Discussions with a number of pre-school settings it became apparent that practitioners were concerned that parents/carers did not adequately understand the importance, for children of pre-school age, to gain the basic skills developed through interactive play. Practitioners, throughout the settings, considered that the development of such basic skills as being essential to promote wellbeing, interaction and communication, and most helpful for young children to acclimatise to a pre-school environment and the transition to Key Stage 1. The importance of these basic elements is an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 physical development requirement and a partnership between Bishops Sport and Leisure and Stevenage Sporting Futures Team saw the development of the ‘Go Project’. This idea had already been piloted locally and the additional support and investment helped to formalise the programmes aims. This was specifically conceived to encourage parents and carers to not only interact with their children in their home settings but also to help them develop the basic skills that the pre-school settings felt were being overlooked. This experience for the children would enhance their learning and self-esteem when in the next Key Stage of their development.
The ‘Go Project’ is far from just another ‘equipment and resource package’ it is a child friendly take home resource based around the Early Years Foundation and Key Stage 1 Physical Development requirement. The Go Project is also aligned to the Change4Life campaign, to its objectives and to the Department of Health. The Take Home Activity Cards have been created, acknowledging the practitioners’ concerns with regards to the inability of many parents/carers to interact with their children, through the use of simple basic skills, which, although often taken for granted and overlooked by adults, are ideally suited to aiding young children to develop and master the essential elements that are required to initiate a healthy and active start to life. The ‘Go Project’ encourages parents/carers and their children to play together, to be more active, and also promotes eating more fruit and vegetables, all contributing to a healthier future. Each of the 30 different Take Home Go Bags contains a piece of equipment and an Activity Card giving ideas on how to use the equipment and also promote a healthy lifestyle. This should be enough varied equipment, when used with the cards to make everyone happy!
Go Project Contents
The set includes: A CD containing: An Introduction User Manual Evaluation Forms Lesson Plans Parents/Carers Questionnaire 30 Printable ‘Go’ Activity Cards
The equipment is available to purchase directly from Bishops Sport and Leisure http://www.bishopsport.co.uk/ap-equipment-packages/go-project-take-home-equipment-package.html
Do you need training?
Your setting can receive training sessions prior to using the bag’s. This would involve Community coaches going into your setting to deliver a fun session of sport related activities to encourage development in all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The sessions comprise of simple rhymes and songs with actions using equipment for example pom pom balls and stamp and catch boards, the children then have access to other stations of activities.
