Celebrating the child: Special little people

Do you celebrate the youngest children's experiences rather than just plan them? Jennie Lindon puts children at the centre of the picture

It is easy to say 'our nursery is child-centred' or 'of course we focus on each baby and toddler as an individual'. But how often do you talk with colleagues to consider whether you really do run the days for under-threes with the children at the centre? What would that look like? In what ways do you really adjust care routines, play activities and your ways of communicating for each young child? Do you show you appreciate individuality in the under-threes? Do you enjoy your time with babies and toddlers overall, and do they realise it? Along with your colleagues who work with the three- and four-year-olds, you need to ensure that you are not over-focused on the big picture of planning ahead and providing a full range of play and learning activities. Of course planning matters, but the important pay-off for the young children is what actually happens day by day, with experiences that mean each individual child is definitely in the final picture. Rather like the care routines, the planning for under-threes should never end up more important than the children themselves. So, how might you genuinely celebrate young children and their experiences?