Introducing age-appropriate art projects during the early formative years is a wonderful way to foster creativity and expression. This is a time when the human brain undergoes the greatest advancements, with neural networks being formed that shape the future adult that the child has the potential to become.

A healthy, proactive approach that stimulates this through fun activities is one of the core principles of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood learning.

8 Easy Ways to Weave Art into the Early Education Landscape

At every stage of life, the easiest way to learn is through doing something enjoyable. Applying this to the early developmental years doesn’t only stimulate creativity – it’s also a potent way to encourage a child to discover a unique pattern of self-expression.

Enjoyable arts and crafts activities are one of the best ways of doing this. Not only does this promote creative expression, but it also brings multiple other benefits. These include:

• Learning and honing fine motor skills: Innovative art projects utilise various mediums that children can touch, feel and learn how to move and manoeuvre. Manipulating tools, such as paintbrushes and crayons, helps with the development of fine motor skills
• Improve communication: Children can talk about their creative ideas, listen to others and vocalise their thoughts into words, as well as communicating their thoughts through the art they create.
• Learn about shapes and colours: Art projects provide the perfect educational landscape where children gain knowledge through a fun activity, as opposed to structured learning.
• Emotional development: Discovering how to express their emotions, both verbally as they talk about what they’re doing and non-verbally, through their creations.
• Promote socialisation: Enjoyable group art activities provide a great environment to find common ground with others, communicate and form friendship bonds.

One of the guiding principles of the Reggio Emilia approach is that the environment is the third teacher. There is no set curriculum, and each child is encouraged to learn through exploration and to follow their instincts. This is a potent promoter of creativity and expression, allowing the individual to push their own boundaries of discovery and learning as they do so.

This can be woven into learning spaces in so many ways.

1. Provide a wide range of art materials: From the obvious – such as paints, crayons, paper – to the innovative – beads, cotton wool, crunchy autumn leaves, twigs, jelly, play dough, sponges, empty toilet rolls, tissues, sand and anything else that is safe for toddlers and young children to handle and discover.
2. Create dedicated art project spaces: This could be inside or outside (weather dependent) and an area where children can freely access materials as they choose.
3. Encourage free-form designs: Children should be encouraged to let their imagination flow, rather than providing instructions as to what to do. Educators can ask open-ended questions that advocate exploration, emboldening their young students to try different things and work through any problems they might encounter.
4. Promote different themes: Without putting ‘rules’ in place, educators can suggest a theme from which a child’s imagination can start. Something simple, such as animals, the sky, home or love can be a springboard from which incredible ideas can form. Children who are provided with the means and environment to explore through art regularly astound the adults around them with their creativity and how they see the world.
5. There are no mistakes: The whole ethos of an art discovery project is that there is no right or wrong. OK, things might not go as a child planned, but learning how and why this happened is great for honing problem-solving techniques – plus increases the potential of discovering something brand new that often leads to further exploration.
6. Allow full freedom of choice: Let the child work out what medium and products they want to use. This encourages critical thinking, autonomy and allows them to take control of their personal journey of discovery.
7. Teamwork: Children can be encouraged to work with others towards a bigger project. For example, making their own addition to a larger animal-themed display or as decoration for an upcoming centre event.
8. Include discussion within the creative landscape: Educators can ask questions about a child’s choices. “What made you decide to make a dog out of that toilet roll?” or “Why does your lion have a blue mane?”, for example. Such conversations encourage a child to think more about their actions and understand the reasoning behind their decisions.

Each Evoke Early Learning environment is custom created to inspire children to embrace and learn through art and craft projects. Our childcare philosophy encourages natural curiosity, with curated areas full of different mediums for children to explore and create.

Discover more about our Albert Park and Clayton centres and contact us today to arrange a visit.

Music and movement are powerful tools that can be introduced into the learning environment from nursery to toddlers and pre-school. From gentle swaying and singing when holding a baby through to encouraging toddlers and pre-schoolers to explore how to move to tunes and sound, these actions promote so much more than just a lifelong love of music.

Children naturally form an association with music and sound. From a calming background noise as they fall asleep to the rousing chants of favourite childhood rhymes, music exerts a powerful influence on child development.

This is firmly integrated into the Reggio Emilia philosophy, where the encouragement of creativity and self-exploration is at the forefront of the approach. The use of music in the early childhood environment plays a crucial role in development.

