ED4| Using AI to Plan, Document & Extend Learning With Invitations & Provocations

Welcome to the Empowered Ed AI Accelerator

Feeling unsure about AI? Worried it’s too complicated, you’re too behind now to start or that you need to be “tech-savvy” to use it?

You’re not alone - and guess what? …You’re exactly where you need to be.

This newsletter is designed especially for early childhood educators, leaders, and service directors who want to save time, reduce paperwork stress, and work smarter—without losing the authenticity and connections that make early learning so meaningful.

Here’s what you won’t find here: confusing tech jargon, overwhelming processes, or AI replacing your expertise.

Here’s what you will find: simple, practical AI strategies that fit naturally into your daily work - helping with planning, documentation, programming, family communication, and more.

The strategies, tips and ideas I share with you every week in this newsletter will help you see AI as an educational assistant or collaborator, not a replacement or ‘cheat’ - one that can give you back time for what you really want to focus on: engaging with children, leading your team with confidence, and creating meaningful, play based early learning experiences.

Every edition gives you easy-to-follow tips, realistic examples, and prompting templates you can copy and give to an ai assistant - so you can explore AI at your own pace, in a way that feels right for you.

Curious? Sceptical? Excited? Wherever you’re at, you’re welcome here. Come on this forward thinking journey with me - one small, professional development step at a time.

Let’s explore this week’s topics…

AI is Already in Early Education - Are You Using It Effectively?

Whether you realise it or not, AI is already making its way into the early childhood sector. Educators - often those juggling endless planning, documentation, and compliance tasks - are quietly experimenting with AI tools to lighten their workload and lessen the paperwork overwhelm.

But the reality is that some are using AI well, and others aren’t.

And without a clear understanding of how to use AI effectively, there’s a risk of:

?? Generic, uninspired play experiences that don’t reflect the children's interests.

?? Over-reliance on AI-generated content that lacks the educator’s voice and professional judgment.

?? Missed opportunities to use AI as a helpful and effective collaboration tool, one that saves time, reduces stress, and strengthens the planning cycle steps.

So how do we, as leaders, mentors, and experienced educators, ensure that AI is being used as a tool for good - helping, not hindering, quality early learning practices?

The answer lies in understanding AI as a support system, not a shortcut.

When used intentionally, AI can:

? Produce meaningful, child-led play experiences based on available materials and observed interests.

? Help educators articulate learning outcomes clearly and connect play to frameworks like the EYLF - without hours of documentation.

? Assist in reflective practice and forward planning, ensuring that learning experiences are deepened over time.

If you’ve been feeling curious about AI but unsure where to start to help with your planning and activities, this edition of Empowered Ed AI Accelerator will walk you through how to use AI in a way that supports, not replaces, your professional expertise to plan, document, and extend learning specifically through the use of playful invitations and provocations

I'm giving you some very simple but effective AI strategies that will help you better understand the differences between an invitation to play versus a provocation. And how you can then use them creatively with different age groups to support your play based learning and also future planning for each different child as well.

Now, I know from conversations in my own Empowered Educator community that many educators actually feel frustrated when children don't engage with their carefully arranged play spaces or invitations as they initially intended. But here's the thing, because there's no wrong way to play. And just because you might have seen something set up on Pinterest that way, or you've taken a fantastic photo for Instagram it doesn't mean that it's what's in the child's best interest or how they want to play with it is the same as what you were initially thinking.

Understanding the difference between invitations to play and provocations can actually help you foster that child led learning, simplify your planning, which is always a plus, and create more meaningful play based experiences. So that's what we're going to be focusing on today.

Why should this matter to you?

It's now widely recognised that young children learn through play... but the way we set up and document that play also makes a huge difference in how meaningful it is. And that's where Invitations to Play and Provocations can come in.

They're two approaches that help guide children's play without controlling it. They encourage curiosity,? exploration, and they can also link naturally to frameworks and learning outcomes including the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). But it's the same thing worldwide, whatever framework you're working with or standards or goals.

The real challenge is continually coming up with those new ideas that align with different children's interests at the time using what you already have instead of feeling pressured to buy new resources all the time.

