Starting school can be stressful for young children. It can be a time of great excitement and anticipation, but it can also be a time of change and uncertainty. The stronger the child’s sense of self, the more likely they are to make a successful transition to this next stage.
It’s natural for a parent to want their child to be confident and have a healthy self-esteem before setting off for kindergarten or early school. After all, when children believe in themselves and feel worthwhile, they’re more likely to face the unknown, try new things, be happy and succeed.
A child’s cognitive, emotional and social development can also be linked to their sense of self. The more they trust in their own capabilities, the greater their ability to tackle new challenges. They’re also more likely to do things they may not necessarily be good at because they can face challenges without fear.
And when things don’t turn out as planned, a child with a healthy self-confidence is more likely to bounce back, try again, learn new skills and grow through the process.
A healthy self-esteem can be a key determinant of educational success, but it’s not an inborn trait and nor does it happen by chance. The good news is that there are lots of things that parents can do to help their child strengthen their self-belief and their self-worth ahead of starting early school.
Children are like sponges, constantly absorbing information and learning by their experiences. They learn from the way people respond to them and to one another, and all these interactions shape their sense of self.
Parents are a child’s first teacher and they can have a profound influence on building a child’s self-confidence.
Praise is different from encouragement. Repetitive praise won’t miraculously turn a shy or insecure child into a confident self-believer and in fact, too much praise can actually put undue pressure on a child. Yes, positive reinforcement is vital, but a child will become more self-assured when they accomplish things on their own.
A child will mirror adult behaviour, so parents need to be strong and positive role models. They’ll take their cues from how you interact with others, how you respond to situations, how you communicate and the body language you display.
One-on-one time is an excellent opportunity to make your child feel secure and to build their self-esteem. Positive relationships will help a child feel safe, supported and encouraged and through play, they’ll be more likely to develop constructive feelings about themselves, their abilities and their place in the world.
Let the child direct the activity while you play a supporting role, encouraging and acknowledging their effort and affirming positive behaviour. This can help them in social settings in early school with concepts like sharing, taking turns, listening and patience.
Children thrive on predictability and boundaries and having daily routines at home will help your child adjust to the structures of early school. You can establish routines such as a bedtime process involving putting away toys, having bath, putting on pyjamas, brushing teeth and reading a book.
A child who feels their contribution is valued will grow in confidence. You can help them feel useful by giving them small tasks (setting the table, feeding the dog etc). They’ll feel proud and successful when they accomplish something on their own. Giving them responsibilities is also really important in helping to develop skills such as problem-solving, which will ease their transition to early school and set them up for success.
By encouraging independence, you can help your child become a self-achiever.
We want the best for our children and we have a responsibility to help them succeed.
Luckily, there are plenty of things parents can do to help a child feel good about themselves before they start their big adventure of early school. Teaching them to love and believe in themselves will provide a strong foundation for success, but it doesn’t have to stop once your little one walks through the school doors. Choosing an early school which places high value on building confident children can have lifelong benefits. If you’re looking for child care in Clayton or Albert Park, we would love to show you around one of our Evoke Early Learning centres. Why not book a tour of one of our Evoke Early Learning childcare centres in Clayton or Albert Park? You can come and see how our nurturing approach promotes knowledge and inspires a lifelong love of learning and where developing our children’s self-confidence, resilience, responsibility, teamwork and problem-solving skills is a daily priority. We look forward to meeting you and your little one!
The Italian founder of the Reggio Emilia approach to early education, Loris Malaguzzi, penned a poem called ‘The 100 Languages of Children’ which has become synonymous with his innovative, inclusive child-centred pedagogy.
But what does he mean by a child having 100 languages?
By ‘languages’, Malaguzzi means the myriad ways that children express themselves. He means all the different modalities that children use to convey their ideas, experiences and emotions and the myriad ways they make sense of the world.
He’s not talking about language in conventional terms, but rather in a metaphorical sense. The ‘languages’ and the number ‘100’ are symbolic and they represent each child’s uniqueness and each one’s powerful potential and infinite creativity.
This verse of the poem illustrates how the Reggio Emilia celebrates the uniqueness of each child:
The child is made of one hundred.
The child has a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
A hundred…
A basic understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach helps to clarify the concept of these ‘100 languages’.
The principle of Reggio Emilia is basically that the child constructs their own learning. Each child’s innate curiosity inspires them to follow paths of enquiry based on their own interests.