• Developing motor skills: Clapping, stomping, nodding, jumping… The natural inclination to move to a musical beat is a wonderful way to hone the art of motion. As a child grows and becomes more confident in how their body functions, these movements help with the development of balance and coordination. Learning to use instruments – such as banging a drum, hitting a tambourine or pinging a triangle is a wonderful way to learn hand-eye coordination, dexterity and hone finer motor skills.
• Cognitive development: A child’s neural network is developing at a tremendous pace. Recognition of sounds and familiar tunes helps with memory development, dancing increases spatial awareness and learning songs promotes recognition and attention span.
• Emotional development: Music is a wonderful medium for expression. Dancing, singing, even sitting quietly with music playing in the background creates a great landscape for children to begin to learn to recognise, express, understand and control their emotions.
• Social development: Group activities where children sing and dance together are great ways to build bonds with others, learn about teamwork and form relationships with others.
• Learning language and developing communication skills: Singing, rhymes, chanting… All help children increase their vocabulary, learn about self-expression and communicate verbally and non-verbally with those around them. The beauty of music, dance and movement expresses so much more than simple words. Body language, facial expressions and learning how to articulate feelings and thoughts in multiple different ways is enhanced through the joy and power of music.

Music and movement play an active role in the Reggio Emilia approach. Early education providers can integrate this in many ways, including:

• Playing age-appropriate musical instruments – from toddlers banging on drums to pre-schoolers learning the art of chime bells or even more difficult instruments, such as the recorder, making music is something that’s well-received and that has a dramatic and positive influence during the early formative years.
• Good old-fashioned singing and nursery rhyme time…
• Musical games, such as musical statues and musical chairs – or let the children invent games that involve music, singing and dancing.
• Using music and movement during story telling. A song, movement or dance is all it takes to turn a simple tale into a wondrous journey into whatever imaginary world is being talked about. Such attributes can also be woven into educational subjects, such as those with a gentle environmental undertone. Storytelling isn’t known as an ‘art’ for no reason… And nothing is more enrapturing than a child or group of children hanging onto every word – something that a well-timed song or dance can truly bring to life.
• Mindfulness activities – including quiet time and breathing exercises to a background of soothing sounds.

Music is part and parcel of life at Evoke Early Learning Centres. From the soothing sounds and cuddles in the nursery to the joy of toddlers indulging in noisy musical play and the dance routines of Kindy, it’s just one of the elements that make the Evoke environment such a happy, progressive, welcoming and beneficial home-from-home for the children in our care.

Contact our team today to find out more.

Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste – the five senses through which we experience our world. During the crucial early years of life, the areas of the brain that are responsible for each are constantly making new neural connections. Therefore, an environment that encourages the use of all of them is vital – and it’s something that’s an integral element of Reggio Emilia settings.

While we can look at each sense individually, it’s important to remember that the whole system is dynamic. Each interacts with the others – for example, seeing the redness of a strawberry, feeling its rough texture, smelling the aroma and tasting its sweetness.

Sight: a window on the world.

Babies are born with limited eyesight, seeing only the blur of shapes with no ability to see at distance. This develops over the first months and years. Between the age of 3-5, their vision will be comparable to an adult, but the eye-brain pathway continues to enhance until around eight years old (on average).

Once this is understood, the importance of providing visual stimuli becomes clear. In Reggio Emilia settings, this is encouraged through a variety of methods, such as:

• The use of light, airy spaces that accentuate colour, shapes and the contrast between light and shade.
• Using bright colours that catch the eye and invite a child to reach out, touch and explore objects further.
• Including many geometric shapes and patterns. These might be incorporated into the décor – rugs, cushions, furniture, pictures, toys… Anything goes.
• Encouraging creative, visually stimulating activities. Child-friendly paints and crayons, using glitter, sticking shapes – all kinds of age-appropriate arts and crafts that invite exploration, creativity, imagination and discovery.
• Furthering hand-eye coordination. This important skill combines both eyesight and touch – and is learned in so many ways. From using a paintbrush to the dexterity needed to sort pebbles into groups of similar shapes, this is an example of crossover development where sensory activities stimulate multi-sense development.

Touch: Interpretation through feeling

In the earliest weeks and months, touch is one of the foremost ways a baby interacts with the world. In the early learning environment, it’s vital that this is continued, as tactile experiences not only promote discovery, but are one of the building blocks of critical thinking and problem-solving.

Reggio Emilia classrooms are filled with texture. Children are free to touch and explore, creating their own path of discovery. Examples might include creative activities with dry autumn leaves – who doesn’t love their crunchy crispness? A sand pit, water bobbing, mud pies (yes, getting messy is an important element of sensory play), finger painting and more.

Another staple is a sensory basket, filled with a wide variety of textured objects. Such play not only helps develop touch but also introduces vocabulary as children learn to vocalise what they feel.

