It is important to let children explore light and shadow as it can support their developing curiosity. Children can be encouraged to ask questions about how things work by playfully exploring light. It also offers us, as enabling adults, the opportunity to introduce new, often science or mathematic-based, vocabulary, such as transparent, translucent, opaque, passage of light, dull, dark, shadow, or even refraction when light bends around something.
In this case study written as a blog PACEY Cymru spoke to Sarah Sharpe, a registered childminder, and PACEY member from the Vale of Glamorgan, to share her experiences after attending the Childminder’s Forum where PACEY Cymru formally launched the CEY smart training module. This case study has also focused on how the training has impacted Sarah’s provision and as a result the children in her care.
Tell us about yourself
I registered in 2012 and have learnt so much over the years. My pedagogy is very much child led play, nature and nurture. I have completed the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation as it felt like the perfect route for myself and my setting. Creating a calm, homely and safe space for children to learn and grow is something I'm very proud of.
What made you focus on light and shadow play experience?
We were given a walk-through of the course as well as discussing the benefits of introducing light, dark and shadow play experiences. I decided to have a good look at the opportunities in my setting for light play.
How has accessing the information shared by PACEY impacted on your setting and practice?
Having reflected on my provision I realised that I had many more resources than I initially thought, and it made me look at what I could have out on a regular basis. I made a mobile for the garden from old CDs and bottle tops. I already had two pieces of driftwood suspended from the ceiling with fairy lights that I hang baubles, feathers, cinnamon sticks or pinecones on throughout the year. The babies who spend a lot of time on the floor can look up and enjoy it as it stimulates their senses.
I now use the dark den under the tuff tray a lot more and the torches, light up balls and glow sticks are always a favourite for inside. When the sun comes out, I often model the play to show the younger children that the colour shape blocks make pretty colour reflections on the floor and furniture, and I love watching the children's expressions when they suddenly see the rainbow colours reflecting from the CDs onto walls and sometimes themselves. Although I realised I had the resources and offered the play experiences, following the discussions and information shared I am now much more aware of the benefits and invitations to play that I offer in relation to exploring light and shadow. As a result, I now observe the play and plan for development and progression.
How has this benefitted the children in your care?
Last week one little girl tried to ‘catch’ her shadow and I could see she had no idea why she couldn't touch it. I copied her and also tried catching my shadow and although the little girl is non-verbal, we connected, and our laughter was contagious as the other two children couldn't help but join in, and I'm sure we were heard by many of our neighbours. This gave us an opportunity to explain and talk about shadows.
Light play has definitely benefitted the children as I have noticed their focus skills develop. Each and every child here is fascinated by light in some way, and they often return to their play time and time again. They take time to process what they are seeing and, by doing so, they are learning to problem solve and think logically as well as develop their understanding of shape, size and dimension.
We love to spend time outdoors; the local woods have some of the best reflections and shadows. We enjoy stretching tall, crouching low and often we jump like bunnies and watch each other’s shadows. Puddles and leaves also make wonderful reflections and shadows and we can often be found sat around a puddle for extended periods of time, which allows the children to further explore and deepen their understanding of light, in an unhurried way.
Through the rainbow reflections one of the children has started taking an interest in colours and is beginning to remember them and use them during song time. The child is excited when we sing ‘Dyma Lliwiau'r Enfys’ and ‘I can sing a rainbow’. This reinforces the child’s understanding of the different colours and that there are two words for each colour, a Welsh and English word. By doing this it has also allowed the child to enhance her Welsh language skills in a fun and interactive manner.
Light play is a sensory experience which enables children to express their feelings and emotions. The soft mood lighting can have a relaxing and calming effect helping children to regulate their feelings and emotions. This is all taken into account when I'm setting up invitations to play and planning for each child’s interests. The children enjoy this area when they need to download, slow down or even to sleep and rest. The subtle lighting helps that sense of calm and there’s often a visual change in the children’s demeanour when they use this area.
Do you have any top tips or suggestions for peers thinking about introducing light and shadow play?
I would really recommend looking at how you can add light/dark/shadow play into the day-to-day playful learning opportunities you offer the children in your care as it can be quite magical. It doesn't have to be expensive; it can be very simple and as easy as painting on a mirror, doing hand puppets on a wall, putting fairy lights on the ceiling or watching tree shadows moving on the ground. Take a look around you, I imagine there are lots of resources that can be utilised into light play of some kind. Think about the cause and effect and what invitations to play you offer. Observe, analyse, review and revisit the experiences, and allow children time to explore, to investigate, and share in the magic with you.
