How Babies Learn
How Babies Learn
For the first few years of a baby’s life, everything in the world is new. Learning is a 24/7 process. They have to figure out how to move their bodies, how to manipulate objects, how to understand and use language, and more. That is why it is important to provide babies with the right support and a stimulating environment as early as possible.
Using Their Senses - Babies learn using their eyes, ears, nose, hands and mouths. These ‘tools’ help them discover the world around them and makes them curious.
Learning About Themselves - Babies learn about who they are from birth – responding to their name, smiling when spoken to, babbling while looking at their reflection.
Building Relationships - Babies build relationships by making eye contact, smiles, holding out their arms and responding to back and forth talking. Attention is very powerful.
Communicating - Babies communicate from birth through sounds, facial expressions, body language and movements to share thoughts and feelings.
Literacy for Babies
Did you know that by the age of one, children have learnt all the sounds that make up their native language?
When a baby hears the sounds of people talking, songs being sung, and the rhythms and repetitions of rhymes and stories, they’re setting the early foundations for literacy.
That’s why we use every opportunity to laugh, sing and talk with children – from nappy changes to mealtimes. The more we have real conversations about real things, the more they will understand language.
Babies communicate using actions, hand movements, sounds and facial expressions.
Our Teachers and Educators are tuned into this unique communication via their close relationships with the children, which creates a safe and supportive space for skills to develop. Educators will encourage children by asking questions, giving them plenty of time to respond and always acknowledging their efforts.
Hand-eye coordination is also key at this age, such as fixing their gaze on an object and grabbing it, or playing with their own fingers and toes, are developmental milestones for the coordination required for reading, writing and playing musical instruments in later years.
Numeracy for Babies
From the very beginning, we are developing numeracy skills in babies. This is done through using concepts in everyday language, routines and play. For example, counting their little fingers and toes. We make sure our counting is meaningful and relates to the environment around the child.
Our Educators encourage the use of play & learn in a variety of different ways to help develop numeracy skills. We help babies to discover concepts like big/small, tall/short, volume, pattern making, counting & numbers.
Many of the seemingly small moments in a baby’s day are actually significant milestones in the learning journey. And our teams are educated in identifying and fostering these early moments of learning, to help your baby grow in so many ways, every day.
