Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
Creating order from the chaos in a
play-based environment
Foreword
I am pleased to introduce Creating order from chaos
in a play-based environment.
While we are not presuming that a playbased environment creates chaos, this guide
addresses common confusion about play-based
learning environments and how to manage them
effectively to assist in eliminating any potential
chaos that may occur.
This guide will demonstrate that the National
Quality Framework (NQF) allows teachers and
educators to be creative and purposeful in
establishing play-based learning environments.
By understanding and applying the concepts
outlined in this guide, a service can be
transformed from what appears to some as
a seemingly chaotic space into an ordered
environment which enhances positive learning
outcomes for children.
It is important for teachers and educators to
develop strategies that work for their service,
management, children and families. Therefore,
this document is not prescriptive, but, instead,
more of a guide that helps to unpack the
requirements in a clear and concise manner.
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based
environment is based on the successful
Kindergarten Advisory Support Service (KASS)
workshop of a similar name and was provided
to all long day care services in Queensland
free of charge. KASS is a service operated by
Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA
Qld) and is proudly funded and supported by the
Queensland and Commonwealth Governments
under the National Partnership Agreement on
Early Childhood Education.
Gwynn Bridge
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland
I hope this resource will assist you and your
service, and is the starting point for improved
quality ratings, happy parents and of course
happy children.
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 1
About the Authors
Pam Maclean
Pam Maclean, the Principal of Child’s Play Consultancy Services, is renowned for her integrity and
professional approach with over 30 years working in the early childhood education and care sector.
Pam has expertise in service and playground design, professional development and mentoring of
staff and auditing services to ensure optimum outcomes. She has a particular interest in arranging
service space layouts to increase their appeal and positively affect children’s behaviour.
Pam was the principal presenter in the three most recent Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
(KASS) state-wide workshop series and has been engaged by Australian Childcare Alliance
Queensland (ACA Qld) to provide professional development and mentoring to services in 2015.
Pam holds a Master of Education (Educational Leadership).
Further information is available at www.childsplayconsultancy.com.au
Linda McConville
Linda McConville is the Operational Project Manager of Kindergarten Advisory Support Service (KASS)
which is operated by Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld).
Linda is a registered teacher with a wealth of knowledge and experience from her 30 plus years in
early childhood teaching which includes teaching in primary, pre-school and kindergarten, the long
day care sector as Director of both rural, remote and metropolitan services and for many years as a
validator with the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC).
As the project manager for KASS, Linda supports all long day care services and teachers across
Queensland with the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) and implementation of
quality kindergarten programs.
2 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
Contents
Foreword1
About the Authors
2
What is play-based learning? 4
What is a play-based learning environment?
6
How do I manage a stimulating play-based environment?
7
How can play-based learning help me develop positive, beneficial relationships
with children, families, community and between team members?
10
How can I engage and build on families’ understanding of the NQF in a playbased environment?
11
Indoor/Outdoor programming – what does it mean and how do I implement it
within the service?
12
References14
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 3
What is play-based learning?
The EYLF definition of play-based learning is: ‘A context for learning through
which children organise and make sense of their social worlds as they engage
actively with people, objects and representations.’
A play-based environment is one in which
children learn naturally from play and everyday
experiences. It allows children to discover,
investigate, create, imagine, try out ideas and
ask questions under the guidance of purposeful
educators and teachers.
In some previous approaches to learning,
teachers delivered highly structured, teacherled programs, with educators acting as the
organisers and decision makers. The focus
was on scheduled activities rather than
learning outcomes, with less attention paid to
specific knowledge, skills, understanding, and
dispositions. The NQF addressed this deficit with
a play-based learning approach that focuses on
each child and how they learn.
Play-based learning provides choice and
flexibility. We can be more responsive to
children’s needs and interests. This approach
allows us to form positive learning partnerships
with children and families. There are still
learning outcomes to achieve, but we now share
the responsibility in a learning relationship,
of furthering the children’s learning and
development where both adult and child have
intent to learn from each other (EYLF, page 46).
