Get Rid Of The Templates

Children are so highly creative and learn to express their world and what’s around them in their own unique way from an early age.

Yet often we as adults try to stifle this creative freedom.

Perhaps by showing children how we expect their painting of a pumpkin to look and only offering one paint colour.

Maybe setting up a craft station where all the children have to make a paper spider with pipe cleaner legs.

Or

How about giving children templates, outlines to colour in or pre-determined shapes to use in their craft activity.

These stop us from focussing on the process of the learning and instead give the child the message that the outcome is what’s important here.

Instead talk to the children, “Ok so you want to make a representation of the bumblebee you saw outside, what materials shall we use? What colours would work best here? What shape will you make the body? How would be the best way to create the stripes?’

Consider the creative freedom you offer in your enabling learning environment. Can children go into the clay area and make a spider if they choose to? Can they problem solve how to attach the legs and use books to help them know how many legs spiders have?

Do you document the process of the learning in your displays? Showing what led to the creation, the questions that were asked and the problems solved?

You’re going to learn so much more about the child and in doing so let them know that you value their uniqueness.

We don’t all see the world in the same way.

To open up your play and find out more about child led learning join our Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation here