At playgroup, we welcome children with all kinds of personalities, interests, and ways of learning and communicating. One of the biggest joys - and sometimes challenges - is finding ways to connect with each child and help them feel confident, included and understood.
Because children develop and communicate in different ways, it’s not always easy to meet every need at once. But there is one simple, yet powerful, tool that can make a big difference, and that is visual supports.
Children may not always need or use visual supports, but having them available shows that our playgroup is inclusive and values, supports, and celebrates the many different ways children communicate.
Visual supports are things we can see - like pictures, objects, or signs - that help children understand what is happening around them. They may be things like:
Visual supports make learning and routines easier by:
Even more importantly, they help children become more independent. With visuals, children can follow routines, make choices, and understand what is happening without needing constant reminders from adults.
Visuals aren’t just for toddlers or children with disability or developmental delay. They support all children to feel more confident, involved, safe, and express their wants and needs.
Here are some examples on how you can use visual supports at playgroup:
Playgroup WA has been supporting, servicing and establishing playgroups throughout Western Australia since 1972.
