Alongside WHAT children learn, we also think about HOW children learn, using the Characteristics of Effective Learning. All children learn and approach tasks differently.

Playing and Exploring - engagement

• Finding out and exploring
• Playing with what they know
• Being willing to have a go
• A 4 year old enjoys watching eater go through a water wheel and tries various jugs before settling on one that pours neatly into the top. They have explored and played with something they know.

Active learning – motivation

• Being involved and concentrating
• Keeping trying
• Enjoying achieving what they set out to do
• A 3 year old gets out a jigsaw and looks carefully at which shapes match together, and will try various holes before finding the right place. They are concentrating and continue trying.

Creating and thinking critically - thinking

• Having their own ideas
• Making links
• Choosing how to do things
• A 2 year old wants a biscuit, so finds a chair to be able to climb up and get the biscuit tin. They have chosen what to do and come up with their own ideas.