Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 2.1: An introduction to the role of the Early Years practitioner
Learning outcome: Understand the role of the Early Years practitioner
Assessment criteria: Identify every day routine tasks which ensure a safe and stimulating setting
Many routine tasks must be carried out daily to ensure a safe and stimulating early years setting. These include:
- Ensuring that all areas of the setting are clean and tidy
- Preparing materials and resources for activities
- Supervising children during activities
- Monitoring children’s behaviour
- Liaising with parents and carers
- Providing children with a healthy and varied diet and following food safety and food hygiene procedures
This is not an exhaustive list, and I am sure that you can think of many more.
These tasks are important in ensuring that children have a positive experience in the setting and remain safe.
Routines should be flexible and allow for some creativity; rigidity can lead to boredom and frustration. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between structure and flexibility to provide children with a stimulating and enjoyable environment. For example, there should be variation between child-initiated and adult-led play.