In this edition of the newsletter, we’ll explore:

? The difference between Invitations to Play & Provocations - and how AI can create personalised ideas for both.

? How to write AI prompts that give you high-quality, personalised responses that are more useful to foster play based learning (not generic, surface-level ideas).

? Ways to use AI to organise and simplify planning, documentation, and analysis of learning outcomes when working with a play based program cycle.

? Reflection questions for leaders to ensure AI is being used ethically and effectively within services.

By the time you finish reading this edition of the Empowered Ed AI Accelerator newsletter, you’ll understand exactly how to incorporate AI into your planning cycle …in a way that saves you time without sacrificing your authentic educator voice.

Sound helpful?

Let’s Do It. ??

Smarter Planning for Playful Learning

We’re well aware as early childhood educators and leaders? that planning engaging, personalised play-based learning experiences is one of the most important (and often time-consuming) parts of our role. The goal is always to balance adult led structure with flexibility, allowing children to take the lead in their learning while ensuring developmentally appropriate, meaningful experiences are happening in our early education settings.

But coming up with creative, engaging ideas every day that align with children's interests, learning goals and the materials you actually have available can be exhausting. Then there’s the documentation, the reflection, and the forward planning - it all adds up.

This is where AI can become your personal assistant, supporting your play-based planning and documentation so that you can:

? Quickly brainstorm play provocations based on themes & children’s interests

? Save time on documentation by summarising the learning outcomes & linking to EYLF or other frameworks

? Feel less stressed about planning while still delivering high-quality, engaging experiences

?? And guess what? There’s no need to be an AI or computer expert to start using it!

So, how do you start?

Let’s break it down into a few simple action steps:

1?? Clarify the Difference Between Invitations & Provocations

Before we let AI help us plan, we need to ensure we understand the difference between these 2 approaches first and how we want to use them?

Maybe you’ve heard those terms "Invitation to Play" and "Provocation" thrown around and found yourself wondering…?

What’s the difference? Am I using them correctly? Do I use them with this age group?

You are definitely not the only one who is unsure about these 2 -? many educators I talk to mix these up, but understanding the difference will:

? Make your planning easier

? Help you set up play experiences that truly engage children

? Support deeper learning and curiosity

Knowing when and how to use each approach can increase engagement and possibilities for early learning in your environment.

What is an Invitation to Play?

An Invitation to Play is a carefully arranged play setup designed to spark engagement and exploration. Unlike free play, an invitation uses intentional materials chosen by the educator to encourage interaction - but leaves space for the child to decide how to use them.

Essential Elements of an Engaging Invitation to Play Can Include:

? Visually appealing setup (use trays, baskets, or mats to create an organised display)

? Minimal, but intentional materials (too many choices can overwhelm children)

? Open-ended possibilities (no right or wrong way to engage)

? No direct instructions (the child leads the play)

In Action Example: A basket of wooden blocks, pinecones, fabric scraps, and small figurines encourages children to build, sort, or create their own small-world play scenes.

Educator Role: Observe and support without directing play - see how children choose to engage.

What is a Provocation?

A Provocation is a question, material, or scenario intentionally presented to spark thinking, curiosity, and problem-solving. Unlike an Invitation to Play, a provocation doesn’t give children an obvious way to play; instead, it challenges them to experiment and ask questions.

Essential Elements of a Strong Provocation:

? Unexpected or new material (a strange object, an old photo, an unusual natural item)

? No instructions - just curiosity (let children wonder and explore freely)

? Encourages discussion and exploration

In Action Example: Placing a mystery object (like a clock, fossil, or old key) in the play area with no explanation and observing how children react.

Educator Role: Facilitate and guide inquiry by asking thought-provoking questions (e.g., "What do you think this object was used for?").

Common Mistakes You Might Make & How to Avoid Them

?? Mistake 1: Too Many Materials at Once

?? Solution: Less is more. Keep materials simple and focused - a cluttered setup overwhelms young children.

?? Mistake 2: Making the Setup Too Structured

?? Solution: Let go of perfection. If you find yourself setting up a scene with a clear expectation (e.g., a “finished product” for children to create), step back and remove adult-driven intent.