Y defnydd o olau, tywyllwch a chysgod mewn chwarae plant
Cefndir
Mae Taniwch chwilfrydedd plant trwy golau yn gwrs ar-lein CEY Smart PACEY sy’n rhad ac am ddim. Nod y cwrs yw archwilio golau a chysgod yn chwarae plant.
Mae'n bwysig gadael i blant archwilio golau a chysgod gan y gall gefnogi eu chwilfrydedd cynyddol. Gellir annog plant i ofyn cwestiynau am sut mae pethau'n gweithio trwy archwilio golau yn chwareus. Mae hefyd yn cynnig i ni, fel oedolion sy’n galluogi, y cyfle i gyflwyno geirfa newydd, sy’n aml yn seiliedig ar wyddoniaeth neu fathemategol, fel tryloyw, afloyw, treigl golau, diflas, tywyll, cysgod, neu hyd yn oed plygiant pan fydd golau yn plygu o amgylch rhywbeth.
Yn yr astudiaeth achos hon a ysgrifennwyd fel blog siaradodd PACEY Cymru â Sarah Sharpe, gwarchodwr plant cofrestredig, ac aelod PACEY o Fro Morgannwg, i rannu ei phrofiadau ar ôl mynychu’r Fforwm Gwarchodwyr Plant lle lansiodd PACEY Cymru fodiwl hyfforddiant CEY smart. Mae’r astudiaeth achos yma hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar sut mae’r hyfforddiant hwn wedi effeithio ar ddarpariaeth Sarah ac o ganlyniad ar y plant yn ei gofal.
Dywedwch wrthym amdanoch chi'ch hun:
Cofrestrais yn 2012 ac rwyf wedi dysgu cymaint dros y blynyddoedd. Mae fy addysgeg yn ymwneud â chwarae, natur a magwraeth a arweinir gan blant. Rwyf wedi cwblhau Achrediad Hygge yn y Blynyddoedd Cynnar gan ei fod yn teimlo fel y llwybr perffaith i mi a fy lleoliad. Mae creu lle tawel, cartrefol a diogel i blant ddysgu a thyfu yn rhywbeth rwy’n falch iawn ohono.
Beth wnaeth i chi ganolbwyntio ar brofiad chwarae golau a chysgod?
Cawsom daith gerdded o’r cwrs yn ogystal â thrafod manteision cyflwyno profiadau chwarae golau, tywyll a chysgod. Penderfynais felly gael golwg dda ar y cyfleoedd yn fy lleoliad ar gyfer chwarae golau.
Sut mae cyrchu'r wybodaeth a rennir gan PACEY wedi effeithio ar eich lleoliad a'ch ymarfer?
Ar ôl myfyrio ar fy narpariaeth sylweddolais fod gennyf lawer mwy o adnoddau nag yr oeddwn yn ei feddwl, a gwnaeth i mi edrych ar yr hyn y gallwn ei gael yn rheolaidd. Gwnes addurn symudyn i'r ardd o hen gryno ddisgiau a thopiau poteli. Roedd gen i eisoes ddau ddarn o froc môr yn hongian o'r nenfwd gyda goleuadau tylwyth teg yr wyf yn hongian baubles, plu, ffyn sinamon neu gonau pinwydd arnynt trwy gydol y flwyddyn. Gall y babanod sy'n treulio llawer o amser ar y llawr edrych i fyny a'i fwynhau gan ei fod yn ysgogi eu synhwyrau.
Erbyn hyn rydw i'n defnyddio'r ffau dywyll o dan yr hambwrdd twff llawer mwy ac mae'r fflach lampau, y peli goleuo a'r ffyn gloywi bob amser yn ffefryn ar gyfer y tu mewn. Pan ddaw'r haul allan, byddaf yn aml yn modelu chwarae i ddangos i'r plant iau bod y blociau siâp lliw yn gwneud adlewyrchiadau lliw prydferth ar y llawr a'r dodrefn, ac rwyf wrth fy modd yn gwylio ymatebion y plant pan fyddant yn gweld lliwiau'r enfys yn adlewyrchu'n sydyn o'r CDs i’r waliau, ac weithiau eu hunain. Er i mi sylweddoli bod gennyf yr adnoddau a chynnig y profiadau chwarae, yn dilyn y trafodaethau a’r wybodaeth a rannwyd rwyf bellach yn llawer mwy ymwybodol o’r manteision a’r gwahoddiadau i chwarae yr wyf yn eu cynnig mewn perthynas ag archwilio goleuni a chysgod. O ganlyniad, rydw i nawr yn arsylwi ar y chwarae ac yn cynllunio ar gyfer datblygiad a dilyniant.
Sut mae hyn wedi bod o fudd i'r plant yn eich gofal?