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We share the planning with children, and work
in partnership with families, actively involving
them in their child’s learning. The EYLF states
that “viewing children as active participants
and decision makers opens up possibilities
for educators to move beyond pre-conceived
expectations about what children can do and
learn” and “children thrive when families and
educators work together in partnership to support
young children’s learning” (EYLF, page 9).
Play-based learning allows us to better
understand each child. This approach
emphasises achieving specific learning
outcomes rather than focusing on planned
activities. This means we can better focus on
the achievements of each child, small groups
or the whole group. In striving to develop a
love of learning in children, we embark on
a shared journey of discovery – imagining,
creating, questioning, seeking answers and
sharing excitement in the new and intriguing.
Incorporating a play-based learning approach
encourages the development of confidence,
resilience and persistence: all essential life
skills.
Learning Outcomes
The funnel diagram below demonstrates the
ongoing relationship between key elements of
a play-based learning environment: families,
community, educators, children and the program
itself.
Families
Communities
Teachers and
Educators
Children as
Learners
Program
Content
As teachers and educators, we develop
relationships with children and, together, we
create environments where learning occurs.
We relate learning to content and outcomes
from EYLF, QKLG and the Continua of Learning
and Development. In play-based programs,
the combination of people and content work
together to create meaningful relationships.
Each partner in the process has valid ideas to
contribute.
This is a dynamic relationship that grows
and develops over time. As the relationship
develops, it will be enriched by knowledge of
each other and how learning works best for
each child. We are required to be facilitators of
learning and be responsive to changes as they
occur for each child or family.
To achieve positive learning outcomes, it is
important to understand what play-based
learning is and how to facilitate it in our own
setting. This means that we need to understand
the bigger picture and how our team works
together. Maintaining cohesive teamwork
will help to achieve this, and will support our
program and reduce stress in the workplace.
Learning Outcomes
Achieved
1,2,3,5,6
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment |5
What is a play-based learning environment?
A play-based learning environment is an environment that is nurturing,
stimulating, yet also open-ended.
It is an environment where children are able to
select and explore a range of experiences, discover
environmental concepts and make connections,
while, at the same time, developing their
interests alone or among peers. In order to fully
understand a play-based learning environment
we need to acknowledge that learning is an active
process involving engagement of children and
teachers. The EYLF (page 45) defines an ‘active
learning environment’ as one in which: ‘children
are encouraged to explore and interact with the
environment to make (or construct) meaning
and knowledge through their experience, social
interactions and negotiations with others.’ A playbased learning environment encourages active
learning; with educators playing a crucial role in
encouraging children to discover deeper meanings
and make connections among ideas and between
concepts, processes and representations. This
requires us to be attuned to children, engaging
with children’s emotions and thinking.
Play-based learning environments:
• Stimulate and offer open-ended exploration
• Include skilful teachers and educators who
know when to step in or step out of events
• Find a balance between child initiated/directed
and teacher-guided learning
• Invite and include meaningful involvement
of families and the community in children’s
learning beyond simple greetings and drop-off
and pick-up chats.
The teacher’s role in play-based
learning environments
We build on children’s knowledge and
understanding using routines, play experiences,
spontaneous teachable moments, and our own
knowledge of children and families.
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Skilful teachers and educators use these
aspects throughout the day to encourage
children to achieve learning outcomes –
either as individuals, small groups or whole
groups. Skilful teachers are not directive in
their approach; rather, they are intentional,
thoughtful and purposeful. “Intentional
teaching is an active process and a way of
relating to children that embraces and builds
on their strengths” (QKLG, page 79). There are
many intentional teaching practices which are
important to familiarise yourself with. These
can be found on page 63 of the QKLG, Appendix
1: Intentional teaching practices. Intentional
teaching is also one of the practices described
in the EYLF. Intentional teachers are aware
of when to step into and out of children’s
experiences, and how to facilitate exploration
by providing materials that allow children to
inquire, hypothesise, debate and negotiate their
own learning journeys – alone or with peers. We
aim to be this kind of educator.
It is important that we make use of ‘teachable’
moments to extend children’s thinking and
understanding. In doing so, we acknowledge
children as competent learners and promote
independence.
