NEP-Aligned Activities for Early Childhood Education

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced major changes in India’s education system, especially in early childhood education (ECE). It aims to prepare young learners with the essential skills needed for the 21st century. For this, educators must bring NEP-aligned activities into their classrooms.

This article explores different activities based on the NEP that can support children’s overall development, encourage critical thinking, and nurture a love for learning. Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, or principal, this guide offers helpful insights and practical tips for effectively applying NEP practices in your classroom.

What Is the Purpose of Early Childhood Education According to NEP 2020

According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the purpose of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is to provide a solid foundation for children aged 3 to 6. The new policy shifts from the traditional 10+2 system to a 5+3+3+4 structure, emphasising the importance of early learning.

By introducing ECCE, the NEP aims to promote the holistic development of children during their early years, including cognitive, emotional, and social growth. The policy highlights that early childhood education plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s future, and it is essential for their overall well-being and learning outcomes.

The NEP 2020 envisions ECCE as part of the Right to Education (RTE) framework but does not formally include it under the Act. While the policy acknowledges the need for funding and proper implementation, it leaves some gaps, such as making ECCE a justiciable right that can hold the government accountable.

Additionally, the policy introduces a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework, but its success depends on how well it is adapted to local contexts and the flexibility given to teachers and parents. Overall, NEP 2020 brings much-needed attention to early education, but there are still concerns about how it will be executed on the ground.

What Are the Activities Involved In Early Childhood Education According To NEP 2020?

Early childhood education plays an important role in shaping a child’s development. The NEP 2020 highlights a range of activities that support learning during this important phase, focusing on making education fun, engaging, and holistic for young learners. Some of them include:

1. Storytelling

According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, storytelling is an essential activity in early childhood education. Stories are a powerful tool for children, offering them a window to the world that is both captivating and educational. When stories are told with emotion, gestures, and vivid expressions, they become magical, helping children to deeply engage with the narrative.

This not only entertains them but also teaches important life lessons, such as understanding relationships, emotions, and ethical choices. Listening to stories helps children expand their vocabulary, learn sentence structure, and develop problem-solving skills. Even children with short attention spans can focus for longer periods when absorbed in a story. Stories with cultural relevance also play a crucial role in familiarising children with their heritage, social norms, and surroundings.

In addition to listening to stories, children benefit from retelling them, which reinforces their understanding and memory. Teachers play an important role in making stories come alive, whether through oral storytelling, using books, or creative tools like puppets and flashcards. Books are valuable for helping children realise the importance of reading, even before they can read themselves, as they observe their teacher point to words and turn pages.

Puppets and flashcards can make the stories even more interactive, while activities like role play and dramatisation help children experience the story first-hand. Follow-up activities, such as asking questions about the story, drawing characters, or acting out scenes, allow children to reflect on what they have learned, encouraging critical thinking and creativity.

Selecting age-appropriate and culturally relevant stories is essential, with Indian traditions such as Panchatantra and Jataka Tales offering rich resources for teaching core values.

2. Toy-Based Learning

Toy-based learning is also an important part of early childhood education in NEP 2020. It’s all about letting children learn through hands-on experiences by playing with toys and objects. When kids play with toys, they are not just having fun, but they are also learning.

Whether it’s a simple toy or something more complicated, every toy teaches children something new. For example, building blocks help with motor skills and problem-solving, while puzzles encourage thinking and creativity. Toys that kids can push, pull, or move around help them strengthen their coordination and build confidence as they figure out how things work.

The NEP also highlights the use of local toys and traditional materials. For instance, toys like the ring set puzzle from Karnataka help children learn about colours, shapes, and motor skills. Dolls made from cotton, like the Dhingli dolls from Gujarat, can be used for role-playing or as comforting toys for younger children. Everyday objects like kitchen utensils, made as toys, allow kids to imitate adults and explore their imagination. These kinds of activities encourage children to think, experiment, and build creativity while having fun.

3. Songs and Rhymes

Children love singing and moving along to music, which makes songs a fun and effective way for them to learn. Through songs, kids can pick up new words and understand different ideas. For example, a song like “Five Little Monkeys” can teach children about animals, counting, safety, and even the role of a doctor. The actions that go along with songs help children understand these concepts better, while also improving their motor skills through movement. This combination of learning and fun encourages cooperation and interaction among children, making the classroom an enjoyable place.

Songs and rhymes that reflect the local culture and languages are especially important in early education. Local songs, such as “Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai” in Hindi or “Pancharakunju” in Malayalam, not only build vocabulary but also strengthen children’s connection to their roots. They also help children recognise similarities and differences in languages, which supports multilingual learning—something that’s quite common in India.

Teachers can use songs from different languages to broaden children’s language skills, while also making learning fun and relatable. Involving parents, grandparents, and community members in singing these songs adds a special, personal touch to the learning process.

4. Music and Movement

Music is not just a source of joy for young children, who grow up hearing lullabies and the sounds of nature like birds, rain, and even farm songs, but it also helps in brain development. Encouraging children to follow rhythms, sing songs, and play simple musical instruments like tambourines, bells, or even utensils boosts their cognitive growth.