Malaguzzi saw children as explorers and researchers, calling them ‘active constructors of their own intelligence’. Educators, parents and the wider community are seen as co-researchers and collaborators on the child’s educational journey and they construct knowledge together.
Children learn in a variety of ways and they also share their experiences in a variety of ways.
The Reggio Emilia approach believes that children are born with full capabilities for personal and academic development and for building relationships with others. The philosophy also puts communication as the foundation of all learning.
Sensory play is a key feature of Reggio Emilia environments, with the child’s innate sense of wonder leading to infinite possibilities for learning through seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling the world around them.
Children are encouraged to use their talents, their creative energy, their enquiring minds and all the tools at their disposal to explore, discover, learn, grow, share and contribute.
Reggio Emilia environments provide sensory-rich experiences which support a lifetime love of learning. Children have access to a variety of stimulating resources and opportunities which support their self-guided exploration, plus they are also strongly encouraged to share their discoveries with other children and the adults around them.
As mentioned earlier, Reggio Emilia puts communication as the foundation of all learning and the ‘languages’ are children’s modes of expression.
When a child is pursuing a topic of interest or interacting with the world around them and/or with the people around them, they express themselves in a plethora of ways. These ‘languages’ could be anything from traditional verbal communication to dance, movement, pretend play, drawing, sculpting, painting, building structures, reading, writing, taking photographs, using technology, folding paper, threading string - the list is endless.
As children explore ideas and work through problems, they are encouraged to illustrate their understanding using whatever ‘languages’ they feel like using, and also to represent their ideas and their discoveries in a graphic way which can then be displayed around the classroom.
Children have a vast potential to creatively express their unique view of the world and in Reggio Emilia-inspired environments, these are referred to as the ‘100 languages’.
The Reggio Emilia Approach emphasises hands-on discovery learning through play and open-ended projects, and each child is encouraged and supported to use all of their senses and all of their languages (or ways of learning) to learn, express themselves creatively and make sense of the world and their place in it.
Don’t do that, you’ll hurt yourself. Stop before it ends in tears. Walk, don’t run. Slow down, or you’ll fall.
If you’re a parent or caregiver, the chances are that you’ve said these words. Often. That’s because our natural instinct is to protect children from harm, so our default tends to be ‘no’ in order to stop them from doing things that may lead to them getting hurt. But we also know that learning by experience is the best way to learn.
Many of us still have scars on our knees from childhood thrills and spills – some may even have broken a bone along the way - but at what stage does adventurous play become dangerous? Should we be letting our children learn and grow from risky play and if so, how do we set limits that protect them?
One of the most widely-used definitions of adventure play comes from Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, a professor at Queen Maud University of Early Childhood Education in Norway, who called it ‘thrilling and exciting forms of physical play that involve uncertainty and a risk of physical injury (Sandseter, 2007).
Is there a reason why children gravitate to the very edge of a lake or steep drop or want to walk along a narrow wall instead of using a path? Why do some children push the boundaries when it comes to going faster, higher, further – and why are they irresistibly drawn to tools and objects that could cause them harm? Why do they wrestle, chase each other around and pretend to fight? Why do they purposely wander away from their caregiver or hide away?
There are perfectly natural reasons that children are drawn to adventurous play – and there are also significant benefits to be gained from it.
Adventurous play helps children learn about themselves, about others and about their place in the world. They develop a sense of self-worth as they start believing in their own abilities and start to trust their decision-making. It can make them feel good about themselves and give their confidence a boost.
Children get a thrill from playing at height and speed, like climbing trees and going fast on their scooters and bikes. They love pushing the boundaries and testing themselves. It may not be comfortable for parents or caregivers to witness, but by participating in ‘risky’ activities, children learn valuable lessons.
Adventurous play:
But it’s not called ‘risky’ play for nothing. The life lessons that come from adventurous play are extremely valuable, but children can – and do – get hurt, so where are the limits?
Sadly, it seems that our appetite for risk is diminishing and that adventurous play is on the decline.
According to a newsletter of the National Quality Standard Professional Learning Programme, our society’s fixation on safety and ‘no risk’ play starts in the early years and continues as children grow older. The article goes on to say that in our desire to ‘keep children safe’, we have created play environments that are devoid of adventure and interest.
