The important to establish and environment that meets the care and learning needs of all children is they learn with enjoyment and challenge. Through play children explore, develop and represent learning experiences, which help them to make sense of the world. They practise and build up ideas, concepts and skills. They learn how to control themselves and understand the need for rules. They have opportunities to think creatively and imaginatively, take risks and make mistakes. They can work alone, alongside other children, or cooperate, communicating with them as they rehearse their feelings, investigate and solve problems. They can express fears or re-live anxious experiences in controlled and safe situations.
Environment education starts at early age with hands-on experience with nature. The environment is based on affection for nature that only develops with autonomous, unmediated contact with it. In early years, children’s development tendency towards empathy with the natural world needs to be supported with free access to an area of limited size over an extended period of time. It is only by intimately knowing the wonder of nature’s complexity in a particular place that leads to a full appreciation of the immense beauty of the planet as a whole. In today’s society, environmental education requires that in schools, children have regular personal interaction with as diverse a natural setting as possible. ‘A rich and varied environment supports children’s learning and development. It gives them the confidence to explore and learn in secure and safe, yet challenging, indoor and outdoor space.’ (PiP 3.3 EYFS 2008).
Play is the child’s means of discovery, communication and expression. To facilitate this as a practitioner I need to provide care, space and appropriate equipment so that the children can engage in spontaneous play. The learning environment should be attractive, welcoming and stimulating to children. There should be identified areas so that children...