Indoor Learning Areas

Maths

A number of skills are greatly enhanced within this area but can also be applied to other areas, so are not ‘purely’ developed through play here. 

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Selecting and using resources
• Developing Mathematical vocabulary
• Experiment with colour, number, shapes, pattern and size.
• Fine motor development.
• Develop the ability to compare, order, sort and organise
• Mark making
• Matching
• Recognising numbers
• Counting
   

Writing

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Selecting tools and resources
• Developing descriptive vocabulary
• Fine motor development
• Develop the ability to explain, design, create and predict.
• Mark making
• Phonics skills – Writing initial sounds/words

Malleable

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Shape and mould
• Add materials for decoration/ detail
• Use of tools Joining- water (clay)
• Techniques e.g. rolling, moulding, wrapping, etc. Creating shapes
• Adding texture

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Mathematical skills- fractions, printing of shape faces, exploration of shapes
• Selecting tools and resources
• Using language and vocabulary- describe, predict and explain
• Experimentation linked to modelling, moulding, shape and space
• Representing shapes, artwork by famous artists, etc. Improve and adapt designs
• Fine Motor development
• Labelling - mark making

Music and Movement

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Developing descriptive vocabulary.
• Experimenting with sound, pitch, pace and rhythm.
• Represent and be inspired by a variety of music and musicians.
• Fine and gross motor skills
• Developing the ability to sing, speak, collaborate.
• Performing

Funky Fingers

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Use their hands and fingers to arrange and manipulate materials.
• Develop increasing control when handling objects, such as holding and pouring.
• Use one-handed tools and equipment.
• Develop precision and dexterity when handling small objects.
• Develop muscle strength in fingers, hands and wrists.
• Use tools for a purpose.
• Practise stacking, joining and connecting pieces together.

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Explore how things work.
• Use and transport tools and equipment competently and safely.
• Explore spatial awareness, such as filling and emptying containers and positioning objects.
• Talk about the texture and properties of different materials.
• Talk about and negotiate their ideas with their peers.
• Be curious - investigate and explore a range of materials and objects.
• Practise strategies for turn-taking and sharing resources fairly.
• Explore how to rotate and manipulate shapes.

Construction

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Transporting larger objects
• Early building – horizontal and vertical stacking. Bridging – using two blocks to support a third. Enclosing – using bridging techniques to create an enclosed space.

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Take turns and work co-operatively, sharing space and equipment.
• Taking others ideas and resolving conflict Communicate- predict, explain, compare and describe Fine motor and gross motor control and precision Labelling designs with signs and captions
• Developing special awareness.
• Counting and counting on.
• Exploring how shape and weight effects movement and motion.
• Experiencing scale.
• Investigating what happens to an object as you manipulate it.
• Exploring trajectory.
• Exploring stability.
• Collecting information through observation.
• Problem solving – is this brick the right length/shape for the structure, do I need one that it longer/shorter to balance.

Creative

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Exploring Paint and its textures/ composition
• Powder Paint- adding water
• Ready Mixed Paint/ Water Colour
• Exploring artist tools and using for different purposes e.g. chalk, pastels, pencils, junk modelling etc.
• Colour Mixing

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Selecting tools and resources
• Using language and vocabulary- describe, imagine, explain
• Experimentation linked to colour, form and function Representing artwork by famous artists, etc.
• Improve and adapt designs
• Fine Motor development
• Labelling- mark making
• Observational skills
• Developing artistic techniques

Reading Area

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Handling books
• Developing a love of books
• Using books as a source of information
• Recognising letters and words
  Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):
• Selecting and handling books correctly.
• Develop descriptive vocabulary
• Represent and be inspired by well-known authors
• Fine motor development – Turning pages
• Developing the ability to predict and explain what is happening in stories.
• Communication and active listening skills
• Mark making

Sand

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Sand texture exploration- wet and dry sand.

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Take turns, share and work co-operatively.
• Respond to others in their play, including instructions.
• Develop explanations.
• Develop descriptive vocab e.g. wet, cold, smooth, rough.
• Physical development skills, including fine motor skills (common play behaviours)
• Design and create.
• Language of size, space and shape.
• Matching, sorting and comparison.
• Counting
• Capacity vocabulary
• Investigation
• Prediction- which holds the most/ least?
• Explore and represent familiar objects in 3D form.
• Identify, name and describe the patterns they make.
• Develop observational skills

Water

Skills Unique to this Area (Pure Skills):

• Changes of state- freezing, melting, evaporating Viscosity- changes uses flour, cornflour etc.
• Sinking and floating
• Absorbency
• Water pressure

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Take turns, share and work co-operatively.
• Respond to others in their play, including instructions
• Develop explanations
• Develop descriptive vocabulary e.g. wet, cold, warm, bubbly
• Physical development skills, including fine motor skills (common play behaviours)
• Investigation
• Prediction- which holds the most/ least?
• Develop observational skills
• Estimation
• Mathematical skills- fractions, capacity, counting

Role Play

Skills Reinforced in this Area (Facilitative Skills):

• Co-operate, take turns and share demonstrating negotiation skills
• Develop confidence, self-esteem and self-control.
• Re-enacting real life situations and familiar experiences
• Work independently and access the resources needed.
• Work as part of a group, taking on different roles.
• Respect others ideas and accommodate them within play.
• Show initiative when developing ideas.
• Reflect on feelings as part of that role e.g. in a hospital.
• Use language and extend vocabulary
• Develop fine motor skills and co-ordination through manipulating real life Develop co-ordination through doing fastenings on clothes, pouring from teapots, setting the table, dressing dolls etc.
• Use imagination to develop stories.
• Develop mark-making skills by creating menus, diaries, pictures, price lists.
• Exploring mathematical concepts relating to money, capacity, size, weight.
• Problem solving e.g. how much money for this item?
• Develop concept of time e.g. breakfast, dinner, bed time.
• Explore and recognise features of how things work.