That said, there are many ways that we can safely encourage adventurous play and provide children with important learning opportunities. For example, we can play hide and seek with them to encourage a sense of independence. We can let them ride bikes or scooters fast and allow them to climb trees and jump from height. We can let them play rough and tumble games and swing from ropes. Because if we don’t allow our children to test the limits and test themselves, we’re denying them important opportunities to learn a whole range of skills that are essential for a balanced, happy and fulfilling life.
The concept of the environment being the third teacher in an early education environment isn’t new, but it’s an important one to grasp especially in the context of a young child’s learning and development.
The physical environment at school is integral to the learning process.
It aids the child’s development, helps shape their identities and supports their unique path of learning and the development of important life skills.
In simple terms, it means that a well-designed space with lots of quality resources can have a positive impact on a child’s healthy development. It can support and enhance all areas of their early education and by contrast, a poorly designed one can actually detract from a child’s learning and growth.
The environment as the third teacher is a key principle of the Reggio Emilia approach to education, and in fact the term was first coined by the founder of the approach, Loris Malaguzzi. Other educational approaches emphasise the importance of the physical environment in the learning process at early schools and childcare centres, but the Reggio Emilia philosophy takes the concept much deeper.
The child’s surroundings are seen as an excellent medium for enriching every child’s learning experiences and the physical space sits alongside educators and families in helping shape what and how children learn.
All our Evoke Early Learning Centres are inspired by Reggio Emilia and each one offers welcoming indoor and outdoor spaces that encourage exploration, play and learning. You may be interested in this article on the Reggio Emilia philosophy which explains the approach in more detail.
For the environment to function effectively as a teacher, it needs to do the following things:
Young children discover the world around them through multisensory experiences. The tendency of early learning environments is to focus on tactile and visual experiences, but a carefully designed one can stimulate all the child’s senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, hearing and smell.
A quality environment rich in content and choice will be updated and changed regularly, offering fresh opportunities for young children to explore and experiment using their senses (in a safe way of course!) to find and pursue topics that pique their unique interests.
A well-designed environment will support the diverse ways in which they interact with resources and materials – and with one another. The design of the spaces, the choice of resources, the use of natural light, the ability of children to move around freely etc are all key elements of a quality environment which aids and supports each individual’s development.
Careful selection of tools and materials will help a child start to develop key physical and cognitive skills. For example, picking up small objects and learning to control small movements helps with fine motor skills while gross motor skills would be supported by environments where active movements like climbing, jumping, swinging and balancing are encouraged.
Play-based learning is widely acknowledged as the best way for young people to find out about themselves, the world and their place in it.
A quality early learning environment gives children opportunities to explore their imaginations and to test, communicate and share their ideas. The resources and materials provided will support engagement and social interactions and children will learn through collaboration, co-operation and communication.
When a child feels a sense of accomplishment and achievement, it can propel them to explore further. They feel good about themselves and this self-belief is an essential component for their future success.
Feedback is an important channel for helping to improve a child’s self confidence and in an early learning environment, this can be in the form of an activity that has been completed (doing a puzzle, building a tower) and in the form of a child’s work being displayed around the classroom. When a child sees their work documented and displayed in an environment where there is no judgement or expectation, they feel a greater sense of belonging.
You may find that having a broad understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach to early learning helps bring clarity to the concept of the environment as the ‘third teacher’.
In Reggio Emilia inspired environments like ours, teachers don’t ‘impart’ knowledge. We believe that each and every child is born with a unique curiosity and creativity and is a competent, capable and independent learner, directing their own learning according to their own interests. Our teachers, along with the children’s parents, the wider community and the environment, travel alongside the child together on a journey of mutual discovery. We would love to show you around our beautiful environments which have been carefully curated to make each child feel special and which support every child’s unique discovery journey. You’re welcome to book a tour of one of our Evoke Childcare Centres in Clayton or Albert Park to ask any questions you may have. Or find out more about how we operate by reading this article on our Evoke Childcare philosophy.
For many mums and dads, the first few months of their newborn’s life are a blur and it can take a huge amount of patience and perseverance (plus a healthy dose of humour) to get baby into some sort pattern for their daily routine.
And is so often the case, just as life looks to be a bit more predictable, it’s time for baby to transition to childcare!
Starting at childcare can be challenging on many different fronts – and getting baby used to a sleep routine in the new environment is often one of the biggest hurdles. Baby may be unsettled in the new surroundings and all the extra noise and stimulation can lead to some naptime mayhem.
