The word ‘teacher’ probably brings to mind a person stood in a classroom instructing their pupils in whatever subject it is that they’re learning. However, in the landscape of pre-school it’s necessary for the educator to take on more of a facilitator’s role, gently guiding them on a discovery journey that’s led by whatever piques their interest.

This is certainly not a free-for-all. It’s a highly skilled method of encouraging young children to develop key life skills and a love of learning through the encouragement of their personal curiosities.

As you can imagine, managing to do this without taking over is an intricate balancing act. There’s a fine line between guidance and actively driving the direction of the flow, something that’s a key aspect of the Reggio Emilia approach, the development of critical thinking and other fundamental skills.

Educators in Reggio classrooms have key aims for the children in their charge, which include:

• Encouraging curiosity and questioning.
• Developing social skills and building relationships with others.
• Promoting a love of learning.
• Helping with the development of key skills, such as literacy, emotional development, creativity and expression, problem solving, critical thinking, self-care and responsibility.
• Language development.

While some of these skills sound advanced, the early years are where the building blocks of all future learning are laid. Creating a strong foundation is crucial for ongoing life success, which is exactly what talented early childhood educators are so good at. The Reggio Emilia approach is trusted across the world as a premium educational model for setting young children up for future lifelong success.

Some examples of how early childhood educators introduce these vital skills without taking over include:

• Actively encouraging curiosity: Those what, why and how questions that every child has are a wonderful way forward, Co-educators help children navigate such queries, allowing them to work their way through challenges and asking questions that prompt them to further explore.
• Observe, listen and question: Rather than giving instruction, they will watch what’s going on, using questions, support and assistance where needed to prompt the children to continue their exploration of whatever it is that’s interesting to them.
• Use the environment: The natural world presents an abundance of curiosity-stimulating landscapes, materials and other objects. In a Reggio classroom you can expect to see children getting hands-on with all kinds of materials (sand, water, mud, clay, fabrics, stones, feathers...), as well as getting plenty of outside time to be at one with nature.
• Take advantage of the ‘hundred languages’: One of the unique features of Reggio Emilia is the use of expression and communication that goes far beyond words. This could be dance, painting, music, dramatic play and much more. Educators will facilitate children to take advantage of multiple communication methods, encouraging them to express themselves and be the wonderful unique being that they already are and will further grow into.
• Participate: Don’t be surprised to see educators taking active roles in child play. For instance, perhaps the children want them to be a character when role playing or maybe make the animal noises in a story they’re composing.
• Help hone the art of reflection: This valuable skill is encouraged through post-activity Q&A’s, often by the educator asking open questions like, “Why did that make you so happy”, or “Where do you think that bird went after it flew over hill?”

That brings us onto another vital point that all great early childhood educators are so good at: asking open-ended questions. These encourage children to question and push forward, rather than simply providing a single piece of information. Rather than saying, for example, “The flower will grow if you water it”, they might say something along the lines of, “What do you think we can do to help the flower to grow?”

At Evoke Early Learning, we’re proud of our educators and the incredible efforts they take to be the best co-learning facilitators they can be. Our programs are committed to providing all our children with the best start in life possible. This is mirrored in our company philosophy and values.

But don’t just take our word for it, we’d love to show you in person. You can easily book a tour online at your chosen centre We can’t wait to meet you.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics – often abbreviated to STEM – might not be the first subjects that spring to mind when you think of early childhood education. But the building blocks of all learning are laid during these formative years, and early development through the neuroscience of play has a significant impact on future interests.

There are many wonderful ways that early childhood educators and caregivers can introduce big ideas to young minds. Not only are these fun, but they create the foundations for problem-solving skills, build curiosity and help prepare children for the transition to the more structured learning of primary school and beyond.

Examples of STEM in early childhood include activities like:

Building blocks

Yes, many an architect has had their interest piqued at a young age from this all-time favourite activity - making structures from building blocks. Some of the skills this helps hone include:

• Problem-solving: Why did that tower fall when another block was added?
• Fine motor skills: Handling and manipulating the blocks and putting them in place.
• Early mathematical skills: Learning about different sizes and shapes of blocks, as well as discovering how one shape can fit on or next to another.

