The good news is: children don't need expensive toys to play and learn. In fact, you probably have all the things you need to create a fun and engaging game!

Here is an idea to help get you started with Do-It-Yourself toys.

DIY ribbon stick for all ages

Why: Develops hand-eye coordination, motor skills and stimulates visual skills

You need:

• Long colourful ribbons or pieces of fabric
• A stick (one from a forest is fine, natural materials are ecological too)
• Scissors
• (Hot) glue or rubber bands

Instructions: Take the colourful ribbons or fabrics and cut long stripes out of them. Tie or glue them on the stick. (You can decide and test whether one long one is better or a couple of shorter ones.) Ta-daa! Your ribbon stick is ready!

How to use it?

Babies & toddlers:

• Use the ribbon stick as a capturing toy for babies. It helps to develop hand-eye coordination and stimulate visual skills when focusing eyes on the toy and trying to grab the straps. Do not let small children eat the toy.
• Use the ribbon stick as a tickle toy! Go through the child's body by tickling softly with the ribbons. Repeat the names of each body part while doing this. This activity promotes body awareness and is great for a relaxation moment.
• Play music and let children run around with the ribbon sticks. Play a game of "musical ribbons": when the music stops, also children and their ribbon sticks need to stay still. The smaller the child, the shorter the stick.
• Make a fun ribbon dance! Choose a song that captures your little ones (for example Shake your sillies out) and encourage children to move the ribbon sticks along with the music. Shake them high and low, quickly and slowly according to the music.

Preschoolers:

Play is state of mind that one has when absorbed in an activity that provides enjoyment and a suspension of sense of time. And play is self-motivated so you want to do it again and again.

Dr. Stuart Brown

According to the National Institute for Play, play is crucial for early childhood development. Researchers have shown that play is a deep-rooted biological process that is crucial to early childhood development. The biology of play has evolved because play promotes learning and adaptability, and therefore also survival in the world. Children learn most effectively through play.

Children truly enjoy and love to play and play is actually the best thing you can offer children. Therefore, make sure to include slots that have time for free play in your weekly schedule.

Play gets better if the environment is optimal. First of all, playtime should be long enough so that children get to evolve their play without rushing. Quiet and calm play space gives more possibilities for their creativity to blossom. The play environment should also be inspiring with good toys or other materials. Play areas could be marked for example with shelves or carpets, so that one big room has several smaller play areas. It is a good idea to divide children into small groups so that 2-5 children are playing together in one play corner. Overall, the children should feel comfortable in the play space.

Personal interests guide children's play

According to National Institute for Play helping children pursue their interests through play is vital for their future and growth. Whatever skills children will need in their later life, play will help children understand how to learn, achieve things, and simply enjoy life Play teaches humans to do things they like!

Spend time observing and understanding children when they play. Mark down their interests and favorites. Try to see what engages the children and makes them happy. Making notes and taking photos of children's play is the first - and very important - step of the pedagogical documentation process.

What themes interest children?

What do children learn during play?

Painting is a great activity that invites children to play and explore the world of colors! 

Art activities are a way to relax, pursue creativity, learn about colors, play with water, and practice fine motor skills. Children get to learn about different art techniques and gather aesthetic experiences through art. Read more about the learning objectives from 'Diverse forms of expression' learning area here.

How to prepare?

For watercolor painting, you will need watercolors, paint brushes, large heavyweight white paper, masking tape for making the paper stay still, and cups of water.

When you are starting a painting activity with children, it is good to teach the basics in the very beginning:

• Show children how to dip the paintbrush into the water
• Show children how to take color onto the paintbrush
• Remind children to wash the paintbrush in between changing colors
• Show children the magic of color mixing
  • yellow + blue = green
  • red + blue = purple
  • yellow + red = orange

Then let the children lead!

When you have set everything ready, there is really not much more to do than letting the children lead the game. Let the children decide what colors to use and what type of marks to paint.

It is much more fun and surprising if you do not give any specific orders or ideas on painting, but let children pursue their creativity.

In case you are painting with little children, it is a good idea to assist with changing colors and washing the paintbrush every once in a while.

