School readiness: How young children learn The Garden Island This is a biweekly column presented by the Kaua‘i Good Beginnings Council, Public Awareness Committee. It will run every other week on Wednesday and will discuss issues relevant to the first
School readiness: How young children learn
The Garden Island
This is a biweekly column presented by the Kaua‘i Good Beginnings Council, Public Awareness Committee. It will run every other week on Wednesday and will discuss issues relevant to the first five years of a child’s life.
Breakthrough brain research has recently shown that the first five years of life are more important for emotional and intellectual growth than previously thought.
Most of a child’s brain development takes place after birth, when the child’s 100 billion brain cells eventually connect in networks that allow thinking and learning to take place.
Nine-month-old Jessica reaches for the orange starfish toy and splashes it in the tub. She laughs when it bounces right back up. Dad laughs along with her and says, “It came back.” Then Dad lathers the wash cloth and sings a song: “Head, shoulders, knees and toes …”
He tickles her toes and pauses. Jessica laughs, splashes and looks at her dad expectantly, as she waits for him to keep singing.
During this simple everyday moment, Jessica is learning a great deal. She experiences the joy of interacting with her dad, which builds both her trust in him and her social skills. She is learning about language and how to communicate as she uses her sounds and gestures to “tell” Dad to keep singing. And Dad’s responses to her make her feel like a good, effective communicator. Her thinking skills are developing as she plays with the starfish and learns about cause and effect and sinking and floating.
Also important to keep in mind are several key factors at work during this interaction which allows so much learning and connecting to take place:
• Relationships — Learning happens in the context of relationships. It is the interaction between Jessica and her father that stimulates her exploration and keeps her engaged.
• Play — Babies don’t distinguish “work” from “play” — for them, play is their job. They are driven to explore and discover. That’s why learning takes place best when it is fun.
• Routines — Bath time, like many other routines, takes on special significance for young children as knowing what to expect gives them a sense of security and control. When routines are enhanced by sensitive and responsive care giving, as Jessica’s dad does during bath time, these routines also become some of the best opportunities for learning and bonding.
To think about:
What routines with your baby or toddler do you enjoy the most? Least? Why? What can you do to make these routines less stressful and more satisfying?
Think of a typical routine you do with your child.
What do you think your child is learning during this experience? Are there ways to enhance his learning during this routine?
The above is excerpted from Zero To Three: National Center For Infants, Toddlers and Families Web site: www.zerotothree.org
For more ideas, information and resources on how to understand, help and enrich your child’s development, call Anna Peters, Kaua‘i Good Beginnings coordinator at 632-2114 or Cathy Shanks of PATCH at 246-0622.
This article is provided by the Kaua‘i Good Beginnings Council Public Awareness Committee comprised of Phyllis Kunimura, Kaua‘i Independent Daycare Services School, Cathy Shanks, PATCH, Nancy Golden, Nana’s House, Margaret Smith, Healthy Start, and Anna Peters.
