Designing and Making in the Early Years

Designing and Making in the Early Years

You may remember this from your secondary school days as D & T but can it be successful in the Early Years with the health and safety considerations we must be aware of?

I believe so, as children who learn about what hazards they may come accross and are informed of the possible risks are children that are more likely to manage risk independently in future and have this skill for life.  Children need to build on their problem solving skills and risk management is a key experience that supports this.  Children assessing risks in their play develop their cognitive thinking greatly. 

Resources that can be provided for children to encourage design and technology include:

• Hammers
• Nails
• Off-cuts of wood
• Tape Measures
• Rulers
• Pencils
• Magnets
• Dough and tools, including butter knives, not plastic ones
• Scissors
• Hole Punches

This is not a complete list and can easily be added to;

Always remember to risk assess your setting, the activities and resources that you provide and consider the individual children that you care for and their needs.

The 6th January 2011 edition of NurseryWorld has a pull-out guide called 'Made it!' which focuses on design and technology and how the EYFS link to it shows best practice.