Nature walks

Another timeless classic, every child adores discovering the natural world. All it takes is a little outdoor space, a magnifying glass, maybe a couple of bug jars and an identification chart. Biology, ecology, environmental science and more are at the root of this fun adventure, and who can fail to be charmed by the joy of a child finding a worm or bug to identify. Plus, freeing their finds after they’ve been evaluated also plays a role in encouraging empathy and understanding of all living things.

Magical magnets

This one definitely needs constant supervision, but playing with magnets and different materials to see what is attracted and what isn’t is a sure-fire way to captivate attention. It introduces the basic principles of magnetism and an understanding of different classifications of materials. You might encourage the child to predict whether they think a certain thing is magnetic or not before it’s brought close to the magnet, and then you can discuss the result.

Seeds and plant cultivation

This will, naturally, take place over the slightly longer term, but it introduces a realm of different scientific and natural world elements. Children get to plant, water and care for their seeds. Watching them germinate and grow into plants introduces a wealth of different aspects, such as lifecycles, a duty of care for living things and even subjects such as food and nutrition, should you choose to grow something that either the child or an animal can eventually eat.

Sink or float

Inquiry-based learning is a rather serious sounding title for something that is nothing short of transformational for young minds. Every child is born with an innate curiosity to find things out and explore what surrounds them. It’s this very reason that we have to incorporate so many safety elements in the home as soon as they begin to crawl. From opening cupboards to checking out the dog bed, discovering the intricacies of the world around them is an inherent desire.

This urge to find things out is exactly what we want to encourage in pre-schoolers. It’s one of the cornerstones of the Reggio Emilia approach, offering long-term benefits to shape lifelong learners.

Learning Through Play Sets Children Up for Success

Discovery and learning are always easier when it’s fun, whatever your age. However, for pre-schoolers, the right approach during this accelerated phase of brain development can influence their entire life. The neuroscience of play is well proven and understood, and inquiry-based learning drives the formation of crucial cranial connections that are the basis of many life skills, such as:

• Active learning.
• Problem solving.
• Critical thinking.
• Confidence and independence.
• Social skills and communication.

When activities are inquiry-based, children are encouraged to follow their natural curiosities. Perhaps that worm piques their interest, which leads to further exploration of soil and how this is where plants grow. In turn, this could lead to a planting project, with the wonderful journey of germinating their own seeds, right through to the joy of eating something that they grew themselves.

This is just a single example, but it demonstrates how following an initial interest can lead to other, more complex learning, all sparked from that first step of finding a worm.

The key to inquiry-based learning is that it’s personal. This isn’t about memorising facts, it’s about asking “why” and “how”, with the answers creating further questions that the child wants to ask. If we look at the list of life skills we mentioned above, we can demonstrate how such a method helps foster and grow these essential attributes:

• Active learning: Getting hands-on, such as playing with sand, water, clay, different fabrics, etc, allows direct real-world interaction. Squishing, touching, folding, rolling… These actions promote movement, hone gross and fine motor skills, foster engagement, understanding and motivation, amongst other things.
• Problem solving: As theyfollow their interests,children learn to address challenges and work out how to overcome them, rather than being stopped in their tracks at the first sign of an obstacle.
• Critical thinking: Inquiry-based learning encourages ongoing questions. The answers to these give them the chance to contemplate which, in turn, provides the building blocks upon which analytical skills can grow.
• Confidence and independence: By leading the direction of learning, the child takes ownership of their activities, further promoting the confidence and independence that will stand them in great stead as they grow and navigate through life.
• Social skills and communication: Playing and joining in activities with their peers is exactly what a child needs to learn how to communicate, mingle and act with others.

A love of learning is truly a gift to give a child. Encouraging that incredible curiosity lies at the heart of the Reggio Emilia approach. Every time a child steps into an Evoke Early Learning space, they enter an environment where they’re actively encouraged to take (safe) risks, ask questions and allow their curiosity to roam in whatever direction they choose.

All our educators are well aware of the extremely privileged position they are in to be entrusted with the most important people in your life. No two days at Evoke are the same, with activities ranging from dance and dress-up to nature walks and story time. Indeed, no two terms are the same. Children might decide on a longer-term project to work on, perhaps something that the whole class can get involved in, with each child adding their own personal touch. Or a dance session might turn into the creation of a full-scale end-of-term production with all the parents and caregivers invited to watch the grand performance.

These are but two potential examples, because with inquiry-based learning, we act in a guiding role, meaning our classrooms are as individual as your child. We’d love for you to come and see us in action. Whether you’re interested in either our Albert Park or Clayton centres, we’re waiting to show you what a day at Evoke looks like.

