Hey educators! Have you heard of the concept: “Smuggling content knowledge into play”? It is a concept proposed by Sue Hedges, an early childhood education researcher. It refers to the intentional integration of academic content or subject matter into play-based learning experiences for young children. It is when we ask: what colour is that?
Rather than approaching learning as a separate and formal activity, Hedges suggests embedding educational content within the context of play. This approach capitalises on children’s natural inclination to explore, experiment, and make sense of the world through play.
For example, instead of directly teaching mathematics concepts through worksheets or drills, educators might create play scenarios or provide materials that encourage children to explore mathematical ideas through hands-on activities. This could involve counting, sorting, measuring, or problem-solving within the context of a pretend grocery store, construction site, or kitchen.
By “smuggling” content knowledge into play, educators can make learning more engaging, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate for young children. It allows for a seamless integration of academic concepts into children’s everyday experiences, fostering deeper understanding and retention of knowledge.
I do “smuggling of knowledge into play “quite a lot, but I am also reflective about my role in children’s play as an observer or a “foreigner” (a concept for another post!).
What about you – are you guilty of smuggling content knowledge into children’s play?
Today, we’re diving into the wonderful world of felt boards and exploring how they can transform storytelling for young children. Felt boards are engaging, versatile tools that can spark creativity, boost learning, and make storytelling come alive!
Making your felt board
Making a felt board is a breeze. You’ll need some felt or flannel fabric, a picture frame, and some staples or glue. Simply cut the felt to fit the frame size, secure it in place, and voila – your felt board is ready for storytelling. I buy felt in Spotlight, but you can also get some cheaper offcuts in the opportunity shops – as second-hand stores are called in Australia.
For an extra touch, use markers, stickers, or construction paper to create fun felt cutouts of various shapes and characters. You can also download cool stories on Etsy.
Tales with Felt
Now comes the magic part: using your felt board to weave captivating stories. Here’s how:
Introduce your felt characters and set the scene by placing them on the board.
As your story unfolds, move the felt cutouts around to illustrate the action. This visual element keeps young minds engaged and following along.
Felt boards are fantastic for incorporating songs and fingerplays into your storytelling sessions.
Storytime Example: Five Little Speckled Frogs
Let’s use the classic song “Five Little Speckled Frogs” to illustrate the storytelling magic of felt boards. Here are the felt cutouts you’ll need:
A tree
Leaves
Bushes
Rocks
Mushrooms
Five frogs (of course!)
Sing the first verse and place all five frogs on the felt board. As you sing about the frogs jumping in the pool, one by one, remove the corresponding frog cutouts. When all the frogs have made their splash, sing the final verse.
The Power of Felt Board Storytelling
Felt boards are important tools of early childhood education for a reason.
They grab children’s attention and keep them actively involved in the story.
Felt boards can be used to teach children about counting, colours, shapes, and letters in a fun and interactive way.
They foster storytelling and language development, allowing children to explore their creativity and express themselves.
Felt boards are portable and easy to make, perfect for teachers, parents, and caregivers to use at home, in classrooms, or anywhere! I always have a felt board when I teach the class.
According to the EYLF (AGDE, 2022), educators are informed by the range of theories and approaches when plan for and support children’s learning. Some theories you already know from the previous version of the EYLF (developmental, socio-cultural, feminist, critical), yet there are few new ones to unpack.
Developmental Theories
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Attachment Theory
Key theorist – John Bowbly. Focuses on children forming trusting relationships with significant adults. Example: A child forming a strong bond with a primary caregiver.
Social Learning Theory
Highlights how children observe and imitate others’ behavior. Example: A child learning to tie shoelaces by watching an older sibling. A negative example: A child learns to swear because they have heard their family language.
Cognitive Theory
Piaget theory is a tipical example of cognitive theory here. Describes thought processes influencing how children engage with their world. Example: A child using problem-solving skills to complete a puzzle. Stages of cognitive development can be used to decide whether the environment is appropriate for this age group.
