Discovering a child’s interests when they first start at the setting is an important part of the settling in process, showing the child that the environment they are in is a safe, fun and interesting place. This may at first be discovered through the completion of an 'all about me' sheet.
Practitioners use their skills to identify and note down children’s interests, this can be mainly be done through observations during play, interactions with a child and discussions with parents
This is the key to a child progressing well.
- If a child is interested, they will learn
- Confidence and self-esteem will be raised if a child’s interests are followed
- Development in all seven areas of the EYFS can be promoted through following a child’s interests
- Each child is an individual and should be seen this way
- Knowing the children’s interests shows a good relationship and bond which are crucial for development in the early years.
A dinosaur swamp was set up to help one of the children to settle in. Mum had told staff that his interest was 'dinosaurs'. This has helped the child to settle into nursery.
Please let us know your child's interests:
-The Inventor's have a 'learning ladder' situated next to the coat hooks under the Inventor's information board, with a silhouette of a man 'climbing' the ladder for you to write your child's interests on
-The Explorer's have a 'Explorer's Road to Learning' on the Explorer's information board with cars for you to write on your child's interests .
-The Discoverer's have a 'lets grow together tree' with apples for you to write on your child's interests
