ABSTRACT
This chapter is different from those proceeding it as it is a guide to putting the principles into practice: a ‘how to do it’ of child development. In each of the previous six chapters, an area of provision in the setting has been taken individually and examined to discover what developmental learning potential it has. This chapter considers how a child learns as a whole, or how a planned for topic will be experienced from the child’s point of view. As we have already understood, children’s development is interlinked and, when learning is presented in its most effective format, children will be developing in many areas of their development at the same time. This chapter takes some possible themes that are likely to interest and engage young children and explores how these themes can be planned and implemented to teach the EYFS curriculum content in ways that are developmentally appropriate. These themes provide opportunities for children to follow their own interests at a level that is appropriate for them as individuals through the playful ways in which they are presented. In planning themes which might appeal to children, the following aspects need careful consideration:
All these aspects are of equal importance and practitioners need to recognise that children’s developmental needs are not the same as the requirements of the curriculum. Right from the start of the planning process, the lead practitioner needs to consider the children as a whole group in order to think about their developmental needs and their interests before deciding on how the curriculum will be implemented. Here are some of the questions that might need answering:
● are the children from an inner city area and do they, therefore, need to be outside as much as possible?
