Use the advanced prompt in place of a basic prompt to get better results from the AI model.

Advanced prompt:

You are an expert early years practitioner in the Scottish education system. A small group of children in your early years setting (Early Level / First Level) have recently shown a new emerging interest in [[ TOPIC ]]. Generate a variety of open-ended, developmentally appropriate, play-based activity ideas that build on this interest for children aged [[ AGE ]]. The ideas should:

• Support experiential, child-led learning through play Include both indoor and outdoor possibilities where appropriate

• Be inclusive and adaptable to suit diverse learners

• Support early learning across key CfE experiences and outcomes (e.g. literacy, numeracy, health & wellbeing, expressive arts, STEM)

• Reflect the guidance from “Realising the Ambition,” especially the importance of responsive planning and sustained shared thinking

• Include notes on any safety considerations based Scotland’s Care Inspectorate standards that I’d have to take into account during these activities.

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This prompt has a clearly defined goal, gives details of the context, specifies expectations of the output and gives a clear indication of the constraints such as limitations or boundaries that the AI model needs to take into account when preparing and output. You should edit the items in orange to suit your context.

Example:

Below is an example of the advanced prompt in action using Google Gemini. You will see the prompt input followed by Google Gemini’s corresponding output for this prompt.

Prompt (what we input to Google Gemini):

You are an expert early years practitioner in the Scottish education system. A small group of children in your early years setting (Early Level / First Level) have recently shown a new emerging interest in frogs. Please generate a variety of open-ended, developmentally appropriate, play-based activity ideas that build on this interest for children aged 3-4. The ideas should:

• Support experiential, child-led learning through play Include both indoor and outdoor possibilities where appropriate
• Be inclusive and adaptable to suit diverse learners
• Support early learning across key CfE experiences and outcomes (e.g. literacy, numeracy, health & wellbeing, expressive arts, STEM)
• Reflect the guidance from “Realising the Ambition,” especially the importance of responsive planning and sustained shared thinking
• Include notes on any safety considerations based Scotland’s Care Inspectorate standards that I’d have to take into account during these activities.

Gemini Output (what Google Gemini responded with):

That’s wonderful! Capturing children’s emergent interests, like frogs, is exactly what “Realising the Ambition”advocates for in the Scottish early years. For your 3-4-year-olds (working within Early Level of the Curriculum for Excellence), the focus will be on rich, play-based experiences that are sensory, hands-on, and open-ended.

Here’s a variety of activity ideas, designed to be inclusive and support broad CfE outcomes, along with vital safety considerations drawn from Scotland’s Care Inspectorate standards.

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Becoming “Frog Friends” and “Pond Explorers”

 

Let’s empower the children to see themselves as “Frog Friends” who explore and care for their “Pond Explorers.” This simple framing provides a purpose for their play, encourages responsibility, and fosters sustained engagement. Remember to document their journey – photos of their play, their artwork, and their spoken words about frogs can create a fantastic display.

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Indoor Play-Based Activities (Ages 3-4)

 

1. “Squishy Frog Eggs & Wobbly Tadpoles” Sensory Tray

   • Activity Description: Set up a large, shallow tray (like a Tuff Spot) or clear containers. Fill some with water and tapioca pearls (cooked until soft and translucent, resembling frogspawn) or clear jelly cubes. In others, add black pompoms or lentils with a string “tail” (for tadpoles). Include small scoops, plastic tweezers, and magnifying glasses. Children can explore the textures, transfer the “eggs” and “tadpoles,” and observe them closely.

   • Purpose: Offers rich sensory exploration, developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early scientific observation (texture, translucency). It’s a tactile way to introduce the earliest stages of the frog life cycle.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-10a (engaging in sensory play), HWB 0-13a (exploring materials).

     • Science (STEM): SCN 0-01a (identifying living things), SCN 0-15a (observing materials).

     • Numeracy: MNU 0-03a (comparing quantities, e.g., more eggs).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Offer larger scoops or allow direct hand exploration. Ensure the tray is at an accessible height.

     • Challenge: Introduce simple counting (“Can you find 3 wobbly tadpoles?”). Encourage descriptive language: “How does it feel? Is it smooth or bumpy?”

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “What does this feel like? Is it sticky? How many tiny eggs can you see? Where do you think real frog eggs live?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Supervision: Constant, active supervision is essential, especially with water and small parts, to prevent choking hazards.

     • Hygiene: Ensure clean hands before and after play. Clean and disinfect all containers and tools immediately after use.

     • Allergies: Be aware of any food allergies if using tapioca or jelly. If children are still mouthing, use non-toxic, taste-safe alternatives or adjust supervision.

2. Giant Frog Colour Sorting & Counting Pond

   • Activity Description: On the floor, place large green, blue, and brown fabric scraps or mats (representing lily pads, water, and mud). Provide a collection of small plastic frogs (or sturdy, colourful frog cut-outs) in different colours and sizes. Children sort the frogs onto the correct colour “lily pad” or “water.” Introduce large, soft dice with colours or numbers. They can roll the die and place that many frogs on a specific colour, or only place frogs of a certain colour.

