Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 3.12: Promote the personal, social and emotional development of children
Learning outcome: Be able to implement an opportunity which promotes the personal, social and emotional development of children
Assessment criteria: Plan an opportunity which promotes the personal, social and emotional development of children aged: 0-1 year 11 months, 2-2 years 11 months, 3-5 years
When working with children aged 0-5 years old, it is essential to create learning opportunities that are tailored to each age group and which promote the personal, social, and emotional development of these children. Early Years Practitioners (EYPs) must be aware of the specific developmental stages for each age range in order to plan experiences that will contribute to the holistic development of these young children.
Planning an opportunity that promotes the personal, social, and emotional development of 0-1 year 11 months old should focus on basics such as physical comfort (such as cuddles or rocking), communication (such as making silly sounds and facial expressions), exploration (in safe environments) and self-regulation (by providing a safe space for the child). As these children become more mobile they can begin exploring their environment through crawling and walking. EYPs should provide plenty of opportunities during this stage to learn language skills such as babbling and singing while also helping them develop positive social relationships with their peers through activities like shared play.
When planning an opportunity for 2-2 years 11 months old, EYPs should focus on creating experiences that help build upon what was learned during the first year(s). This includes building on language skills by engaging in conversations with adults while also developing stronger social relationships through activities like pretending to cook or helping clean up toys. Additionally, EYPs can use stories featuring characters with strong emotions in order to help young children understand how different people feel and how those feelings can be expressed.
Finally, when planning an opportunity for 3-5 years old, EYPs should keep in mind that this age range is about gaining independence; therefore it is important for them to provide experiences which enable children to practice problem solving in a safe environment. This could include using pretend play scenarios where young children take on different roles related to life at home or school so they can practice how different people interact. Additionally, art activities are beneficial at this stage since they allow young children a creative outlet for expressing their feelings while also providing an opportunity for cooperative projects with other peers within the group.
Creating learning opportunities specifically tailored towards different age groups is essential when planning experiences that promote personal, social, and emotional development among young children aged 0-5 years old. By understanding each age group’s unique developmental milestones it allows EYPs to create meaningful experiences which will enable each child’s holistic growth and development. Furthermore, planning activities that engage multiple senses provide more opportunities for learning within the early years setting. With this approach a wide variety of experiences can be offered depending on the needs of each child which helps ensure they are receiving quality care within their early years setting.