Write from the start

The day begins with the offer of a series of physical development activities. These range from an adult directed session, moulding play dough to music, to a guided task where children use wooden hammers which are suitable for their small hands to tap golf tees into different-sized cardboard boxes.

Next, the children can choose where they go and what they play with. The nursery offers a wealth of physical development opportunities, both outside and indoors. Outdoors, in addition to some energetic gross motor development going on at the adaptable obstacle course, a mark-making interaction is taking place over at the window.

Leanne, one of the early years educators, tells me about Castle Vale’s approach to Physical Development.

Approach three of the Physical Development theme on the Early Years Evidence Store, outlines a number of practices educators can use to ‘teach the skills needed for mark-making and letter formation’, and Leanne begins by using the ‘prepare’ practice.

“Shall we get some sponges and water” suggests Leanne as she observes Ophelia looking for a clear space amongst the existing paintings to create her own masterpiece. “If you want to do some painting on the windows, we might need to clean them first.”

Large scale painting on the outside of the classroom windows at Castle Vale Nursery School is a favourite activity for many of the children. Often, many of their more reluctant mark-makers are keen to have a go at using the paints in this way. They create their own works of art or meaningful marks as part of their child-initiated play.

Painting large-scale on the vertical surface of the windows gives children the opportunity to develop their core stability as well as strengthen the muscles in their hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

A further benefit of using the windows is that once they are covered in paint, they need to be cleaned to create a blank canvas for any future masterpieces! This cleaning activity provides an opportunity for the children to develop their visual tracking and gross motor skills.

Leanne and Ophelia work together to use sponges and water to clean the paint off the windows.

“That’s it, stretch up really high” Leanne says to encourage Ophelia to use bigger arm movements, an activity that can help to increase upper body flexibility.

In response to the outcomes of many of the children’s two-year progress check, Leanne and her colleagues recognise that there are some key targets to address around gross and fine motor skills. Developing competence to draw both lines and circles will support children to develop the skills needed for future letter formation.

With the newly cleaned windows ready, an opportunity arises for a second round of mark making to begin.

Ophelia starts by drawing a circle, and Leanne encourages her to repeat the shape in different ways.

“Can you do a great big circle, all the way round?” she asks, whilst modelling the required movement.

As Ophelia continues and moves on to mark-making vertical and horizontal lines, Leanne encourages her by commenting on her creations, using positive feedback and suggestions for ways to develop the mark-making experience.

To look more closely at this interaction, review the approach video titled ‘Window Painting’.

• What other practices do you notice Leanne use?
• What do you notice about the children’s responses during the interaction?
• How might you use this, and the other videos from this approach, in your setting?

To find out more about the evidence behind the approach of ‘teaching the skills for mark making and letter formation’, and to see the approaches in action, visit the Physical Development and the Early Literacy themes on the Early Years Evidence Store.