Hereford & Worcester
EDUCATION ALL THE NEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS
The Wonder of Heuri H
euristic (adjective): “enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves” Would your child rather play with the box the toy came in than the new toy? Do they like to explore your keys, necklace, zip or any other everyday item they can get their hands on? If the answer is yes, then your child is engaging in heuristic play and the good news is, it’s great for their development! The term “heuristic play” is about curiosity and exploration and describes the interaction of babies and children with everyday objects rather than toys. As children select, manipulate, explore and compare everyday items, they 4 CHRISTMAS 2021
discover what the object can and can’t do, rather than being constrained to follow the prescribed function of a toy. Children are naturally curious and innovative and heuristic play offers them opportunities to explore and develop in a completely natural way. Heuristic play has many benefits for children’s learning and development. Heuristic play stimulates creativity and imagination, multiple senses and critical thinking. It supports gross motor skills and brain development as well as early mathematical conceptual learning and independence. Nursery Manager Emma Gill at Shooting Stars in Barbourne, Worcester says: “We are always looking at ways we can
improve the nursery and make the environment more inspiring for the children, which is why we promote heuristic play opportunities within our setting. We are continuously expanding our assorted collection of treasures, with the aim of aiding and stimulating play and providing a multisensory experience leading to deep and meaningful play. With robust risk assessments and supervision, heuristic resources provide endless opportunities for learning.” Helen Dean, Nursery Manager ay Shooting Stars Bromsgrove says: “Natural and authentic resources adapt well from babies up to Pre-school, as the children find new ways to explore, combine and
manipulate the objects as they develop and grow. Our staff team enjoy using their creativity to gather themed collections too, to deepen the children’s current interests, or to extend exploration of the seasons or cultural celebrations.” Early Years Specialist Deborah Udakis, who recently provided bespoke consultancy and training workshops across all 7 of the Shooting Stars settings, appreciates the true value of heuristic play in an age where technology and toys dominate: “Today, children are surrounded by loud, colourful toys, and while these might be good at stimulating some of the senses, they tend to lack the sensory and heuristic properties critical for supporting creative thinking
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