Wythnos diwethaf ceisiodd un ferch fach ‘ddal’ ei chysgod a gallwn weld nad oedd ganddi unrhyw syniad pam na allai gyffwrdd ag ef. Fe wnes i ei chopïo a hefyd ceisio dal fy nghysgod ac er bod y ferch fach yn ddi-eiriau, fe wnaethon ni gysylltu, ac roedd ein chwerthin yn heintus gan nad oedd y ddau blentyn arall yn gallu helpu ond ymuno ac rwy'n siŵr i ni gael ein clywed gan lawer o’n cymdogion. Rhoddodd hyn gyfle i ni esbonio a siarad am gysgodion.
Mae chwarae golau yn bendant wedi bod o fudd i'r plant gan fy mod wedi sylwi bod eu sgiliau ffocws yn datblygu. Mae pob plentyn yma wedi’i swyno gan olau mewn rhyw ffordd, ac yn aml maent yn dychwelyd i’w chwarae dro ar ôl tro. Maent yn cymryd amser i brosesu'r hyn y maent yn ei weld a, thrwy wneud hynny, maent yn dysgu datrys problemau a meddwl yn rhesymegol yn ogystal â datblygu eu dealltwriaeth o siâp, maint a dimensiwn.
Rydyn ni wrth ein bodd yn treulio amser yn yr awyr agored; mae gan y coedydd lleol rai o'r adlewyrchiadau a'r cysgodion gorau. Rydyn ni'n mwynhau ymestyn yn dal, cyrcydu'n isel ac yn aml rydyn ni'n neidio fel cwningod ac yn gwylio cysgodion ein gilydd. Mae pyllau a dail hefyd yn gwneud adlewyrchiadau a chysgodion bendigedig ac yn aml fe'n gwelir yn eistedd o amgylch pwll am gyfnodau estynedig o amser, sy'n caniatáu i'r plant archwilio ymhellach a dyfnhau eu dealltwriaeth o olau, mewn ffordd ddifrys.
Trwy fyfyrdodau'r enfys mae un o'r plant wedi dechrau ymddiddori mewn lliwiau ac yn dechrau eu cofio a'u defnyddio yn ystod amser canu. Mae’r plentyn yn gyffrous pan fyddwn yn canu ‘Dyma Lliwiau’r Enfys’ a ‘Gallaf ganu enfys’. Mae hyn yn atgyfnerthu dealltwriaeth y plentyn o’r gwahanol liwiau a bod dau air i bob lliw, yn Gymraeg a Saesneg. Drwy wneud hyn mae hefyd wedi galluogi'r plentyn i wella ei sgiliau Cymraeg mewn modd hwyliog a rhyngweithiol.
Mae chwarae ysgafn yn brofiad synhwyraidd sy'n galluogi plant i fynegi eu teimladau a'u hemosiynau. Gall y goleuadau meddal gael effaith ymlaciol a thawel gan helpu plant i reoli eu teimladau a'u hemosiynau. Mae hyn i gyd yn cael ei gymryd i ystyriaeth wrth i mi sefydlu gwahoddiadau i chwarae a chynllunio ar gyfer diddordebau pob plentyn. Mae'r plant yn mwynhau'r ardal hon pan fydd angen iddynt lawr lwytho, arafu neu hyd yn oed gysgu a gorffwys. Mae’r goleuo cynnil yn helpu’r ymdeimlad hwnnw o dawelwch ac yn aml mae newid gweledol yn ymarweddiad y plant pan fyddant yn defnyddio’r ardal hon.
A oes gennych unrhyw awgrymiadau neu awgrymiadau da ar gyfer cyfoedion sy'n ystyried cyflwyno chwarae golau a chysgod?
Byddwn yn argymell yn fawr edrych ar sut y gallwch ychwanegu chwarae golau/tywyll/cysgod i’r cyfleoedd dysgu chwareus o ddydd i ddydd rydych yn eu cynnig i’r plant yn eich gofal gan y gall fod yn eithaf hudolus. Nid oes rhaid iddo fod yn ddrud; gall fod yn syml iawn ac mor hawdd â pheintio ar ddrych, gwneud pypedau llaw ar wal, rhoi goleuadau tylwyth teg ar y nenfwd neu wylio cysgodion coed yn symud ar y ddaear. Edrychwch o'ch cwmpas, rwy'n dychmygu bod yna lawer o adnoddau y gellir eu defnyddio mewn chwarae ysgafn o ryw fath. Meddyliwch am yr achos a’r effaith a pha wahoddiadau i chwarae rydych chi’n eu cynnig. Arsylwch, dadansoddwch, adolygwch ac ailymwelwch â'r profiadau, a rhowch amser i'r plant archwilio, ymchwilio a rhannu'r hud gyda chi.
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