Welcome to Programming and Planning in Playground!

We understand trying out new tools can sometimes be intimidating, but there is no right or wrong way to use the features in Playground.

Whether you're an experienced Teacher or just starting out, Playground is designed for you to explore your creativity to both find new ways of sharing parent-facing content, and interact with your fellow Teachers to keep your centre running as smoothly as possible. Here, we'll address some frequently asked questions about Playground to help you get started!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• General FAQ
• Posts FAQ
• Documents FAQ
• Canvas FAQ
• Tables FAQ 

General FAQ

What should I be using each feature for?

There is no right or wrong way to use Posts, Canvas, Documents or Tables in Playground! These tools weren't designed to be used one single way.

We would love for you to use these tools however you would like, though some features lend themselves better to certain types of work than others.

For example, the Documents feature is particularly useful if you know you need to write a lot of content - so this may be preferred if you're writing a summative assessment or in-depth reflection, over Canvas, which works well as a visual representation of learning.


How do other centres use Playground for their Programming and Planning?

Everyone is different! Some services use Posts for updates for their families throughout the day, others use it as a day book, preferring to keep their individual observations for Documents.

We've seen Canvas used for child portfolios and newsletters, Tables used for forward planning and as a tracker for words learned in a language class. 

It all comes down to the individual and how they like to work.

Take a look at our article: Playground Web: Ideas


Where do I start?
If you would like to start off with something simple - try Posts first. Posts are the same template every time, and are designed to be very quick and easy to use.
Make copies of your existing programming and planning - whether this be paper based, or screenshots from other software you might be using. Have a look through Canvas, Tables and Documentation to get a feel for how you can translate what you're currently doing, in to these features.

What is the difference between Playground on the Web, and Programming and Planning via the App?
The features available are exactly the same - they're simply different ways of accessing the tools.


Why can't I see Programming and Planning on the Playground app?
Currently, only iOS devices are currently able to access Programming and Planning via the App. If you would still like to access the web version via your tablet, we recommend opening Playground Web on Chrome.


Can everything be seen by our Families?
Not everything! If a child is tagged in Posts/Documents/Canvas/Tables, and you have published your work, their family will be able to see this content in Home.
If you would like to keep your work internal, shared only with other Teachers, you can still publish your work, just ensure you are not tagging any children (the publish button will still read 'Publish to Parents', but we assure you no parents will see it unless their child is tagged).


Does Playground let me communicate with other Teachers?
Yes! Please see our Teacher Communication article.


My Playground is getting quite cluttered - I can't find anything!
Folders are here to help! Each feature (Posts, Documents, Canvas and Tables) has a section at the top of the page, where you can create folders, and this will come in handy in the long term.

You can label these however you would like (please note, you can't create folders within folders at this time).
Just click on 'New Folder', type in the name, then tap 'Enter' or 'Return' on your keyboard.
The only thing we wouldn't recommend, is creating a folder for each child (this may fall out of control quickly). Instead, if you're looking for a piece of work in which a particular child was tagged, you can use the Children tab in the left-side menu.
To move a piece of work over to a folder, under 'Files' in Posts/Tables/Canvas/Documents, click the 3-dot menu and select 'Move to Folder'.
You will then be able to select a folder from the list. 

How can I delete a Post/Document/Table/Canvas?
Posts, documents, tables and canvases can't be "deleted" in the typical sense, but if you would like to remove all content and hide the piece, click the 3-dot menu under your work, click 'Edit', and delete all content. Remove all tagged children, change the title, then click 'Publish to Parents'. As children are no longer tagged, parents will not receive a notification, and they will no longer be able to see the work.
Once "published" click on the 3-dot menu again and select 'Archive'.

I made a mistake and published it to the parents/guardians. What do I do?
If it's an easily fixed mistake, click the 3-dot menu on your work, click 'Edit', then make your adjustments. When you're ready, click 'Publish to Parents' again. If children have been tagged, parents will receive a notification that the work has been updated. They will not be able to view the previous version after this.
If it's a larger mistake or you know it will take some time to correct, as above, click on edit, remove the tagged children, and click 'Publish to Parents'. If the children have been un-tagged, the parents will no longer be able to view the work. You can now edit the piece again, and when fixed, re-tag the children and click 'Publish to Parents' again.


If I have a picture of an individual child in a Document/Table/Canvas/Post, can all parents/guardians see that picture, or just the parents/guardians of that child?
If you put a picture of an individual child in any of the features, and tag any other children in addition, all parents/guardians of all tagged children will be able to see that photo. If you would prefer to keep individual photos private, make sure to only tag the relevant child.

Are there any shortcuts or tips you can share with me?

• Type ‘@’ and then begin typing the name of an Teacher, Room or Child to quickly tag
• Type ‘#’ and then begin typing a key word from a Learning Outcome to quickly tag
• Bulk tag children: When you add an Observation or published Documentation to Canvas, it tags all the children (and learning outcomes) already tagged in the Ob/Doc in the Plan. It's quick to tag whole rooms in the Playground App - have an Observation saved under the title 'Our Room' that has all the children in the room tagged, and add it to any Plans for that room to bulk tag the children without dropping them into the Plan again
• Press ‘Ctrl + Z’ to undo (Microsoft) or ‘Command + Z’ (Mac)
• ‘Ctrl + Y’ to redo (Microsoft) or ‘Command + Y’ (Mac)
• ‘Ctrl + P’ to print (Microsoft) or ‘Command + P’ (Mac)
• ‘Ctrl + A’ to select all (Microsoft) or ‘Command + A’ (Mac)
• Backspace or 'Delete' to delete
• Double click a shape to add text

I have accidentally deleted something whilst making a Canvas/Table/Document, what can I do to bring it back?
If you have accidentally deleted some typing, hold the "CTRL" or "Command" button on your keyboard and tap the "Z" key.
Alternatively, if you are working in Canvas, click on the back and forward arrows at the top left of the screen to undo/redo.
Unfortunately if you have deleted a column or row in Tables, you will not be able to restore it.
We recommend regularly clicking on 'Save Draft' as you are working, as this is the best way to ensure you don't lose your work. If you accidentally delete something and cannot bring it back, click on the Playground icon at the top left of the screen, then return to your work, where your most recent save will load.

