Support Children’s Learning and Development in the Early Years

Outcome 2:- Explain how to achieve the balance of child initiated play and adult lead activities.

Adult lead activities are important to help children to develop holistically. As through adult lead activities practitioners can aim to develop and focus on certain areas. Practitioners can also introduce new ideas and experiences to children. However children learn best through their own hands experiences and their own choices of trial and error they can also then develop on their own previous experiences.

Through the settings planning we are able to achieve a balance of adult lead activities and child initiated play. By planning for adult lead activities which are usually done in small groups or individually, whilst at the same time allowing lots of time within the planning for child initiated play, (free play). Where children are able to choose from a variety of activities that they are allowed free access to such as role play or home corner, construction activities, books, small world toys this allows children to develop on their own interests.
The setting allows plenty of time for child initiated play as this allows the child to explore alone or with others and enables them to develop their own self confidence. Child initiated play time also allows the practitioner time to observe the children in their care enabling them to record achievements and also areas that the child may need help to