   • Purpose: Develops gross motor skills (moving between mats), colour recognition and sorting, early counting skills (one-to-one correspondence), and basic number recognition. It’s active and hands-on.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Numeracy: MNU 0-02a (counting), MNU 0-03a (comparing and ordering), MNU 0-20a (mathematical language).

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-25a (enjoying active play).

     • Expressive Arts: EXA 0-02a (exploring colours).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Start with only two colours/mats. Provide large, easily graspable frogs. Focus purely on sorting before introducing counting.

     • Challenge: Introduce size sorting (big frogs on one mat, small on another). Ask questions like “Are there more green frogs or brown frogs?”

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “Where does this green frog live? How many frogs are on the blue mat? Can you find a frog that is ‘bigger’ than this one?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Space: Ensure ample clear space for children to move and jump safely without bumping into furniture or other children.

     • Tripping Hazards: Keep the play area free of other toys or obstacles. Secure mats/fabric to prevent slipping if needed.

3. Frog Puppet Show & Pond Construction

   • Activity Description: Provide simple craft materials (paper bags, googly eyes, green card, glue sticks, pipe cleaners) to create frog stick puppets or paper bag puppets. Alongside, offer a small “stage” (e.g., an upturned box, a section of the room) and loose parts for children to build a “pond” and scenery (blue fabric, pebbles, sticks, small toy logs). Encourage them to put on simple frog puppet shows, making their frogs “jump,” “croak,” and interact.

   • Purpose: Fosters imaginative play, storytelling, early dramatic play, fine motor skills (cutting, gluing), and creative expression. It allows children to embody the frog and explore its movements and sounds.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Literacy: LIT 0-01a (engaging with stories), LIT 0-09a (expressing ideas through play), LIT 0-10a (using imagination).

     • Expressive Arts: EXA 0-02a (creating puppets), EXA 0-05a (expressing ideas through drama).

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-19a (developing positive relationships).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Pre-cut some frog shapes. Provide large, easy-grip scissors. Adult can help with gluing/assembly. Focus on just making the frog, then the sound.

     • Challenge: Encourage children to give their frogs names and simple dialogues. Ask them to make up a short story about their frog’s adventures.

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “What is your frog’s name? What does your frog like to do in the pond? Can you make your frog jump really high? What sounds does your frog make?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Materials: Ensure all craft materials (especially googly eyes and small beads) are large enough to not pose a choking hazard for the age group. Supervise gluing.

     • Tool Use: Provide age-appropriate, blunt-nosed scissors and supervise their use.

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Outdoor Play-Based Activities (Ages 3-4)

 

1. “Muddy Frog Pond” Creation & Investigation

   • Activity Description: Utilise a large outdoor tray, sandpit, or a designated digging area. Provide plenty of water, mud, sand, pebbles, and large natural materials like big leaves, sticks, and logs. Provide scoops, buckets, and small watering cans. Children can create large-scale “frog ponds,” digging, mixing, and shaping the natural elements. Encourage them to think about where their “frogs” (could be sticks, stones, or toy frogs) would live, hide, and jump.

   • Purpose: Offers rich sensory exploration with natural elements, gross motor development (digging, carrying), collaborative play, early engineering concepts (making water stay in a pond), and imaginative habitat creation on a larger scale.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Science (STEM): SCN 0-15a (observing changes in materials), SCN 0-02a (recognising features of environments).

     • Technologies: TCH 0-02a (exploring structures/materials).

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-25a (active outdoor play), HWB 0-10a (sensory play).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Ensure easy access to water and mud. Provide large scoops and sturdy containers. Focus on the sensory joy of the mud and water.

     • Challenge: Ask children to design a “bridge” for their frog or a “cave” for it to hide in. Introduce concepts of “deep” and “shallow” water.

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “How does your pond feel? Is it wet or muddy? What happens if you add more water? What animals might like to visit your muddy pond?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Hygiene: Emphasise handwashing after handling mud and water. Provide access to soap and water or hand sanitiser.

     • Footwear: Ensure appropriate outdoor footwear is worn to protect feet.

     • Slips/Trips: Be mindful of slippery surfaces around mud and water. Regularly check for sharp objects in the digging area.

2. Lily Pad Hop & Jump Course

   • Activity Description: Cut out large green “lily pads” from robust outdoor material (e.g., green tarpaulin scraps, old welcome mats, painted cardboard sealed with varnish). Place them in various patterns across the grass or playground. Children pretend to be frogs and hop, jump, or step from one lily pad to the next. Introduce simple instructions: “Jump to the blue lily pad,” “Take a big hop,” “Crawl under the next lily pad.”

   • Purpose: Enhances gross motor skills, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and ability to follow simple instructions. It’s a highly active way to engage with the frog theme.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-25a (enjoying active play), HWB 0-13a (exploring different ways of moving).

