The Home corner by Nicola Walker

The importance of Home Corner by Nicola Walker

My area of provision

After looking at different continuous provisions in my early years setting I decided to focus on the home corner/ role playing area. I focused on this as the children in my setting are always in the home corner either pretending to cook or dressing up. When planning I wanted to make sure that the area was capable of helping the children to develop in the seven areas of learning. The seven areas that are stated in the EYFS are: This area is really good with allowing children to develop in the seven areas of learning in the EYFS, which are: ‘The prime areas: communication & language, physical development and personal, social & emotional development,’ and ‘the specific areas: literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts & design,’ (DfE, 2014 pg 7). The home corner has always been my favourite area for the children to play in as it gives them a perfect opportunity to start understanding the world and the people around them. It is shown that young children first start learning by imitating people around them. Meltzoff (2007, cited in Berk 2010 p.136) states that ‘new-borns imitate much as older children and adults do- by actively trying to match body movements they see with ones they feel themselves do.’ Children can use these imitations to start understanding the world and how to do certain things e.g. pretending to cook, playing mums and dads.

After researching different home corners and what a home corner should include I started planning on the equipment I needed in our home corner and how I wanted to lay it out. According to Greenman, Stonehouse & Schweikert (2008) the home corner area normally has ‘: child-sized stove, table, and chairs; refrigerator; beds for dolls (it is important these are big enough for children as well)…blankets; play dishes, saucepans, and other cooking implements; real objects from home. Costume area: (materials to be used throughout the space); hats, helmets, aprons, shoes, scarves…all sorts of dressing up clothes, handbags.’

Examples of different home corners

http://www.robertpeellower.co.uk/nursery.html

http://blueplanetnursery.co.uk 

Resources I used for my area:

-Cooker

- Microwave

- refrigerator

- washing machine

- Table and chairs

- bowls/saucepans/plates/ cups/ food

- phone

- cd player

- dressing up clothes

- mirrors

- materials (dressing rooms)

I decided to include mirrors and fabric as dressing rooms that allow children to go behind the fabric put on the dressing up clothes and look at themselves in the mirror, just like when you try something on in a shop.

My home corner

Supporting children’s learning & the adult role

As the EYFS shows that two main principles that support children’s learning is ‘positive relationships’ and ‘enabling environments,’ (DfE, 2014 page 7). The home corner allows children to build closer relationships during play with adults and other peers. We made sure that they have enabling environment by setting out the resources they may need or want to initiate play and allow them to develop in the seven areas of development. When planning we considered ‘the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development.’ (DfE, 2014). Make-believe play is very important in the early years. Piaget (1971, cited in Berk 2010 p.227) believed that ‘through pretending, young children practice and strengthen newly acquired representational schemes.’  The adults leave the children to lead their own play which helps their independence and giving them the freedom to choose their own play. Adults are just there to support their learning by asking questions, encouraging them to work in partnership with other children, allowing them to tidy up, support them to develop a story-line. This allows the practitioners to step back and observe the children’s learning and development in regards to the Developmental Matters (2012) document. The EYFS shows that ‘2.1. Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support.’ (DfE, 2014 p.13). These observations are carried out by the child’s key person and documented in a ‘learning story’ allowing practitioners and the parents keep track of the child’s development and to establish if they are developing correctly for their age and how we can work with the parents to carry on their development. 

References

- Berk.L., 2010, Development through the lifespan 5^th ed. London: Pearson.

- Blue planet Montessori nursery school, 2015., Home corner (image online) Available at: http://blueplanetnursery.co.uk/ (Accessed 11th April 2016)

- Department for Education, 2014, Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) (pdf) Available at:     https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf    (Accessed 11th April 2016)

- Early Education, 2012., Developmental Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (pdf) Available at:     http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf (Accessed 11th April 2016)

- Greenman.,J, Stonehouse., A and Schweikert., G, 2008 Prime Times- A handbook for excellence in Infant and Toddler Programme. Second Edition Red leaf    Press

- Robert Peel Lower School, 2016., Home corner (image online) Available at: http://www.robertpeellower.co.uk/nursery.html (Accessed 11th April 2016)