Book a tour online and we look forward to welcoming you.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics – often abbreviated to STEM – might not be the first subjects that spring to mind when you think of early childhood education. But the building blocks of all learning are laid during these formative years, and early development through the neuroscience of play has a significant impact on future interests.

There are many wonderful ways that early childhood educators and caregivers can introduce big ideas to young minds. Not only are these fun, but they create the foundations for problem-solving skills, build curiosity and help prepare children for the transition to the more structured learning of primary school and beyond.

Examples of STEM in early childhood include activities like:

Building blocks

Yes, many an architect has had their interest piqued at a young age from this all-time favourite activity - making structures from building blocks. Some of the skills this helps hone include:

• Problem-solving: Why did that tower fall when another block was added?
• Fine motor skills: Handling and manipulating the blocks and putting them in place.
• Early mathematical skills: Learning about different sizes and shapes of blocks, as well as discovering how one shape can fit on or next to another.

Nature walks

Another timeless classic, every child adores discovering the natural world. All it takes is a little outdoor space, a magnifying glass, maybe a couple of bug jars and an identification chart. Biology, ecology, environmental science and more are at the root of this fun adventure, and who can fail to be charmed by the joy of a child finding a worm or bug to identify. Plus, freeing their finds after they’ve been evaluated also plays a role in encouraging empathy and understanding of all living things.

Magical magnets

This one definitely needs constant supervision, but playing with magnets and different materials to see what is attracted and what isn’t is a sure-fire way to captivate attention. It introduces the basic principles of magnetism and an understanding of different classifications of materials. You might encourage the child to predict whether they think a certain thing is magnetic or not before it’s brought close to the magnet, and then you can discuss the result.

Seeds and plant cultivation

This will, naturally, take place over the slightly longer term, but it introduces a realm of different scientific and natural world elements. Children get to plant, water and care for their seeds. Watching them germinate and grow into plants introduces a wealth of different aspects, such as lifecycles, a duty of care for living things and even subjects such as food and nutrition, should you choose to grow something that either the child or an animal can eventually eat.

Sink or float

Children and water is something that they’ll never tire of, and there are so many aspects of water-based play that introduce many scientific subjects. Predicting and discovering what objects float and which sink isn’t just great fun to do, it also begins an understanding of the properties of the water itself and the materials you place in it. Add in some cups or jugs to increase or remove liquid and you’re also adding in the basics of measurements, volume and fluid dynamics too.

Shadow play

We can all make the classic bunny with our fingers, and this is a great start to introduce children to the concept of light, dark and light interaction. It only requires a lamp and a light-coloured wall or surface, and you and the child can experiment with using your hands or other objects to make shadows. Watch how they change as you move them in front of the light and discover how certain hand placements translate into different shapes introduces the basics, as well as promoting fine motor skills and creativity.

As you can see, none of these play-based activities are new, but they provide caregivers and educators with a different take on what they are actually teaching. Early STEM education helps prep children for life, laying solid foundations for reasoning, adaptability, attention and resilience. Indeed, prime early education methods, like Reggio Emilia and the development of critical thinking utilise a whole host of STEM-based learning, all of which naturally intertwine the introduction of these big ideas into regular daily routines.

At Evoke Early Learning, our childcare philosophy is wholly centred around providing our children with the environment, care and activities that equip them with the skills they need for future success. From STEM-based fun to our acclaimed Reggio Emilia Approach curriculum, we’d love to demonstrate our talented team in action.

Book a tour today at either our Albert Park or Clayton locations.

Creativity comes in many forms, from painting to singing, role play to sand castles, the art of making something purely from the imagination is certainly fun. But even more importantly, such activities are exactly what’s needed for the brain to develop the basics of crucial life skills.

From problem solving to hand-eye coordination, exposure to creative arts plays an incredible role in equipping a child with a strong base upon which all their future abilities can grow, including:

• Critical thinking.
• Communication and social interactions.
• Problem solving.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Confidence and self-esteem.

These are all elements that we wish for our children to excel at. Creative arts of all kinds give children the chance to get hands-on, experiment, make discoveries (and mistakes) and stimulate the brain to form the crucial neural connections necessary for great all-round development.