Hearing: the first sense to develop

The area of the brain that interprets sound is developing way before a baby enters the world. At around 18 weeks they can hear noises within the body – and at around 27 weeks this extends to exterior sound, such as voices and music. However, distinguishing between sounds and understanding them is a skill that’s learned during the first weeks, months and years after birth.

This is encouraged through:

• Repetition: Using rhythm exercises, songs, music, instruments etc.
• Storytelling: Reading age-appropriate tales out loud – and retelling the ones that pique the imagination. Every adult has a memory of a favourite childhood story that they could never get enough of hearing.
• Noise-focused activities: Examples might include listening to the different sounds water makes as it splashes, pours or drips, or maybe the changing noises a rattle makes when you shake it slowly or fast.

Smell: Invoking the conscious and subconscious mind with aroma

Smell is one of the most fascinating senses because it stimulates both the conscious and subconscious mind. We’ve all experienced that sudden rush of emotion or a long-forgotten memory when a certain smell hits our nostrils – it’s a well-understood reaction and one used by marketers to drive consumer behaviour in many settings.

Developing the sense of smell is crucial during the early years as it has a strong influence on memory, emotion and learning. It can be encouraged in so many ways, such as smelling flowers, sniffing food before tasting it and exploring the aroma of herbs and other cooking ingredients. Once again, encouraging the development of smell is cross-linked to other senses, such as the smell and feel of fresh grass during outdoor play or noting the colour of a banana and the sweetness of both its smell and taste.

Taste: Sensory development in combination with healthy nutrition

The foundations of healthy nutrition are laid during childhood. In the Reggio Emilia setting, children are encouraged to explore different foodstuffs, learning about different tastes and textures. Again, this crossover between taste and touch (or mouthfeel) is highlighted and can be encouraged in so many ways.

In the early learning environment, this is promoted through making mealtimes fun. Children are encouraged to take the lead and assist with food preparation and presentation. Finger bowls and tasting plates are common. Experimenting with different foods fosters a great attitude towards food. Multi-cultural classrooms are fabulous for this, with activities centred around tasting traditional elements commonly enjoyed on tables around the world being a great way to experience different dishes and the taste opportunities they bring.

At Evoke Early Learning, we adopt the Reggio Emilia approach throughout our nursery, toddler and kindergarten programmes. Sensory learning is at the forefront of our learning spaces and a primary focus in our childcare philosophy.

Discover more about enrolling your child at Evoke Early Learning and book a tour to see us in action.

Incorporating the wonders of the outdoors throughout indoor locations is a theme that runs strongly through Reggio Emilia-inspired classrooms and play areas. This core element of childcare philosophy melds the natural world into the fabric of day-to-day life, creating an environment that helps drive curiosity, creativity and imagination.

The earliest years of life are a time when humans really do make the most of all the natural senses. From touch and smell to vision, hearing and taste, exploring and learning about the world can be encouraged through the provision of natural materials.

On entering a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom, one thing that becomes immediately obvious is the lack of man-made materials, such as plastic. Instead, containers might be made of metal or wicker, furniture could be wooden, tactile soft furnishings utilise natural fabrics – like cotton or wool - and plant life is usually abundant. Another overriding theme is the use of light. This could enter the space through large and strategically placed windows or, especially in the balmy Australian climate, through careful use of outside space, yard areas, garden rooms etc.

Why natural materials are so important in the early learning space

During a child’s crucial early years, the brain forms neural connections at outstanding speed. This process is stimulated through all five senses, with touch being extremely powerful. By providing multiple natural materials – each with a unique texture and feel – a child’s naturally inquisitive nature will be piqued.

For example:

• The smooth, cool feeling of sand running through the fingers.
• The squishy delights of mud and clay.
• Discovering the rougher texture of objects, such as sticks, bark and wood.
• The delicious crunch of autumn leaves.
• Comparing the feel of stonewashed pebbles against those unsmoothed by the elements.
• The soft, tickly feeling of feathers.

But touch is only one of the senses. A child’s neural growth is also stimulated through other powerful sensory triggers, such as:

• The different smells and fragrances of flowers, plants, leaves etc.
• Nature’s wonderful array of colour, such as the kaleidoscope of plant blooms, green grass, blue sky, white clouds, etc.
• The sound of water being poured and splashed.
• The taste of a variety of foods – and again, the different colours of natural choices, such as red tomatoes, orange carrots, green apples, etc.

Examples of how natural materials are used

Imagination and exploration are key to the Reggio Emilia concept of ‘the environment as the third teacher’. Promoting this during early childhood development plays a crucial role in instilling a love of learning that will be taken forward in life. The use of natural materials is an excellent way to stimulate creativity, sensory exploration, environmental awareness, problem-solving and resourcefulness.

