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66  TOPIC 4 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PRESCHOOLERS
cutlery like spoons and spatulas but after a while pots and pans are added. New props are introduced to create interest among the children. Educators observe, listen and respond with props, materials and suggestions that extend childrenÊs growing understanding of how their world works. Over time, the centres change to reflect the childrenÊs ideas and growing knowledge of the world around them.
A balance of simple and complex materials and tools can be introduced in each experiential centre. Children are given the opportunity to explore and demonstrate. For example, they can use the paint brush in a variety of ways. Or they can cut different lines and curves using a pair of scissors.
Natural Materials
Children are often easily attracted to sounds, aromas, colours, light and reflections. They are often interested to explore these elements, thus incorporating them will broaden the childrenÊs way of seeing things around them. For example, the different aromas that students can smell from the outdoors such as a garden can stimulate a discussion on the scents and their responses to those different scents. They are also able to describe what they see in the garden and begin to engage in simple conversation using simple sentence structure and vocabulary. Teachers easily stimulate the childrenÊs senses by putting items in a basket and asking them to do different activities with these items. They can be very excited to smell flowers or freshly-baked doughnuts from the baskets. As a treat, the flowers can be placed on their hair or they can eat the doughnuts as a snack.
Materials that Relate to the ChildrenÊs Interests
(Adapted from http://www.highscope.org/file/Newsand Information/ ReSourceReprints/Spring2012/ReSourceSpring2012 LearnEnvironment.pdf)
Materials should be open-ended, meaning they should be materials that can be used in a variety of different ways. The materials should be chosen carefully by adults who understand and want to support young childrenÊs interests, cultural backgrounds, and their developmental stages and abilities. The list of open- ended materials that can be added to a classroom is limitless. Baby dolls, dishes, beads, puppets, scarves, paper and markers, and musical instruments can be easily found and the recycled materials such as buttons, pieces of scrap wood, empty plastic containers or food cartons, or large appliance boxes can also make interesting materials for the children to use.
It is also important for adults to choose materials that reflect the childrenÊs interests. For example, for children who are fascinated by the aeroplane that is flying above their school, adults can bring some miniature planes and helicopters along with items associated with the aviation industry. In front of the classroom,
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