On 9^th May 2022, The Australian Building Codes Board published the preview of the National Construction Code 2022 for early childhood services.  Most of the emphasis is on extra security measures of the risks associated with evacuating children from multi-storey buildings. These key changes will be adopted and implemented on 1 September 2022. 

Loose parts is a term used in early childhood learning to include such objects and materials that kids can move, control and change in numerous ways. Loose parts provided an opportunity for children to express creativity through the use of materials that can be manipulated, transformed, and created through self-guided play. The following article provides information of Examples of Loose Parts, The Benefits of Loose Parts, Links To Theorists and The EYLF, Loose Parts Activity Ideas and more.  

STEM can be understood as an integrated learning approach that introduces Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through play and everyday activities. The following article provides information on Understanding STEM, How To Teach STEM, Benefits Of STEM, Stem Activities and more. 

The Early Years Learning Framework outlines Intentional Teaching as one of the major practice guidelines to promote children’s learning. Intentional teaching involves actively planning and acting with specific goals or outcomes for children’s learning in mind. The following provides information on Intentional Teaching Definition, Intentional Teaching Strategies, Intentional Teaching Examples and Benefits Of Intentional Teaching. 

Biting is typical behaviour of infants and toddlers that we often notice. As the children grow up and gain self-control and self-regulation, gradually they stop biting. The following article provides information on Common Reasons For Biting, Responding To Biting, Strategies and more. 

Play comes naturally and effortlessly to young children. It is self-driven, active and intrinsically enjoyable. Along with helping children pass through appropriate developmental stages and negotiate their way through the immediate environment, the play also enables the externalization of feelings and mastery over emotions. In this way, play becomes the source and medium of therapeutic powers which facilitate or mediate change in the child. According to research, therapeutic powers of play can be understood in four broad categories.

The open playroom concept is to provide a more flexible approach for children to empower them to make self-decisions as much as possible. Ruth Harper, Education Lead at EastWest Childcare and Kindergarten in Fitzroy, Victoria said that sometimes the concept of an open classroom is misjudged and it keeps changing with the pedagogy. Ruth says, children are being allowed to take decisions by themselves but depending on “which equipment they engage with when they eat and rest, and who they play with. It’s all about us meeting children where they are at.”

As an Early Childhood Educator, it enables you to acknowledge and embrace conversations around disability and inclusion with children. The following article provides strategies to discuss inclusion and disability with children.

As the words indicate, Open-ended questions have no right or wrong answers and thus cannot be answered with a simple, ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Open-ended questions figure in several of the pedagogical practices outlined in the EYLF, like ‘being responsive to children, ‘learning through play and most of all, ‘intentional teaching’. The following article provides the major benefits of using open-ended questions in the early childhood education context.

Inquiry-based learning is an experiential educational approach in which learners are encouraged to explore, question and arrive at their own conclusions. Asking questions is an important aspect of an inquiry-based approach but toddlers and very young children may not have the language to frame and ask such questions. Here are then a few tips on planning inquiry-based experiences for toddlers.