nmtspecial report
Early learning experiences and purposeful play with Edx Education Heather Welch, international brand manager at Edx Education explains the importance of early years development and play based learning. t Edx Education we strive to build early learning experiences, adhering to curriculum requirements and supporting children’s key development areas, all through working with educational experts around the world. It’s upon these pillars that our values are built. Launched 25 years ago by our CEO & founder, Murray Jackson, to supply world-class products, Edx Education soon pivoted to designing and manufacturing high-quality educational products in response to the on-going demand for more innovative products by schools, teachers, parents and caregivers. Murray Jackson explains, “Edx Education is passionate about learning through play, which has long been recognised as a highly successful method of learning in early years education both in the classroom and at home.” To this end, the design team has been creating educational products for the key learning areas (see Diagram 1) for children’s needs at different stages of their development from 18 months and above. The range features products and games which support each area from early childhood through to primary school, including key Edx Education areas of focus, such as Mathematics
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40 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY
Manipulatives and Early Childhood Active Play. In the UK curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage (EFYS) looks at teaching through games and play based learning. Children minds are curious, they need to explore and experiment through play – especially in the early years – and this is something which should be actively encouraged by teachers and caregivers. Open-ended toys are a versatile option and allow a child to grow with the product and can help promote a child’s development. It is equally as important for a nursery to provide children with activities that can be utilised for multiple age groups and levels of learning experiences. There is no need for an abundance of products to help our children’s brains develop. Outlined below, are just six essential outdoor and indoor Edx Education products which provide the basic platform for purposeful play and cover the key learning areas for children in a nursey setting: Active play allows children to play independently or part of a group. Children love to be active whilst learning to balance, jump, skip, hop and
Outdoor play
September / October 2020
Diagram 1: Key learning areas
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Diagram 2: Sand and water trays enable learning without realising; this is key to develop maths abilities in the early years.
play. They develop gross motor skills and coordination at different rates so it’s great to have an allocated area outdoors for children to explore in an unstructured way. 1. Edx Education Sand and Water Play Trays This Summer, there are three essential outdoor Edx Education products, which both enable and encourage children to explore and experiment: There are many aspects of learning through water and sand play, including the development of fine motor skills – as they pour from one container to another – and early maths skills. International education expert and consultant for Edx Education, Dr Paul Swan, refers to the development of these skills through water play and how learning without realising is key to the development of early maths skills in his book ‘Early Years Experiences’: As children pour from one container to another, they will be developing fine motor skills. Consider how difficult it is to fill a container to a specific level? With the trays, water activities can include: Measuring, emptying, pouring and filling up to a level. ● Using sieves, syphons and hoses. ●