We need to build on our knowledge of individual
children to inform and enhance future programs.
We use play-based learning to build children’s
understanding about important social issues
such as fairness and equity. This includes
promoting and modelling positive interactions
and relationships and supporting the inclusion
of all children in play.
It is our responsibility to provide a rich
environment where open-ended learning may
occur, and where ideas are encouraged and
explored freely.
How do I manage a stimulating
play-based environment?
To successfully manage a stimulating play-based environment, it is important
to consider our approach with children, to identify the kind of teacher we desire
to become and the elements required in establishing an effective play-based
learning environment.
This is an ongoing part of the reflection process
we all go through when we work with children,
and one which leads us to become more selfaware teachers.
Teachers’ impact on
play-based environments
As teachers and educators, we are great
influencers and we have a responsibility to see
that our influence is positive and supportive in
the play-based learning environment. We set the
tone, and both families and children take their
cue from us as to what is acceptable and what
is not in terms of behaviour. We establish the
physical environment and are responsible for
ensuring it is appropriate for the children in our
care. As teachers, we must be very aware of this
influence and temper it with consideration of
others’ needs and expectations.
We play a crucial role in establishing the tone
of the relationships forged with families and
children, the pace, and the short and long-term
goals for the environment. We are responsible
for the tone of the learning space.
Teachers are expected to:
• Actively listen to and support children’s ideas
• Respond to children’s needs and cues
The social and emotional atmosphere of the
room depends on us, and the way in which
we encourage interaction and positive social
behaviours. Genuine engagement and positive,
respectful relationships with children are
necessary to create a learning space where
children can grow and learn with confidence.
“Relationships are the foundations for the
construction of identity – ‘who I am, ‘how I
belong’ and ‘what is my influence’ (EYLF, page
20).
Physical space and layout
– indoor and outdoor
Along with the social environment, the physical
layout of play spaces contributes enormously
to outcomes experienced or achieved. A
poorly planned play space can present a huge
hindrance to our program goals. It will impact
negatively on everyday activities and cause us,
and the children, a lot of frustration and anxiety.
In a poorly planned space, flow of movement
is not sufficiently considered and the space
becomes a battleground, with us taking on the
role of chaos control. ‘Flexible arrangement of
furniture and equipment together with openended materials encourage children to become
flexible thinkers and investigators’ (NQS,
Element 3.2.1).
• Act as a positive role model
• Offer children choices about their day and
how they spend it
• Actively involve children in decision making
(the child’s voice)
• Encourage children to work together to resolve
differences.
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 7
To ensure your space is welcoming and
facilitates play-based learning it is important to
consider:
• The physical space and layout
• What you and the children do in the space
(including child and family input into the
space)
• The resources we make available
• Whether the current layout of space supports
the program.
We often feel challenged by the ordeal of
arranging the space appropriately. Part of the
difficulty is finding the time to undertake the
task. It may help to draw a plan with the children
as we discuss their ideas and how we may like
the room set up. Consulting the children and
asking for their input demonstrates that we
consider them to be capable and competent,
which is important in building confidence. The
same process can be followed to plan outdoor
play spaces. The main point is that, together
with children (and parents), we have made
decisions and produced a plan that we can
work towards. Standard 3.2 of the NQS is about
the environment being inclusive, promoting
competence, independent exploration and
learning through play. EYLF also states that
‘“environments……..cater for different learning
capacities and learning styles and invite children
and families to contribute ideas, interests and
questions” (EYLF, page 15).
When planning the layout of the learning
space, consider the flow of movement within
the space and the accessibility of materials
and resources. Include natural items in the
space, as research indicates that having plants
in learning environments leads to improved
health, concentration, problem-solving skills,
behaviour, and academic performance. Research
highlights an emphasis on the benefits of live
plants and other natural items in the room as
discussed in Quality Area 3 of the NQS. Quality
Area 2 is also supported when children’s health
benefits are considered.
8 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
How to address the challenging times
An important aspect of success is to find the
balance between being organised and flexible.