Teachers can introduce songs in various ways—singing together, repeating after the teacher, or even playing games to identify tunes. By incorporating gestures and movements along with singing, children are able to connect music to their body coordination, making learning more fun and immersive.

5. Art and Craft

In early childhood education, according to NEP 2020, arts and crafts activities play an important role in fostering creativity and self-expression. Children are naturally drawn to colours and enjoy creating things that interest them. Art activities like drawing allow children to express their emotions, ideas, and feelings visually. Whether using crayons, sketch pens, or coloured pencils on paper, slates, blackboards, or even the floor, children learn to create large or small drawings.

This practice not only helps them express themselves but also develops their fine motor skills. Young children often start with simple scribbling before moving on to drawing recognisable shapes. Even experimenting with different materials like black paper and white or yellow crayons can result in unique and creative images, encouraging children to explore beyond the usual.

Painting is another popular activity where children use wet colours on paper, floors, or fabrics. They can use regular brushes or homemade brushes made from sticks and cotton. Kids love experimenting with thumb or palm printing, printing with objects like bottle caps and vegetables, and even finger painting. These variations make the process more fun and encourage children to try different techniques.

Similarly, pasting involves using glue and various materials such as coloured paper, sand, pencil shavings, or newspaper to create collages and designs. Children also enjoy working with clay, making different shapes and figures from potter’s clay, wet mud, or play dough, which can later be dried and painted. Simple activities like tearing and cutting paper, folding it into shapes, and constructing objects from cardboard boxes help develop fine motor coordination, problem-solving, and creativity in young children. These hands-on activities encourage exploration, imagination, and learning through play.

6. Indoor Games

Indoor games play a major role in early childhood education, as they help develop both the mind and body. The NEP 2020 emphasises the importance of games that enhance logical thinking, strategy, and creativity. Activities like jigsaw puzzles, block-building, and solving mazes improve a child’s spatial reasoning, while games such as tic-tac-toe or chess encourage strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

Even traditional Indian games like Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, and Chaupad teach counting, teamwork, and healthy competition. These types of games not only make learning fun but also promote bonding with peers and collaboration, which are important for a child’s social development.

Additionally, word puzzles, riddles, and logic-based games help boost creative thinking and deductive reasoning in children. Riddles, for example, encourage children to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions. As children grow, more challenging arithmetic puzzles can be introduced, helping them develop comfort with numbers and strengthen their quantitative reasoning.

By including these engaging activities in the classroom, the NEP 2020 ensures that learning remains enjoyable while promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills from an early age. Traditional Indian puzzles and riddles are also encouraged to help children connect with their cultural heritage while fostering a love for learning.

7. Outdoor Games

According to the NEP 2020, outdoor activities play a big role in helping young children develop their motor skills. Simple games like running, jumping, chasing, throwing balls, or even playing in water, mud, or sand are great for building these skills. Nature walks where kids listen to different sounds or spot birds and insects also help them connect with the environment.

Teachers can use things like old tires, bricks, or bamboo to set up play areas for kids to balance, climb, and jump. Younger children enjoy games with no or very few rules, like “run and catch” or “throw the ball,” while older kids start to enjoy games with simple rules, like blind man’s buff or statue.

It’s important to make sure kids are safe during outdoor play, so teachers need to keep an eye on them to avoid injuries. If there’s no safe outdoor space, indoor physical games can be used instead, but playing outdoors is always better for their development. Being outside in the sun and fresh air is important for children’s growth and health, so outdoor play should be a priority whenever possible.

8. Spending Time With Nature

Children learn much well when they can directly experience the things they are learning about. For example, seeing a fish in a pond can leave a stronger impression than just reading about it in a book. Nature is full of sights, sounds, and experiences that capture a child’s curiosity and make learning exciting. A visit to a local park or a small forest to observe birds, plants, and animals can help children connect with their surroundings, sparking a sense of wonder and encouraging them to ask questions.

Spending time outdoors is not just about learning facts; it also helps children develop a deep connection to the environment. Being close to nature—whether it’s observing trees, listening to birds, or simply enjoying quiet moments—can lay the foundation for an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Ancient Indian teachings speak of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether—that form both the human body and the larger universe. Through activities that involve direct experiences with these elements, such as playing with soil, feeling the wind, or interacting with water, children can begin to understand this deeper connection with nature from an early age.

9. Field Trips

Field trips play an important role in early childhood education. Simple visits to places like the local vegetable market, the doctor’s clinic, or the bus depot can be exciting and full of new experiences for young children. These trips introduce them to new sights, sounds, and environments, helping them learn beyond the classroom.

Such outings reinforce what children have already learned in school and encourage them to ask more questions, making connections with things they already know. Additionally, field trips help children develop important social skills, like managing themselves in different situations and learning how to interact with others. These real-world experiences enrich their learning and help them grow in practical ways.

Closing Thoughts

Incorporating NEP-aligned activities in early childhood education can make a lasting difference in a child’s development. By engaging children through stories, games, and creative play, we nurture their curiosity and love for learning. These activities not only build essential skills but also create joyful and meaningful learning experiences. Let’s continue to bring the NEP’s vision to life in our classrooms.

Last Updated on November 7, 2024