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Invitations to Play: Where Learning and Play Meet

October 12, 2020

One of the many provocations, or invitations to play, found at grace Village ELC

Playtime at Grace Village is used to expand play activity, to take games and endeavours to where each child wants to explore. We do this with what we call invitations to play. You may have also heard the term ‘provocations’. These terms are used to describe the same concept.

Play is a wonderful and fun time for your child. It is also an instructive activity for your child to learn about their world, their place in it and to experiment. 

It is a time when imagination is set free, to explore, attempt new things, to fail and try again. Play is the seed of their growth and development.

What is an invitation to play?

An invitation to play or provocation is a way of setting up your child’s play session and inviting them in; to new and different ways to trigger their interest and open new directions of play.

Invitations to play encourage your child to expand their thinking and play in a fresh and creative way, without intruding on their free play.

It is a great way to introduce pieces from nature, objects from around the home or different uses for their toys.

An invitation to play and create the perfect pavlova at Grace Village ELC

The 3 elements to create an invitation to play

Uses open-ended activities

An invitation to play usually includes open-ended activities. Also called loose parts, they are components that can be played in a variety of ways.

Let’s say shells are a part of your provocation. The shells are the loose parts and can be used for so many activities – counting, weighing, sorting by colour, size or shape, or their tactile properties.  The shells can be used in games, to construct, decorate or in art. All these activities expand your child’s imagination, more so than structured play.

Inspiration: You can set up an invitation to play with a variety of shells, a pair of small kitchen tongs and several varying sized bowls.

Arranged together

An invitation to play has the elements set out in an obvious space or zone so they are inviting as well as self-explanatory. 

For invitations that contain smaller elements, the use of a tray or base is perfect. For larger items, the invitation to play elements can be clearly set out on a table or arranged in a section of the floor.

Inspiration: Arrange salt or sand in a drinks tray (should have an edge on it to contain the sand or salt) and place toy trucks in it with some small twigs and leaves.

Little direction from an adult

During an invitation there is little adult direction. The invitation to play should be self-explanatory for the child to explore each of the elements. By containing the number of elements, the direction of play is decided by the child or children as a group. 

During invitations to play, an educator or adult asks or invites the child or class to think about or explore an idea. 

A provocation to exploring the adventures of robots at Grace Village ELC

Why are invitations to play important?

Play that is initiated by your child (with little adult instruction), encourages new ideas and expands their ability to explore and be in control of their learning. Their play resources and choosing how to play with them inspires them to have first-hand experiences.

Children given the opportunity to make their own choices, learn independence for life-long learning.

Reggio Emilia and invitations to play

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an innovative and inspiring approach to early childhood education which values the child as strong, capable and resilient; rich with wonder and knowledge. 

By applying invitations to play to your child’s playtime, you are encouraging your child’s wonderment and knowledge in their actions by provoking thinking, ideas, and creativity.  

Learning is best through exploration. Offering elements and materials that invite children to play in a creative, non-instructive way, with no conditions on achievement promotes your child in his/her search of the world.

Every child brings with them deep curiosity and potential and this innate curiosity drives their interest to understand their world and their place within it. 

Grace Village follows the Reggio Emilia approach to early learning and use invitation to play as an experience set up in response to each child’s ideas and interests.

Idea: Find a piece of packing foam or similar, some golf tees and beads of different sizes, weights and shapes. 

An invitation to play and discover indigeneous Australians at grace Village ELC

Where do I begin with invitations to play?

For new comers, it can be quite tricky to create new invitations to play, but once you understand and start thinking differently, they do come together quite easily.

Observe your child

Watch as your child plays. Listen carefully to their conversations and the kind of questions they ask. Observe how they interact with others. Take note of their favourite toys, games and books.

All this information will help direct your creation and set-up of an invitation of play for your child.

Think creatively and differently

Now that you have fully observed your child, think about how you can incorporate their curiosity, ideas and interests into an inspiring playtime. 

A few items will do

Don’t overcomplicate it. You don’t need a lot of items for your invitation to play tray or table. Three different parts is a good start to get them on their way to free play.

One of the many provocations, or invitations to play, found at grace Village ELC

A little inspiration

Now that you have an idea of what your child likes, their interests, and some topics they would like to explore and experiment with more, you’re ready to create your very own invitation to play.

Start with a toy as the base

If you choose one of your child’s favourite toys to start with, this can be a good base on which to add the other invitations to play elements. 

Idea: Grab several toys of various sizes and textures, some fabric scraps and a handful of rubber bands.

Use nature as your inspiration

There is so much to do, see and to love about nature, go outside and see what you can find. Is it Autumn and large different shades of red and orange leaves are around, or perhaps you have brought home some shells from a recent visit to the beach or it’s Spring and the flowers have sprung?

Idea: Set up leaves, sticks, flowers and rocks with their play insects

Look around the house

There’s a treasure trove of items you can use. Look in the kitchen utensil drawer, or the plastic container cupboard. How about pull out different shape pastas or flours with varying textures. Try the linen cupboard with an assortment of fabrics in varying colours and textures or the garage for some unusually shaped tools.

Grace Village loves to use recycled materials. These are always fascinating and inspiring as well as fostering a culture of sustainability.

Inspiration: From the recycling, gather some caps, lids, jars, boxes and containers, with small pom poms.

Check out social media

Use the hashtag #invitationstoplay to find an abundance of ideas from other parents or early learning childcare centres. Remember, your invitation to play does not have to be Instagram worthy, a few items around a theme is all your child needs to explore.