Creative Arts and Physical Development

Movement and coordination are learned skills, and the more a child practices, the more proficient they become. Whether this is learning how to place building blocks to make a tower, use a crayon for colouring, dancing to music (a baby or toddler swaying to sounds also counts), finger painting, messy play or anything else, these activities are all helping the child discover and hone how their body works.

For instance:

• Dancing improves balance, body control, coordination and stimulates muscle development.
• Drawing helps with the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and strengthens muscles in the hands and arms.
• Messy play aids sensory development and dexterity,

Creative Arts and Emotional Development

Children express themselves in many ways. Creative arts, such as drawing, dancing, singing and acting, provide an outlet for emotions way before a child has developed the ability to articulate them. Leading early childhood methods, such as the Reggio Emilia Approach, talk about the ‘hundred languages of children’, which is a wonderful description of the many different types of non-verbal communication that support emotional development. For example:

• Painting and drawing are a leading way for children to express feelings. The use of colour is a prime example, as are the shapes, images and subjects they choose to depict.
• Dancing and role-playing provide an outlet for physical emotion.
• Telling stories encourages exploration of their own narrative. When this is done in a group scenario, it also fosters collaboration, promoting awareness and understanding of the feelings and opinions of others and helping those crucial emotional neural connections to form.

Creative Arts and Social Development

Interacting with others during creative play promotes sharing and communicating, as well as helping to create collaborative learners. Discovering the intricacies of social interaction plays a significant role in building confidence, which goes hand-in-hand with future skillsets that will provide the solid base to help them navigate successfully through school, college and into the workplace.

• Collaborative art projects are a great way of developing stronger social connections, learning how to share ideas and work as a team.
• Role playing allows children to act out social situations, their feelings and appropriate responses to hypothetical scenarios.
• Working with others on a project helps children learn to collaborate, work out problems together and discover that there is often more than one way to approach and solve challenges.

Creative Arts and Intellectual Development

Creative play presents an extensive landscape for the basics of problem-solving, critical thinking and cognitive skills. Simple activities, like sorting pebbles into similar shapes, introduce science and mathematical elements. It also promotes paying attention and discovering how things work in relationship to whatever is around.

• Stacking boxes or play bricks allows children to work out what works and what doesn’t. Why did that tower fall over, but this one didn’t, for example?
• Learning to pay attention to how things work creates the grounding for a good attention span for future learning.
• Creative art stimulates the imagination, promoting future innovative life skills and learning how to think outside the box.

Creative arts are one of the most beneficial (and enjoyable) ways that children begin their learning journey. The results of these are immediately obvious on entering either our Albert Park and Clayton Evoke Early Learning Centre locations, with innovative collaborative art-based projects on display for all to see.

With an age-appropriate curriculum from nursery age through to kindergarten designed to provide the best early life preparation for all our children, the easiest way for parents and caregivers to discover more about the benefits of life at Evoke is to book a tour. And, of course, if you have any other questions, then please get in contact.

We look forward to meeting you.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics – often abbreviated to STEM – might not be the first subjects that spring to mind when you think of early childhood education. But the building blocks of all learning are laid during these formative years, and early development through the neuroscience of play has a significant impact on future interests.

There are many wonderful ways that early childhood educators and caregivers can introduce big ideas to young minds. Not only are these fun, but they create the foundations for problem-solving skills, build curiosity and help prepare children for the transition to the more structured learning of primary school and beyond.

Examples of STEM in early childhood include activities like:

Building blocks

Yes, many an architect has had their interest piqued at a young age from this all-time favourite activity - making structures from building blocks. Some of the skills this helps hone include:

• Problem-solving: Why did that tower fall when another block was added?
• Fine motor skills: Handling and manipulating the blocks and putting them in place.
• Early mathematical skills: Learning about different sizes and shapes of blocks, as well as discovering how one shape can fit on or next to another.

Nature walks

Another timeless classic, every child adores discovering the natural world. All it takes is a little outdoor space, a magnifying glass, maybe a couple of bug jars and an identification chart. Biology, ecology, environmental science and more are at the root of this fun adventure, and who can fail to be charmed by the joy of a child finding a worm or bug to identify. Plus, freeing their finds after they’ve been evaluated also plays a role in encouraging empathy and understanding of all living things.

Magical magnets

This one definitely needs constant supervision, but playing with magnets and different materials to see what is attracted and what isn’t is a sure-fire way to captivate attention. It introduces the basic principles of magnetism and an understanding of different classifications of materials. You might encourage the child to predict whether they think a certain thing is magnetic or not before it’s brought close to the magnet, and then you can discuss the result.

