How Young Children Learn

Everyone learns best when they can select their particular area of interest. Research shows that young children learn best by exploring, trying things out, finding out what works and what doesn’t. Young children learn best through playing in an environment created for their learning where their interests are supported rather than just having information “told” to them.

The kindergarten provides a learning environment that allows children to choose the areas where they want to learn. Children will always choose to play in an area which is relevant to their current interests. By doing this they learn a wide range of skills, knowledge, attitudes and develop learning dispositions as they work alongside other children and adults.

To grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.
- Aspirations for children, from Te Whāriki National Early Childhood Education Curriculum.

An example of this is a child who chooses to play in the sandpit a lot of the time. The child will possibly learn how to negotiate, plan, communicate, listen and understand, share, how to make and keep friends, how to lead and follow in a group, how to recognise and control emotions. Working with sand, water and equipment this child may develop skills in problem solving, creating, planning, sequencing, understanding concepts and physical skills.

Along with this learning, the child who plays in the sandpit is also learning the beginnings of learning to read, write and do maths. Teachers, working alongside the child, talk about what the child is doing and support the child to extend their thinking and to understand the concepts that are the basis for later learning in literacy and numeracy. This type of support for learning happens in all areas of the kindergarten.

To learn best children need the opportunity to explore. During their creative processes children need to be able
to follow their inspirations without worrying about keeping clean and dry. Teachers make every effort to ensure that children’s wellbeing is nurtured and children are supported to change their clothes if necessary.

The Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki, has been developed to provide a framework based on this understanding of how young children learn. This curriculum framework is linked to the New Zealand School Curriculum.

Sitting down for lessons maybe okay for older children, but young children learn best by exploring and discovering alongside someone who is interested. Holding a pencil and drawing is one way to begin writing; matching things up and sorting things is the beginning of maths.

For further information please talk to the teachers.