Aussie Childcare Network Forum

I'm currently working on my Diploma assignment and I'm a bit confused about how to accurately link activities to the EYLF Learning Outcomes. For example, if I'm planning a sensory play activity with coloured rice and scoops, would that best relate to Outcome 4 (Children are confident and involved learners) or Outcome 3 (Children have a strong sense of wellbeing)?solitaire bliss

I understand that many activities can relate to multiple outcomes, but how do I justify which one is the most relevant in my reflection or documentation?

Auneance1982 wrote: ↑

Mon May 12, 2025 2:58 pm

I'm currently working on my Diploma assignment and I'm a bit confused about how to accurately link activities to the EYLF Learning Outcomes. For example, if I'm planning a sensory play activity with coloured rice and scoops, would that best relate to Outcome 4 (Children are confident and involved learners) or Outcome 3 (Children have a strong sense of wellbeing)?solitaire bliss

I understand that many activities can relate to multiple outcomes, but how do I justify which one is the most relevant in my reflection or documentation?

You’re right that activities often link to multiple outcomes. In this case, coloured rice play supports both, but Outcome 4 is likely the strongest fit — it encourages exploration, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. In your reflection, justify it by focusing on how the child engages, experiments, and persists with the materials. Outcome 3 could be a secondary link if you observe relaxation or emotional regulation during the play.

I'm currently working on my Diploma assignment and I'm a bit confused about how to accurately link activities to the EYLF Learning Outcomes. For example, if I'm planning a sensory play activity with coloured rice and scoops, would that best relate to Outcome 4 (Children are confident and involved learners) or Outcome 3 (Children have a strong sense of wellbeing)?solitaire bliss

I understand that many activities can relate to multiple outcomes,Infinite Craft Game but how do I justify which one is the most relevant in my reflection or documentation?

Hi Auneance1982,

I’d say for the coloured rice activity, Outcome 4 fits best because it’s really about children exploring, experimenting, and being involved learners. Outcome 3 can also apply a bit if it helps them feel calm or comfortable, but the main focus is on learning through play. When reflecting, just explain the main purpose of the activity and you can mention any extra outcomes briefly.

A sensory play activity with coloured rice and scoops can link to both Outcomes 3 and 4, but you choose the most relevant one by identifying the primary purpose and main learning you’re targeting. If your focus is on exploration, problem-solving, fine-motor skills, experimenting with tools, and sustained engagement, then Outcome 4 is the strongest match. If your main intention is supporting emotional regulation, calming sensory input, or building confidence in managing sensory experiences, then Outcome 3 may be more appropriate. In your documentation, simply explain which learning focus was intentional and why that outcome best reflects the core purpose of the activity.

Hi,

I’m in the same boat with my Diploma assignment, so I’ll share how I decide which EYLF outcome to link to an activity and how I justify that choice in my reflections.

For the coloured rice sensory play with scoops, I would pick Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners as the primary outcome — but I would explicitly state that Outcome 3 is also supported as a secondary outcome. Why I choose Outcome 4 first is because my learning intention for the session is focused on exploration, problem solving and persistence: kids experiment with different scooping strategies, compare quantities, test cause and effect, and demonstrate concentration. Those are classic indicators of Outcome 4 (curiosity, resourcefulness draw climber, sustained involvement).

How I justify it in documentation:
• Start with the intent: “The purpose of this activity was to encourage exploration of texture and quantity and to foster problem solving through open-ended sensory play.”
• Link observable behaviours to the outcome: “Child A used different sized scoops to transfer rice between containers, showing trial and error and adapting strategies when the rice spilled — evidence of persistence and emerging problem solving (Outcome 4).”
• Name explicit EYLF indicators: “This aligns with Outcome 4 because the child demonstrated curiosity, persistence and the ability to plan actions to achieve a goal.”
• Acknowledge other outcomes: “This activity also supported Outcome 3 (a sense of wellbeing) as children demonstrated enjoyment, secure interactions with peers and self-regulation when waiting their turn.”

Practical tips I use when writing reflections:

Decide your primary learning intention before the session. That intention determines which outcome you prioritise.

Collect focused evidence during the activity — photos, short anecdotal notes of language used, gestures, problem solving moments. Link each piece of evidence to a specific EYLF descriptor.

Phrase it clearly: use sentences like “This demonstrates… because…” For example: “This demonstrates Outcome 4 because the child persisted in testing scooping strategies and verbally compared outcomes.”

Include next steps: state how you will extend the learning (e.g., introduce measuring cups to extend numeracy or add storybooks about textures to extend vocabulary) — this strengthens your justification.

Be honest and specific: avoid broad statements like “supports many outcomes”; instead identify primary and secondary outcomes and give concrete evidence for each.

I hope that helps for my assessments it made a big difference to state a clear intention, gather two or three short pieces of evidence, and then explicitly map each piece to the EYLF language. Good luck with your Diploma work!