Early learning centres are for children aged three years and upward and are intended as a first introduction for children to education providers outside their immediate family. It is an educational model that provides a transition from caregivers to trained professionals that are well-versed in the cognitive and developmental milestones of three and four year olds.
Children interact with these educators in learning studios and playgrounds that are carefully designed to spark children’s curiosity as they begin to explore the world around them and undergo formative learning experiences. Educators guide children through these experiences to enhance their ability to learn from a young age.
Traditional pre-school and kindergarten environments were intended to help socialise children before they entered formal schooling. Research has shown, however, the enduring positive impacts of exposure to a learning environment for children at a younger age, showing that it enhances emotional, social and cognitive development.
Children at early learning centres are given an environment for, and the freedom to explore, a wide range of play-based learning activities. Children are encouraged to be active and adventurous in activities like moulding mud, digging in a sandpit or building with blocks. In this free ranging environment children learn social and leadership skills and are encouraged to share their thoughts and to take part in a variety of interactions with others to enable inclusive and supportive friendships to blossom. As part of this, educators provide intentional teaching structures that expose the children to science and mathematics concepts to encourage them to ask questions and perform further investigations as part of their play.
Intentional teaching methods are used to encourage the children’s interest in literacy and numeracy by providing writing materials, picture books, paper and display boards and other materials to develop their interest in ‘mark making’ which is a precursor to learning to read and write. Through activities involving scales, rulers and the days of the month the children are also introduced to, and become comfortable with, basic numerical concepts.
Early learning experiences such as these allow children to become comfortable with teachers and formal learning environments that provide an excellent preparation for their first year of schooling and give them an advantage in mastering numeracy, literacy and the broader curriculum. Through early learning centres they develop confidence in a learning environment and develop relationships with teachers and learning that will stand them in good stead in their future education.
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