EYLF THEORIES
Socio-Cultural Theories
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Socio-Cultural Theories
Theorists that you probably know are: Vygotsky, Rogoff, Bronfenbrenner and Fleer. Emphasise the role of families and cultural groups in children’s learning. Example: A child learning cultural traditions and values from family members; a child has learned how to use a fishing rod , as they went fishing with their granpa.
Practice Theories
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Affordance Theory
The theorist is Gibson. Affordance theory encourages educators to consider the possibilities the environment offers. Example: Providing a variety of materials to stimulate different types of play.
Practice Architectures
Examines educators’ understandings, practices, and relationships. Example: Reflecting on how educators communicate and collaborate in a learning environment.
Learn more about affordances theory
The term “affordance” is explained in this video
Ancestral Knowledges
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Ancestral Knowledges
Ways of knowing shared through history and culture in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions. For example, Possum Skin Pedagogy and 8 ways framework. Example: Passing down cultural stories orally from generation to generation.
Place-Based Sciences
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Place-Based Sciences
Related to Affordances and Ancestral knowledge theory. Fosters community connections based on local funds of knowledge. Example: Incorporating local cultural practices into the curriculum.
Critical Theories
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Critical Theories
Paulo Freire, Jurgen Habermas. Critical theory challenges assumptions about curriculum and considers how decisions may impact children differently. Example: Questioning the inclusion of certain narratives or perspectives in educational materials.
Feminist/Post-structuralist Theories
Theory
Key Concepts and Examples
Feminist/Post-structuralist
Offers insights into power, equity, and social justice in early childhood settings. Example: Examining gender biases in teaching materials and promoting inclusive practices.
Which of these theories are you most familiar with?
How to Apply the Zone of Proximal Development to Writing and Analysing Learning Observations in Early Childhood Education
As you know, I am a huge fan of Lev Vygotsky and talked about his theories on multiple occasions.
Let’s learn to apply Vygotsky’s theory to your everyday work with children. I believe that the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) is a valuable tool for early childhood educators to use when writing and analysing learning observations.
The ZPD is the gap between what a child can do independently and what they can do with the support of a more knowledgeable other (MKO). This means that the ZPD is a dynamic and ever-changing space, as children are constantly learning and developing new skills.
To apply the ZPD to writing and analysing learning observations, educators can focus on the following:
Identify the child’s current level of understanding. What does the child already know and understand about the topic at hand? What skills have they already mastered?
Identify the child’s next steps. What are some things that the child is almost able to do independently, but could still benefit from some support?
Provide scaffolding. How can you provide the child with the support they need to reach their next steps? This could involve providing explicit instruction, modelling, or breaking down a task into smaller steps.
Observe the child’s progress. As the child practices new skills, observe their progress and adjust your scaffolding accordingly.
When writing learning observations, you can use the ZPD to frame your teaching reflections. For example, educators could write about:
What the child already knows and understands about the topic.
What the child is almost able to do independently, but could still benefit from some support.
How they provided scaffolding to support the child’s learning.
The child’s progress in achieving their next steps.
Here is an example of a learning observation that is written using the ZPD framework:
Child: Sarah (4 years old)
Topic: Block building
Observation: Sarah was playing with blocks in the construction area. She was able to build a simple tower by stacking blocks on top of each other. However, when she tried to build a more complex structure, her tower kept falling over.
Scaffolding: I sat down next to Sarah and showed her how to build a more stable tower by using a wider base and interlocking the blocks. I also helped her to troubleshoot some of the problems she was having, such as how to build a bridge between two towers.
Progress: After some support from me, Sarah was able to build a more complex tower that did not fall over. She was also able to build a bridge between two towers.
This learning observation shows that Sarah is in the ZPD for block building. She is able to build simple structures, but she still needs some support from an MKO to build more complex structures. The educator in this example provided scaffolding by modeling how to build a stable tower and helping Sarah to troubleshoot problems. As a result, Sarah was able to achieve her next steps in block building.
The ZPD can be a powerful tool for early childhood educators to use when writing and analyzing learning observations. By focusing on the child’s current level of understanding, next steps, and progress, educators can gain a deeper understanding of the child’s learning and development.