Seeds and plant cultivation

This will, naturally, take place over the slightly longer term, but it introduces a realm of different scientific and natural world elements. Children get to plant, water and care for their seeds. Watching them germinate and grow into plants introduces a wealth of different aspects, such as lifecycles, a duty of care for living things and even subjects such as food and nutrition, should you choose to grow something that either the child or an animal can eventually eat.

Sink or float

Children and water is something that they’ll never tire of, and there are so many aspects of water-based play that introduce many scientific subjects. Predicting and discovering what objects float and which sink isn’t just great fun to do, it also begins an understanding of the properties of the water itself and the materials you place in it. Add in some cups or jugs to increase or remove liquid and you’re also adding in the basics of measurements, volume and fluid dynamics too.

Shadow play

We can all make the classic bunny with our fingers, and this is a great start to introduce children to the concept of light, dark and light interaction. It only requires a lamp and a light-coloured wall or surface, and you and the child can experiment with using your hands or other objects to make shadows. Watch how they change as you move them in front of the light and discover how certain hand placements translate into different shapes introduces the basics, as well as promoting fine motor skills and creativity.

As you can see, none of these play-based activities are new, but they provide caregivers and educators with a different take on what they are actually teaching. Early STEM education helps prep children for life, laying solid foundations for reasoning, adaptability, attention and resilience. Indeed, prime early education methods, like Reggio Emilia and the development of critical thinking utilise a whole host of STEM-based learning, all of which naturally intertwine the introduction of these big ideas into regular daily routines.

At Evoke Early Learning, our childcare philosophy is wholly centred around providing our children with the environment, care and activities that equip them with the skills they need for future success. From STEM-based fun to our acclaimed Reggio Emilia Approach curriculum, we’d love to demonstrate our talented team in action.

Book a tour today at either our Albert Park or Clayton locations.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is all about how a person understands, recognises and manages emotions, both in themselves and others. This is a super-important facet of learning that begins during the earliest stages of life. Therefore, fostering emotional resilience in preschoolers is a crucial element of education.

With a far-reaching impact for all future learning and life skills, a child’s first few years is when the brain is makes more neural connections than at any other time. If we look at this in the context of EI, it’s when the building blocks of the future self-aware and empathetic person that they have the potential to become are being laid. Therefore, an environment and activities that encourage great EI development are essential.

Self-awareness, empathy and emotional regulation aren’t isolated skills. They are intertwined and have a direct impact on multiple other areas of life. These include:

• Social skills.
• Motivation and overcoming adversity.
• Building relationships.
• Problem solving.
• Building resilience.

Indeed, it even spills over to learning and academic prowess, which in turn can influence their future career path, happiness and overall life success.

Learning Emotional Intelligence During Early Childhood

 The benefits of a high level of emotional intelligence can’t be overstated, and there are many ways that parents, caregivers and early childhood educators can integrate easy steps to help this build. This can be done both formally and informally, with strategies melded into both the early learning and home environments.

Examples of this include:

• Helping children to learn appropriate language: Learning and using words that describe emotions, such as happy, sad, funny etc, helps children discover the art of articulating feelings.
• Teamwork and problem-solving activities: Working together in a fun situation goes a long way towards creating collaborative learners, which in turn helps with relationships, academic performance and building the resilience to cope with life challenges.
• Storytelling and role play: These are primary ways to introduce emotions, act out scenarios and quite literally play the part of showing and understanding the depth and breadth of the feelings that humans experience.
• Actively encouraging children to share and vocalise their feelings: Ensuring the home, classroom and family unit are safe spaces where emotions can be freely shared without fear of judgement promotes a healthy, open attitude that actively encourages the formation of those vital neural connections within the brain.
• Practice what you preach: Adults modelling the appropriate behaviours that encourage mature emotional intelligence. Showing empathy, actively listening to show that their feelings are valued and appropriately sharing emotions are primary methods to help children understand and learn these vital skills.

There are multiple studies that show that the higher a person’s emotional intelligence, the less likely they are to suffer from mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. The already mentioned benefits for academic and career success are largely based on the well-researched understandings that the better a person understands and regulates their impulses, the higher their levels of concentration and learning.

Add in the proven facts that higher EI results in forging stronger relationships with others and it becomes easy to see why this is such a vital early learning skill.

