Enabling Environments’ Tuff Spots!

Children learn through play, and with a tuff spot play is a strong focus, and it is a large size to encourage shared play. Children will benefit from having the tray set out higher or lower, a den, creative play, constructive play and many more.

We have chosen Tuff spots because they are available in all our settings, and we feel that the tuff spots need developing because when researching we have found out that there are a lot more things and resources that you can add. We looked on the Early Years Managers sites that they then shared ideas with us, and we were amazed when we looked back at our tuff spots in our setting. Pinterest also provided inspiration for us to visually see what we could bring to our setting. 

Tuff spots originally came from local DIY shops, and they were just a ‘builders’ tray, that started off with cement inside. The trays are cost effective as many of the resource and equipment to set the trays up are readily available in our setting. The EYFS has seven areas of learning, and looking at the tuff spots it can be linked to any of these areas, so that children can access all characteristics of learning, through a tuff spot tray being set out and displayed in an inviting way. In todays practice we are flexible and adaptable and we like to take on aspects of other frameworks and theorists, as we are not just limited to the EYFS.

Tuff spots need a spacey area, and so that is accessible from all sides of the tray. For the purpose of this tuff spot we have all chose 3 different themes to explore.

Construction Tuff Spot by Vikki

This area is spacious and contain everything that is needed. The permanent resources would be the tool boxes, hard hats and high vis jackets. Additional resources will be the ones added to the tuff spots such as pebbles stones, bricks, wet or dry sand, and vehicles. The tuff spot is set up to make it inviting for all children, this can change and children can too create it in the way they see fit. 

Play encourages creativity and imagination and can be a crucial role in enabling children to consolidate learning, (Pound, 2006).

Children can make choices and self-select equipment, impacting on their confidence and self-esteem. Items selected serve a purpose, these can be built upon too.

A Tuff spot 

 

 

Water Play: Tuff Spot by Steph

Water is available throughout the day in all rooms in my setting. I wanted to improve the water play in each room so have used a tough spot to model this to practitioners. I have added different resources and utensils to stimulate the staff and children and show new ways of exploring water play. I have encouraged children’s choice through offering a range of resources to the children so they can have their own ideas of what to do in the water and make links. Practitioners were at first not sure / confident in offering children the choice to add different resources. I showed them in a circle time how to explain to children what we are doing today and what is available. Below I have added coloured water and test tubes in the outdoor area. 

Play helps children to deal with fears and anxieties but it can also halp them to learn and empathise with others (Pound, 2006).

The Farm: Stuff Spot By Lydia

I have chosen the farm, as the farm can lead to lots of opportunities when working with children. Children can share their experiences by seeing the farm and they can explore by using the toys and resources. The Permanent resources are the animals and tractors and a farm house. Additional resources can be soil, straw, grass, water for a pond and even shredded wheat or Weetabix. This can be changed each time for variation. The area will have photos of the farm nearby and farm puzzles out to inspire children, and they could also bring cars or buses in the tray, as when you visit the farm, this is the main source of transport. The buildings could also be changed, in that we make a fence or just one barn, you could also have a focus on one particular animal. 

The Adult role in all of our chosen activities is an important part of our tuff spots activities, as adult participation can be guided as much or as little if needed, based on the children’s flow of play and their needs. The adult is also to facilitate what is needed, and that they top up the resources, and also supervising that the children play safe. Adults should always be role models in early years, and they should observe and evaluate the way the trays are working, as if children are not accessing certain parts then things need to be changed. 

Through observations we have now found more children are visiting the tuff spots, children are excited and “willing to have a go”. This continuous provision allows children’s learning to be in the moment and follows their own interests. Practitioners now feel able to change and update the tuff spots regularly but this needs to be carefully monitored as a skilful practitioner will know when and how to update the tuff spot provisions. Children “check in” to these areas more regularly now that they have been updates. They have been heard asking if they can add res