The early stages of childhood are a vital developmental stage for all children, with respect to their intellectual, emotional and social growth. From birth to the age of six, the expansion of physical and mental abilities progresses at astonishing speed, with a surmountable level of learning occurring during this life stage. This is a period in a child’s life where education, care and quality learning experiences are required to encourage further growth and development.

From the moment a newborn enters the world, the learning process begins, and one which will not end until time itself. The growing provision of kindergarten and pre-school facilities are a testament to the growing emphasis being placed on early childhood education. Research has shown that positive early learning experiences correlate with positive social, emotional and intellectual development which greatly impacts upon the future direction and capabilities of children.

Even though parents are the biggest educational influence in the first few years, busy lifestyles, economic pressures and time constraints have created a society that is increasingly reliant on pre-school facilities – not only to provide quality care services for their children, but to provide early childhood education to stimulate healthy development and growth.

Play is a very important process within child development, where fun is experienced with the combination of learning. It is considered an essential component of an early childhood education as many relationship and social skills are developed, along with motor and coordination aptitudes. The use of toys to build or create something is often termed constructive play. These usually include the use of building blocks, puzzles and the like. Pretend play allows children to express themselves, often projecting themselves as something they are not. As well as honing social and language skills, the development of a rich imagination should be encouraged.

The importance of family will drive parents to inspect a number of early childhood educational facilities before a final decision is made. A comfortable, warm and pleasant environment is always attractive, but more and more emphasis is being placed on the quality of the staff. Parents will search for pre-school facilities with staff that are suitably educated and experienced in leading small groups of children, have a solid background in early childhood education training and vocational studies, with staff that can provide a rich, interesting and safe learning environment.

Being involved in the education and learning stages of children can be one of the most rewarding careers. However, with the increasing pressure on educational facilities to regulate staff based on qualifications, a future in this industry requires the successful completion of an early childhood education training programme. Ring for a prospectus from a leading tertiary education provider today and shape the youth of tomorrow.