But rest assured, a quality childcare centre which is staffed by an experienced, caring and loving team will have everything under control so there is nothing to worry about. That said, there are some things you can do ahead of your little one starting at day care that will help them ease into a peaceful sleep routine in their new surroundings.
Sleep is essential for the healthy growth and development of a baby and it is vital that your little one gets sufficient quality sleep.
Here are six ways that you can help your baby settle into a routine at childcare:
Your childcare provider should provide a nurturing and caring environment for your child and should be completely happy to chat to you about how and where naptime fits into their daily curriculum.
At Evoke Early Learning, we know how crucial sleep is for a baby’s healthy growth and development and we regularly review and update our sleep and rest policies and procedures to keep abreast of best practice principles and guidelines.
It’s a good idea to book a tour of the childcare centre to get first-hand experience of how the centre operates. Book a tour of one of our centres today – we’d love to meet you.
Childcare operators don’t all share the same views on naptime. Some have a system of established nap times for everyone, while others adopt a more flexible approach and allow children to sleep according to their individual body clocks.
Your provider should be completely happy to discuss your baby’s sleep routine and willing to work with you to ensure a smooth and restful transition from home to childcare.
You’ve probably got some special routines that you follow when putting your precious bundle down for a nap. You might rock them to sleep, put on special music, give them a bottle or read a book to them – whatever your routine, make sure you chat to the team at the childcare centre about how you get your little one to sleep.
This will ensure that the steps you take are mirrored at the childcare centre, so that baby feels as little disruption as possible.
It’s also a good idea to ask that your baby be settled by the same staff member for each nap until they become more secure and comfortable in their new environment.
As hard as it may be to hand over responsibility for your baby, it can be very helpful to get them used to someone else putting them down at naptime. Before the time comes for them to transition to childcare, ask a friend or another family member to settle them so that they get comfortable with the adjustment to a ‘stranger’.
It can also be helpful to try and establish a routine where baby self-soothes if they wake up during their nap. This will make the transition to childcare so much easier because they will be able to go back to sleep without intervention when there are disruptions or disturbances.
If your home napping routine involves comfort items (dummy, soft toy, special blanket etc), bringing some familiar sleep aids to childcare can make a huge difference to how well they settle.
Transitioning to childcare isn’t always a seamless process for you or your baby. Even if they are a strong sleeper at home, they may not settle immediately at childcare and it is helpful to have realistic expectations.
A quality childcare centre will always do their utmost to mirror your home routines when it comes to nap times, but the reality is that it may take time and patience to get the balance right. You might also like to read Why Regular Bedtime Is Crucial For Children
You may notice that home nap times are different from nap times at childcare. Try not to worry about these differences, the important thing is that your little one is content and happy.
The fact is, you probably have to be a bit flexible when it comes to childcare sleeps and although you have an established home routine, it may not be possible to follow it to the minute at the centre. The trick is to try and keep your sleep cues as consistent as possible and always communicate with the team at the childcare centre.
At our Evoke Early Learning Centres in Albert Park and Clayton, we have beautifully appointed sleep rooms with individual cots to support your baby’s sleep routine. You are more than welcome to book a tour to see how we operate and to chat to us about any aspect of your child’s care, including sleep times and nap habits.
Your choice of childcare centre is one of the most important decisions you will ever make.
A quality early education is a crucial foundation for a child’s healthy development, but it can be a daunting task making the final decision on where to send your little one.
Every family has priorities and preferences and there may also be several different options available to you in your area – making a difficult decision even tougher.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of questions to ask and issues to cover when you’re visiting prospective childcare centres. And as the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed, so it’s a good idea to discuss these questions with your family beforehand to clarify your expectations and get a handle on what information is important to you.
And remember, any childcare centre worth their salt won’t mind you asking questions at all. In fact, they’ll welcome the discussion. They know just how important it is that everyone is happy and that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Topics you will want to cover are:
There may be other areas which are of specific interest to you that you would want to discuss with a prospective childcare centre. These could include things like the school’s sustainability practices, cultural integration, the centre’s policy on incursions, specialised resources if a child has additional challenges etc.
It may be helpful to print out the following list of questions so you can make notes or additions ahead of your meeting.
Here at Evoke Early Learning, we understand what a huge decision this is. Whether it’s choosing a separate nursery, toddler or kindergarten programme or an early education centre that caters for 0-5 year olds at the same premises, taking that step is big for parents and for the child.
