QQI 5N1773 Early Childhood Education and Play Assessment Brief 2026: Assignments and Skills Demonstration

QQI 5N1773 Early Childhood Education and Play Assessment Brief 2026

QQI Level 5 5N1773 Early Childhood Education and Play is assessed through assignments and a skills demonstration covering all learning outcomes. Assignment 1 (30%) asks you to assess the value of a piece of equipment, a toy or a play space in an ECCE setting, drawing on the types and stages of play, theories such as Freud, Winnicott, Piaget and Vygotsky, and the role of the adult in play.

QQI Level 5 5N1773 Assessment Brief

The assessor is required to devise assessment briefs and marking schemes for the assignments and skills demonstration.  In devising the assessment briefs care should be taken to ensure that the learner is given the opportunity to show evidence of achievement of ALL the Learning Outcomes.

Assessment briefs may be designed to allow the learner to make use of a wide range of media in presenting assessment evidence, as appropriate. Quality assured procedures must be in place to ensure the reliability of learner evidence.

Assignment 1 – 30%

This assignment will provide evidence of Learning Outcomes

LO1 Outline the types, stages patterns and purposes of children’s play.

LO2 Describe a range of theories of play in the context of children’s education to include, Psychoanalytic theories (Freud, Winnicott) and Constructivist theories (Piaget and Vygotsky).

LO3 Evaluate the role of the adult in children’s play.

LO6 Assess the value of equipment, materials, play spaces, both indoors and outdoors, in the ECCE setting.

LO7 Use a range of reading and storytelling techniques appropriate to different stages of children’s development and cultural background.

Instructions:

The learner is required to submit an assignment that will assess the value of a piece of equipment, a toy or a place space in an ECCE setting. The assignment should include a title page, contents page, an introduction / rationale , a range of criteria by which the toy / space will be assessed, detailed assessment of the item / area. Reflection on the role of the adult in relation to the toy / area chosen for evaluation and any conclusions which may include recommendations as to whether the chosen toy / area should be modified/ improved or not, should also be included.

References and appendices should be included where appropriate.

Evidence for this assessment technique may take the form of written, oral, graphic, audio, visual or digital evidence, or any combination of these (select as appropriate). Any audio, video or digital evidence must be provided in a suitable format. All instructions for the learner must be clearly outlined in an assessment brief.

Assignment 2 – 30%

This assignment will provide evidence of Learning Outcomes

LO2 Describe a range of theories of play in the context of children’s education to include, Psychoanalytic theories (Freud, Winnicott) and Constructivist theories (Piaget and Vygotsky).

LO4 Explore a child led approach to meeting the play and educational requirements of children.

LO5 Describe different approaches to curriculum development and implementation in the ECCE setting.

LO6 Assess the value of equipment, materials, play spaces, both indoors and outdoors, in the ECCE setting.

LO8 Select relevant play activities and materials appropriate to children’s interests and stage of development and cultural background.

LO9 Implement appropriate curricula which promotes learning and the holistic development of the child.

LO10  Reflect on own role and responsibilities when supporting children in their play.

Instructions:

The learner is required to submit a lesson plan of a play activity for a group of children between the ages of 0-6yrs. This plan must be devised by the learner in consultation with another adult in a supervisory role. The assignment should contain a thorough planning section which includes the benefit of the activity for the children and the justification for the resource(s) used, an  implementation section, a thorough evaluation, reflection on the role of the learner and conclusions which may include suggestions for additional activities.

References and appendices should be included where appropriate.

Evidence for this assessment technique may take the form of written, oral, graphic, audio, visual or digital evidence, or any combination of these (select as appropriate). Any audio, video or digital evidence must be provided in a suitable format. All instructions for the learner must be clearly outlined in an assessment brief.

Skills Demonstration – 40%

This assignment will provide evidence of Learning Outcomes

LO2 Describe a range of theories of play in the context of children’s education to include, Psychoanalytic theories (Freud, Winnicott) and Constructivist theories (Piaget and Vygotsky).

LO3 Evaluate the role of the adult in children’s play.

LO5 Describe different approaches to curriculum development and implementation in the ECCE setting.

LO7 Use a range of reading and storytelling techniques appropriate to different stages of children’s development and cultural background.

LO8 Select relevant play activities and materials appropriate to children’s interests and stage of development and cultural background.

LO9 Implement appropriate curricula which promotes learning and the holistic development of the child.

LO10  Reflect on own role and responsibilities when supporting children in their play.

Instructions

The learner is required to perform an oral presentation simulating the reading of a story to a group of children between the ages of 0-6 yrs. A teaching aid / resource will need to be provided to assist in the activity along with a write- up of the storytelling activity. Included int eh write-up will be the following: A title page and contents page, an introduction / rationale, planning and implementation of the activity, an evaluation of the teaching aid and of the role of the learner in completing the presentation.

References and appendices should be included where appropriate.

Evidence for this assessment technique may take the form of written, oral, graphic, audio, visual or digital evidence, or any combination of these (select as appropriate). Any audio, video or digital evidence must be provided in a suitable format. All instructions for the learner must be clearly outlined in an assessment brief.

Get Expert Help with the 5N1773 Brief

Set clear criteria before you evaluate your chosen toy or space, and connect each criterion to a play theory and to children’s stage of development. Use the marking scheme as a checklist so every learning outcome is visible.

Our QQI childcare assignment help supports early years components, and our skills demonstration help can guide your activity plan. See also the ELC placement play plans brief.