Date: 13th February 2025
Centre: Mini Master Mind Sydney Early Lerning Centre, Olympic Park
Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 pm
Age Group: 2-3 (Toddlers)
Three educators at the ratio are Miss Anusha, Miss Tingli and Mr. Prakash.

My professional placement experience began today for the first time. Working at this place from November 2024 did not diminish my enthusiasm when I accepted my educator-in-training position. I engaged in activities which promoted children’s learning through activities involving play alongside language development and sensory experiences.

Vegetable Cards Activity

During the activity session Miss Tingli showed children picture cards of vegetables. Through the activity children both recognized vegetables by name and explained their features which enabled them to develop language knowledge and mental abilities. A matching game enabled students to learn through interactive play as I supported the activity.
(Vygotsky, 1978; Fellowes & Oakley, 2020), 2019).

Real Vegetables Exploration

Following the card activity, I introduced real vegetables for sensory exploration. I placed a variety of fresh vegetables like pepper, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, corn, potato, and eggplant on a table, allowing the children to observe, touch, and explore their textures. Some vegetables, like eggplant, were smooth, while others, like broccoli, had a rough surface. This sensory-rich experience helped children refine their tactile discrimination and observational skills, essential for cognitive and language development (Gibson et al., 2022)Subsequent to using picture cards we moved onto sensory learning activities involving genuine vegetables. The children got to observe and feel fresh vegetables including pepper and cucumber along with tomato and broccoli and corn and potato and eggplant which I displayed on a table. The round shape of eggplant differed from the jagged texture of broccoli when observed among other vegetables. Through this sensory-rich activity the children enhanced their ability to detect textures and observe things which develops both mental abilities and speaking skills (Gibson et al., 2022).

During the exploration phase I asked open-ended questions to children which included "What is the colour of broccoli?" and "Which one is round?" The interaction required children to form opposing thoughts while classifying objects into categories. The children showed great interest by naming vegetable colors before they sorted the vegetables into groups. Study evidence shows that sensory-based educational activities help children develop their skills for linking academic understanding to first-hand observations (Edwards et al., 2021).

Heart Stamp Art – Valentine’s Day Craft

The Mini Discoverers marked Valentine's Day in the afternoon through artistic stamping of hearts. Miss Tingli distributed heart-shaped paper rolls together with white paper and I helped with pouring trays of red paint. Children of Mini Discoverers class eagerly soaked their paper rolls in paint before using them to press hearts onto their white papers. Through this artistic event children activated their creativity while refining their motor abilities that are fundamental for early writing growth (Piek et al., 2020).

The staff members guided children through the activity by prompting descriptive statements to build their language skills. The children provided a quick answer to the question about heart color by stating that they are red. Through their shared discussion the children enhanced their abilities regarding colour recognition and artistic expression. By taking pride in their artwork the children reinforced their self-confidence while developing their positive self-concept according to Dockett and Perry (2018).

Reflection and Next Steps

The instructional methods observed today confirmed that hands-on learning with play remains essential for early education in preschool. The vegetable activities helped children acquire language abilities and organizational skills and sensory exploration skills alongside strengthening their fine motor skills and creativity through the Valentine’s Day craft project. The implemented activities correspond to guidelines of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) because they use play-based learning approaches to promote whole-child development (Australian Government Department of Education, 2022).

The children will advance their education through garden activities that involve planting vegetables at the center. The children will prepare soil pits to plant seeds before giving each seed its own water supply while learning about vegetation development and environmental care. The upcoming garden planting experience will help children advance their knowledge about nature and environmental stewardship as principles of sustainable education in early childhood (Edwards & Cutter-Mackenzie, 2019).

I found my first day of work as a professional experience placement both valuable since it provided opportunities to use theoretical ideas in practice while helping children develop their curiosity and engagement. My educational journey will extend through meaningful contributions in pursuing the children's educational development.