Nursery World - In on the act (3)

Practitioners can make emotional security and social co-operation a matter of routine in their daily work with babies and toddlers, writes <B> Jennie Lindon </B>

Practitioners can make emotional security and social co-operation a matter of routine in their daily work with babies and toddlers, writes Jennie Lindon

The emotional wellbeing of babies and toddlers depends on feeling that they are noticed and appreciated as individuals. Caring adults help very young children to feel emotionally secure and actively engaged through two broad kinds of routine:

As soon as they can move with confidence, very young children want to help: to do some of their own care, and be active helpers in their social world.

Young children who help in regular domestic routines are learning early pro-social behaviour. They cannot develop a helpful outlook if adults will not let them help. Toddlers like to be part of the action by handing you items or wiping the table. Two-year- olds relish doing simple errands across a room or moving safely between the garden and indoors.

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