You want to find the right place for your child and for your family. You want to ensure that it’s a happy, safe, secure and loving environment where every individual is nurtured and where their development is supported by proven educational principles and facilities and staff of the highest quality. You want to know they’ll be getting the best possible start to prepare them for school and for success in their later lives too. That’s why it’s so important to ask lots of questions and dive deep into the detail before making a final decision.
And if you would like to find out more about our Evoke Early Learning centres in Albert Park and Clayton, you’re welcome to book a tour. We’d love to meet you, answer your questions and show you around our safe and nurturing environments which have been carefully curated to promote knowledge and inspire a life-long love of learning.
We often hear someone say: “Look at those children having such fun playing”, but the observation “Look at those children having such fun learning” is far less frequent.
Play is the universal language of childhood and encompasses many different types of activities that children do for fun and amusement. But play and learning are also inseparable.
Young children may look like they’re ‘just’ playing, but when you consider that through play, children develop many valuable life skills, you realise that there is no such thing as ‘just playing’.
With a growing body of research pointing to the long-term benefits of play-based learning, many childcare centres now focus their daily activities entirely on play-based learning. Here, children are allowed to be the discoverers and explorers, constructing, and directing their own learning according to what interests them while the educators act as facilitators and collaborators.
Instead of the more traditional education practices which involve teaching by instruction, prescribed outcomes and repetitive rote learning, play-based learning such as the Reggio Emilia approach is child-centred. Play drives discovery and the child’s experiences lead to deeper, more meaningful learning opportunities.
Children are born with a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge and play-based learning provides them with endless opportunities to engage with others, with objects and with their environment.
The beauty of play-based learning is that it supports learning in a developmentally appropriate way and doesn’t discriminate or deter participation based on the child’s ability or the pace at which they learn.
Play-based learning is a more natural approach to learning and while it may seem unstructured and unfocused to a casual observer, the reality is that it is the most effective way for young children to accrue many crucial skills.
So whether a child chooses to play with toys or other objects, participate in physical activities, colour, draw, sculpt or craft, play on their own or with others, engage in pretend play and role-play, construct or deconstruct something or dance and sing, by actively engaging with things that interest and inspire them, they’ll be more motivated to learn about the world around them.
Promotes physical development. Active play and movement help children develop their gross motor skills, plus it builds their strength, improves their balance and helps boost their hand/eye co-ordination. Their fine motor skills also get a workout through activities like holding a crayon, cutting and threading.
Promotes cognitive development. Through play, kids develop their intellectual skills such as numeracy, problem-solving, critical thinking, planning and memory skills and retention of knowledge. Why does my tower of blocks keep falling down? How do I get the ball through the hoop? They learn about cause and effect and the consequences of their actions, which lay a strong foundation for their futures as critical-thinking, confident and well-rounded adults.
Encourages their language and communication skills. A child’s vocabulary and their oral skills will grow quickly when conversations are encouraged and when they’re doing things they enjoy.
It helps foster their imaginations. Play activities support a child’s innate creativity and curiosity, driving them to find solutions by using their imaginations.
It helps with the development of social and emotional skills. During play, children are exposed to important lifeskills such as negotiation, co-operation, taking turns, sharing, empathy and resilience. Play teaches them about relationships and how to resolve conflict. If you’ve ever watched a group of young children engaging in a make-believe game, you’ll quickly see how many opportunities there are for them to learn about themselves and about others!
It builds independence. When children are free to play on their own, they’re more likely to take responsibility for their actions.
It helps build a child’s confidence and self-esteem. Play isn’t results-orientated. There are no time pressures to finish an activity and no prescribed outcomes, so children are less likely to feel judged or inadequate. By doing things that they’ve chosen and that they love, they build up their confidence in their abilities and feel good about themselves.
Ultimately, every parent wants their child to have a happy and healthy educational experience.
Quality environments which encourage playful learning and discovery are proven to promote the child’s holistic development and to provide a solid foundation for success throughout the child’s life.
We’d love to show you our play-based learning environments at Evoke Childcare in Albert Park and Evoke Childcare in Clayton so you can make an informed decision about your little one’s future. So why not book a tour? We believe that our open-ended play and child-centred learning sets the foundation for children in our care to develop strong learner identities and empowers them to construct and enjoy opportunities to learn as they head towards school and beyond. We hope to meet you soon!
