[Gabrielle Ogilvie]

Early learning providers can create a “serve and return” environment in their classrooms by actively engaging with the children and responding to their cues, actions, and communication. This involves listening, observing, and being present in the moment with the children. By acknowledging and responding to their needs, interests, and ideas, providers can foster meaningful interactions and create a supportive and responsive learning environment. This can include asking open-ended questions, providing encouragement, offering guidance, and engaging in back-and-forth conversations and play with the children.

[Hafso Egal]

Creating a “serve and return” environment in early learning classrooms involves fostering responsive interactions between caregivers or teachers and children. To achieve this, early learning providers can actively engage in conversations with children, ask open-ended questions, and listen attentively to their responses. Encouraging children to initiate conversations, share their thoughts, and express their feelings helps build trust and a sense of security. Additionally, providers can respond promptly and warmly to children’s cues, whether they are verbal or non-verbal, to meet their emotional and developmental needs. By modeling and promoting this back-and-forth exchange of communication, providers can create an environment that nurtures children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, setting a strong foundation for lifelong learning and healthy relationships.

[Marissa]

I think that we could make a serve and return classroom for the children by watching and seeing what clues they make, if they put a toy down and pick a different one up that means they are ready to move on, we don’t necessarily need to ask them to clean up after unless they are preschool or pre kindergarten

[shely]

Creating serve and return environments in the classroom. For example, having children pick and then reading books and stopping to answer any questions.

[Lia Simkins]

Yes, I think serve and return should be used always, children need to feel seen, heard, and acknowledges in order to foster development. You should always help children understand anything they throw out you, it should be returned to them, in multiple ways of understanding because different children learn best in different ways.

[Durva Patil]

Early learning providers should be engaging and responsive to all their students as each child uses their voices, whether that be by crying or using words, to convey their wants and needs. By teaching students that their words and sounds matter, they are able to learn the power of communication.

[ruthi mathis]

I think this can happen during circle time, choice time, when they are playing outside (we have a garden area), or reading time. Finding opportunities to engage with the child and with small group interactions (imaginative play). And be curious about what they are doing- mini-conversations is important.

[Kaylie]

Doing lots of stimulating games and activities.

[Maria Bernal]

I like the activity of the song like;

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! (Clap hands)

If you’re sad and you know it, cry out loud, boo hoo! (Rub eyes)

If you’re mad and you know it, stomp your feet! (Stomp feet)

If you’re excited and you know it, shout hooray! (Hands in the air)

[Malivanh Rajsavong]

To create a serve and return environment, as a provider I can listen and watch how the children are interacting with the things that they are seeing, touching, or listening to. Their reactions with facial expressions and body movements will be a “serve” and I can “return” with a response to what they are showing me.

[Isabella]

Doing arts and crafts is a good way to create a “serve and return” environment. Asking the child what kind of crafts they would like to do, talking them through it, and allowing them to show you their art work or give you supplies is great.

[Chloe]

I find that I get lots o spontaneous serve and return time during some of the more structured times of the day. At snack time, for example, children are sitting down and occupied, so I have the opportunity to ask kids questions about their food, what they did at home, what they’d like to do at school etc.

[Kylie Zajdel]

I think music class can be serve and return time because the teacher can demonstrate how to do something and kids can take turns repeating that, then incorporating instruments to that activity and asking the kids to apply that technique to an instrument like a drum instead of clapping, and allowing them to then as questions about how the drum works (then going into a demonstration, almost call and response type).

[Corey]

Yes, through listening and being aware of the children’s serves, we can return them and foster a good learning environment. I think being aware of what the child’s interest is on is crucial in this setting

[Kim Arman]

An easy way to dedicate serve and return time to each child would be a rotation during free play time. This can look like 10 minute blocks where you spend focused time on each child in your care, while being flexible to those who might need more or less time but trying to always join each child each day.