Materials to Support Learning

As referenced in some of our Twitter posts (you can find us at @KADiscoveries), materials and the classroom environment are incredibly important in fostering learning.  In fact, materials and the environment in education are often referred to as the Third Teacher with educators as the first teacher, students themselves as the second and materials/space as the third.  In our program, we are incredibly intentional about choosing materials to be out in the classroom, selecting tools to use in small group learning, and removing and/or replacing items at times throughout the year.

 (Above:  CDs are used to further provoke interest around rainbows)

 (These wooden numbers are used for multiple purposes around the classroom in play)


We think very carefully about the materials in our room.  Often we are putting out things to get at areas of interest that we see (such as adding items for gross motor movement to ensure safety and encourage a variety of types of locomotor movement).

We also provide materials to get at areas of the curriculum where we would like to see more exploration.  If there is an area in the classroom where we are not seeing literacy and math come through, we ask ourselves what we could add to get at this learning or what materials might entice a certain group of children to start writing more in play.


(Easy access to writing materials/letters allows children to explore writing independently)




(Clipboards at various centres inspires authentic and portable writing!)


 Often it is about seizing the moment as an educator and thinking about what materials can come out immediately to enrich play or uncover curriculum.  Sometimes it involves using things that we have in the school or classroom and sometimes educators go out that evening to gather what may be needed.  What is pivotal in this process is careful observation for a period of time from educators to think about what may be of interest to add.   It is also important to note that it is a careful balance between enhancing play versus stepping in and taking over play.  In the latter case, educators can often find themselves sitting on their own as the children leave the centre to play elsewhere frustrated with their play being pushed in a direction that is very different from their plan.



 (Above:  an educator pulls a math book about time using tops for shared reading when a group begins to explore things that spin)


(Above:  the addition of a learning carpet prompted one to one correspondence, making sets, comparison and perimeter)


(Above:  the open-ended nature of playdough allows itself to be used across many learning contexts.  Here, students create 3D shape cookies to be used in dramatic play)

We also add materials to build on skills we are investigating through small group learning.  Our theory is that if we explicitly teach areas of the curriculum that may not naturally come out through play and then provide similar  materials in the classroom during discovery time, we should see these skills emerging through play.   As of now, there has never been a strand of math where we have used this approach that we did not see increased math vocabulary and skills during discovery time.   We are then able to assess these skills both through small group learning and in relevant contexts of play.  Often we find that children are more comfortable sharing their knowledge in play than when being observed in small groups so this opportunity provides a sense of comfort as we document and assess.

 (Above:  children explore in a small math group using paint and 3D shapes to explore their movement and properties)

(Above:  during the time we explored 3D shapes in small groups, we added 3D shape wooden beads to our sand table)

We also believe that children deserve rich, authentic and interesting materials.   We see children in our programming as completely capable of co-constructing learning with educators and coming to us with a great deal of knowledge as four, five and six year olds.  We feel that filling a room with materials and activities made only with the 4-6 year old label on it to play with is doing a disservice to their immense potential.

What are some of the materials you use at home that invite creativity and open-ended learning where multiple areas emerge (math, literacy, science, arts, dramatic play, gross motor, etc.)?  Items as simple as popsicle sticks, natural materials from outdoors (rocks, sticks, etc.), playdough, loose parts (gems, beads, pompoms, buttons, etc.), clipboards and a variety of writing utensils, etc. can open a world of possibilities in learning at home!