University Childhood Studies Essay: Play-Based Curriculum and EYLF

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the author's approach to implementing a play-based curriculum within the framework of early childhood education. It delves into the principles and practices of the National Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), emphasizing the importance of secure relationships, intentional scaffolding, and engaging children in play. The essay highlights the author's strategies for fostering co-playing skills, adapting educator roles, and challenging children's choices to extend their learning. The author discusses the National Quality Framework (NQF), intentional teaching methods, and the significance of creating a culturally competent and inclusive learning environment. The essay emphasizes the importance of respecting cultural diversity, incorporating play-based learning, and using effective communication techniques to build strong bonds with children. The author stresses the need to provide a safe environment, encourage children to step outside their comfort zones, and offer opportunities for all children to learn at their own pace. The conclusion reinforces the significance of early education and care in shaping children's development and the author's commitment to organizing a play-based curriculum in alignment with the EYLF and NQF standards. The essay also references several scholarly articles and resources to support the author's arguments.

Running Head: CHILDHOOD STUDIES
CHILDHOOD STUDIES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) helps in providing a detailed
summary of the ECEC policy outputs, inputs, and the outcomes in Australia. This essay is
going to describe about the specifications that is related to the early childhood care and the
education as they are an important part of the phases of the child. The ECCE aims at
providing preparation for the primary school(Oecd.org, 2019; Raising Children Network,
2019). The central goal of ECCE is the development of a holistic approach for the emotional,
social, and physical and the cognitive needs so that they can build a strong and broad base for
the lifelong learning and the wellbeing. Here I try to provide the necessary requirements that
will help the students and the younger children to interact more freely with the teachers and
the other fellow classmates and children. The essay will thus link my experiences with that of
the children so that they can get the maximum benefits and the required amount of care.
Finally, the essay will highlight the need of having such a plan and the benefits that the young
children will get from these plans (Blackwell et al., 2013).
Discussion
I will insist the children to participate in ECEC as it will have a more positive effect
on the early development and learning of the children, along with the subsequent results such
as the socio-economic mobility and academic distress. I will also emphasize on creating
awareness about the benefits of ECCE on the child outcomes (Gillen & Hall, 2013). As per
the NQF that stands for the National Quality Framework for the early childhood development
there are certain rules and regulations that has to be followed up by the EC educator that has
to be acknowledged by them before addressing the learning outcomes. I will thus, try to have
secure and safe relationships with the children. I will ensure that children are getting the
required amount of the respect and they also get to have a chance of reciprocating the relation
with everyone. I will also respect the cultural diversity present among the children by having

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classes that are culturally competent (Oecd.org, 2019). In the process of achieving this, I will
give the children with certain role in the play that will give them a chance to know and also to
embrace the various cultures. This will encourage them for having a one-on one interaction
with the other students who come from diverse backgrounds.
In order to get this I will opt for the play based curriculum that involves holistic
approaches, responsiveness to all the children, intentional teaching, cultural competence and
continuity of transitions and learning. I completely know my role as an EC in the intentional
teaching. Intentional teaching is described to as an active approach to kids that will assist
them create and adopt children's strengths (Heckman, Pinto & Savelyev, 2013). I will
therefore use deliberate teaching methods as an early-year educator so that I can take an
active role in the children's learning. For play based learning I will use certain themes like
making them understand their subjects by the use of rhymes that involves numbers and for
their overall cognitive development the activities that will be helpful are jumping over soft
objects or a rope, hide and seek, acting out the characters in stories, throwing a soft ball into
the bucket. Along with all this I should also try and involve the children in cooking as it
teaches science, measurement and numbers, sharing, new words and healthy food (Blackwell
et al., 2013).
In order to interact and involve with the children I will involve effective
communication techniques that will help the kids to build a powerful bond with me. For
example, I will comprehend each child's abilities and expertise and assign them their roles in
the game (Campbell et al., 2014). This will therefore be useful to both the kids and the
educators. By doing so, I will be able to create a feeling of regard among the kids and they
will not be deprived of the quantity of care needed. I want the kids to understand and
communicate with each other in this play room along with learning some fresh ideas. This
will assist the kids to create a cooperative relationship with the family and friends. I also

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wanted to develop safe environment for the children that will help them to know what is right
and wrong for them (Raising Children Network, 2019).
However, I will make the children do the tasks that are out of their comfort zone. This
will include in children in role reversal. This means that the children who are facing
challenges in certain subjects will be asked to teach or demonstrate the topic to entire class.
Thus, I am not supposed to have high expectation for all the children as all kids learn at their
own speed and it is very essential for early teachers to offer all kids room for effective
learning (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala, 2013).
The principles of the EYLF involve the fact that the children should have a strong
sense of identity and the children are supposed to connect and contribute with the world
along with a strong sense of wellbeing. The children should also be very confident and should
be involved with the entire learning process. This will help the children to know the
effectiveness of communication and their benefits (Britto et al., 2017).
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that the early education and care is very much necessary in
the early education of the children. It is very much necessary to give proper focus on the
children about their care and needs as this is the time that can have a strong impact on the
mind of the children. The report highlights that I will organize a play based curriculum as per
the NQF and EYLF the standards and norms for interaction with the children should be
holistic that is very responsive to all the children and helps them to get a secured and safe
early childhood.

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References
Britto, P. R., Lye, S. J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A. K., Matthews, S. G., Vaivada, T., ... &
MacMillan, H. (2017). Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development. The
Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102.
Heikka, J., Waniganayake, M., &Hujala, E. (2013). Contextualizing distributed leadership
within early childhood education: Current understandings, research evidence and
future challenges. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 41(1), 30-
44.
Raising Children Network. (2019). The National Quality Framework for early childhood
education and care. Retrieved 24 August 2019, from
https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/work-child-care/understanding-child-care/
national-quality-framework
Campbell, F., Conti, G., Heckman, J. J., Moon, S. H., Pinto, R., Pungello, E., & Pan, Y.
(2014). Early childhood investments substantially boost adult
health. Science, 343(6178), 1478-1485.
Heckman, J., Pinto, R., &Savelyev, P. (2013). Understanding the mechanisms through which
an influential early childhood program boosted adult outcomes. American Economic
Review, 103(6), 2052-86.
Gillen, J., & Hall, N. (2013). The emergence of early childhood literacy. The Sage handbook
of early childhood literacy, 3-17.
Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., Wartella, E., Robb, M., &Schomburg, R. (2013).
Adoption and use of technology in early education: The interplay of extrinsic barriers
and teacher attitudes. Computers & Education, 69, 310-319.

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Oecd.org. (2019). Retrieved 24 August 2019, from
http://www.oecd.org/education/school/ECECDCN-Australia.pdf