?? Mistake 3: Asking Closed Questions

?? Solution: Instead of “What colour is this?”, try “What happens if we mix these?”. Open-ended questions encourage deeper engagement.

?? Mistake 4: Over-Explaining

?? Solution: Set up the play space without providing instructions. Let children explore and discover independently before stepping in.

?? Mistake 5: Expecting All Children to Engage the Same Way

?? Solution: Allow space for different learning styles - some children may observe first before engaging, and that’s okay!

Keep It Simple Tip

Invitations to Play and Provocations both support child-led learning, but they serve different purposes:

? Use Invitations to Play when you want to encourage active exploration with materials.

? Use Provocations when you want to spark curiosity and deeper thinking.

So why does it matter if something is an invitation to play or it's a provocation? Because the way we set up our play experiences affects how children engage.

If we're too directive and we're specifying too much how they should play with it, we risk taking away the opportunity for children to lead their own learning.

But if we don't provide enough of a stimulus, we might miss the chance to spark inquiry or creativity and also problem solving, which is really important.

By understanding how and when to use each approach, we can create more engaging, thought-provoking play experiences that support children’s natural curiosity, problem-solving skills, and creativity.

2?? Using AI to Create Personalised Play Experiences

Now that we’ve clarified the differences between the two approaches and you’ve started thinking about where and when you want to use them…this is where chatting with an AI Assistant can really help you work smarter and not harder.?

Instead of spending hours scrolling through Pinterest for visual inspiration or second-guessing your own ideas, you can prompt AI to brainstorm Invitations and Provocations based on the materials you already have,? but also taking into account the children's interests and learning goals as well.

What’s important with this collaboration is to keep your expertise, your observations and your knowledge of the children's learning goals and current interests right at the forefront…

...this is essential to practise until you feel more confident when prompting because collaborating with an AI tools should? not be done in a way that disregards your voice as the educator who is trained in early childhood theory and development.?

It's more about helping you actually clarify and communicate children's learning more clearly and quickly.

So, think of AI like an extra set of hands in your planning process, just like you might collaborate with a mentor or a coach or co educator to brainstorm new ideas and strategies, AI can now act as your creative and reflective partner, not to replace those people (real life humans!), but in reality it’s sometimes it's hard to get that access to that sort of personalised support and guidance.

So the core goal is to prompt the AI in a way that gives us creative, playful ideas based on your children's specific interests at the moment and also the available materials you have. You can do this for both Invitation to Play and Provocation suggestions.

AI Help With Provocations

We’ve all had that moment where we’re feeling uninspired, knowing what we want to achieve… but not quite sure what activities or experiences to plan that will help expand on the children’s ideas or our intentional teaching goals. Maybe you’re working on a STEM inspired theme, but you’re not sure how to create a meaningful provocation that encourages children to think critically.

Here’s where AI can help you out:

You can ask AI to give you some unique provocation ideas that align with your weekly themes, children’s interests, and developmental goals (you just need to make sure you’re giving the AI that background information in your prompting…it’s clever but it can’t read your mind!).

?? AI Prompting Examples:

?? For a STEM-based provocation:

"Suggest three open-ended provocations that introduce children to forces and motion using recycled materials."

?? For a nature-based inquiry:

"What are some thought-provoking ways to introduce young children to the concept of plant growth using loose parts?"

?? For a literacy-based play experience:

"Create a provocation that encourages preschoolers to make up their own fairy tale using small-world play figures and natural materials."

?? Why They Work:

AI helps you think outside the box, offering new provocations that encourage scientific inquiry and critical thinking.

?? In Action Example

Theme: Transportation & Engineering (for ages 4-8)

AI Suggestion: Place a collection of old wheels, screws, and wooden planks on a workbench with a sign that says, “What kind of vehicle can you invent?” Ask children to draw their designs before attempting to build something.

?? Empowered Ed Tip: Observe how children interact with the materials and encourage discussion:

• “What do you think these pieces were originally used for?”
• “How do you think wheels help things move?”

? Time saved? Hours! Instead of researching or overthinking your setup, AI can give you a clear starting point in seconds - all you have to do is tweak the idea to suit your setting.

