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Last modified: 28 Apr 2026 15:46
This module invites students to consider playful approaches to early learning and how these shape the child’s play environment. You will:
• Design and deliver a play experience for young children, applying creative and inclusive strategies.
• Reflect critically on your approach, considering how your decisions influence young children’s engagement and development.
• Ground your work in current policy, research, and professional guidance, ensuring your practice aligns with play pedagogy.
By the end of the module, you will have developed practical skills in planning a play experience and deepened your understanding of reflective practice as a tool for professional growth.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.
This course offers students the opportunity to explore the role of play in supporting young children’s learning and development. Students will examine playful pedagogies and consider how these approaches influence the design and use of play environments.
A key component of the course involves planning and implementing a play experience for children, enabling students to apply theory to practice. Following this, students will engage in critical reflection on their approach, evaluating the effectiveness of their strategies and identifying areas for professional growth.
Learning will be underpinned by current policy frameworks, research evidence, and sector guidance, ensuring that students develop a sound understanding of best practice in outdoor education. The course encourages creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability in the design of play experiences, preparing students to meet the needs of diverse learners.
By the end of the course, students will have:
• Developed practical skills in creating meaningful play experiences for young children.
• Gained insight into reflective practice as a tool for continuous improvement.
• Built confidence in aligning play experiences with children’s developmental needs.
Assessment for this module will involve students communicating on their reflective journey, the rationale behind their chosen play experience and linking this to theoretical perspectives and guidance.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 21 | Feedback Weeks | 27 | |
| Feedback |
Written Feedback via Turnitin |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Identify and demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of children’s play environments, by drawing on relevant literature and theory. |
| Procedural | Understand | Demonstrate your understanding of inclusive and ethical practices in early learning and how these influence play environments. |
| Reflection | Analyse | Demonstrate your capacity for reflective practice through the play experience you have designed. |
| Reflection | Create | Present a clearly structured and reasoned submission that shows evidence of reading around the topic of early play experiences. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Written Feedback via Turnitin |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Identify and demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of children’s play environments, by drawing on relevant literature and theory. |
| Reflection | Analyse | Demonstrate your capacity for reflective practice through the play experience you have designed. |
| Procedural | Understand | Demonstrate your understanding of inclusive and ethical practices in early learning and how these influence play environments. |
| Reflection | Create | Present a clearly structured and reasoned submission that shows evidence of reading around the topic of early play experiences. |
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