Evoke Early Learning Educators are highly skilled at integrating methods that promote the development of emotional intelligence. Daily life in both our Albert Park and Clayton Centres includes multiple fun ways that help shape the development of EI, including active listening and conversations, role playing, storytelling, group problem solving and more.

Book a tour today at your preferred destination and come and see our friendly team in action.

When we think of language, the first thing that springs to mind is talking. And yes, the art of speaking is a vital skill that parents and caregivers must support, but we shouldn’t think of communication only in terms of the spoken word.

The Reggio Emilia approach is big on what is termed the hundred languages of children, which is all about the many different ways that young minds convey their thoughts to the outside world. Dance, the use of colour, music, drawing, building structures… These are all examples of ways children transmit information to those around them – and these ‘hundred languages’ are crucial to learning and advancing their spoken abilities.

Diverse (& sometimes surprising) Tips for Early Years Language Development

Learning to speak isn’t something we remember as adults, but the first few years of life are nothing short of miraculous. From birth to around five years old, the brain is designed to absorb information like a sponge and at an incredible rate, with every tiny experience causing neural connections to form.

The basis from which key life skills can grow is created during these formative years. Speech, empathy, confidence and self-awareness are just some examples, and we shouldn’t think of each of these in isolation. They are all intrinsically connected, because the human brain and body is a dynamic marvel of nature’s engineering. Everything is linked, therefore when we help children with language development, we’re also supporting every other aspect of what will shape them into the wonderful unique human they’re set to become.

Those 100 languages mentioned above are all key elements in this journey and play a critical role in development, such as critical thinking, something that we delve into more detail in our article, Reggio Emilia and The Development of Critical Thinking.

But, we digress…

Let’s look at some simple, everyday tips that parents and caregivers can easily implement into daily life that are key to supporting your child’s language journey.

• At the top of the list is, quite simply, talk, talk, talk to your child:And, very importantly, listen to their responses. Even as a baby this is essential, as their gurgles, squeaks, laughter and more are all early efforts of communication. As their vocabulary develops, you can gently introduce a wider range of simple words. Keep them short – no more than a syllable or two – at first. For example, if your child is squishing their favourite toy, you could use different words for how that might feel to them. Is it soft, or perhaps furry or fluffy? It doesn’t matter if they don’t repeat back at first, repetition is key.
• Use facial expressions: For babies, this might be things like sticking your tongue out to make them laugh, slowly blinking, or blowing through your lips. As your child gets older, lots of smiling to communicate happiness, exclamations for discoveries (think, ‘wow’ when you spot something exciting), laughing when something funny happens… You get the picture.
• Reading to them: Not only is this a fabulous way to support language development, but it further forges the bond between child and caregiver. Hopefully, some of your most cherished memories of childhood are the closeness of reading with a loved one. Use books with pictures that help promote understanding and discussion, and take time to diversify from the written word if your child wants to talk further about the content.
• Use song, poems, rhymes etc: Learning and repeating is a great way to increase vocabulary. Children are innately drawn to music and rhythmic words, which is why nursery rhymes are such a good place to start. Here’s betting that you can still remember many from your own childhood – and it’s such an easy way to add them into any daily routine.
• Play make believe: By the time they become a toddler, children are beginning to grasp a rudimental understanding of things they can’t see. This includes emotions and what might happen in the future. Simple make believe games are a great way to support this. For example, you could talk about an upcoming visit to the park and what animals they might hope to see, or, perhaps, what they might see if they were able to visit a landscape in a favourite story, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Diary of a Wombat or The Gruffalo.
• Ask open-ended questions: Life presents plentiful opportunities for questioning and asking those that encourage participation are key. Imagine that your child has lost one of their shoes. Rather than saying, “Shall we go and look for it?” (a question that invites a yes or no answer), ask something like, “Well, where do you think we might find it?”, or “Where do you think is a good place to start looking for it?” Or, rather than saying, “Do you want to go to the park?”, say “If we went to the park, what d’you think we might see?”
• Expand on your child’s observations: If your child says “cat”, you could say, “Yes, a grey cat” or “A fluffy cat”. Again, repetition is key, so keep at it even if your child doesn’t repeat back at first.

The key to supporting their development is to integrate simple methods into daily life. This is something that Evoke Early Learning staff implement in many different ways, and one of the reasons why no two days at either our Albert Park or Clayton centres are the same. We’re dedicated to continuing the great journey that you, as a parent or caregiver, are doing at home.