AI Help With Invitations To Play

With the right prompt, AI can suggest open-ended Invitations to Play tailored to your materials, the children's interests, and their developmental stage. What matters most here is providing AI with the right background information - just like you would when planning experiences yourself!

Prompt Examples for Invitations:

"I have [list your materials]. Suggest three Invitations to Play that encourage problem-solving and creativity for children aged [X] to [Y]."

"I have the following materials: fabric scraps, wooden blocks, glass pebbles, and pinecones. Suggest three open-ended Invitations to Play for preschool-aged children that support creativity and problem-solving."

With just a few words, AI takes the materials you already have and turns them into actionable ideas! And if the ideas don’t quite fit your group, you can tweak the prompt to be more specific.

"Can you modify these invitations so they focus more on fine motor skill development?"

And just like that, you get more focused suggestions that suit your specific learning goals.

?? Why These Work:

AI provides quick, adaptable ideas that you can tweak based on your environment, available materials, and the children’s interests. Instead of overthinking or spending hours researching, you get a strong starting point that you can modify to ensure it aligns with your philosophy and the children's play preferences.

?? In Action Example

Theme: Exploring Shapes & Structures (for ages 3-6)

AI Suggestion: Set up a "Shape Hunt" Invitation to Play by offering cardboard cutouts of different geometric shapes, along with building materials like blocks, sticks, and fabric.

Encourage children to find ways to incorporate the shapes into their structures.

?? Empowered Ed Tip: Observe how children approach the materials and engage with the challenge:

? “What shapes do you see in your building?”

? “What happens if we stack these together?”

? Time saved?

Hours! Instead of spending time you don’t have searching for inspiration, AI gives you a start in seconds - allowing you to focus on observing, scaffolding, and extending the learning experience instead of just thinking about it.

Getting help from AI doesn't mean you have to lose your creativity or that you couldn't come up with these ideas yourself. Of course you can, you're experienced and you're trained!

But why not get a little bit of a head start on that brainstorming so you're not looking at the page and stressing out about where you're going to take these experiences this week and what you want to extend on - use it to help expand on what you've already come up with on your own as well.

3?? AI for Documentation & Forward Planning

Let's say you've set up an invitation to play or provocation. The children have engaged, they've explored, they've tested ideas, perhaps they've worked together or independently and followed their curiosity.

Now comes that part that many educators find tricky, and that's documenting the learning in a way that's meaningful - not just as a description of what happened. When an observation is not meaningful it actually makes it hard for you to analyse the learning taking place and even more challenging to extend on in your forward planning.?

So how can you document the learning effectively and plan what’s next with the help of your AI Assistant?

How It Works:

Instead of spending hours writing reflections, why not use an AI Assistant like Ellie EYLF or Dottie Documentation to help you:

? Summarise essential learning from an activity in simple, clear language

? Suggest which EYLF outcomes were met and explain to you why

? Provide reflection prompts to deepen your own professional thinking

You achieve that by knowing how to prompt the AI Assistants effectively and add in your own information.?

To help you understand how to use AI to summarise the learning from play, let's start with a common scenario.

You've observed a meaningful play experience. It stood out to you because of what you understand about the particular children involved,(e.g. perhaps you're looking for different focus skills, or there is a child engaged in the activity that has sensory processing challenges and doesn't normally like to get their hands wet). They were deeply engaged in this water play setup that you put out, and they were testing which objects floated and which sank.

But now you need to summarise and put into words the learning taking place .

Instead of struggling to phrase it perfectly, (and probably stressing about what boxes to tick), let's get AI to give us a starting point first. So you could say something like,

"Summarise the learning from a play experience where children explored water play and floating and sinking objects. Link the learning to EYLF outcomes."

?What AI Might Respond With:

During today’s water play session, children experimented with a range of objects to see which floated and which sank. They observed how some objects initially floated before sinking, which led to conversations about weight and material properties. Through this experience, they developed scientific thinking skills, used descriptive language to share observations, and collaborated to make predictions.

