Designing safe resources for ECE means thinking about the physical safety of the resources (i.e. made from appropriate materials) and age-appropriateness of the resources. It is a paramount consideration to ensure a nurturing environment where young learners can explore and thrive.
Activity
What does safety mean to you when thinking about creating resources for infants, toddlers and young children? Visit the forum to post your thoughts on examples of safe and age-appropriate resources for infants, toddlers and young children.
In assessment 03A1 you will be presenting a portfolio of resources you have created to support the development of Māori language skills in tamariki in early childhood education. The resources you design need to be safe and age-appropriate as well as effective in achieving their aim. The principles of age-appropriateness in early childhood education refer to the understanding that learning materials, tools, and activities are designed and selected in a way that is suitable for the developmental stage and abilities of the children they are made for.
Resources should support the holistic development of young children, including their physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and creative development. They should provide opportunities for children to develop a wide range of skills and abilities in a balanced and integrated manner.
Resources should align with the typical developmental milestones, skills, and abilities of children within a specific age range. For example, resources for infants and toddlers should be designed to stimulate their sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and early language development, while resources for pre-schoolers should promote their cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, according to their age and abilities.
Resources should be engaging and interesting to young children, capturing their attention and curiosity. They should be designed in a way that encourages active engagement, exploration, and play, as play is a fundamental way young children learn and develop.
Resources should be relevant and meaningful to young children's lives and experiences. They should be culturally sensitive and inclusive, reflecting the diversity of the children's backgrounds and interests, and promote positive self-identity and social-emotional development.
Resources should be flexible and adaptable, allowing for individual differences in children's developmental progress, interests, and abilities. They should provide options for open-ended play, exploration, and personalisation, allowing children to pursue their own interests and pace of learning.
Resources should be safe for young children to use, free from small parts or other choking hazards, and designed with consideration for their physical safety. They should also be made of durable materials that can withstand rough handling and play.
Activity
- Download and read the resource “Arohanui” from the te Whāriki website. Try to work out for yourself which age group this book would be most suitable for, and how it fits in with the principles discussed above. When you have your own ideas, download and read the accompanying kaiako support document for the resource and see if that gives you a different perspective. Post your thoughts on this to the discussion forum and start a conversation with your peers do you agree with each other?
- Make your own notes on factors to consider when creating age-appropriate resources for ECE practice. Post your thoughts on this resource and start a conversation about it in terms of age-appropriateness with your peers in the forum.
- Read the assessment instructions 03A1 task 1. Start planning resources you want to create for submission for this assessment task. You should liaise with your tutor on Teams about your ideas before you go too far to make sure you are on the right track and to get feedback during the planning process.
Read the information on the Ministry of Education website to explore further about creating resources specifically aimed at supporting Māori language skills. You should think about tamariki from Māori and non-Māori backgrounds and what their different needs for resources may be.
Activity:
You should now be working on creating your presentation of safe, age-appropriate resources to support the development of Māori language skills in ECE. This is for assessment 03A1, presentation 1. Make sure to read the assessment instructions thoroughly.
You’ve reached the end of this topic. Let’s go over the key points:
- Safe resources for ECE are vital to ensure a nurturing environment where young learners can thrive.
- Some considerations include age-appropriateness, safety, durability, , engaging, relevant and flexible.
