Making Most of Childhood

MAKING THE MOST
OF CHILDHOOD:
THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE EARLY YEARS
All of us learn throughout our lives. values, the family’s financial situation,
It starts from the day we are born. It is parents’ level of education, parents’
now recognised that the early years of occupation, and parents’ physical
life are the most important for learning. and mental health
That’s when the foundations for the
• influences within the community –
future are laid, and when we begin
children’s services (both availability
moving down the path that will take us
and quality), support for parenting,
through childhood, the teenage years
housing (both quality and security
and ultimately into adulthood.
of tenure), safety and crime in the
What are the early years? neighbourhood, unemployment
People use the term ‘the early years’ levels and the general feeling of trust
in slightly different ways. To some it among the residents
means the years from birth to eight • influences within their culture –
years; to others it means the years with different cultures marked by
before school; while others focus mainly differences in parenting styles,
on the first three years of life. All these beliefs and values, and different views
periods are critical in every child’s life. on how children should be educated.
The important thing is that we provide
real opportunities for children to learn, What does the research show
develop and have fun during those years, about the importance of the early
regardless of what term we use. years?
The importance of the early years is now
What affects learning? well known throughout Australia and the
Children are born ready to learn and rest of the world. These years are a time
interested in the world around them. It is when the brain develops and much of
natural for them to use all their abilities its ‘wiring’ is laid down. The experiences
to learn. From birth, children are learning and relationships a child has, plus
about themselves, other people and nutrition and health, can actually affect
the world around them, and playing this enormously. Positive experiences
an active role in their own learning and help the brain to develop in healthy
development. ways. Seriously negative experiences
There is no question about the amazing such as neglect and abuse, on the
amount children are learning. All you other hand, affect brain development
have to do is spend time with any in more harmful ways, and contribute
baby, toddler or child to witness the to emotional and behavioural problems
incredible leaps in skills knowledge and later in life. So the experiences a child
understandings that happen in the first has in the early years can either support
eight years of life. learning or interfere with it.
Children’s development and learning are As the organisation Zero to Three says
affected by: in its booklet titled Getting Ready for
School Begins at Birth: “The brain is the
• influences within themselves – their only organ that is not fully formed at
genetic inheritance, temperament, birth. During the first three years, trillions
gender, and health of connections between brain cells
• influences within the family – family are being made. A child’s relationships
relationships, parenting styles and and experiences during the early years
greatly influence how their brain grows”.
What are some important areas learning that are important in the early
of learning? years. Some important areas of learning
Health and physical wellbeing are the are listed below.
basis for all learning and development. • use of the body, including hands
Such areas as eating habits, attitudes
towards exercise and self care • respect for others
routines build from the child’s earliest • how to relate to others, both adults
experiences. and other children
One of the most important things • how to resolve conflict
children learn in the early years is about
themselves – that is, they develop a • problem solving skills
picture of themselves that affects the • communication
way they approach any situation, task,
or relationship with another person. • getting used to the things that make
In other words, they develop a self people different from each other
concept. An important part of that • self knowledge - understanding
self concept is the picture they have of of feelings, a sense of your own
themselves as learners: is it okay to be strengths, talents and uniqueness
curious, to explore, to ask questions, to
tackle problems, to try to figure things • confidence
out, to experiment? Is it okay to try • a sense of belonging to family,
something and fail sometimes? Being community, culture
a good learner means having a go,
seeing yourself as capable, and taking • how to look after and take care of
reasonable risks. yourself
There are many different ways to • behaving in acceptable ways and

categorise learning in the early years, controlling your own behaviour.
but whatever the categories, it is
important for parents, and others who
work and live with children, to keep
in mind the broad range of kinds of
What do children need to support • books to look at and read stories
learning in the early years? They to listen to and people to have
need: conversations with. Loving language
• adults who help them to stay safe and books makes a great and
and healthy. strong start to developing a wide
vocabulary and literacy skills.
• Positive caring relationships that are Children can benefit from having
ongoing - the most important factor stories read to them from the very
in supporting a child’s learning. All beginning, even before they are able
children need people, or at least one to understand what is being said.
person, who believe in them, care for
them, and want to support them as • time to really get involved and build
learners. Children do some of their relationships with other children and
most powerful learning from copying adults.
what people around them do, so it is • a group experience. This might be a
important that they are with adults playgroup, a childcare or occasional
who are learners themselves. care centre, a family day care home,
• adults who appreciate the a kindergarten program, school
uniqueness of each child, and who or outside school hour’s care. In
respect the child’s feelings, needs order for children to benefit, these
and interests. experiences need to be of a high
quality. As well, the relationship
• help to learn to control their between parents and professionals
behaviour and patient teaching can support parents in child rearing
about what behaviour is accepted. particularly if services are co-
• materials and experiences to learn located and working in an integrated
from, and time to get involved with way. Children need encouragement
them. but they do not need to be ‘pushed’
and put under pressure to learn
• opportunities to ‘be in the world things earlier than they would if they
doing things’. Children need to be were not pushed. Learning happens
actively involved in meaningful best when caring adults work with
experiences. Learning happens the child, have loving relationships,
best in context, that is, when there and explore the world together in
is a real need to know. Going to the ways that are interesting and fun.
supermarket, working in the garden,
cooking with an adult, helping to Some information in this brochure was
wash the car, as well as going to the sourced from: Getting Ready for School
park or the beach are some of the Begins at Birth, n.d., Zero to Three,
best kinds of learning experiences. Washington, DC.
Young children especially need
chances to get actively involved. For further information go to
‘Hands-on, minds-on’ is the www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/
expression sometimes used. TV, parents/mch/
DVDS, computers and other forms of
technology, can be wonderful tools
for learning if used in moderation
and with the help of an adult.
© State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training) August 2017
16-0118

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MAKING THE MOST

There are many different ways to • behaving in acceptable ways and

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