Nursery World - Nursery Equipment: Challenge

Children progress by facing challenges, and good practitioners have a sense of when to step in and when to hold back. Jennie Lindon advises.

Young children deserve time to delight in doing what they find easy-peasy. But that pleasure stems in large part from the fact that building with bricks or riding a bike was until recently a bit of a challenge.

Incorporating challenge into early years provision is essential for young children's development, both emotional and intellectual. Through the challenge of the 'new' or 'harder', children can build up their confidence, self-esteem and feelings of competence. Handled well, challenge can develop children's motivation to learn, their resilience and a recognition of their own limits. Conversely, without exposure to challenge and risk-taking, children may struggle to develop a 'can-do' attitude.

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