This links to EYLF Outcome 4.2, as children engaged in experimentation, hypothesis testing, and problem-solving. It also connects to Outcome 5.1, as they used language to describe their findings and compare results with peers.

How To Make It Better...

Now, that’s a great foundation - but what makes it even better? More of your personal observations. AI gives you the outline, and now you add the human touch.

Try tweaking your AI prompt with more details about what you observed…

"Summarise the learning from a play experience where children explored water play and floating/sinking objects. One child, Jack, noticed that some objects floated at first before sinking. Another child, Ava, suggested that bigger objects should sink faster. Include these observations and connect to EYLF outcomes."

?What AI Might Suggest:

During today’s water play session, Jack noticed that some objects floated at first before sinking. He experimented with different shapes and sizes, questioning why some objects behaved differently. Meanwhile, Ava predicted that bigger objects would sink faster and was surprised when some larger items floated. This led to a discussion about shape, air pockets, and material differences.

This experience aligns with EYLF Outcome 4.2, as children engaged in experimentation and testing predictions. It also supports Outcome 5.3, as they used a range of communication strategies to express their ideas and findings.

See how the AI response now includes specific child observations?

This makes it much more reflective of real learning moments, rather than just a generic summary.

Documentation isn’t just about recording what happened though, (otherwise I’m afraid it’s just a waste of your time!) -?it’s also about identifying the next steps in the learning cycle.

So after documenting the learning, we need to ask:

? How can we extend this experience?

? What follow-up activities will deepen understanding?

? How can we build on children’s new interests and discoveries?"

Here’s how AI could help you with this next step using our example activity…

"Based on an outdoor water play experience where children explored floating and sinking, suggest three follow-up activities that will extend their learning in this area."

What AI Might Suggest:

1?? Exploring Absorption: Introduce different materials (sponge, foil, paper, plastic) and test which absorb water and which repel it.

2?? Sink or Float Prediction Chart: Encourage children to predict results before testing different objects, adding an early numeracy component by graphing results.

3?? Engineering a Boat Challenge: Encourage children to build their own floating structure using natural or recycled materials and see if it holds weight.

Notice how AI gives practical, engaging next steps that naturally extend children’s learning?

This makes forward planning quicker, easier, and more intentional for you.

Forward Planning Prompt To Copy

"Based on the children’s/child current interest in [topic], suggest three engaging extension activities using [materials] suitable for [ages/age] to support their growth and learning in this area. Explain to me why you chose these ideas.

Why It Works: AI keeps your planning cycle moving without the mental strain of constantly coming up with next steps.

Educators don’t need more work - they need better tools to support them.?

AI can help with play planning in a big way by…

? Giving you Invitation to Play ideas based on your available materials

? Creating tailored Provocations to spark inquiry

? Adapting play experiences for different age groups

? Connecting play to EYLF outcomes quickly and efficiently in a way that helps expand your own understanding about the EYLF or your specific framework so you learn as you plan

And most importantly, AI doesn’t replace your expertise - it strengthens it by giving you more time to be present, engaged, and responsive in the moment.

Now that we’ve explored how AI can support play-based planning, documentation, and forward planning, let’s turn theory into action.

It’s easy to read about AI and think, “That sounds great, but I don’t have time to sit down and figure this out right now.” But here’s the thing - you don’t need to master everything at once.

Instead, start with one small action step for this week. Try just one AI prompt and see how it works for you. You might be surprised at how much time you save!

Three Ideas That Give You A Quick Win to Build Confidence…

1. Use AI for Instant Play Ideas

Next time you’re feeling stuck on what to set up, let AI help you brainstorm.

Try This Prompt:

"I need a simple, open-ended Invitation to Play using only [list the materials you already have]. Suggest an idea that encourages creativity and problem-solving."

?? The Quick Win: You don’t need to overthink your setup - AI gives you a starting point, and you can adapt from there.

?2. Speed Up Documentation in Less Than a Minute

After a play session, don’t spend ages writing up observations—use AI to structure your documentation quickly.

Try This Prompt:

"Summarise the learning from a play experience where children explored [describe play theme]. Link it to EYLF outcomes and explain why you made those connections."