Can I move a draft to a folder?
Yes, you will be able to save drafts to folders to come back to later.

Can I create a folder for each child?
We would not recommend this, as you would need one for each feature; Posts, Documents, Canvas and Tables and there would soon be an unmanageable number of folders to track.
Instead, the 'Children' tab on the left-side menu will allow you to select a child and view all work they have been tagged in.

Can I create a folder for each Teacher?
You could, but there is an easier way to view a specific Teacher's work. Click on 'Educators' on the left-side menu and click on the Teacher. All work they have created or contributed to will be visible here.

Posts FAQ

How can I use Posts?
Posts will always have the same layout - Title, Details, Future Planning, and room for up to 32 photos (you can also insert a video with a duration up to 30 seconds).
For this reason, you won't be able to be as creative as you would with other features, but we have seen Posts used as formal observations of individual children, group updates, photo drops and learning stories. 

Why are Posts available in both the Learning section in the app, and in Programming and Planning, but Canvas, Tables and Documents aren't?
Posts were designed to be quick and easy - to be used when you are with the children in your service.
Tables, Documents and Canvas are a little more involved, and many Teachers will use these features in their non-contact time.

How can I link my Posts to other work my centre has created?
Posts can be pulled in to Documents, Tables and Canvas via the left side menu in each of these features.
You can scroll down the list to find your Post, or filter by date/folder. When you find the relevant Post, click, hold and drag it in to your work. 

Documents FAQ 

How should I use Documents?
Documents work well for text-heavy content. If you know you're going to be doing a lot of typing, Documents are probably the best way to go!
It can also be used as a platform to reference other content you've made in Playground. Additionally, you will be able to drag and drop as many photos as you would like (you could use a Collage to structure them nicely), so if you're feeling the 32 picture limit in Posts isn't working for you, Documents can be a great alternative.

What do other centres use Documents for?
We have seen Documents used in many ways, including (but definitely not limited to):

• Detailed Observations
• Summative Assessments
• Newsletters
• Day Books
• Learning Stories
• In-depth Reflections
• QIPs
• Child 'About Me' profiles
• Memos
• Meet the Teachers information

See more Ideas here: Playground Web: Ideas

Canvas FAQ 

Where do I start with a blank Canvas?
We know sometimes jumping straight into a blank Canvas can be a little intimidating, so you could try using one of our Layouts to get a feel for the feature initially.
When you're wanting to start from scratch, pull some shapes onto the Canvas first. Have a think about some colours that might suit the theme of what you would like to display, then head to the palette icon (definitely use the opacity slider in the colour palette - this will create some beautiful effects for layering), change the size of the shapes, play with the layers, and don't be afraid to make a mess of it (there's the undo/redo buttons and the bin icon if you need them).

You can start small - a canvas doesn't have to be big and elaborate. Oftentimes you can create something just as meaningful with only a few shapes. Don't overthink it - it will take shape over time.

You can always save your Canvas as a draft if you would like to come back to work on it later.

What can I create in Canvas?
We have seen Canvas used in so many ways, but it is primarily a visual platform. It might not be the best choice if you are wanting to type a lot of content (this being said, you can link Documents in to the Canvas).
If you're feeling creative, Canvas can be a wonderful way to document the planning cycle for a big project you've been working on, or to keep a child portfolio that you can continue editing throughout a child's time at your service.
We have also seen Canvas used for:

• Newsletters
• Profiles
• Teacher Information
• Mind-mapping and Brain Storming

If you would like some inspiration, please see here: Playground Web: Ideas

How can I use Canvas for a child profile?
You could start out by creating a Layout, so every child is on the same page.
Or, you can tailor a canvas for each child to best reflect their personality. Either way, start out by giving your Canvas a title "Matilda's Profile" or "Matilda's time at Little Seeds" for example.

From here, you can pull in some pictures, and key posts/documents/tables that you have created for the child (Dragging and dropping a post in to a shape, fills that shape with the first photo in the post). Don't forget to tag your child, and click 'Publish to Parents'.

Whenever you would like to update the profile, locate the canvas (you could have a folder specifically for profiles), click edit, make your changes, and publish to parents again.

This way, each time you update the canvas, the parent/guardian will receive a notification (depending on their settings). 

Tables FAQ

Are Tables made for Planning?
Tables can definitely be used for planning your week/fortnight/month, but you can use them for so much more!
We have seen Tables used as below (this is not a definitive list):

• Weekly/fortnightly/monthly plans
• Cleaning checklists
• Outcome trackers
• Language class trackers
• Child profiles
• Menus
• Developmental checklists
• Bulletin boards
• Meeting minutes

How can I use Tables for checklists?
Start out by creating a Layout for your checklist.
From here, create a folder (see guide above) specifically for your checklist/s, and each time you create a new list from your layout (be sure to change the title), file it away so other Teachers can easily find and use the list.
When you're ready to tick the items off your list, go to it's folder, open up the checklist Table by clicking 'Edit', then type your initials where you would normally tick and click 'Publish to Parents' (as long as no children are tagged, parents will not see the list).
If you would like to 'sign' the list, you can always use the Reflections feature, as this will record your user profile, and the time you made a comment.