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Top tips: Safety in play

Providing a stimulating, safe environment enables children to explore, be curious and to learn and develop in an environment where the risk of harm is minimised. Review our top tips as part of your safety in play approach.

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Top tips for safety in play

Early years activity: Friendship circle

Practitioners play an important role in supporting children’s friendships, through creating inclusive environments, role modelling positive interactions and providing opportunities for children to socialise in varied peer groups. Learning how to be a good friend builds the foundations for future healthy relationships and confident socialisation, which supports positive mental well-being.

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Friendship circle activity

Early years activity: Exploring our amazing planet with loose parts

Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and open-ended play with loose parts provides endless opportunities for exploration, creativity and discovery. Our planet is full of fascinating environments, from lush rainforests and sandy deserts to icy polar regions and rocky coastlines.

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Top tips: Process over product

We often praise the finished picture, model or block tower, but it’s the thinking and the changing ideas that builds real creative confidence. When we focus on the process rather than the product, children learn that ideas are worth exploring and testing and above all, valued. When engaged in creative activities with the children, keep these top tips in mind:

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Process over product

Early years activity: Making it up as we go

Here’s a creative activity that firmly puts process before product. Children explore loose parts and recyclables with only their curiosity and freedom to change their minds and no fixed outcome expected. 

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Making it up as we go

Early years activity: Beanbag play

Physical activity is an essential part of children's development, helping to build strength, coordination, balance and confidence while promoting a healthy lifestyle. These simple beanbag activities encourage active play through fun, engaging experiences.  

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Facilitating Child-Initiated Play 

Child-initiated play is an essential part of early years practice, allowing children to explore, make choices, develop independence and follow their own interests. Practitioners play a key role in creating an environment where children feel confident to investigate, be creative and learn through meaningful experiences. Here are our top tips for facilitating effective, child initiated play.

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