?? The Quick Win: No more staring at a blank screen - AI gives you a formatted summary in seconds, and you can tweak it as needed.

3. Use AI for Forward Planning (Without the Extra Effort )

After documenting a learning experience, ask AI for simple, actionable ways to extend play.

Try This Prompt:

"Based on a recent play experience involving [describe topic], suggest three follow-up activities to extend children’s learning."

?? The Quick Win: Forward planning no longer has to be a chore - AI gives instant, adaptable suggestions so you can focus on engaging with children.

Why These Work

? They take less than a minute to try.

? They integrate seamlessly into what you’re already doing.

? They reduce mental load, saving you time and effort.

You don’t need to reshape your entire planning process ?- just add one AI-powered step at a time and see what works for you.

Which of these Quick Wins are you going to try first? Let me know in the comments! ??

Practice Prompting with The Empowered Educator ECE Friendly AI Assistants Team

Leading AI Integration in Early Learning

AI in early childhood education isn’t a distant concept - it’s already happening. Many educators are experimenting with AI tools for planning, documentation, and learning support. But without clear guidance, training, or leadership direction, its use can become inconsistent, ineffective, or even problematic.

As leaders, directors, and educational mentors, it’s time to start thinking strategically about how AI fits into your service’s planning, programming, and professional development.

Rather than ignoring AI or assuming it’s too advanced for early education, consider this:

• Are your educators already using AI? If so, how are they using it, and is it supporting best practices?
• If they’re not using AI yet, are they hesitant because they don’t understand its potential?
• How can leadership help guide AI literacy and ethical AI use in early learning settings?

By reflecting on these key areas now, you can ensure AI tools are used effectively, helping your team work smarter - not harder - while maintaining high-quality, child-led, and play-based learning experiences.

?? 5 Important Questions ECE Leaders Should Be Asking About AI Adoption…

These questions are designed to help you think critically about AI integration in your service and encourage intentional, guided implementation.

1?? What are my current thoughts and feelings about AI in early childhood education?

Am I hesitant, curious, excited, or overwhelmed? How might these feelings impact my approach to AI in my team or setting?

2?? Are educators in my service already using AI tools for planning and documentation?

If so, how are they using them, and do they align with best practices for play-based learning and documentation?

3?? How can I ensure that AI supports - not replaces - educators' professional judgment, creativity, and expertise?

What strategies can I implement to maintain an educator-led approach to AI integration?

4?? What steps can I take to provide AI literacy training for my team so that they feel confident using AI tools effectively, ethically, and efficiently?

Who in my service could lead this learning?

5?? How can I introduce conversations about AI with my team in a way that reduces fear and builds confidence?

What are the first small steps I can take to guide AI adoption in a supportive, non-intimidating way?

AI is Here - Let’s Lead Its Adoption Confidently

AI is already being adopted by educators in early learning, whether services are guiding it or not. As leaders, we have the opportunity to shape AI integration in a way that strengthens and improves practice, saves time, and ensures high-quality, meaningful learning experiences for children.

By leading with intentionality, curiosity, and a commitment to ethical AI use, we can empower educators to use AI as a tool for efficiency, not a replacement for expertise.

What is one action you could take this month to support AI adoption in your team? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! ??

Why Learning How To Prompt AI Effectively Matters

One of the biggest mistakes I see educators making at the moment when using AI is asking one basic question and accepting the first answer as ‘final.’

But AI works best when it’s treated as a collaborative planning assistant - something that supports your professional judgment, rather than replacing it.

This means using better prompts that provide the AI with:

? Clear context about your setting (family daycare, preschool, mixed-age group, etc.)

? Specific child interests (e.g., an obsession with dinosaurs or a curiosity about light and shadows)

? Your observations (what children have explored already, what they struggled with, what excited them)

? Materials available (so AI suggests realistic setups, not activities requiring special resources)

? The learning goals you want to support

The more details you provide, the more relevant and useful AI’s responses will be.

Let’s look at some useful AI prompts for Invitations to Play, Provocations, Documentation, and Forward Planning - each written in a way that ensures YOU remain the expert, guiding AI to support your role.

AI Prompts for Invitations to Play & Provocations

Basic Prompt: (Not Ideal!)