The key to achieving this is to methodically
assess each element of a typical day, such
as arrivals, group time, and meal times. We
need to determine which of these times we
currently manage well, and which ones we find
challenging. Select the worst of the troubling
times and address it first. We can effectively
tackle one issue at a time; too many areas of
change are confusing for children as well as
being difficult to maintain consistently. Once you
have addressed the most troubling issue, deal
with the second worst and so on down your list.
If one or more elements of our environment
are not working well, there are some strategies
we can use to correct it. Examine the flow
of a typical day and how the children move
about in and use the space. The key to a wellrun room is juggling multiple components.
This includes successfully taking care of the
physical environment and layout, managing the
relationships in the room, setting realistic rules
and goals with children, and actively including
families.
Depending on the issues identified we might
need to:
• Learn more about transitions, mat times or
managing meals
• Learn how to create visually appealing
displays/interest areas
• Focus on social skills between children and
model these skills, ensuring we discuss
feelings, co-operation, negotiation and
respect
• Actively promote calming or soothing
strategies and encourage children to
recognise when they need to self-regulate
behaviour or seek help to manage upsets.
It is important to recognise that we are the ones
who are best able to identify and resolve these
issues. We need to be flexible and to look at how
we may have contributed to the current situation
and what we can do to improve things. It is up to
us to break the unhelpful pattern of behaviour
and bring about change in our environment.
Room rules and expectations
To help address challenging times, we work
with children to develop simple room rules and
expectations. As a group, everyone should
agree to take responsibility for following these
rules; reminding each other until it becomes
the natural pattern of behaviour. When children
feel their contribution is valued and respected
and they can take some ownership over the
decisions, they are more likely to understand
and follow the rules and to remind others. It is
also important to consistently remind children
why the rules are in place and what is expected
(that is, to keep everyone safe and happy).
To ensure the rules are understood and
followed, reminders are essential. We can
reinforce the rules by: praising children’s efforts
to follow them, reminding children during mat or
small group chat times, informing parents of the
rules verbally and via newsletter, and displaying
the rules visually throughout the service.
By displaying visual reminders around
the service, we can encourage children’s
involvement, while, at the same time,
consistently reinforcing our expectations.
Encouraging children to help make signs and
displaying the rules creates opportunities
for numeracy and literacy. They will enjoy the
learning process and will take great pride in the
resulting signs they helped to create.
We may include children’s drawings or
photographs of various body parts on the
signs to explain some concepts. For example,
we could photograph children’s hands to
demonstrate a rule about hand washing. Include
parent involvement in this process by inviting
parents to guess which hands are their child’s.
This serves to remind the parents of the rules,
and ensures that everyone understands the
reasons behind them.
Encouraging parent involvement and
understanding is essential in ensuring the
rules are discussed at home and consistently
delivered in the service. It is essential that we
inform parents both via newsletters and verbally,
and explain the processes we are undertaking so
they can reinforce positive messages at home.
We can use this process to involve families and
build stronger relationships with them at the
same time. This will help fulfil QA6 and will make
our routines and management of the room part
of our program.
With regular reminders, the rules we choose to
implement will become habitual behaviour. We
need to remember that children learn by doing,
so the more the behaviour is repeated, the
sooner it will become natural to them.
Why not try this approach?
This simple and practical approach will take
time, commitment and patience from the room
team; however, it will work if it is consistently
implemented. It is important that we trust
ourselves to let go of the reins a little and
allow the children to play a more active role
in managing their day. This will result in the
children developing greater independence,
confidence, and the room will become a happy
and constructive place of learning.
By tackling the worst issue first, we start to
overcome the biggest challenge involved in
changing our own behaviour patterns and
the way we manage our play-based learning
environment. The steps we implement will also
change those not-so-positive behaviour patterns
that may have become habit. This process
creates a trickle-down effect, since behaviours
that have already improved make it easier
to resolve subsequent issues. More positive
learning outcomes can and will be achieved in
the room once these issues are resolved.
