[Habiibo Saneey]

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.

[Winter Clark]

In my experience, great “serve and returns” can be done during free play time in my preschool classroom. There are many different learning centers set up to help build educational, social, and emotional development. We have a dramatic play area, art center, library, STEM center, and many more. We also like to change things out to each child’s interest. These times during the day make it easy to gain one on one interactions with each child and work in small groups with others.

[Mandy Hung]

I felt I do serve and return mostly during self-play. I would sit down and play with a kid at table time for a few minutes, or during heart’s desire, I would walk around and stay for a few minutes and play with some kids. One-on-one attention makes kids very happy also we get to know what they like and how they play with others.

[Rubi Ruelas]

How do you think early learning providers can create a “serve and return” environment in their classrooms?

Regardless of age, children need to be seen, heard, and engaged with.

For infants: “Serve and return” is when a child coos, the caregiver responds with a coo back, or makes a relaxed/content expression back to the infant. When the infant cries, the caregiver responds by feeding, changing the diaper, checking to see if the baby is uncomfortable (irritating clothing tag, maybe), maybe the baby is running cold and needs warmth, or simply holding the baby. Games like peek-a-boo, singing to, or mutual laughter/”speaking” being shared together.

For older infants: “Serve and return” can look like a caregiver playing peek-a-boo, playing with noise-makers or certified infant-safe toys with one another, acknowledging them by eye-contact/head nods/silly facial expressions, hand-shadows.

For toddlers: “Serve and return” can look like engaging the child into a creative activity, responding to a child as they talk to you, having a meal together, physical activities like kicking a ball back and forth to each other, practicing throwing a ball, listening to the child should they get a small “owie” by aiding and comforting, sharing laughter with each other.

For young school-agers: “Serve and return” could be answering the age-appropriate questions of curious young school-ager, baking or cooking in the kitchen, playing a game (sport or board game), helping with homework, and navigating the child’s problem-solving skills.

[Jayhla tatro]

Different games can teach safe and return

[Morgan]

We can do this by responding to students’ needs and what they’re playing with. We need to show interest and one-on-one time with each child. This may even mean singing to the child while changing a diaper if they like that or making silly sounds

[Kaydence Meikle]

Engaging children in different sorts of activities, maybe having different types for example one day doing a science activity or another a reading activity. Obviously this will differ with different age groups, and also not only having the children do it but be aware of what every different child shows interest in.

[Jessica]

Early childhood caregivers can show serve and return by listening to their students and engaging in their interests and interacting with those interests.

[Morgan]

Simply paying attention to the children you care for creates continuous serve and return opportunities, like circle time, story time, play time, eating meals together as a class. Even self care, like hand washing and potty training, can provide an opportunity for serve and return.

[Sara F.]

I believe that just about any activity can be adapted to the “serve and return” style by observing and appropriately responding to children’s cues!

[Pang Vang]

Doing a group activity with the children. Establish the games/rules, then provide support and guidance.

[Hatch]

ECE profesionals can practice serve and return by being aware of all students in their class.

[Yaire Campos-Cigarroa]

if there are children in the classroom limited to ratio, then having a few kids doing a certain activity, we can copy their movements or even respond to their movements by doing something related to the activity. If we see the child does not want to continue with an activity we respond to that by starting another activity the child chooses to participate in

[olivia grace]

By following the five steps of serve and return 1. share the focus 2. support and encourage 3. name it 4. take turns back and forth 5. practice endings and beginnings. These are all ways to respond to a child and encourage them and their development.

[Suzanne Pippel]

Any activity that involves taking turns helps establish serve and return,