"Give me an Invitation to Play for preschool children"

?? Why This Doesn’t Work Well:

• Too vague—AI has no idea what materials you have, what children are interested in, or what learning goals you’re focusing on.
• The answer will likely be generic and not tailored to your environment.

? More Effective Prompt:

"I work with a group of [age range] children in a [type of setting: preschool, family daycare, etc.]. They have recently shown an interest in [describe interest, e.g., dinosaurs, vehicles, insects]. I have the following materials available: [list your loose parts, natural items, recycled materials, art supplies].Can you suggest three Invitations to Play that encourage [specific skill, e.g., fine motor skills, problem-solving, collaboration]? Please keep the ideas open-ended, ensuring children can explore without direct adult guidance."

?? Why This Works:

? The AI-generated response is directly tied to your materials - you won’t need to go out and buy extra resources.

? It aligns with children’s interests, making engagement more likely.

? It allows for multiple ways to explore, keeping the play open-ended.

? Prompt for Provocations That Spark Inquiry

"I have noticed that children in my [type of setting] have been asking a lot of questions about [topic, e.g., why leaves change colour, how shadows work]. I would like to set up a provocation to encourage critical thinking and curiosity. Can you suggest three simple but thought-provoking provocations using only natural or recycled materials? Please structure the ideas so that they do not provide an obvious answer but instead encourage children to explore and ask questions."

?? Why This Works:

? The provocations don’t give children the answers - they encourage observation and questioning.

? AI tailors the setup to the materials you already have.

? The educator remains the reflective guide, supporting but not directing play.

? Prompt for Documenting Play

Once children have explored an Invitation to Play or a Provocation, it’s time to document the learning.

But instead of writing long-winded notes from scratch, AI can help structure your observations while keeping your unique educator voice.

Basic Prompt: (Not Ideal!)

"Summarise the learning from a water play session."

?? Why This Doesn’t Work Well:

• Too general—AI won’t know what specific skills or observations you want to highlight.
• The response will feel flat and impersonal.

? More Effective Prompt:

"Today, children in my [type of setting] engaged in a water play experience where they experimented with [describe activity: e.g., floating vs. sinking objects, pouring and transferring water].I observed that [describe key moments: e.g., one child made a prediction about which object would sink first, another child experimented with pouring water into different containers].Can you help me structure a documentation summary that highlights these learning moments and links to EYLF outcomes?"

?? Why This Works:

? AI structures the documentation around your real observations, making it specific and personalised.

? It aligns the experience with EYLF outcomes, saving you time.

? You can edit and refine it, adding your own reflections to maintain your unique educator voice.

? Prompt for Forward Planning

Reflection is key to keeping play-based learning intentional. After documenting an experience, use AI to help plan next steps that build on children’s discoveries.

"Based on the following learning experience: [describe play experience and key discoveries], suggest three follow-up activities that deepen children’s understanding while maintaining an open-ended approach. I would like one activity to focus on [e.g., STEM skills], one on [e.g., social-emotional learning], and one that encourages [e.g., language development]."

?? Why This Works:

? AI helps you move beyond a one-time activity - it encourages progressive learning.

? You remain in control by choosing focus areas for follow-up planning.

? The AI-generated ideas are adaptable for different settings and age groups.

?? Empowered Ed Tip:?

AI is not a one-question, one-answer tool - it’s a collaborative conversation partner.

You improve, adjust, and build on AI’s suggestions, just like you would with a co-educator in a team meeting.

So, the next time you use AI, don’t just accept the first response.

Ask follow-up questions, add more details, and make it work for YOU.

More Ways AI Can Help You With Provocations and Invitations...

This newsletter has given you a strong foundation in some of the ways that AI can support Invitations to Play, and Provocations throughout your planning cycle and environments,. But there’s so much more to explore and I break it all down for you in the latest episode of the Early Education in the Age Of AI podcast!

In this episode, I go into more detail to explain how AI chat assistants (like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and my exclusive Empowered Ed AI Assistants) can help early childhood professionals and parents:

? Understand the difference between Invitations to Play & Provocations (and why it matters!)

