Choosing resources
Active and creative learning can be enhanced by resources which are organised and used well. Children will use and adapt the environment to meet their needs and interests, so resources need to be flexible, accessible and able to be used in different ways.
Above all, staff should feel that they are using the resources to support learning rather than the resources dictating the learning programme. Resources should be organised so that children have easy and independent access, encouraging the use of their self-help skills and decision making.
Where pre-school settings and schools are in close proximity it may be possible to extend opportunities by sharing resources. Children often reinforce their learning by revisiting favourite books, toys and contexts. If staff plan together across the sectors and share appropriate resources, they can create opportunities for more learning in depth.
In some settings the variety of children’s learning interests can be provided for through continuous access to a varied range of resources and learning areas. In others there may need to be changes during the day, perhaps for reasons of staffing, to enable a change of teaching techniques or to reflect the varied needs and interests of children.
As they develop, children begin to enjoy co-operative group experiences (self-selected and adult-initiated), mixing resources from a variety of sources to satisfy their own curiosity, imagination and intentions.
Reflective questions
Consider the availability and organisation of resources:
- How do you plan to provide high quality, interesting resources that encourage curiosity, challenge, investigation and creativity?
- How can you make best use of published resources?
- Which resources and activities are the richest in terms of integrating learning across the curriculum?
- There is much potential for learning in everyday familiar objects and natural materials. How do you use these types of resources to support learning in imaginative ways?
- How do you include beautiful, interesting and curious things to prompt creativity?
- In what way can you plan to share resources with other staff/stages to support continuity, progression, excitement and challenge?
- Are there opportunities to share resources between and across the sectors to support and extend children’s learning?
- What criteria do you use when planning to invest in resources? For example, resources that can be used for different purposes or can be used differently to support progression in learning.