ECEYE-105A Experience Plan: Exploring Dough Play with Toddlers

This assignment presents an Early Childhood Education (ECE) experience plan centered around dough play with toddlers, specifically focusing on a child named Piper, aged 2 years and 1 month. The plan details the rationale for the experience, based on observations of the children's interests and engagement. It outlines the materials used, including colorful dough and small tools, and connects the activity to Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) outcomes, such as improving concentration and fostering creativity. The plan emphasizes the importance of allowing children to explore and create with minimal teacher interference, promoting their imaginative and fine motor skills. The assignment includes references to relevant research supporting the chosen strategies and outcomes, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to early childhood education practices. The document aims to inform parents about their child's progress and development through hands-on activities and play.

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
Early Childhood Education and Care
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Authors Note:

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Experience Plan 1 Name:
Child’s name: Piper Age: (2 years and 1 month)
Date/s presented: November 02, 2018
Rationale/reason that you have chosen to present this experience
In order to inform the parents about the experience of playing dough with four toddlers one of
whom is Piper aged 2 years and a month this experience is presented. During 17th and 18th
September 2018 while the whole session with the four toddlers were held it was essential to
document the experience to allow the parents to have an idea about the progress of their
children. Piper has showed significant interest in all the activities. This shows that Piper is
enthusiastic in participating such events.
Experience outline and outcome
Piper has been very pro-active in participation and is has showed understanding of colours at
the time of playing dough.
List of materials with diagram or photo of the set up:
Small tools and dough were used as materials during play dough time with children. The
dough used was colourful with obvious purpose to attract the toddlers. Pieper has been
specifically keen on using his hand while making dough. The following list shows the

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materials that were used during the course of playdough time with children:
 Tunnel.
 Two balanced board.
 Small plastic hands.
 Colours.
 Dough.
Developmental Priorities or EYLF learning outcomes (minimum of two). Link the outcomes
directly to the focus child or children.
1. With the objective of improving the concentration of the children and to engage them
in playful activities is one of the most important priorities of EYLF learning
outcomes. It is not only about playtime with children but also to encourage them to
participate in constructive activities is essential. Play time to make dough was mainly
to provide constructive experience to the toddlers even during the play time (Lamb,
Sternberg, Hwang & Broberg, 2014).
2. Allowing the children to use their own creativity by providing them with dough and
other tools to shape different types of dough was mainly to develop essential skills
necessary to improve their ability to develop small things. Also the priority was to
engage the children in team work as all the four children was playing with dough to

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make small shape at the same table with same tools. Small but little learning in the
childhood often enables the children to improve their ability to face different
situations in the future (Finn-Stevenson, 2018).
3. It is also important to keep engage in activities to improve the mental and physical
health of children. One of the priorities has always been to improve the physical and
mental health of children (Connors & Morris, 2015).
A link to one EYLF Principle which relates to the underpinning philosophy of the
experience plan:
EYLF Principle:
Improving the mental and physical strength of children: Improving the mental and physical
health of the children from an early age with playful activities is an important principle of
EYLF that relates to the experience.
A link to which EYLF Practice your plan most relates to:
EYLF Practice:
Physical and sporting activities with toddlers is one of the best way to improve physical
strength and stamina in children. The climbing and dough making have certainly helped the
children in this regard.

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What are your intended teaching strategies to support the child/children in this learning
experience?
The children should be allowed to show their creativity without much of an interference.
Thus, as less interference shall be made as possible while the children are performing their
own tasks. In order to ensure that they are safe and secure during different activities
necessary steps shall be taken. In this case Piper has been provided with artificial small
plastic hands and dough. The teachers are also using the dough to make different shapes with
the objective of encouraging the toddlers to make their own shape and sizes by using such
dough. The objective behind as less interference as possible is to improve the ability of the
children to use their own creativity and learn by watching the teachers (Blaine, Davison,
Hesketh, Taveras, Gillman & Benjamin Neelon, 2015).
Often too much interference by the teachers could be deterrent for such children to use their
own creativity. Hence, except where necessary no interference has been made and the
children including piper has allowed to use their own hands and mind to make colourful
dough. The purpose is to help the children learn during the course of playful and joyful
experience. With minimum interference by the teachers Piper has shown immense interest in
play dough time by using dough and small plastic hand to make his own creative dough

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(Singer, 2017).

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References:
Blaine, R. E., Davison, K. K., Hesketh, K., Taveras, E. M., Gillman, M. W., & Benjamin Neelon,
S. E. (2015). Child care provider adherence to infant and toddler feeding
recommendations: findings from the Baby Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-
Assessment for Child Care (Baby NAP SACC) study. Childhood obesity, 11(3), 304-313.
Connors, M. C., & Morris, P. A. (2015). Comparing state policy approaches to early care and
education quality: A multidimensional assessment of quality rating and improvement
systems and child care licensing regulations. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 30,
266-279. Connors, M. C., & Morris, P. A. (2015). Comparing state policy approaches to
early care and education quality: A multidimensional assessment of quality rating and
improvement systems and child care licensing regulations. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 30, 266-279.
Finn-Stevenson, M. (2018). Schools of the 21st century: Linking child care and education.
Routledge.
Lamb, M. E., Sternberg, K. J., Hwang, C. P., & Broberg, A. G. (Eds.). (2014). Child care in
context: Cross-cultural perspectives. Psychology Press.
Singer, E. (2017). Child-care and the psychology of development. Routledge.