A positive environment encourages the holistic development of all children. The physical environment affects how children learn and develop. The space available inside and outside the building affects how resources are set up. It is important that the environment is welcoming, clean, safe and stimulating.
In order to have a suitable environment, consideration needs to be given to space and equipment, hygiene and safety, as well as staffing levels, and the ability and knowledge of the staff to support all children in every aspect of their development. childcare workers need to ensure a wide range of activities by arranging opportunities and equipment for playing and learning that will help a child fully develop. This may be indoors or outdoors, but should always be safe, secure, clean and comfortable.
Children learn through achieving, thinking, listening, doing, making mistakes, using their senses, experiencing, repeating and having fun. Therefore an environment needs to be created that is designed for play and allows skills to be developed. Resources and activities need to be provided that are relevant to children's interests and experiences, and build on what they already know. By observing children it is possible to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, which will enable you to provide activities and resources to meet their individual needs.
It is important that children are given opportunities to be independent and make choices in order to support the emotional and social development of children. Children should be made aware of all activities and experiences available during the session, for example, through discussion during circle time before starting the activities.
In order to support a positive environment, planning is required for continuous provision, which is what is provided for children in terms of learning opportunities all the time. Areas that are a part of continuous provision include:
Displays support and a positive environment by providing information to children, parents/carers and visitors about the setting's values. Settings can share information with parents/carers on the topics, which then enables them to be involved in their children's education, reinforcing the links with the home. Displays are a good way to exhibit children's work, for example art and craft work, but it is important that the work being displayed is the children's work and not that of the childcare workers. Displaying children's work encourages self-esteem by showing appreciation of their work. Displays also encourage children to look, think, consider, explore, investigate and talk about their interests.
Mae amgylchedd positif yn un sy'n annog datblygiad holistig pob plentyn. Bydd yr amgylchedd ffisegol yn effeithio ar y ffordd y mae plant yn dysgu ac yn datblygu. Mae’r gofod sydd ar gael tu fewn a thu allan y lleoliad, yn effeithio ar y ffordd mae adnoddau’n cael eu gosod. Mae’n bwysig fod yr amgylchedd yn groesawgar, glân, diogel ac ysgogol.
Er mwyn cael amgylchedd addas, mae angen ystyried gofod a chyfarpar, hylendid a diogelwch, yn ogystal â lefelau staffio, a'r gallu a'r wybodaeth sydd gan y staff i gefnogi pob plentyn ym mhob agwedd ar ei ddatblygiad. Mae angen i gweithwyr gofal plant sicrhau amrywiaeth eang o weithgareddau gan drefnu cyfleoedd a chyfarpar ar gyfer chwarae a dysgu a fydd yn gymorth i blentyn ddatblygu'n llawn. Gall hyn fod dan do neu yn yr awyr agored, ond dylai bob tro fod yn ddiogel, yn saff, yn lân ac yn gyfforddus.
Mae plant yn dysgu drwy lwyddo, meddwl, gwrando, gwneud, gwneud camgymeriadau, defnyddio eu synhwyrau, profi, ailadrodd a chael hwyl. Felly mae angen creu amgylchedd sydd wedi’i gynllunio ar gyfer chwarae ac sy’n caniatáu i sgiliau datblygu. Mae angen darparu adnoddau a gweithgareddau sy’n berthnasol i ddiddordebau a phrofiadau plant, ac sy’n adeiladu ar yr hyn maent eisoes yn gwybod. Wrth arsylwi plant mae modd dysgu am eu cryfderau a'u gwendidau, eu hoffterau a'u cas bethau, a fydd yn eich galluogi i ddarparu gweithgareddau ac adnoddau a fydd yn cwrdd â'u hanghenion unigol.
Mae’n bwysig fod plant yn cael cyfleoedd i fod yn annibynnol ac i wneud dewisiadau er mwyn cefnogi datblygiad emosiynol a chymdeithasol plant. Dylai plant cael gwybod am yr holl weithgareddau a phrofiadau sydd ar gael yn ystod y sesiwn, er enghraifft drwy drafodaeth yn ystod amser cylch cyn cychwyn y gweithgareddau.
Er mwyn cefnogi amgylchedd cadarnhaol mae angen cynllunio ar gyfer darpariaeth barhaus, sef yr hyn sy’n cael ei ddarparu i blant o ran cyfleoedd dysgu drwy’r amser. Enghreifftiau o ardaloedd sy’n rhan o ddarpariaeth barhaus yw:
Mae arddangosfeydd yn cefnogi amgylchedd cadarnhaol drwy roi gwybodaeth i blant, rhieni/gofalwyr ac ymwelwyr am werthoedd y lleoliad. Gall lleoliadau rannu gwybodaeth i rieni/gofalwyr am y themâu sydd wedyn yn eu galluogi i gymryd rhan yn addysg eu plant gan atgyfnerthu’r cysylltiadau â’r cartref. Mae arddangosfeydd yn ffordd dda i arddangos gwaith y plant, er enghraifft gwaith celf a chrefft, ond mae’n bwysig mai gwaith y plant sy’n cael ei arddangos, ac nid gwaith yr gweithwyr gofal plant. Wrth arddangos gwaith y plant, mae’n annog hunan-barch drwy ddangos gwerthfawrogiad o’u gwaith. Mae arddangosfeydd hefyd yn annog plant i edrych, meddwl, ystyried, archwilio, ymchwilio a siarad am eu diddordebau.
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Llusgwch y datganiadau i’r golofn gywir.