For example, children learn through play elements, such as:

• Discovering what objects might float or sink in water.
• Grouping objects by size – such as small stones on one pile and large ones in another.
• Exploring different textures and learning to describe what is felt.
• Utilising natural items for artistic projects, such as shells, seeds, leaves, feathers etc, helps children understand and appreciate the abundance of nature.
• Introduce the idea of recycling and repurposing of items. This lays the building blocks of understanding that natural materials are a finite commodity and the concept of sustainability.

Natural materials in a Reggio Emilia space can be random and varied. From plentiful colourful rugs and throws to displays created by children using only natural materials, items are designed to encourage discovery and questioning. Even something as simple as wooden furniture rather than plastic or using stones and pebbles as counters instead of man-made ones provides an enhanced textural experience.

The use of natural materials – especially those that are gathered locally – further drives awareness of the surroundings and the understanding of the natural world. At Evoke, our childcare values and the Reggio Emilia approach are mirrored across our Albert Park and Clayton centres and through all the nursery, toddler and Kindy curriculums.Book a tour today and come and see us in action.

While it’s perfectly normal for both you and your child to feel a little sad for a few minutes when you part, separation anxiety is a completely different matter. It’s a surprisingly common childhood challenge, most usually experienced in children between six months and three years of age.

Even if your child doesn’t appear to be too concerned when you leave him or her, taking steps to mitigate the negative emotions separation can cause is a wise move.

Understanding what separation anxiety is

Separation anxiety can happen when a child is parted from their primary caregiver (often, but not always, the mother). When very young, they haven’t yet developed the brain connections that allow them to understand that this time apart is only temporary. For the child, what they experience is that their main form of comfort isn’t there. It usually manifests as soon as the caregiver leaves their line of sight.

Signs that might suggest your child is experiencing separation anxiety

One of the most common signs is the child becoming very clingy when you’re about to leave. This might be accompanied by tears – many a parent has experienced those heart breaking moments when they drop their little one at a day care centre, for example.

Other signs include:

• Increasing levels of waking and crying in the night – especially if they used to sleep soundly.
• Not falling asleep unless you or another familiar figure is close to them.
• Becoming increasingly upset and/or clingy when introduced to new situations.

6 steps to managing or preventing separation anxiety

Although it can be very upsetting to see your child in distress, take heart that a level of anxiety is a completely natural reaction. During the critical early years of a child’s life, the neural connections within the brain are increasing at an incredibly fast pace – at a rate of thousands per day - all of which are influenced by their surroundings and experiences.

Therefore, there are multiple things you can do to help your child manage and understand the feelings that are driving their anxiety.

1. Practice separation: From an early age (even if your child doesn’t seem to have any issues with separation), leave your child for short periods with a trusted person. This could be as simple as leaving the room for a few minutes while they cuddle with a grandparent or carer. Gradually increase the time you spend apart – perhaps you nip out to the shops or grab a coffee with a friend. Gauge their reaction as to how much you can extend the time you’re away. Multiple short separation times with no anxiety from your child is what you’re aiming for. Once this is in place, you can think about leaving them for a little longer.
2. It’s not goodbye: Don’t overdo the leaving process. You’re not saying goodbye – it’s more of a see you very soon. Your emotions at this point are very important (and yes, it can be hard for you too). Make the moment of parting a positive one. Smile, tell them you’ll be back soon – and, most importantly, don’t prolong the situation or make it a big deal.
3. Provide a comfort object: What is their favourite toy? A stuffed animal or a blanket that they have around them all the time provides a focus upon which they can self-soothe.
4. Talk about ‘later’: Give your child reassurance that you’re coming back. One of the main drivers behind separation anxiety is that the child thinks you’re leaving them for good. If, for example, you’re going shopping, tell them what will happen when you return. Perhaps you’ll be going out on a nature walk, having a bath, doing some painting… It doesn’t matter what, just that you discuss your plans for your return to give them the confidence that you’re coming back.
5. Introduce changes gradually: Perhaps you’ve got a new babysitter. Maybe you’re moving your child into their own bedroom… Whatever the change, do it slowly. When introducing a new caregiver, for instance, have a few short meetings where the three of you are together for a while before you leave them alone together.
6. And – most importantly – listen! Your child will be quick to give you verbal and non-verbal signs about how they feel. Once they can talk, listen to what they say and validate their feelings. Take care to respond accordingly and with reassurance. Children also give out many non-verbal clues to their feelings, such as being clingy, fussy or even withdrawn. Address these in the same compassionate way as you would a vocalised signal.

Dealing with separation anxiety can be tough - no one wants to see their child upset. At Evoke Early Learning, our experienced early childhood educators will always discuss and help parents and caregivers with any challenges. Whether your child is in our nursery, toddler, or kindergarten program, rest assured that we strive to complement the great steps you’re taking to bring up your child – and that includes helping deal with any separation anxiety issues.

