Childcare Unit 7 Play

Te Whariki Te Whariki is the Ministry of Education’s early childhood curriculum policy statement. Te Whariki is a framework for providing children’s early learning and development within a social cultural context. It emphasises the learning partnership between teachers, parents, and families. Teachers weave a holistic curriculum in response to children’s learning and development in the early childhood setting and the wider context of the child’s world. This curriculum defines how to achieve progress towards this idea for learners in early childhood learning environments.

It is about the individual child. Its starting point is the learner and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that the child brings to their experiences. The curriculum is also about early childhood settings. Learning begins at home, and early childhood programmes outside the child’s own home play a significant role in extending early learning and in laying the foundations for successful future learning. There are four broad principles at the centre of the early childhood curriculum. Empowerment – The early childhood curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow.

Holistic Development – The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow. Family and Community – The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum. Relationships – Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things. The strands and goals arise from the four principles. The whariki is woven from these four principles and from the following five strands, or essential areas of learning and development.

The principles and strands together form the framework for the curriculum. Each strand has several goals. Learning outcomes have been developed for each goal in each of the strands, so that the whariki becomes an included foundation for every child’s development. Strand 1: Well-being The health and well-being of the child are protected and nurtured. Goals Children experience an environment where: • their health is promoted; • their emotional well-being is nurtured; • they are kept safe from harm. Strand 2: Belonging Children and their families feel a sense of belonging. Goals

Children and their families experience an environment where: • connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended; • they know that they have a place; • they feel comfortable with the routines, customs, and regular events; • they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Strand 3: Contribution Opportunities for learning are equitable, and each child’s contribution is valued. Goals Children experience an environment where: • there are equitable opportunities for learning, irrespective of gender, ability, age, ethnicity, or background; • they are affirmed as individuals; they are encouraged to learn with and alongside others. Strand 4: Communication The languages and symbols of their own and other cultures are promoted and protected. Goals Children experience an environment where: • they develop non-verbal communication skills for a range of purposes; • they develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes; • they experience the stories and symbols of their own and other cultures; • they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive.

Strand 5: Exploration The child learns through active exploration of the environment. Goals Children experience an environment where: • their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised; • they gain confidence in and control of their bodies; • they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning; • they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.