With older children, you can for example give a black permanent marker to add some drawings along the watercolor paint after the paint is dry.

Get a free lesson plan that encourages children's creativity!

When the children seem ready, you may ask what did they paint and write down the name of the child/artist, the date, and what is on the picture described by the artist him/herself.

Reading Week is an annual nationwide literacy theme week organized in Finland by the Finnish Reading Center. Reading Week is organized in Finland on 17-23 April 2023 - so it is on at the moment! Reading Week highlights the importance of reading and literacy and people of all ages are encouraged to grab a book for themselves.

According to the Finnish Reading Center literacy and education promote the equality of children. Literacy is the basis for all learning and provides tools for developing one’s own thinking. Children and youngsters who are illiterate are at risk of being marginalized in society.

Literacy is the basis for all learning and provides tools for developing one’s own thinking.

- Finnish Reading Center

Storytime tips

"It's stoooorytiimeeee!" and everyone gathers around you. It is because children love stories. They do!

According to an article in New York Times, reading is super important to a toddler’s intellectual, social, and emotional development. When you read books with toddlers, they take it all in like little sponges: vocabulary and language structure, numbers and math concepts, colors, shapes, animals, opposites, manners, and all kinds of useful information about how the world works.

How to document in early education?

A. Create a calm atmosphere

Reading books with toddlers is also one of the best ways to get them to slow down, sit down and focus for a while. It does not matter if the children can not stay absolutely still or quiet, as long as they do not disturb other children's story time experience.

Make sure that all children have a comfortable spot to sit or lay on, preferably on the floor with maybe some soft cushions. Also, ensure that everyone sees the book, so it is a good idea that the educator sits on a chair higher than the children.

B. Engage children

Before starting the book you can sing a song together just to get everyone's focus. Better yet, choose a song that is connected to the theme of the book! Or you could also come up with a theme song that anticipates that story time is starting! Then children know that when they hear the song, it is time to calm down and listen to a story. Routines are gold.

It’s ok if children interrupt and ask questions during the story because interruptions show that the children are listening. If children don’t seem engaged by the story or words, you can ask what they see in the pictures. Point at things and let children explain what is happening!

Make eye contact with the children, but don’t look for any particular reaction. It may sometimes seem that children are not listening, but they are absorbing the experience in their own way and might surprise you later..!

Storyline Online - King of Kindergarten

Children just love to play! Therefore, in early childhood education and care, play is the most important way of learning. Learn the tips and a practical example of how to incorporate learning in play in a pedagogical manner - and soon the children love love love to learn too!

What is Finnish ECEC?

Why play?

Play motivates the children and simply brings joy. In early childhood education and care, it is necessary to understand the value of play for children. Play has also pedagogical significance in learning as well as in children’s holistic growth and well-being.

Do the adults have to play too?

Play is a key practice in early childhood education and care. It is important for teachers to observe children’s play and either guide it from outside or participate in it. The presence of teachers in play situations supports interaction among the children and prevents conflicts.

Teachers must also document the children’s play. Observation of play gives tons of information about their world - thoughts, interests, emotions, experiences, and fears...

How do we make children's learning visible?

Where to play?

Children’s learning environments need to be flexible, as play and games can take place anywhere depending on the children’s imagination and wishes. Play and therefore also learning happens everywhere, not only during guided activities or circle time.

Children might learn various things while for example taking a stroll in the forest (tree species), building a Lego tower (counting blocks), or dressing up (body parts).

How to combine playing + learning?

1. Observe what the children are interested in. What they talk about and what they like to play with.

2. Define the theme or project for the next activities based on children's needs and skills.

2. Define the learning objectives aligned with the children's individual, group, and center curriculum. 

3. Plan activities that involve the children's interests + learning objectives.

Example of a learning project related to cars

1. Children are interested in: cars.

2. Teachers plan a month that will be full of car-related activities.

3. Learning objectives of the month: I can name numbers, I can identify numbers and amounts, I play with shapes, and I learn about safety in traffic.

4. Activities

• Car race: Let each child choose a car and push it as far as possible. Measure how far it went!
• Shape/number traces: Children drive cars in the sand and try to make traces of different shapes (oval, square, heart...) or numbers.