Learning in the baby to preschool years
About learning in the early years
Babies are born ready to learn, and their brains develop through use. So your child needs a stimulating environment with lots of different ways to learn through play and activity.
Babies and young children learn best when they have warm, engaged and responsive relationships with their main carers. You are your child’s first teacher, but not in a formal "school" kind of way. As you stimulate and encourage early exploration and play, and serve as a loving model, your child will keep learning from you as she gets older.
How babies and young children learn
Your child learns best by actively engaging with her environment, not just sitting passively. This includes:
- observing interesting things in her world, watching faces and responding to voices
- listening to sounds, making sounds and singing
- exploring – for example, putting things in her mouth--safely!, shaking things and turning things around
- asking questions – for example, ‘But why?’
- experimenting with textures, objects and materials like water, sand or dirt
- doing things that stimulate all of her senses – touch, taste, smell, vision and hearing.
Your child also learns by being involved in his learning. This could be as simple as:
- choosing books to read
- pointing to pictures in books
- choosing objects and toys to play with
- picking out vegetables for dinner
- measuring out flour for muffins.
If your child has the opportunity to try lots of different everyday activities (inside, outside, physically active, quiet, and so on) she has lots of ways to learn and practise what she’s learning.
Your child needs your support for learning. For example, he might sometimes need you to show him what to do, and praise and encouragement are always motivating. But it's also important to let your child make mistakes and find out for himself how the world works is a big part of learning.
How you and your family help your young child learn
You and your family have a vital role in what your child learns in these early years. This happens every day, in small ways:
Self and relationships
From you and your family, your child learns that she’s loved and important. She learns trust – for example, ‘I know you’ll be there if I fall over’.
Language and communication
When you talk and listen with your child, and read and sing together, you’re helping him learn about language, written and spoken communication, and conversation skills like taking turns and listening.
Space, place and environment
At home with you, your child learns about her own size and shape – for example, ‘I’m bigger than our stool but not as big as our table’. She also learns about her place in her community and her influence on the world around her. For example, ‘My home is in this street, the park is down the road, and my friend lives in a different street’, or ‘The plants grew because I helped to water them’.
Health and physical fitness
When it comes to healthy eating and physical activity, you’re a key role model for your child. If you choose to have an apple rather than a snack bar for morning tea, your child is more likely to do the same. If you go for a walk rather than watching the TV, your child learns that exercise is a good, fun way to spend time together.
Numeracy, literacy, handwriting and music
You help your child build early numeracy skills with everyday counting – for example, ‘How many bears are on the bed?’ or ‘Can you put all the red pegs into this basket?’ Or you can sing nursery rhymes with your child that include counting.
And your child develops early literacy through reading and storytelling with you, playing simple sound and letter games like listening for words that begin with the same sound, and looking at pictures, letters and words in the environment – for example, on signs and in catalogues.
Your child’s handwriting skills are supported when you encourage him to draw, scribble and pretend to write. For example, if you’re writing a shopping list, you could give your child some paper and a pencil so he can join in. ‘Writing’ also helps your child understand the connection between letters and spoken sounds.
Singing with your child, putting on music for her to dance to, giving her musical instruments to play (homemade is just fine), and finding dress-up clothes for her to use are all great ways to get her started on learning about music, drama and dance.
By encouraging your child to try lots of new things, you help her learn more about who she is and what she’s good at.
