How Early Childhood Education is Important

When a baby is born, rapid growth and changes in the baby's body are immediately visible. But beyond learning how to smile, talk, crawl and walk, they are absorbing a tremendous amount of information from the world around them. During this early stage of life, a child's brain contains the billions of cells that they will have throughout their lifetime, and they are forming millions of neural connections each day - more than at any other point in their life! These early experiences play a critical role in shaping the child's development. The foundation they build in these formative years influences many aspects of their future, from academic success to social relationships to their ability to cope with challenges and even their long-term health outcomes.

What is the Effect of Early Childhood Education?

All children receive some type of education, whether at home with their parents, with caregivers, or at a childcare center. As a matter of fact, children seemingly can't get enough of it, driven by boundless curiosity. Children radiate the fresh joy of life throughout the home, receiving new experiences with wonder and excitement. The world is a broad, uncharted frontier, and they are enthusiastic explorers. As parents and caregivers, it is a gift to be their guide in this expedition. In every "what," "how," and "why" (and in the numerous encores of "again!"), you are literally teaching them what the world is like and how it works.

Of course, these little explorers often seek far more than you're prepared to answer, so you get to put on your explorer hats and join them in the journey. In this way, early childhood education is not just a knowing exercise - it's an incredible bonding exercise. Hand in hand, guide and explorer plunge into the mysteries of this great, big world together, both discovering the facts of life for the head and building treasured memories for the heart.

What Kind of Early Childhood Education is Important?

Education isn't about a rigid routine of formal lessons for babies and young children but rather about learning through meaningful, everyday connections and experiences. It is about exploring, discovering, and engaging with a world in a more informal yet impactful way. Children have a surprising and beautiful way of reminding us that there are learning experiences all around: in the blue sky, in a handful of dirt, a scraped knee, a blade of grass. Scores of meaningful experiences will open up as your journey develops with your child. Here are a few suggestions:

• Providing a Nurturing Environment: Babies use most of their energy developing their brains in their early days and weeks. Keeping their surroundings relatively calm is helpful so that their energy is reserved for making all those neural connections needed to develop new skills and grow. As a baby grows, development has been compared to that of a tree. Trees with deep and stable root systems are best equipped to send out long branches. Children who feel secure and encouraged at home base are best equipped to take that sense of security with them as they explore the world.
• Talking, Reading, and Singing with Your Baby: Talking to your baby throughout the day can be very beneficial for teaching language, but also extremely important for teaching them social skills. One study found that academic success among 9-10-year-olds was directly linked to the amount of talk the children heard through age 3. Another found that mothers who spoke frequently to their infants saw their children learn almost 300 more words by age two than those who did not. Volumes have been written concerning the value of reading and song in early childhood development, and the verdict is clear - talk, talk, talk!
• Playing Games or with Toys Together: Mother Teresa once said, "Life is a game. Play it." Even as adults, it's interesting to think just how much of life is learned through, explained by, or bound up in the thing called "play." Through play, children experience much growth and learning, including how to focus their attention, the development of basic memory skills, and how to exercise self-control. From "peek-a-boo" and "pat-a-cake" at an early age up to "follow the leader" and beyond, play is invaluable.
• Exploring New Things Together: Challenges are an important part of a baby's development. They need to be faced with obstacles so that they can practice and grow their problem-solving skills. The earlier that children can learn this, the greater their resilience can be from childhood even to adulthood. Whether it's a new teacher, a new food, or a new environment, new things can be daunting to children as they grow, but walking them through even the smallest successes with new things can pay big dividends down the road. Celebrate any effort to tackle new things and applaud progress. And, if your child is old enough to understand, help them recall successes they've had with new things in the past, and let them know you believe they have what it takes to explore the next new thing.

Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Success

The everyday interactions your baby experiences during their early years play a crucial role in their long-term health and success. Your bond with your little one is one of the most important factors in their development and serves as a vital part of their education. If you're looking for ways to engage with your baby and support their early learning, Curious Baby Cards offers books with age-appropriate activities designed for you and your child to enjoy together.