Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 3.4: Contribute to enabling play environments
Learning outcome: Understand how the characteristics of an enabling indoor play environment meet the age, stage and needs of children
Assessment criteria: Explain the characteristics of an enabling indoor play environment
An enabling play environment in an Early Years setting is a space which facilitates learning through the experience of playful activities. It should provide children with opportunities for physical, imaginative and social play, allowing them to develop their creative ideas and explore new ways of problem-solving.
The environment should be safe and secure, stimulating but also relaxing or calming when needed. Care should be taken to ensure that there is enough variety in the resources available so that children don’t become bored or stuck in a routine. This can include providing toys which encourage cooperative play, and open-ended materials that allow children to create something unique and provide them with plenty of natural items to stimulate the imagination.
The characteristics of an enabling indoor play environment include:
- A wide variety of resources
- Resources that are easily accessible to children
- Areas for children to rest
- Opportunities for children to socialise and interact
- Opportunities that are at the right level to challenge a child without being too difficult
- Opportunities for children to engage in physical, creative, imaginative and sensory types of play
- Opportunities for children to explore and gain independence