As we improve our management of the playbased environment, we actively create a
systematic approach that increases meaningful
time with children. Once those aspects are
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 9
addressed, social behaviour settles, routines
become calm, transitions are smooth, and mat
and meal times are interesting periods each
day when ideas are exchanged and discussions
on a wide range of topics are held. All these
measures will enhance the amount and quality
of time spent with children, and each day will be
far more enjoyable and positive.
• Being positive and working out priorities
• Working through each challenge in turn,
starting with the worst
• Involving children in decision making and
problem-solving processes
• Being consistent in the development and
implementation of rules and expectations.
Remember that the key elements of managing
a stimulating play-based learning environment
are:
• Recognising that it is up to us to identify
and resolve any issues (through reflective
practices)
How can play-based learning help
me develop positive, beneficial
relationships with children, families,
community and between team members?
Children’s play offers many open-ended opportunities for us to participate in the
learning that occurs.
Kindergarten programs that offer a play-based
learning environment recognise the role that
parents play as their child’s first teacher and
nurturer. Parents, children and teachers are
partners in the learning journey. We should
actively seek to build positive, meaningful
relationships with parents and children beyond
the usual greetings and polite interaction on
arrival and departure. Strong teamwork and
a supportive work culture enhance programs
that are offered and promote goodwill in the
community. It is important to recognise that
interaction between the service and community
organisations promotes greater understanding
of what early childhood education is all about
10 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
and the important contribution we all make to
the future of our communities.
By implementing a play-based learning
approach, we meet the expectations of the NQS
by developing strong relationships with children,
families and the community. The play-based
learning process links to EYLF Principle 2; QKLG
Perspectives and Principles: engaged parent and
child; and QA5 and QA6.
Remember: positive, reciprocal, genuine and
meaningful relationships form the foundation for
everything we do in our daily life (essential life
skills to promote with children).
How can I engage and build on
families’ understanding of the NQF
in a play-based environment?
By incorporating a play-based learning environment we are actively involving
parents in their child’s learning.
To encourage families to learn about the NQF we
should:
• Communicate clear, meaningful information that
is relevant to families
• Share information about children’s learning
using clear, uncluttered visuals. Invite comment
and have family members record this or to write
it down yourself before you forget
• Create resources with children to share
information
• Invite parent and community participation in
specific events – not just to attend but also
to help with planning and implementation.
Follow-up on any participation so families are
encouraged to contribute again
• Extend family involvement whenever you can –
even in simple ways
• Develop meaningful ongoing projects and
involve family members and local community
groups whenever possible
• Document all activity for your NQS/QIP
expectations.
We are often asked: how do we ensure families
value what we do, and how can we be advocates for
our work with children? All of the above does that
for us.
Why not try this idea? Parent portfolio
To build on families’ understanding of the NQF, we
can develop a portfolio for parents that introduces
our room team and explains the QKLG, NQS, EYLF
and service philosophy in simple terms. To make
this resource as engaging as possible, you can
include interesting A4-size posters about your
program and their role in it, as well as photos of
posters about room rules, safety and care routines,
and work samples with explanations about the
value in what children do as they play and learn.
There are many other things you could include in
these portfolios; try to use your creativity to make
the resource as appealing as possible. You may
also wish to include ideas for indoor and outdoor
activities for families to enjoy with children. By
including outdoor items in the portfolio, you will
help parents understand the value of your outdoor
program.
This approach will assist in assessment and rating,
as it is evidence of how we communicate with
parents about the program (QA1), the value of
experiences offered, and how we ensure children’s
safety and well-being (QA2). Quality areas or
learning outcomes can be easily included; however,
we need to make sure that we do not include too
much jargon since this will make it less appealing
for parents. To ensure best results and highest level
of interest, it is important that we keep the portfolio
light but informative. This is a great way to advocate
for what we do.
The portfolio can be a wonderful resource that we
can use over and over again, so update it regularly
with items of interest as they occur. The portfolio
should be easily accessible to parents – have a
hard copy of it available in the service, as well as
an online copy on the website. If the portfolio is
appealing and information is easy to remember, it
will become a valuable method to educate parents
about the NQS and how it relates to a play-based
learning environment.
