting will have brothers and sisters at
home and will be very used to playing with others.
• Practitioners will be aware of this information and will be able to plan
accordingly.
(2.1)

Group activity
Time: 15 mins
Are there any differences you may have seen between children who are used
to playing with others, compared to those who have had no previous
experiences.
Consider:
• The ability to share
• Waiting to take turns
• Talking and listening skills
• Coping with noisy environments
• Have you seen evidence of this in your setting?
(2.1)

• A practitioner can encourage children to socialise in a variety of ways.
• They can use daily tasks such as snack time to help children to be together.
• They can plan activities that need children to work together, such as large
block play.
(2.1)

(2.1)
Supporting
socialisation
Large
books
Water play
Circle
time
Sand play
Role play
Snack time
Speaking and
listening

• Children will copy adults’ words and actions.
• You will often see a child in the home corner pretending to be someone
else.
• They may be telling a baby doll off or talking on the phone.
• Their actions will often be copied from a television programme, film or
real life.
(2.2)
Modelling positive behaviour

Pairs activity
Circle Time
Describe at least two situations where you have seen children behave in a
way that has been copied from others.
Consider:
• Children imitating a character from a film or programme
• Children pretending to be someone else like a parent or practitioner
• Children copying the specific actions of an adult
• Children using words they have heard from an adult.
(2.2)

Practitioners will need to be positive role models and use the language and
behaviour that they would expect from children.
This would include:
• The use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
• Putting your hand over your mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Being polite to others
• Listening to others
• Taking turns
• Sharing.
Children are more likely to copy these appropriate behaviours if they are
demonstrated by all the adults around them.
(2.2)
Modelling positive behaviour

Time: 15 mins
Check around the room and find the 5 hidden questions
Discuss the impact of your own confidence within the setting and how this
may impact on children’s behaviour and socialisation.
(2.2)

Reflection activity
Time: 15 mins
Positive impact
• Manners
• Appropriate language
• Enthusiasm
• Body language.
Negative impact
• Boredom
• Eating habits
• Your pronunciation of words
• Attitude.
(2.2)
Please complete hand-out about how elements of your own behaviour could
impact on children’s behaviour?

CACHE LEVEL 2
INTRODUCTION TO
AND CARE
Session 4
http://fcpsweb/ProSolution/Pages/Home/Home.aspx

Starter activity
Time to think………..
Word square- All that you have to
do is make dictionary words of
any length from the letters in the
grid – the bigger the better!
The only restriction is that the
word must contain the central
letter.
E A T
M R C
I S I

LO3 Be able to support children’s behaviour and socialisation within play
environments.
AC 3.1 Model positive behaviour.
AC 3.2 Plan an activity which supports children’s socialisation.
AC 3.3 Carry out an activity which supports children’s socialisation.
AC 3.4 Reflect on own role in supporting children’s behaviour and
socialisation within play environments.
Learning Outcomes

You are required to:
• Show that you can model positive behaviour when in your setting.
• Plan and carry out an activity that supports children’s socialisation.
3. Be able to support children’s behaviour and socialisation within
play environments (3.1)
Model positive behaviour

Revisit one of your created activity plans or create a new plan for an activity
that will support children to socialise.
When choosing an activity, consider the following:
• The age of the children
• Equipment and toys available at the setting
• The space or area available to you
• How the activity will encourage children to be social.
You will need to speak to your supervisor to plan a suitable time for you to
carry out your activity.

Pairs activity
Sit with someone different in the room that you do not usually sit with.
Describe your chosen activity to your partner and explain the following
points:
• Why you chose the activity?
• How it will support socialisation?
• How you will model positive behaviour?
• How this will impact on the children’s behaviour?
play environments (3.1, 3.2)

Before you carry out your planned activity:
• Carefully watch how other practitioners support children to socialise
through play
• Note down any time you see a child imitating an adult and identify
whether it was a positive or negative behaviour
• Observe how children encourage other children to join in with activities.
This information should help you when you carry out your activity.

Group activity
Time: 15 mins
Discuss situations where you have seen other practitioners support children
to socialise through play.
Consider:
• Planned activities
• Spontaneous opportunities
• Regular daily tasks
• Are there any skills or strategies that you feel you would now use when
supporting children to socialise through play?

• You are now ready to carry out your planned activity.
• When you have done this, you will reflect on how it went.
• Your reflection will enable you to plan further activities to support
children’s behaviour and socialisation in play.
Reflect on own role

Reflection activity
After you have carried out your planned activity, consider:
• Did the activity go according to your plan?
• If not, why not?
• Did the children socialise with others while at the activity?
• What impact did you have on:
• the children’s ability to socialise
• the children’s behaviour?
• If you carried out this activity again, what would you do differently?
• Why?

Time: 15 mins
What do you feel has been or will be your biggest hurdle when supporting
children’s behaviour and socialisation during play?
Consider:
• Confidence
• Knowledge
• Ability
• Authority
• The setting
• The children you work with.

CACHE LEVEL 2
INTRODUCTION TO
AND CARE
Session 5

Starter activity
4. Be able to create an enabling play environment which meets
the age, stage and needs of children (4.1)
Time: 15 mins
Describe your ideal learning environment.
Consider:
• Space
• Colour
• Lighting
• Sound
• Furniture
• Equipment
• Why do these things help you to study?

LO4 Be able to create an enabling play environment which meets the age,
stage and needs of children.
AC 4.1 Describe how an enabling play environment meets the age, stage and
needs of children.
AC 4.2 Create an enabling play environment.
AC 4.3 Reflect on own role in creating enabling play environments.
Learning Outcomes

• An enabling environment is one that makes children feel safe, secure and
welcome.
• An enabling play environment needs to be suitable for the age, stage and
needs of the children who are using it.
• There will be different areas and activities within the environment that
will stretch and challenge children.
• There will also be spaces where children can use their imagination and
have free-choice play.
Enabling play environments

Group activity
http://youtu.be/kmnFIH1XgqU
Feedback on your thoughts from the clip, focusing on how it is an enabling
play environment

• As previously discussed, enabling play environments do not have to be full
of expensive equipment.
• Covering the home corner with a large blanket will turn it into a dark area
where children can explore light and dark.
• Putting junk modelling materials in the sand gives children the
opportunity to experiment with different materials.
Enabling play environments

Describe how you are going to contribute to creating an enabling play
environment.
Look around your setting, talk to other practitioners, and consider:
• The physical environment
• Developing social skills
• Reflecting interests and backgrounds
• Your own attitudes and behaviours.

Time: 15 mins
Discuss the benefits of an enabling play environment to the learning and
development of all children.
Consider:
• What might happen if the environment was uninviting and dull
• What the benefits are of reflecting on children’s interests in planning
• Why must practitioners be positive and upbeat when working with
children?
• Describe one thing you will do differently to ensure the children always
experience an enabling play environment.

Pairs activity
In three’s create a touchy feely board that could be used in a sensory room

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