ICT (Information Communication Technology) plays a huge part in everyone's life no matter how old they are. We find ourselves surrounded by 'technology' in our homes, our work places and in the local environment. Children are also surrounded by these 'technologies' in their everyday lives and need to recognise the role ICT plays in their lives. Children from a very early age should be given the opportunities to play with technology and explore the uses of these ICT tools.

The only mention of ICT in the Early Learning Goals is within the Knowledge and Understanding of the World area of learning and development where it states - 'Children should find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology and use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning.' ICT can be used effectively across all six areas of learning and development to engage the children in learning and enhance the EYFS curriculum. ICT is not just a computer with Early Years software installed. ICT is anything where you can press a button and make something happen, the beginnings of children understanding that technology requires programming and that they can be in control of making things happen.

This area of the Curriculum ICT website is intended to highlight how practitioners can integrate ICT across all the areas of provision within the EYFS. Over the next few weeks we will be creating case studies from different Bradford EYFS settings. A forum has been setup to share good practice using different technologies. There is a huge range of website links for both practitioners and pupils. Please take the time to rate these websites. If you are aware of any other websites that you consider to be excellent for use in the early years please inform us using the forum.

• Provide challenges and explore.
• Plan for inclusion - ie; walkie talkie's good for visually impaired, etc.
• Make use of outdoor areas.
• Give opportunities to explore findings - ie; drawing, writing models.
• Tape recorders
• Speculate how things work.
• Build on interests - ie; boys, garages, mechanics.
• Stimuli.
• Co-ordinate actions.
• Design and make.
• Toys that use technology.
• Press parts, lift flaps.
• Achieve effects - i.e.; stimulus response.
• Simple mechanisms.
• Turning on/operative - some without supervision.
• Not all about computers - therefore ICT away from computers.
• ICT in everyday contexts.

ICT should be used throughout the EYFS for learning and teaching through play.

ICT and everyday technology is often being not recognised enough as people think "computers" for technology.

It is important for all settings to give a good grounding for later stages of technology so need to start off with simple switches, flaps, etc.

Use remote control toys to teach all the stages BEFORE "programmable toys" to give knowledge and understanding.

Give your initial reaction of how you could use the 4 things below, also look at how it incorporates some of the 6 main focus areas. This is ICT used in everyday Technology. Sometimes it isn't even thought of as this as we have ICT all around us in our everyday life.