Strategies for promoting

haura through outdoor play

Created by Komal Singh

-What is play

- Is learning happening through play?

-If so then what are children learning

- Does play have an effect on children’s wellbeing/ haura?

-What are your memories of play?
Strategy 1 providing open ended resources and equipments that
children can use in multiple ways

-This provides opportunities for children to learn about

themselves (their being) and others.

-Build problem solving skills

-This promotes exploration and creativity

-Freely chosen, open ended play may serve children’s and not
adults purposes which leads to positive emotional wellbeing.
Strategy 2 – providing sustained periods of time for play
Observing and extending children’s interest.

-For e.g. a child’s interest in snails while playing in the garden can be
sustained by sharing interest and asking questions where do you
think the snails are going? How are they moving?

-Adults physical closeness helps children to take safe risk as they

attempt the new experience.

-This allows children to explore their interest in detail and gives

teachers a deeper level meaning to children’s interest.
-Through play children build;

-Establish neural brain connections critical to effective

brain functioning.

- are using complex cognitive and intellectual processes.

-Development of cognitive skills

-Development of creative skills

-Personal social and emotional development

-Physical development and movement

-Language development

-Early mathematical development

Strategy 3
Documenting the play experiences around the room for
children and others who work with children to reflect upon
-This will encourage children to participate more.

- Allows teachers can revisit and connect ideas

-Gives parents an insight into what the children are doing and
learning in the kindy.
Strategy 4
Collaborating with children, whanau and others to regularly
access the environment to ensure it promotes quality play- based
learning experiences.
Appropriately incorporate the knowledge of local whanua,
hapu and iwi.
-Cultural influences

-parental attitudes

-teachers values and beliefs about play

Strategy 5 Risk Management

-What is risky play activities?

- It's not about 'removing the risk, but about finding the
balance between those that foster learning, and those that can
result in serious injury' (p. 38).

-“Through exposure to carefully managed risks, children learn

sound judgement in assessing risks themselves, hence
building confidence, resilience and self-belief--qualities that
are important for their eventual independence” wyver.

- Is it ok for teachers to maintain constant supervision over

children's activities?

-Affecting children’s physical wellbeing and denying children

opportunity to explore thus affecting cognitive wellbeing.
Outcomes for not allowing children to play

-“insufficient challenge and novelty in the playground can lead to

inappropriate risk-taking as children seek thrills in a fearless manner”
(p6)

-“risk-compensation behaviour whereby individuals are thought to

engage in greater risky behaviour when safety measures are applied
to an activity” p6

- “prevent children from developing the decision-making skills

necessary to make accurate risk judgements.” p6

-affects physical competency

- affects persistence

- affects resilience
-"How can teachers ensure that all children have access to
the type of play that affords learning, is meaningful and
responsive to children’s intentions, and invites children to
engage in decision-making about their lives? 

- thinking about the difference between ideal images of play

and the reality of play for some children.
-Dominant western idea of play versus Pacifica idea of play

-Crtical issue- wider issues and influences that affect the topic
--curriculum based on ‘interest’
--cultural views on play
--geberalising and steretoyping children and families
--risk taking
Referencing
-Kennedy, A and barblett Lennie Learning and teaching through play
supporting the early years learning framework
-Little, H. and Wyver, S. (2008). Outdoor play: Does avoiding the risks
reduce the benefits? Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 33 (2) 33-
40.
-Leaupepe, M. (2010). "Play... a waste of time"? Samoan and Tongan
teachers views of play. Mai Review
-Mara (2013).In J.Nuttall, (2003). (Ed.). Weaving Te
Whāriki.Wellington: NZCER. 51-75.
-Gordon-Burns, D., Purdue, K,. Rarere-Briggs, B., Stark, R. and
Turnock, K. (2012).(Eds.). Te Aotūroa Tātaki. Inclusive early childhood
education. New Zealand: NZCER Press.
-Cooper, M., Hedges, H., Lovatt, D., & Murphy, T. (2013). 
Responding authentically to Pasifika
children’s learning and identity development: Hunter’s interests and f
unds of knowledge
. Early Childhood Folio, 17(1), 6-11
-Wood, E. (2013). Play, learning and the early childhood
curriculum (3rd ed.). London, England: Sage. 
[Read: Play in national policies: International perspectives, pp. 44-67]
-White, J., Ellis, F., O’Malley, A., Rockel, J., Stover, S., & Toso, M.
(2008).  Play and learning in Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood
education.  In I. Pramling-Samuelsson & M. Fleer (Eds.), Play and
learning in early childhood settings: International perspectives (pp.