Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 mins

Tune In: Watch the episode

30 mins

Find Out: Structured play

30 mins

Take Action: Take it further

Tune In: Watch the episode

Step 1.

Start by watching the Bluey episode Dunny.

Bluey 'Dunny' - ClickView (...) NEED NEW LINK AND IMAGE FOR 'DUNNY'

Dunny synopsis: Mum bans the girls from saying the word ‘dunny’ because it’s not a word the queen would use, but the kids try and trick her into saying it anyway.

Step 2.

Hold a brief discussion with children about what they noticed in the episode.

'I see, I think, I feel and I wonder…' questions are a positive way to engage children to reflect on their learning. These questions, particularly those starting with 'I see,' prompt children to share their ideas, personalise their experiences, and make connections to the themes they encounter. These questions are excellent for initiating discussions, fostering a child's voice, and encouraging participation in group settings.

For more evidence-based advice on developing oral language in children click here.

You may need to probe further by asking:

Do you think there was a problem with the words Bluey and Bingo were saying?
What did you see as the problem for the family in the episode?
Did they solve the problem? How?
Why did Bluey and Bingo's mum dislike the word 'dunny'?
Do different families have different rules? Is that ok?

Encourage the children to use ‘I see …’ statements when sharing their observations and answers.

Find Out: Structured play

Preparation

Choose a space in the learning centre that is quiet and comfortable for everyone to sit together in. The space needs to be big enough for all children to sit comfortably in a circle. Place down rugs, and cushions or choose a suitable space outdoors.

Structured play can be a fun way to introduce and explore ideas and themes in early childhood development. Through games, we can observe how different children think, experience and learn in unique ways. As educators, we can use play to present new ideas in a fun and interactive manner while maintaining focused educational goals.

Structured play can help foster inclusive environments, encourage curiosity and question development, and support diverse perspectives. To be effective, structured play should remain enjoyable as having fun is a great way to keep young children engaged.

Try to keep structured play short and fun, and where possible, try to provide opportunities for all children to take turns and participate to help create a space where every voice can be heard. Find out more here.

Step 1.

Bring children into your learning space and allow them to settle in, relax and get focused in preparation for the activity. Allowing time to adjust to the learning environment supports children's emotional well-being and self-regulation.

Start by asking children about the games they play in their families, for example:

What types of games do you play with your family?

Allow time for children to take in and consider the questions they have been asked by using the power of the pause before inviting responses. Explain to your group that you are all going to try and wait for a few moments (2 to 5 seconds) before sharing your ideas as this gives everyone time to think. This approach helps us educators hear all voices, not just the quickest responders.

Consider the following questions in your discussion:

What are some of your family's rules? For example:
- Do you all sit at the table for dinner?
- Can you eat with your mouth open?
- Can you slurp your drink?
- Can you bang your cutlery on the table?
- Can you put your feet on the table while you eat?
- Can you shout and sing and jiggle and wriggle and slosh your drink and lick your plate and stamp your feet while you eat your dinner?

By actively listening to children's responses, you can help create an inclusive environment where children will feel their contributions are valuable and respected. Educators can help guide children to become attentive listeners by encouraging them to truly hear what is being said rather than simply reacting. While this may be challenging given their age, modelling thoughtful and respectful responses helps children develop essential social learning skills.

Listening is an active process that requires effort. It’s not just about hearing words but also understanding their meaning. True listening takes time, patience, and self-control. We become effective listeners by taking turns and giving others our full attention.

When someone speaks, they share information in multiple ways. Beyond words, people use facial expressions, gestures, and body language to communicate. This is a key part of visual communication. Often, our faces and movements convey more meaning than words alone. To truly listen, we must engage not only our ears but also our eyes, paying attention to expressions, gestures, and body language. Find out more here.

Now consider the following questions:

Can you share one of your family's rules?
How is your family's rules different from the rules in other families?
Are different family rules better or just different?

Step 2.

The game starts with one child whispering a simple message. This whisper is passed around the group until the final person shares it aloud. While this game is often played with the entire group, in early years settings, it's best to introduce it gradually, starting with smaller groups and building up over time.

For larger groups (20 or more), you could select someone midway around the circle to share the whisper. This keeps the game shorter and helps children stay focused on the message.

Encourage children to create whispers that are short and easy to remember. You can also suggest they whisper something about their family or a familiar experience from home.

You could use some of the following examples to start your whisper game:

Our blue car drives very far
We play tiggy at the park after dinner
I like to eat grapes with grandma in the garden
My mouse has a little house in our big house.

After a few games of ‘pass it on’, assess how the the game is going by considering:

Are the whispers working?
What could we do to improve the game?
Is everyone playing fairly?

Remind children that the aim of the game is to hear the whisper correctly at the end; this will help to encourage fair play. Be mindful of the children's attention and focus on the game, and consider keeping the games short and focused.

Step 3.

Once you have finished your whisper game, take a moment with the children to reflect on what they have seen during the game.

Consider using the following prompts in your conversation:

What did you hear in the whispers?
Did you learn different things about people?
Did the whispers change? How did they change?

Take Action: Take it further

Encourage children to create their own game of whispers. Invite them to include others in their game. Be kind, consider others and make sure to share turns in creating the whispers and sharing the whispers with others.
Make your own whisper game cards. Use paper to make clue cards for whispers. Draw your whisper clues on your cards and see if someone can guess what they are about. Will the others in your group say the real whispers at the end?

Building Social Emotional Learning - Curiosity #2

Summary

Activity Guides and Printables

Building Social Emotional Learning - Curiosity #2

Summary

Activity Guides and Printables