Early Childhood learning - home based learning

Dynamic change can apply 2 to 4-hour early childhood program for children aged 3–8 years, designed for a day school setting. It balances play-based learning, sensory experiences, music, early numeracy, language, and social development, which aligns well with Victorian guidance that preschool learning works best through structured and unstructured play.

Instructor: Anita Wong
Experienced working with children and learning & development program since 2000, worked with diagnosed neurodiverse learners since 2020.

Active tutor/trainer for technology, literacy, numeracy, violin and piano.
Current: Work with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening

Program name

Little Learners: Sensory, Music and Play Program

This program can also support parents by providing a calm, engaging respite block while children participate in safe, developmentally appropriate activities. A mixed-age approach works well when activities are open-ended and offer different levels of challenge for 3- to 6-year-olds.

Program goals

• Support sensory exploration and self-regulation.

• Build language, listening, and communication skills.

• Develop early number sense and practical life skills.

• Encourage music, movement, creativity, and social connection.

• Provide a warm, predictable routine that feels safe for children and reassuring for parents.

2-hour session outline

1. Welcome and settling in — 10 minutes

• Greeting circle with names, feelings check-in, and visual schedule.

• Gentle free play with table activities such as blocks, puzzles, or playdough.

• Simple transition song to begin the session.

2. Sensory discovery — 20 minutes

• Sensory bins with rice, sand, water beads, pasta, or foam.

• Hidden objects for children to find, sort, and describe.

• Vocabulary prompts such as soft, rough, wet, dry, heavy, light.
  Sensory play helps children explore through touch and supports language development when adults ask open-ended questions.

3. Music and movement — 20 minutes

• Singing familiar songs and action rhymes.

• Dancing with ribbons, scarves, or simply moving to music.

• Freeze dance or follow-the-beat games.
  Music and movement support coordination, listening, rhythm, and group participation.
  

4. Number and practical life — 20 minutes

• Counting objects, sorting by colour or size, and simple matching games.

• Practical tasks such as pouring, spooning, threading, setting up snack items, or tidying toys.

• Everyday number language: more, less, first, next, before, after.
  Everyday activities like cooking, sorting, and stacking help children develop early number understanding and practical learning.
  

5. Language and communication — 20 minutes

• Story time with puppets or picture books.

• Retelling a simple story using props or pictures.

• Naming objects, answering “what,” “where,” and “how” questions.

• Role play in a pretend shop, kitchen, or home corner.
  Reading, storytelling, and pretend play are strong supports for language growth and communication confidence.
  

6. Creative play and choice time — 15 minutes

• Art activity such as painting, collage, drawing, or stamping.

• Children choose from two or three calm activities.

• Educator-led conversation to extend learning and social skills.

7. Pack up and goodbye — 5 minutes

• Tidy-up song.

• Quick recap of what children did.

• Goodbye routine and transition to parent pickup.

Sample activity menu

• Sensory: rice bins, water play, texture trays, scented playdough.

• Music: shakers, drums, clapping games, singing, dancing.

• Number: counting bears, sorting cups, shape matching, simple puzzles.

• Language: story books, picture cards, puppets, name games.

• Practical needs: handwashing, snack routines, pouring water, putting on shoes, packing bags.
  

Staffing and environment

The room should include clearly defined zones for quiet play, messy sensory play, music/movement, and table-based activities so children can move between experiences smoothly. For mixed-age children, the same activity can be simplified for younger children and extended for older children, which supports inclusion and engagement.

Simple session theme

A weekly theme can make planning easier, for example:

• Week 1: Colours and textures.

• Week 2: Animals and sounds.

• Week 3: Community helpers.

• Week 4: Transport and movement.

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