Birth to Three
Birth to Three Matters
Here at Epsom Downs Playgroup we follow the Birth to Three Frameworks from the age of 2 1/2 to 3 years. When your child reaches the age of 3 we then follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Purpose of the Framework
The Framework takes as its focus the child and steers away from subjects, specific areas of experience and distinct curriculum headings. It identifies four Aspects, which celebrate the skill and competence of babies and young childrens and highlights the inter-relationship between growth, learning, development and the environment in which they are cared for and educated.
These four 'Aspects' are:
A Strong Child
The four components which make up a strong child are:
- Me, Myself and I
- Being Acknowledged and Affirmed
- Developing Self-assurance
- A Sense of Belonging
The concept of A Strong Child is one which runs throughout the Framework. We all want children to be strong, capable, confident and self-assured. The very early years are extremely important in this respect. Babies and young children need support as they begin a journey of self-discovery from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person. The beginnings of autonomy can be seen in the relationships which exist as babies and young children play and explore alongside a close, attentive, warm and sensitive adult.
By encouraging and supporting decision-making, empathising and providing opportunities for children, the key person helps them grow emotionally, so that they are able to respond to successes and challenges Me, myself and I is about helping young children to get to know themselves and their own capabilities. The respect, care, love and emotional support experienced by babies and children's helps them to develop emotional safety, trust and a positive self image. Being acknowledged and affirmed by important people in their lives leads children to gain confidence and inner strength. Exploration within closed relationships leads to the growth of self assurance, promoting a sense of belonging which allows the young child to explore the world from a secure base.
A Skilful Communicator
The four components which make up A Skilful Communicator are:
- Being Together
- Finding a Voice
- Listening and Responding
- Making Meaning
To become skilful communicator's babies and children need to be together with a key person and others in warm and loving relationships. Being Together leads to the wider development of social relations which include friendship, empathy, sharing emotions and experiences and becoming a competent language user. Early attempts at finding a voice are rewarded in a variety of ways, increasing confidence and encouraging children both to extend their range and increase their skills.
In these very early years, babies and young children do not merely begin to make sense of what is going on around them and express themselves, they start to learn about 'conversation'. This requires listening and responding appropriately, understanding the importance of paying attention to sounds and language, interpreting non-verbal signals, imitating, repeating and mirroring others. They learn the 'rules' of communication through making meaning with their key person and with other supportive adults and older children. It is in these relationships that their early attempts to converse are interpreted, responded to and valued.
A Competent Learner
The four components that make up A Competent Learner are:
- Making Connections
- Being Imaginative
- Being Creative
- Representing
Competent learners from birth, babies only a few hours old gaze at patterns which resemble the human face in preference to others. They are able to distinguish between things, and show that they like some things better than others. In this way young children learn to discriminate and make connections between different objects and experiences. Children make increasing sense of the world as connections are made.
Through repeated experience of people, objects and materials, young children begin to form mental images which lead them to imitate, explore and re-enact as they play imaginatively with materials and resources, using all the senses. As they engage in pretend play with gestures and actions, feelings and relationships, ideas and words, they become increasingly imaginative. Children become creative
through exploration and discovery as they experiment with sound, media and movement. Creativity, imagination and representation allow children to share their thoughts, feelings, understandings and identities with others, using drawings, words, movement, music, dance and imaginative play.
A Healthy Child
The four components which make up A Healthy Child are:
- Emotional Well-being
- Growing and Developing
- Keeping Safe
- Healthy Choices
Being healthy means much more than having nutritious food and being free from illness. For babies and young children, being special to someone and cared for is vital for their physical, social and emotional health and well-being. Health and social well-being underpin and determine children's responses to their environment, to people and to new experiences. Emotional well-being includes relationships, which are close, warm and supportive; being able to express feelings such as joy, sadness, frustration and fear, leading to the development of strategies to cope with new, challenging or stressful situations.
Meeting children's physical needs is fundamental to their well-being. Growing and developing children who are physically well will have the energy and enthusiasm to benefit from the range of activities on offer to them. Equally, children who are hungry, tired or uncomfortable will not enjoy the company of adults and other children, nor will they benefit fully if choice of activities is limited or provision inappropriate to their needs.
Knowing when to ask for help, being protected and keeping safe with adult support, ensures that babies and young children quickly become skilful in a range of movements involving both large and fine motor control. In time, they make healthy choices as they learn about their bodies and what they can do.
