Nursery World - Our Bright Idea - Building on experience

Parents were won over when a nursery let the children explore working with real tools, says Laura Wayman.

When I observed one little girl walking around with a mallet shouting 'bang, bang, bang' while hitting an array of objects in her path, it made me question her reasons for doing this. Was she fascinated by the noise that the mallet was making, or was she was actually looking for something to hit so she could see the effect the mallet had on it?

TAKING ACTION

I decided to find answers, and also support her child-initiated learning, by providing opportunities for the children to handle some real tools.

The following statement in Managing Risk in Play Provision: a position statement (2002) puts into words our approach to risk-taking: 'Children need and want to take risks when they play. Play provision aims to respond to these needs and wishes by offering children stimulating, challenging environments for exploring and developing their abilities. In doing this, play provision aims to manage the level of risk so that children are not exposed to unacceptable risks of death or serious injury.'

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