Discover more about us and our childcare philosophy today.

In a world where we understand the importance of encouraging children to explore and learn through what piques their interest, the words ‘structured childcare’ can sound rather jarring. Therefore, we need to understand the difference between a program being structured versus one that’s rigid.

Indeed, while the latter harps back to long outdated views and concepts, a structured play and early learning environment have been proven time and time again to be the most advantageous to future happiness and success.

Learning isn’t something that a child performs in isolation. The first five years of life is a period of constant education. It’s when the brain undergoes incredible evolution, building neurological pathways that will influence every aspect of life. From the way they deal with challenges to social interaction, a thirst for knowledge to successful relationships – we owe it to the adults of tomorrow to provide them with the very best grounding from which they can grow.

Enter the structured learning environment – something that provides carefully planned and strategic approaches that benefit every aspect of early education.

5 Advantages that a Structure Brings

Before we dive in, it’s important to know that the concept can be embraced in all environments. Your child begins the learning journey at birth. This means that a positive framework is encouraged both at home and in more formal locations, such as an early learning centre or kindergarten.

The following are examples of how structure will benefit your child.

1. Communication: From the first moment you hold your babe in arms, learning the art of communication begins. Developing their skills is multi-faceted and includes touch, expression, body language and other subtle nuances – as well as the more obvious one of speech. Equally important is the skill of reciprocation – AKA, listening. Of course, a child needs to learn how to express themselves, but communication is a two-way street. A structured learning environment encourages both these aspects, allowing the child to learn the communication skills that will drive their ability to connect with others and the world around them.
2. Establishing routines: Every parent and caregiver knows that this can be a challenge. However, human nature thrives on routine – we all gravitate towards the comfort they bring, as well as the physical and psychological advantages. Sleep is a great example of this – no end of studies prove how harmful shift work is to health. You only need to suffer a sleepless night or two (new parents will totally relate) to realise how important good sleep habits are. Of course, it’s no secret that instilling healthy routines into a child’s life can take a while. This is why a well-structured early childcare facility can continue your good work. Following structured time for eating, playing, sleeping etc will filter into home life, helping you fit routine actions, such as bedtime hygiene (teeth brushing, getting into PJs etc) and morning rituals (getting up, breakfast…)
3. Learning about time (and time management): Time schedules become more important as we grow. Routine nap time transcends over time into getting up for Kindy and, when the time comes, school. Understanding time impacts everything about life, and children develop their awareness as they grow. Structured routines provide the building blocks of time management – something that a good early learning environment manages through routine and flexibility.
4. Independence: Developing independence is a key life skill – one that can be promoted in so many ways. A structured environment provides a child with a sense of what they need to do next. Once they understand that, encouragement to take control of age-appropriate activities (cleaning their teeth, putting on their shoes, that kind of thing) not only fosters independence, but also the feel-good factor that comes with the freedom to make choices and action these decisions.
5. Developing social skills: A structured environment where healthy interactions with others are actively encouraged is crucial for developing social skills. Learning in a safe and positive environment is key, providing the space to understand how to deal with their own emotions and those of others, process their feelings, communicate and learn how to empathise.

At Evoke Early Learning, we advocate for the rights of all of our children, respecting them as individuals and providing a home-from-home that supports and continues the great work that parents and caregivers are doing.

We offer nursery, toddler/pre-Kindy and Kindergarten programs that combine the benefits of structure with the flexibility that encourages each child to learn the skills necessary to fulfil their unique potential.

Discover more about our values and contact our team for a chat today.

Independence is an essential life skill. Building the foundations starts at a very young age – and there’s plenty that parents and caregivers can do to encourage this.

Toddlers are naturally inquisitive. Every waking hour is filled with new discoveries and the brain is undergoing the steepest learning curve of life. Every day, new neural connections are being formed. From learning the names of animals to following bedtime routines, there are many age-appropriate activities that play a large part in encouraging a child to explore and build resilient independence.

Why is learning to be independent so important?

As adults, we all know how feelings of self-doubt can plague our decisions, actions and day-to-day activities. While such emotions are natural and a central part of who we are, a strong sense of independence is what helps us cope at times of high stress, uncertainty and change.

Independence helps us to:

• Take control and direct our life in the way we choose,
• Helps with personal growth and development.
• Allows us to become self-sufficient.
• Helps us to embrace our own creativity.

Ultimately, fostering independence from a young age has a direct impact on current and future happiness. This is something we all want for our children and there are many ways that we can help them during the earliest stages of life.

