Early Childhood Education Activities and Tutoring Children (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

Teachers:
Tiina Suni
Noora Ahvenjärvi (responsible teacher)

Teaching on Tuesdays, weeks 7-11
Teaching in English at Salo campus

Tue 10.2.2026, 9:30 - 14:30 (Tiina)
- Course info and study assignments
- Planning child-oriented activities in different areas of learning
- Creative exercises

Tue 17.2.2026 9:30 - 14:30
- Independent work on study assignment

Tue 24.2.2026 9:30-14:30 (Noora)
- The combination of education, teaching and care, full-time pedagogy
- Interaction in guiding children
- Music & drama as pedagogical methods

Tue 3.3.2026 9:30 - 14:30 (Tiina)
- Play at different ages
- Literature as a pedagogic method
- Exercises

Tue 10.3.2026, 9:30 - 14:00 (Tiina & Noora)
- Implementation of pedagogical activities
- Course end and feedback
N.B! Presence in this teaching session is mandatory.

Changes are possible.

Attendance in contact teaching of the course is mandatory, which is based on the working and learning methods used in the course. The contact teaching includes interactive activities, discussions, peer learning, and workshop activities. Participation in contact teaching supports the development of the student’s professional skills and interaction abilities.

In case of absence due to illness, a compensatory assignment must be completed. The max. amount of absence is 50 % of the contact teaching. If this is exceeded, the completion of the course will be postponed to the next implementation. Presence in the last teaching session is mandatory.

Please check the prerequisites of the course. In case this course is not scheduled to your study group, please contact the responsible teacher of the course and provide them with the necessary documents.

Objective

• you understand the importance of play, play environments and tutoring play for children’s well-being and development
• you know how to observe and document children’s play
• you are able to plan, implement and evaluate activities for children under or over three years, paying attention to children’s participation
• you are familiar with principles of tutoring a group of children
• you understand the importance of everyday routines in supporting children’s well-being and development

Content

• play at different ages
• the special characteristics of the activities of children under and over three years
• planning and tutoring child-oriented activities in different areas of learning
• the combination of education, teaching and care, full-time pedagogy and tutoring interaction
• methods of observing and documenting play

Materials

Karvonen, P.; Ukkonen-Mikkola, T., Fenyvesi, K.; Salonen, M.; Erkkilä, P.; Laine, E.; Storgård, E. 2022. Playful learning in early childhood education in Finland. Otava Publishing Company Ltd.

Backman-Norda, P.; Staffansb, E. & Nybackc, M-H. 2023. The storycrafting method: A systematic review. Journal of Early Childhood Education Research Volume 12, Issue 2, 2023, 34–50
https://doi.org/10.58955/jecer.v12i2.117886

Gallagher, J. & Sayre, N.E. 2014. Movement and Music: Developing Activities for Young Children. NJ: Pearson Publishing.

Karlsson, L. 2014. Storycrafting - The key to the dialogical sharing culture. Jyväskylä: PS-kustannus.

Ruokonen, I.; Tervaniemi, M. & Reunamo, J. 2021: The significance of music in early childhood education and care of toddlers in Finland: an extensive observational study, Music Education Research, DOI: 10.1080/14613808.2021.1965564
https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2021.1965564

Teaching methods

Individual work, pair work, group work
Literature-based, lecture-based and learning assignment-based work

Student workload

Contact teaching and reflection assignment 1,5 ECTS
Study assignment in pairs: planning, implementing, evaluating and reporting pedagogic activity in daycare 3,5 ECTS
- First submission 15.3.2026
- Second submission 22.3.2026

Evaluation methods and criteria

Study assignment in pairs: planning, implementing, evaluating and reporting pedagogic activity + reflection (F-5)

Failed (0)

Student:
- has not understanding on the importance of play, play environments and tutoring play for children’s well-being and development
- does not knows how to observe and document children’s play
- is not able to plan, implement and evaluate activities for children under or over three years or paying attention to children’s participation
- has not understanding on principles of tutoring a group of children
- noes not understand the basics of the importance of everyday routines in supporting children’s well-being and development
- has not participated in contact teaching according to the requirements
- has not completed all the learning assignments of the course

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Student:
- understands the importance of play, play environments and tutoring play for children’s well-being and development in basic level
- is achieving to gain understanding on observing and documenting children’s play in basic level
- is able to plan, implement and evaluate some activities for children under or over three years, paying some attention to children’s participation
- has some basic level understanding on principles of tutoring a group of children
- understands the basics of the importance of everyday routines in supporting children’s well-being and development

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Student:
- understands the importance of play, play environments and tutoring play for children’s well-being and development
- knows the basic strategies of observing and documenting children’s play
- is able to plan, implement and evaluate activities for children under or over three years, paying some attention to children’s participation
- is familiar with the basic principles of tutoring a group of children
- understands the importance of everyday routines in supporting children’s well-being and development

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student:
- understands deeply the importance of play, play environments and tutoring play for children’s well-being and development
- knows how to observe and document children’s play on several perspectives and in multiple ways
- is able to plan, implement and evaluate activities for children under or over three years, paying close attention to children’s participation
- has deep understanding on principles of tutoring a group of children
- understands the importance of everyday routines in supporting children’s well-being and development and is able to evaluate pedagogic activities on this perspective

Qualifications

Students can start optional customer group-specific studies when they have completed at least 60 credits.

The modules in early childhood education must be completed in order: first the basic studies (Module 1) and then the advanced studies (Module 2). Exceptions can be made if it is justified from the perspective of the student’s personal study plan (HOPS) and the student has at least one year of work experience in early childhood education tasks in Finland or previous higher education studies in early childhood education that have been accredited in their studies at Turku University of Applied Sciences.