QI 2.2 p27

How do practitioners challenge and support for example creativity and problem solving with young children?  How do they engage in discussion and what examples are there of this working well in practice?

QI 2.3 p28

We use skilled questioning and interact in a sensitive, responsive and stimulating way to promote curiosity, independence and confidence.

QI 3.3 p45

Our indoor and outdoor learning environments and engagement with the natural world offer regular high quality experiences that enable children to explore ideas and materials and to use their imagination freely

We ensure that children access open-ended play materials to extend their creativity and thinking.

p46

Features of Highly Effective Practice

The learning environment, including the provision of open-ended and natural resources and the adaptability of space, encourage creativity.

Through exploratory play, all children have the opportunity to develop and apply investigative, problem solving and thinking skills.

There is an emphasis on talk and shared thinking.  Practitioners support the development of children’s thinking skills through scaffolding, modelling, questioning and making their own thinking explicit.

Challenge questions

How well are natural materials and open-ended resources used to support sensory play, exploratory play and creativity?

Do practitioners value the creative process including individuality, rather than focus on the end product?

QI 2.1 p38

The setting stimulates children’s natural curiosity, and they have fun as they develop their skills in understanding, thinking, investigation and problem solving.

p39

Staff embrace a risk benefit approach and support children to safely engage in play to push their own boundaries and build self-confidence.

Well-resourced play areas and experiences support and extend children’s learning in all areas. The extensive range of interesting materials, access to nature, tools and open-ended resources enable big scale and small world play. This engages children’s curiosity and challenges their thinking.

p40

Links to Health and Social Care Standards

2.27. As a child, I can direct my own play and activities in the way that I choose, and freely access a wide range of experiences and resources suitable to my age and stage, which stimulate my natural curiosity, learning and creativity.

 

My Movement and co-ordination development

p28 Experiences

Access to resources that encourage open-ended experimentation helps develop my fine and gross motor skills. For example, loose parts play can involve large blocks I need to physically manipulate or small parts I need to carefully select and place on an artwork I am creating.

 

Promoting  my confidence, creativity and curiosity

p30 Interactions

Help model techniques and strategies with me to encourage this new learning in my new challenges or suggest a new context through introducing a provocation.

Pose questions which encourage my inquiry, such as, I wonder why you think that, to extend my emerging ability to verbalise my thoughts and actions.

Say I wonder what happens if… to help me make sense of what happens when I try things out.

p31

Experiences

Create a wealth of interesting situations for me both outdoors and in. Carefully consider the possibilities of the objects available to me each day. How do they provoke my interest and extend my thoughts and learning?

Spaces

Carefully consider the resources on offer to me and how they will provoke my senses and encourage my curiosity and creativity.

p107

Challenge questions

How often do you provide opportunities which specifically promote children’s curiosity and problem solving skills?