EYFS learning links

Children learn best through open ended activities and exploration.

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Babies and Toddlers may develop skills such as of...

• Enjoys filling and emptying containers.

• Picks up small objects between thumb and fingers.

• Makes connections between their movement and the marks they make.

• Know things are used in different ways.e.g. a ball for rolling , a toy car for pushing.

• Becomes absorbed in combining objects i.e. placing objects into containers.

• Has some understanding that things exist, even when out of sight.

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Toddlers and pre-schoolers may develop skills such as...

• Selects a small number of objects from a group when asked.

• Uses some language of quantities, such as ‘more’ and ‘a lot’.

• Talks about the shape of everyday objects.

• Begins to use the language of size.

• Shows control in holding and using tools.

• Sometimes gives meaning to marks as they draw and paint.

• Imitates drawing simple shapes such as circles and lines.

• Uses simple tools to effect changes to materials.

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Why stop there ? Older children may develop further skills such as…

• Refining their fine motor skills

• Using exciting and ambitious language to describe what they are doing

• Connecting to the world around them via their senses

• Using their imagination in open ended self directed play

• Testing out maths concepts in real world activities (capacity, size, weight

• (Not to mention the calming and emotionally regulating value of sensory play)