Open-ended ... in the open

Make time for some outside play in your day. Bring a blanket and your favourite books and enjoy tummy time or a pretend picnic. Under the shade of a tree, close your eyes and listen. What can you hear? It could be bird calls or insects mixed in with all the other sounds like aeroplanes, cars, other people’s voices. Name what you can hear so your little one learns about the world around them.

What can you hear?

Can you make that sound?

Are any sounds like letter sounds?

When we ask children open-ended questions like these, we invite them to use their imagination, to develop their thinking and reasoning. Shared-thinking helps children express their thoughts, ideas and opinions so it is important to give children these opportunities and the time to respond.

Open-ended questions form the basis for inquiry. You are helping to engage children in conversation which builds their vocabulary, imagination and understanding of the world around them. You can support conversation through wonder and help children understand cause and effect.

I wonder what happens to the birds at night?

Wondering together helps children make sense of the world around them, to become problem solvers and creative thinkers; scientists even!

Make the most of everyday moments to talk, listen and play with your little one. What surrounds them, shapes them.