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 11
Indoor/Outdoor programming –
what does it mean and how do I
implement it within the service?
Whether we include this in our service approach
will depend upon several considerations
including:
• Layout of the service – access from both
areas
• Service philosophy – does this approach
match the service philosophy?
• Input of children, families and other
educators – do we want it?
It is important to remember that in a play-based
learning environment:
• Children still need to follow rules and be
respectful of others
• Educators will still intentionally teach and
express delight at new discoveries
• We still need to offer ideas and materials as
required, as well as guiding, questioning,
and exploring concepts with children
• Number of educators in the room – if you are
on your own it can be difficult to implement.
• Be available for comfort or conversation as
you continue to build caring and supportive
relationships with children
Some ideas you could consider are:
• Teachers should provide open-ended
comments to guide at times, and step back
and enjoy the journey at other times
• Make use of a veranda or courtyard area
where you can still observe activity
• Have regular open rooms where children can
visit other age groups freely for a period of
time.
Whether it is implemented or not, it is
important to remember that indoor and outdoor
environments should not be seen in isolation
but as complementing each other.
Element 3.2.1 states that: ‘Indoor and outdoor
environments offer significantly different, yet
complementary, experiences and should be
given equal focus and attention.’
Whatever decision is made it should be reflected
in the service philosophy, parent handbook
and the program. Don’t forget to document the
decision-making process and link it to the NQS,
EYLF, and QKLG.
• We should provoke further thinking
• There is still a requirement for thoughtful
planning and intent for the program – an adhoc approach is not desirable
“Play-based approaches require intentional
planning and teaching in order to support and
extend children’s learning”
- Learning and Teaching through Play-Supporting the Early Years
Learning Framework by Anne Kennedy and Lennie Barblett
We are great influencers of children, so what
we say, do, or indicate to them will affect
the outcomes they achieve. As teachers and
educators, we have a responsibility to be careful
and thoughtful in how we deal with children
at all times because our actions can have farreaching consequences and influence. Give
some thought to this as you consider your playbased learning environment.
If we follow these simple guidelines, we will
have created ‘order out of chaos’ which will
result in a positive learning environment and
outcomes for all.
12 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
It’s easy as play, isn’t it
?
Something to think ab
out…
I have come to the frighte
ning conclusion
I am the decisive eleme
nt in the classroom.
It is my personal appro
ach that creates the clim
ate.
It is my daily mood tha
t makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess
tremendous power to ma
ke a child’s life
miserable or joyous.
I can humiliate or humo
ur… hurt or heal.
In all situations it is my
response that decides
whether a crisis will
be escalated or de-escal
ated and a child will be
humanised or dehumanised
- Haim Ginott (1972)
Haim Ginott (1922-1973
) was a clinical psycholo
gist, child therapist,
school teacher, parent
educator, and author wh
ose work has had a
substantial impact on
the way adults relate to
children.
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 13
References
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (2013), Guide to the National Quality
Standard.
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2009),
Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra:
Commonwealth of Australia.
Queensland Studies Authority (2010), Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline.
Brisbane: The State of Queensland.
14 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
Notes
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 15
Notes
16 | Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
Disclaimer
Users of this publication should understand
that the material has been developed to
support the operation of a kindergarten
program in long day care services. All
possible endeavours have been undertaken
to ensure that the material is correct at the
time of publication. Users should make
independent efforts to validate any or all
information obtained from this publication.
No individual, organisation or otherwise
should reproduce the material without the
express written consent of Kindergarten
Advisory Support Service (KASS) and/or
Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland
(ACA Qld). As with all professional material,
before relying on the content in this
document, users should consult with other
professionals and their management.
Date of publication: June 2015
Kindergarten Advisory Support Service (KASS)
Unit 11/6 Vanessa Boulevard
Springwood Qld 4127
PO Box 137 Springwood Qld 4127
e: [email protected]
t: 1300 4 KINDY
f: (07) 3808 2466
www.kass.net.au
Creating order from the chaos in a play-based environment | 17
Kindergarten Advisory Support Service
www.kass.net.au