5 age-appropriate tips to foster toddler independence

You only need to look at children – even during their first early months – to see that they’re on a quest for independence. Trying to get out of the playpen, grabbing for a favourite toy, trying to feed themselves… These are all examples of exploring and pushing the boundaries of increasing independence.

Encouragement and guidance are key. In fact, it’s pretty much all we need to do – the child’s natural curiosity will do all the rest.

1. The importance of free play: Unstructured play is one of the best ways to nurture independence. This means letting your toddler guide where play might be going, instead of always making suggestions. Provide them with the tools to do this. Crayons, building bricks, soft toys, for example. Let them explore how they want to interact with such items and provide encouragement. For instance, if they’re building a tower, praise them on how high it is. If they’re drawing, compliment them on their colour choices. Interject with suggestions only if they become a little stuck for ideas. If they’re happily making up their own entertainment, support them and go with the flow.
2. Set regular routines: This doesn’t mean a schedule, more of creating guidelines around what happens every day. Examples include cleaning their teeth before bed or hand washing before food. As your child becomes accustomed to such actions, let them help with the stages (such as squeezing out the toothpaste). As time goes by they’ll begin to anticipate what needs to be done and need less and less help to do so.
3. Let them problem solve: It can be so tempting to interrupt a child when, for instance, they’ve put their shoes on the wrong feet. However, allowing them to make mistakes and work out things for themselves is a vital skill that helps build independence. Rather than jumping in, gently encourage and praise when they manage to work out a problem. If your child asks for help, rather than simply solving it for them, provide assistance that still allows them to achieve the end goal themselves.
4. Encourage your child to help: Children love to get involved with what you’re doing. Baking a cake? Let them mix the ingredients. Working in the garden? Let your child help dispose of the weeds or fill up the bird feeders. While such tasks might seem small, you’re providing a great grounding in shared actions, building their confidence and allowing them a sense of control.
5. Use appropriate words, phrases and actions: What you say while your child is playing or helping with chores is really important. Praise is really important – as is regular acknowledgment when they’re trying to do something (whether or not they’re successful). Imitate what they’re doing. If they’re building a tower, you could build one too. This is a truly powerful way of encouraging appropriate behaviours and builds even stronger bonds with your child. Be enthusiastic and positive about your child’s achievements (and failures) – remember, it’s only by failing that we learn to adapt and discover how to figure out a way to success.

It's really easy to incorporate little stages of independence into everyday life. Let your child dress themselves, allow them to self-feed, choose their own toys, help with simple chores (with assistance if needed or asked for, of course). Before you know it they’ll be making choices, solving problems and showing you many other signs of readiness that they’re ready to take on more complex issues.

At Evoke Childcare, encouraging independence is key within our open learning environment. Toddlers are encouraged to explore and express themselves in our carefully curated, age-appropriate spaces. Our whole childcare philosophy is based on our belief that every child is a curious, capable and unique individual.

Discover more about us, our values and childcare centres by getting in contact today.

Parents and guardians play a huge role in childhood education. Even if you take full advantage of a great early childhood education centre, the most precious member (or members) of your family still spends more time with you than anyone else.

The more you understand the impact you have during these crucial formative years, the more you can create the positive environment and surroundings that provide the building blocks of future success.

Early childhood education begins both at home and in an early learning environment

The more you’re involved in your child’s early education, the better. Nothing is more rewarding than sitting down and reading a book with your little one – and such activities are the cornerstones on which their future academic success relies.

Academic qualities aren’t the only area where parents and caregivers have an impact. Creating a positive home environment where the child is encouraged to explore their natural curiosity and learn plays a massive role in developing life skills as well.

The following looks at ways that you, as a parent, caregiver or guardian can work in tandem with your child’s early learning centre.

• Understanding what happens at the early learning centre: Spend some time observing what goes on at the school. If you can, watch a lesson or two so you can see the kind of activities that your child gets involved in. Read the curriculum, understand concepts – such as the Reggio Emilia approach – and try to incorporate such values into daily home life.
• Communicate with your child’s early childhood educator: There’s no better way to understand how your little one is progressing than through regular communication. Email, face-to-face, open days, class presentations, plays… Every childcare centre is unique and will offer plenty of ways for you to be involved.
• Reinforce what they learn in the classroom: What did your child learn today? Was it a new nursery rhyme, colouring or model building? Ask them about their day and spend some time replicating this at home. Not only does it further improve what they’ve learned, but it makes learning fun and strengthens the parent-child bond.
• Plan educational days out: These don’t need to be boring – far from it. A visit to the zoo, a playground, wildlife walk… The choices are endless and you can use them to build on what they’ve recently learned at Kindy or early childhood learning. For example, if they’ve listened to a story about fish, then head somewhere that they can view some aquatic life. This is an excellent way of helping translate what they’ve learned in the classroom into the real-world environment.