     • Numeracy: MNU 0-03a (spatial awareness – under, over, next to).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Place lily pads very close together. Allow children to choose their own movement (walking, stepping). Provide a hand to hold for balance if needed.

     • Challenge: Introduce numbered lily pads and ask them to jump to a specific number. Add a “croak” sound as they land on each pad.

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “How many lily pads can your frog jump over? Can you take a giant frog jump? Which lily pad will you go to next?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Surface: Ensure the ground is level and free from hazards (stones, roots) where children are jumping.

     • Spacing: Space lily pads appropriately for the children’s abilities to prevent collisions.

     • Supervision: Maintain active supervision, especially during active play.

3. Nature’s Frog Camouflage Art

   • Activity Description: Provide children with large sheets of sticky back plastic (sticky side out) or cardboard with masking tape strips. Take them on a “frog colour hunt” in the outdoor area. Encourage them to find natural materials that match the colours of frogs (greens, browns, yellows) – leaves, twigs, small stones, grass blades. They stick these materials onto their “canvas” to create a natural collage. Discuss how these colours help frogs hide from other animals.

   • Purpose: Develops observation skills, fine motor skills (picking up and sticking), colour recognition, and an early understanding of camouflage and adaptation. Connects art with science in nature.

   • CfE Es & Os:

     • Expressive Arts: EXA 0-02a (creating using natural materials), EXA 0-05a (expressing ideas through visual art).

     • Science (STEM): SCN 0-01a (identifying animal characteristics), SCN 0-02a (recognising features of natural environments).

     • Health & Wellbeing: HWB 0-25a (enjoying outdoor exploration).

   • Inclusivity/Adaptability:

     • Support: Provide pre-cut shapes or outlines for children to fill. Focus on just finding and sticking. Have adults model finding colours.

     • Challenge: Ask children to find materials that would help a frog hide in a specific spot (e.g., in a tree, in the mud).

     • Sustained Shared Thinking: “What colours can you find that a frog might wear? Where do you think your frog would hide in this garden? Why do you think frogs are green?”

   • Safety Considerations:

     • Foraging Safety: Teach children to only collect materials that are on the ground and to avoid touching any unknown plants (e.g., stinging nettles, berries). Supervise closely.

     • Sharp Objects: Ensure any sticks or twigs collected are not sharp or splintered.

     • Allergies: Be aware of any plant-related allergies children might have.

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General Guidance for All Activities:

 

• Responsive Planning in Action: Constantly observe what the children are saying, doing, and showing interest in. Are they fascinated by how frogs move? Their diet? The sounds they make? Use these observations to modify current activities or introduce new ones. This agile approach is at the core of “Realising the Ambition.”

• Sustained Shared Thinking: This is your superpower as an early years practitioner!

  • Ask Open-Ended Questions: “What if…?”, “How did you…?”, “Tell me about…”, “What do you notice…?”

  • Elaborate & Extend: Build on their ideas, introduce new, relevant vocabulary (e.g., “amphibian,” “habitat,” “camouflage”) in context.

  • Model Curiosity: Show genuine interest in their discoveries and questions.

  • Connect Learning: Link their play to other areas of learning or real-world experiences.

• Inclusivity & Adaptability:

  • Sensory: Offer varied textures, sounds, and visual elements.

  • Physical: Ensure ample space for movement. Provide tools suited to different fine and gross motor abilities.

  • Communication: Encourage all forms of communication – verbal, gestures, pointing, drawing, body language. Scribe their words for them to make their voices visible.

  • Choice: Empower children by allowing them to choose which activities to engage with and how they want to participate.

• Care Inspectorate Standards:

  • Safety Environment (Standard 2): Ensure the physical environment is safe and secure for children to explore. This includes regularly checking equipment, maintaining clear pathways, and ensuring secure boundaries outdoors.

  • Competent Workforce (Standard 3): As the practitioner, you are competent and confident in managing risks associated with these activities. This includes appropriate staff-to-child ratios and staff knowledge of first aid.

  • Wellbeing (Standard 1): Activities should positively impact children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, providing opportunities for challenge without undue risk, and fostering a sense of achievement and belonging.

  • Infection Control (Standard 5): Emphasise hand hygiene before and after all activities, especially those involving natural materials or food-related items. Ensure proper cleaning and sanitising of resources.

  • Medication & Health (Standard 1.4): Be aware of any medical conditions or allergies (e.g., food allergies, plant sensitivities) and adjust activities or materials accordingly.

  • Risk Assessment: Always conduct a dynamic risk assessment for each activity, both prior to and during the play, to identify and mitigate potential hazards. This isn’t about eliminating all risk, but about ensuring risks are managed and appropriate for development.

By keeping these principles and safety considerations at the forefront, you’ll be nurturing their emerging interest in frogs into truly deep, meaningful, and safe learning experiences for your little ones.