? Use AI to generate play ideas based on available materials & children’s interests

? Simplify and organise learning journey documentation while keeping your authentic educator voice & expertise front and centre

? Extend children’s learning by using AI to suggest more personalised follow-up activities & reflective prompts

?? Listen in to learn:

?? Why children sometimes ignore our carefully set-up play invitations (and how to reframe it!)

?? The main difference between Invitations to Play & Provocations (so you can plan more effectively)

?? Simple AI prompts to copy and use with an AI Assistant to give you engaging, open-ended play ideas tailored to your setting

?? How AI can support your learning documentation & analysis - without taking over your voice

?? The one AI-powered forward planning strategy that will save you hours each week

?? If you've ever wished you had more time to create meaningful play-based experiences while keeping up with documentation - this episode is for you!

?? Press play above to listen right here in your newsletter now ??

?? Alternatively, you can also listen to ‘Early Education in the Age of AI’ in your favourite podcast?app!

You’ll find more in depth ideas, strategies and visual inspiration over on The Empowered Educator blog. I’ve collected a few posts that I know you’ll find interesting if you are interested in setting up provocations and invitations to play.

Click on a title below to read more:

10 Surprising Benefits of Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood (+ Activity Ideas )

??10 Small World Invitations To Play That Inspire Early Learning

??Ignite Early Learning Through STEAM Play

??Early Learning Environments That Encourage Child Led Play

??20 Ways Educators can use Tuff Trays to Invite Playful Learning.

??Outdoor Activities, Invitations & Play Ideas From Educators

??Educator Invitations and Provocations

??10 Ways To Invite Children to Play with Boxes

??Ideas With Colour, Light, Shadow and Reflection.

??How to Setup Invitations to Play Using Nature

The future of early childhood education isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter.

I hope this edition of the newsletter? has helped you to feel more excited and perhaps confident about the differences between Invitations to Play and Provocations and how you might incorporate more of them into your current planning to foster creativity, critical thinking, and child-led learning now that you know how to use the support of an AI Assistant to make the process faster and easier!

Don’t overthink it though - what the concept of play based learning really comes down to is that it’s not about setting up the “perfect” play space - it’s about being more intentional, responsive, and open to how children engage with materials in their own way.

Your Quick Action Steps for Next Week

1?? Choose one play invitation or provocation to try in your setting.

2?? Observe how children engage - without directing or interrupting.

3?? Use one AI prompt to help document or extend the play experience.

4?? Reflect - How did the setup influence their play? What surprised you?

?? Have you tried using AI in your play-based planning yet? What worked well? What challenges did you face? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

How Else Can I Help You?

If you’ve been inspired by how AI can save you time, spark creativity, and support play-based learning, it’s time to take the next step...

But you don’t have to figure out how to use AI alone because you can now get immediate access to more personalised guidance, training and support.

Join Me Inside The AI-Empowered Educators Membership!

If you’re serious about helping your educators thrive while confidently integrating AI use into your service, the AI-Empowered Educators Membership is here to support you.

Inside the Membership, You’ll Get Immediate Access To:

?? AI SmartForms

Pre-built AI-powered forms that help educators save time on documentation, assessment writing and more by guiding them through simple reflective questions that ensure the final documentation created by the AI is personalised to their goals and children's needs.

?? AI Assistants Team

Chat with specialised AI chat assistants specially trained by me on all aspects on early education pedagogy and frameworks to support educators and leaders with their early learning documentation, activity ideas, individual child planning, QIP updates, mentoring, inclusive practice and so much more.

?? Step-by-Step Training Videos

Learn how to use AI ethically and confidently in early childhood settings with easy-to-follow tutorials, action guides and prompt templates to copy.

?? A Supportive Community – Chat with like-minded leaders and educators who are experimenting, learning, and growing with AI - without judgment.

AI is already changing how educators work. The question is: Will your team be ready to use it effectively?

Join the AI-Empowered Educators Membership today so you can start using AI as a professional development resource that supports, empowers, builds capacity and strengthens your team.

?? Click here to join us inside now

?? Have questions about anything in this weeks newsletter? Reply in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!