Want to find out more? Book a tour and come and see us in action. We can’t wait to meet you.

The wonders of the great outdoors bring incredible benefits at every stage of life, and the formative years are no exception. In fact, there’s an increasing level of scientific evidence that shows it’s not just a nice-to-do, it’s crucial for early development. This is and always has been something that the Reggio Emilia approach strongly advocates.

In a world where children are spending an increasing amount of time indoors, educators and caregivers need to be mindful of how much time is spent discovering and basking in the joys of Mother Nature. This can be approached in two ways:

1. Nature contact: The act of being outside.
2. Nature play: Spending time discovering and playing with natural elements. This could be outdoors or indoors. For example, learning to press flowers, using leaves and twigs in an art project or sorting pebbles and stones into groups, all count, even if they take place inside.

Of course, the gold standard is to leave the comfort of the classroom or living room and take the adventures into the open air.

But why is being exposed to the elements so important? And does it matter whether it’s in an enclosed safe space, like a garden, or does it have to be in the bigger, wilder outdoors?

Leaving the Safe Space Behind: How Exposure to Nature Stimulates Everything from Neural Growth to Better Sleep

Let’s talk about one of the obvious benefits first, which is how it affects cardiovascular health. Most children, given the freedom to roam, will ramp up the energy with running, jumping and all kinds of athletic shenanigans. This works the heart and lungs, building stamina, muscle tone, balance, movement and a healthy attitude towards exercise.

Even those with a more introspective or solitary nature will likely take more steps outside than they would when confined by four walls.

Other ways that outdoor spaces play a role in early childhood development include:

• It’s highly social: Natural inquisitiveness is stimulated by others. When one child makes a discovery or is interested by, say, a beetle or a beautiful autumn leaf, others will gravitate towards them to see what the fuss is about. Children will naturally compete, perhaps running races, playing tag or who can swing the highest. Yes, this can also happen indoors but, when you bring the big outdoors into play with all of its additional stimulants, the benefits are enhanced tenfold.
• More information promotes cognitive development: The more there is to see, do and discover, the more the brain has to process. The first few years of life are when neural connections are expanding at their fastest, and exposure to the natural world provides more data to process than any artificial environment can ever do. It pervades all the senses, from the salty smell of the ocean to the shifting shades of a sunset, the gentle sound of a breeze rippling through the trees to the silky feel of sand slipping through fingers…
• Risk taking: Learning how to approach and assess risk is a vital learned skill. Outdoor play gives children opportunities to discover their potential and limitations (in a safe and supervised way), such as climbing a tree, jumping from a height, swinging on a rope, paddling in the ocean, etc.
• Building a healthy relationship with the environment: Discovering that caterpillars feed on leaves, that rivers swell after rain and that soil is teeming with insects and bugs are all examples of how children make connections with nature. Many an eminent environmental career stems from a fascination with the natural world that began from early outdoor play and exploration.

Of course, it’s not always possible for educators, parents and caregivers to meet the World Health Organisation’s recommended three hours outside per day for their children. Weather, urban living and other aspects can often affect this.

However, bringing nature inside - AKA, the above-mentioned ‘nature play’ - also counts. Again, this is something the Reggio Emilia approach is renowned for, incorporating natural elements into virtually every aspect of early learning life. This can be as simple as some messy play with mud, sand and water, perhaps an on-going project involving the lifecycle of a tree or counting the number of birds that can be seen flying past a window.

Enjoying nature and regular time spent in natural surroundings, whether it’s a walk in an urban park, a day at the beach or simply a car drive away from the hustle and bustle of the city, is critical for early childhood development.

Getting enough outside time is known to:

• Help children learn to regulate their emotions.
• Reduce stress and anxiety.
• Improve resilience.
• Increase curiosity and creativity.
• Benefit attention span, memory and problem solving.
• Stimulate academic skills.

At Evoke Early Learning, we champion the benefits of both nature contact and nature play. Each of our centres has dedicated outdoor spaces, where our children can enjoy all the benefits of being outside. Our educators are all highly skilled in the neuroscience of play, and don’t be surprised if your child regularly comes home and tells you all about the big old mess that they enjoyed creating today (because messy play is such a great way to enhance early learning).

Want to find out more? Get in contact or book a tour today and come and see our talented teams in action.

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.