The more activities and the home environment encourage positive and fun learning, the better you’ll be supporting the more formal education they receive at your chosen centre. Many early childhood learning facilities have children completing a daily log or journal to share with their parents.

And if they don’t? Well, why not suggest it?  Every good early education school welcomes feedback from parents. You could even offer to get more hands-on by reading a story to the children or, if you have the capacity, volunteer to help out on a regular basis.

The more involvement you have in your child’s early education, the more your child will benefit. Bedtime stories, those fun/educational days out, asking your child about their day and encouraging them to share what they’ve learned… Plus that all-important communication with early childhood educators to understand what your child is good at and where they need more support… These are all simple yet powerful ways that you can ensure you have the best positive impact.

We all want what’s best for our children – and these little steps don’t only benefit our little ones, it’s also incredibly rewarding for you as well.

At Evoke Early Learning we actively encourage parental engagement. From our carefully created curriculum that we’re delighted to share with you, through our use of the Reggio Emilia approach and curated nursery, toddler and kindergarten-specific education programme, we consider our centre as the perfect home-from-home extension that continues the great work that parents and guardians are doing.

Read more about our childcare philosophy and call your local centre today.

The term ‘emotional intelligence’ describes the ability to both empathise with others and to understand and express our own emotions. It’s often expressed by the acronym, EQ – although this shouldn’t be mistaken for the similar term, IQ. The latter stands for intelligence quotient and describes cognitive abilities.

Conversely to EQ, a person’s IQ is nurtured through education. However, there’s a strong relationship between EQ and IQ, with the emotional element requiring the same diligent care and attention for healthy development. This is especially true during the early formative years of a child’s life.

Together, EQ and IQ complement each other and the championing of both is equally important. It’s also true that raising a child’s EQ has a positive effect on their IQ. Thus, building strong foundations in the early years can have a significant impact on later life.

Defining Emotional Intelligence

EQ, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, can be defined as:

“The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.”

In a world where we’re now increasingly aware of how mental health has a strong effect on a person’s current and future happiness, success and physical health, nurturing the building blocks of emotional intelligence must be given the highest consideration.

The earlier we make strategic efforts to do so, the more likely a child is to be able to:

• Excel in social situations
• Communicate effectively
• Form healthy relationships
• Empathise with others
• Understand and manage their emotions
• Express themselves

The more adept a person is at all the above, the better this impacts their mental health and wellbeing.

Developing and Improving Children’s EQ

It’s important to approach emotional intelligence with the same care and effort that we do for other areas of a child’s education. In the same way as academic prowess, the level of EQ a child can achieve is bespoke to them. We owe it to the future generation to help them develop their own emotional intelligence to the utmost of their ability.

Parents, caregivers and early education professionals have a wide variety of tools at their disposal. These can all be utilised to help tots, toddlers and pre-schoolers create the sound building blocks that will lead to them achieving their best EQ.

One powerful way we can do this is to lead by example. Seeing and being around adults that have healthy emotional behaviour is incredibly influential to young minds. Other, more structured, techniques include:

• Healthy discussions about feelings: Regularly ask your child how they’re feeling and allow them to feel listened to when they reply. Building this into daily life is key. This ranges from simply asking if they enjoyed something through to letting your child verbalize how a challenging situation made them feel.
• Give a child time to speak and listen to what they’re saying: Allow them the time and safe space to express their emotions. In many situations, this might be difficult – especially when they’re learning to translate feelings into words. Be sure to give them ample opportunity to talk. Listen – really listen – to what they’re saying and be sure to empathize and validate their efforts.
• Use positive reinforcement: Praise is by far the best tool, and this is never more valid than when a child is working through how they’re feeling and making sense of their emotions. Be sure to acknowledge this positively, as this will encourage them to explore their EQ even more deeply.
• Encourage empathy: This can be especially useful in situations when, for instance, another child’s behaviour might be challenging. Encourage your child to think about how the other person might be feeling and why their response could influence that.