Discovering the wildlife of Australia with an invitation play at grace village ELC

Get inspiration from Grace Village

In line with our Reggio Emilia approach, we use invitations to play every day for our children. When you next pop in, have a look around each of the rooms at what is set up for the day. You can draw inspiration from our trays or use elements as a base to develop one for your child.

Alternatively, ask your little one’s educator. We can help direct you in the areas of learning and play they love the best to build on what we are teaching at Grace Village.

Don’t get disheartened if your child doesn’t want to engage with your table invitation to play, or even play with it how you imagined. That’s the beauty with invitations to play. You are seeing their world from a whole new perspective, so different from our own. This is what makes us all so special and unique.

Invitations to play are fun. Once you get started, you will see the possibilities are unlimited – you won’t be able to stop!

A wooden toy plane waits for its pilot

Want to see the fun of playing and learning at Grace Village?

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What Parents Say

Grace Village Early Learning Centre
5.0
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GV has fantastic facilities including a third space for parents, an art atelier, lovely free-play outdoor spaces, and an epic undercover play area that allows children to be feel as though they are... playing outdoors when the weather doesn’t allow for true outside play. No other centre we have toured has offered play areas like this.We chose GV for our children because of their play-based (Reggio Emilia) philosophy and approach. We love that our little people have been able to be barefoot most of the time, supporting sensory feedback and encouraging their physical and mental development.Everyone at GV shows love for our children as they would their own. GV has been our home away from home, our family and greatest support through some very hard times.Thank you to all the nurturing educators, carers and all of the GV tribe for guiding our young man and little lady through their special formative and most impressionable years.read more
Bee V
Bee V
Grace Village is a fantastic family run early learning centre. We’ve been sending our kids there for almost 4 years and we feel safe knowing that our kids are in great care.
Attila J.
Attila J.
Best preschool I could ask for to send my children too. I am a childcare educator myself & I can’t fault grace village. They really do go above and beyond for the children & ensure they are cared &... educated at an exceptional level.read more
Tara A.
Tara A.
Grace Village Huntingwood is an amazing early learning centre that continuously goes above and beyond to provide exceptional care for all the children and support families with the challenges of... working life. Unfortunately we moved away from this area, but I continued to drive 45 minutes each way to send my daughter here before she started kindergarten. I would highly recommend this centre to anyone looking for above and beyond care for their child/ren. The staff really care about the children and it is an extension of your family life. Thanks to the team for all the amazing care for our children!read more
Belinda H.
Belinda H.
My child has attended this lovely village for almost 4 years. Awesome learning center as there is always a little bit of extra effort in every single thing that they do. They have amazing and... friendly staff, great facilities and all round activities to ensure that a child develops physically,socially,emotionally and mentally well balanced. In each special occasion they have given us special memories whether in the app, physical souvenirs and lots of memories we’ll look back on when they grow older. My son is now in kindy but he still misses the staff and his friends there. Amazing and highly recommended team !read more
Maria De V.
Maria De V.
My two children have been with Grace Village from 8months old. Just over 3years later, we are relocating, and finding it hard to find a learning centre that is up to the standard of GV. The entire... team at Grace Village has always given our two children such high quality education, care, and emotional support. Communication was always open and clear. It’s really is a village environment, we are blessed to have been a part of & will miss everyone who made a beautiful impact on our children’s first years of life. Thank you Grace Village!read more
stacey K.
stacey K.
We really enjoyed the 4 year experience at Grace Village.Our kids were in the door from when Grace Village first opened and they managed to create a real community feel at this centre.The kids... loved the different play spaces and they always managed to give the children great learning experiences.We really really miss this centre is was a part of our daily routine.We will definitely miss the awesome staff too (and the odd morning coffee and breakfast treat! :-)2022 will feel so strange without Grace Village!read more
Stu E.
Stu E.
Grace Village is the best trustworthy, professional and reliable ELC you can take your child too. Kind , caring and loving educators who gives loads of love and attention to your child. My child n I... have had the best experience at Grace Village ELC, we will dearly miss you guys 😊. Thank you for everythingread more
Elina Q.
Elina Q.
Phenomenal. I’m so lucky to have found Grace Village.What a team of amazing professionals who care for your child as their own. I’m so sad my sons time has come to an end and moving up to Kindy. You... will always be in our hearts and have taught my son SO much!! I cannot ever Thankyou all enough.read more
Casey O.
Casey O.
Thank you for the last 2 years, my little one enjoyed her time ar Grace Village. The centre is clean, new and has an amazing play based philosophy. I would recommend Grace Village to family and... friends. Chantel is very professional and approachable, the educators are so lovely! My little one built friendships with her peers and has been supported by her educators. I had 2 previous experiences with other daycares that were awful, Grace Village has definitely met my expectations and I plan to enrol my other little one in the future!read more
Hiba F.
Hiba F.
My daughter attended Grace Village for 3 years. The space, carers and program exceeded my expectations. The centre is vibrant and innovative. I would highly recommend it to any local looking for care... that goes above and beyond. AAA+++++read more
Gabriella M.
Gabriella M.
This is an amazing centre for your child. Both my son and my baby girl attended here. My son was unsettled in another centre for almost 1 year. After I moved him to GV at age 3.5, he only cried very... little at drop off and settled in fully within 3 days! He looked forward coming to GV everyday!. Their indoor and outdoor play areas are amazing!The educators here are very caring, professional and responsive to you child. They will try their best to keep you updated. And I love that GV also look after the family by giving them coffee/ treats and sometimes dinner boxes so it takes some pressure off as a parent! It's so much fun for the kids here and they are learning a lot at the same time. Highly recommended.read more
Mandy T.
Mandy T.
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44 Huntingwood Drive, Huntingwood, NSW, 2148 · 1300 854 388