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"If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.” Alfie Kohn

In the Reggio inspired approach there is lots of work to be done on developing our own image of the child and discovering what it is about each individual that makes them capable learners. Our own experiences as children, parents and educators shape what this can be and it's important to recognise the strengths and capabilities our individual children have. 

I believe that young children are capable of high levels of engagement in their learning. But how can they show this if i'm always the one deciding what we should do around the agenda I have as an adult? Doing this sets them up to fail.

Therefore my understanding of the child must be backed up by the practice and environment I create. This can be done by really listening to the child and exploring the curiosities they have and discover what drives them to know more. 

This can be done by identify...

Light play provides some excellent opportunities in your setting for children show some natural curiosity around science, engineering and wonder. Here are some resources you might like to audit your lighting play for…

• Light box
• Over head projector
• Torches (range of coloured lights)
• Shadow Puppets

Variety of loose parts to add to your light box;

• Shiny and reflective resources
• Coloured glass gems
• Twigs of varying lengths
• Mirrors
• Foliage
• Small world characters and buildings
• Plastic ice cubes
• Coloured counters
• Sweet wrappers/ cellophane
• Coloured cocktail stirrers
• Coloured plastic shot glasses
• Variety of buttons
• Paper doilies
• Numicon

Creative opportunities on the light box;

• Water beads
• Paint
• Black sand
• Eco glitter
• Clay
• Shaving foam

Don't miss out on the amazing opportunity to learn more about nature play here