Early childhood education centres can further build upon the work being done within the family home. They might include mindfulness techniques and play-based learning, This, in combination with positive reinforcement for all efforts (no matter how large or small) helps build the skills that increase emotional intelligence. These include:

• Developing a growth mindset
• Enhancing communication skills
• Learning how to collaborate with others
• Creating inner calm

A good way for parents, caregivers and early childhood educators to help young children build the basis of a healthy EQ is to think of it as a five-step process:

1. Recognition: Help teach children to understand and identify emotions. You might want to talk about body language, facial expressions, word choices and tone of voice, for example.
2. Understanding: Talk about what situations might lead to various emotions (anger, sadness, happiness etc) and what behavioural impacts they might have.
3. Describing: Teach children to name their emotions. This is a crucial learning element that, given time, will help your child process and deal with a whole spectrum of different feelings.
4. Expressing: Your child needs to learn how to express their emotions – but it’s equally important for them to learn how to do this appropriately. Be patient, it will take time. A typical example could be a child having a tantrum. There’s a very good reason small children go through such stages – it’s a learning curve of how to deal with complex emotions. A measured response goes a huge way towards helping a child process this and work out how to respectfully communicate their feelings.
5. Regulating: Children learn best about regulating their emotions through a combination of discussion and observation. Help your child develop healthy coping mechanisms by talking about them and by considering your own emotional behaviours.

At Evoke Early Learning, we place equal importance on both IQ and EQ development. From our philosophy that value and respect of each child is unique to embracing the Reggio Emilia Approach, our highly trained and passionate team works with our children to provide the ultimate preschool environment to fast track future success.

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Creating a diverse environment within an early childhood education facility plays a huge role in how children begin to understand those who are different from them and their families.

A child’s understanding of the world is built upon multiple influences. From life at home to the hours spent in an early learning school, this is the time of life when deep-seated attitudes and beliefs begin to be formed. To fully comprehend how such centres can promote a favourable atmosphere we first need to look at why being exposed to a diverse world during these years is so important.

The What, Why and How of Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity encompasses a huge range of differences. From the most obvious, such as ethnicity, gender and religion, through to an understanding of ecological and technical diversity, the ability to view such differences positively is key to a child discovering and becoming comfortable with their place in the order of the world.

In addition, the more a child explores their natural curiosity and embraces that which is different from their own ‘normal’, the more respectful and inclusive they’ll become – embracing these contrasts rather than seeing them in a negative light.

Every community celebrates a wide range of diversity. From the moment an infant’s brain begins to form neurons and connections, they begin to soak up information like a sponge. As they grow, they naturally begin to develop behaviours that are based on their own norm. The more a child is exposed to the diverse world in combination with – and this is very important – their curiosity being nurtured and nourished – the more they will develop respectful and inclusive social graces and beliefs.

How Early Learning Environments Can Promote Diversity and Inclusion

The first step is to create a wholly inclusive environment. This can be approached in many ways, but typically involves a setting that’s enriched with both the diversity of the natural world and that which is created by humans.

The first step is to create a wholly inclusive environment. This can be approached in many ways, but typically involves a setting that’s enriched with both the diversity of the natural world and that which is created by humans.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of role play in more detail.

• Providing different resources that showcase the differences in children, families, cultures and religions. Pictures, toys, books and anything that reflects people and practices from a range of backgrounds.
• Using story time and videos that feature lots of traditions and people of different abilities.
• Incorporating technology into the learning space. Children should be supported in their journey of using and understanding tech – but not all pupils will have the same at-home opportunities. Providing this in the learning space helps children understand what’s available and have the chance to become proficient in using them, as well as appreciating the wide range of technical diversity that’s utilised in everyday life.
• Centre some learning time around the natural world. Talking about ecological diversity, including the countryside, urban areas, the ocean and more can promote positive engagement in the world around them.

The Importance of Active Learning

Children learn best by piquing their interest and encouragement to participate. Use props to let children explore in whatever direction they find interesting. For example, let them handle and play different musical instruments. This could lead on to discussions about where these originated from, which in turn could incorporate the use of maps or globes to discover more about different countries and regions.

A wildlife hunt in a safe outside area might move into the importance of caring for animals. This could include why it’s vital not to drop litter, or perhaps into how and why growing your own food is advantageous.

The reasoning behind diversity and inclusion isn’t solely about accepting and celebrating the difference between us. It’s also about comprehending that every decision and action we take has repercussions – both on other people and the world around us. Early learning centres play an important role in helping nurture tomorrow’s adult population to engage with the world positively and become valuable members of the community.

At Evoke Early Learning, we take this element of early child education very seriously. We’ve developed and constantly review our positive policies and procedures that promote a truly healthy and inclusive environment. All our staff undergo regular diversity training, including how to best support children with additional needs. Our curriculums are tailor-designed to wholly represent the wonderful diverse world we live in today -  from nursery through to toddler and kindergarten.

At Evoke Early Learning, we take this element of early child education very seriously. We’ve developed and constantly review our positive policies and procedures that promote a truly healthy and inclusive environment. All our staff undergo regular diversity training, including how to best support children with additional needs. Our curriculums are tailor-designed to wholly represent the wonderful diverse world we live in today -  from nursery through to toddler and kindergarten.