In Early Years settings, one of our most powerful tools is the ability to see children as individuals, each with a unique “Play Diet.” This idea is all about understanding and responding to the particular experiences, preferences, and cultural backgrounds that each child brings. Children don’t arrive as blank slates—they come with knowledge, skills, and habits they’ve picked up from family life, community activities, and daily routines. These experiences, referred to by Luis Moll (1992) as Funds of Knowledge, are what make each child’s Play Diet unique and give us insights into how to make our settings engaging, meaningful, and supportive for every child.
So, what exactly is a Play Diet? It’s not just about the toys and resources children use at home, but the full spectrum of their daily lives. Are they used to playing outside a lot, climbing trees, and getting a bit muddy? Do they have regular family time, like baking or sitting down together for meals? Do they have older siblings they play with, or are they the youngest in the family? Understanding these aspects gives us a starting point for creating an environment that meets children where they are rather than expecting them to conform to a one-size-fits-all approach.
Tuning into Each Child’s Play Diet
Children’s play is shaped by a whole host of factors, from the materials they’re used to at home to the activities they participate in with their families. To give children the best possible experiences in our settings, we start by tuning into these individual aspects of their Play Diet:
- Resources at Home: Does the child have access to open-ended toys, like blocks, dolls, or loose parts that can be used in a variety of ways? Or do they mostly have closed-ended toys with specific uses, like puzzles or electronic games? Recognising this can help us create a balance in our environment, providing familiar materials and new opportunities.
- Screen Time and Media: We consider how children engage with screens—do they have a lot of screen time? Is it mostly passive (watching shows) or interactive (games that require problem-solving)? This helps us know whether children are more used to solitary play or collaborative activities and whether they might need help engaging in face-to-face play with other children.
- Risky Play: Some children come from households where outdoor, risky play—climbing, balancing, exploring—is encouraged, while others may not have had these experiences. For those who thrive on risky play, we can provide climbing frames, balance beams, or natural elements to explore. For children less familiar with this, we gently scaffold towards it, giving them safe ways to stretch their boundaries.
- Cooking and Baking: In many homes, children are involved in cooking and baking. They might help roll dough, stir batter, or even make chapatis from scratch. If this is part of their Funds of Knowledge, we can create similar opportunities in our setting. Providing tools like child-safe rolling pins, small mixing bowls, and play kitchens lets children act out these familiar routines, building on what they know and love.
- Outdoor Play and Nature: Children who spend a lot of time outside, whether in a garden, park, or family allotment, might be looking for similar outdoor experiences in our setting. Are we providing areas where they can dig, explore, and interact with nature? If they’re used to gardening at home, can we introduce simple planting activities so they feel a sense of continuity? And for children who may not have much outdoor play experience, this could be an opportunity to introduce them to natural elements and foster an appreciation for the outdoors.
Bringing Funds of Knowledge into the Setting
Luis Moll’s Funds of Knowledge encourages us to view children’s experiences, skills, and cultural practices as valuable assets. But sometimes, it’s easy for us to judge a child’s background based on what we know, whether it’s from our own childhoods or the experiences we give our own children. Practitioners often bring certain assumptions about what a “proper” childhood should look like. Funds of Knowledge challenges us to look beyond these assumptions and to understand that every child’s experience is valid, shaped by their family’s traditions, values, and culture.
For example, if a child’s family places a high value on reading and storytelling, we might notice that they gravitate toward books, love story time, or bring their favourite stories to share. On the other hand, a child from a family where hands-on skills are celebrated may bring practical knowledge about fixing things, building, or gardening. We can then reflect these Funds of Knowledge in our provision, creating an environment that values what each child brings rather than imposing our own idea of what “should” be.
Bridging the Home and Setting Experience
Aligning our continuous provision with children’s home experiences helps bridge the gap between home and the setting, so children feel safe, seen, and connected. The goal isn’t to make all children the same or to judge any aspect of their upbringing, but to celebrate and extend what they already know.
For instance, if a child comes from a home where they don’t get much opportunity for risky play, we don’t automatically expect them to jump in with full confidence. Instead, we create small, manageable steps—climbing a small hill, balancing on a low beam—so they can build confidence and grow at their own pace. If a child is used to community activities, like going to clubs or attending cultural celebrations, we might introduce group activities or crafts that echo these experiences, providing a sense of belonging and familiarity.
The Play Diet is about making room for all the rich, varied experiences that children bring. Are they used to baking every weekend with grandparents? Do they spend their evenings helping in a family business? Do they have a favourite traditional game they play with older family members? Every aspect of a child’s Funds of Knowledge contributes to who they are, and as practitioners, our role is to honour and reflect these experiences in a way that feels welcoming and validating.
Seeing Every Experience as Valuable
Luis Moll’s Funds of Knowledge reminds us that every community has its own norms and values. Children from different cultural backgrounds or socioeconomic circumstances may have different life experiences, but these aren’t deficits. What might look unusual or even lacking to us is often a rich, valuable experience for the child—a unique Fund of Knowledge that deserves respect and integration into their Play Diet. By approaching every child with curiosity, respect, and a commitment to understanding, we build a setting that truly celebrates diversity, making every child feel valued.
The Play Diet, with its focus on aligning with children’s home lives, and Funds of Knowledge, with its deep respect for cultural and experiential diversity, together allow us to create an inclusive environment that goes beyond simple provision. It’s not just about the resources we offer; it’s about the respect we show for what each child brings. In embracing these ideas, we set children up for a fulfilling, affirming experience in early years, where their backgrounds are valued, their strengths are celebrated, and their potential is unlimited.
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