We’ve found a strong link between the Early Years Learning Curriculum Framework and craft activities for children. Could this benefit your child too?
Laying the foundation blocks for success
Picture this – your child having success in a prep classroom. They are confident, capable and eager to explore the learning opportunities offered to them. They are resilient, responsive and resilient.
But how did they get there? And how can we prepare them?
Craft activities for children CAN and DOES make a big difference when it comes to your child’s ability to cope with prep and early years learning. It’s not about the crafts that they actually make (consider those an adorable bonus!) but about the SKILLS that they can develop through making. Here’s how to do it.
Craft activities for children – developing a strong sense of identity
The first learning outcome is “Children have a strong sense of identity”. Allowing them access to a range of different types of creative opportunities allows them time in a safe space to experiment and figure out what they like, what they don’t like and what they want to do more of.
Imagine your child being confident enough to take charge and begin an activity without holding back and waiting to copy someone else first. This sense of self relates closely to self-confidence. Craft activities for children that are carried out with the support of parents and care-givers can allow this confidence and maturity to begin to develop in a natural way.
Craft activities for children – connecting and contributing
The second learning outcome is “Children are connected with and contribute to their world”. Craft learning activities provide opportunity for social connection in a non-confrontational setting.
Many children, upon beginning school, can find it overwhelming to have to interact with so many different adults and children throughout their day. You may have noticed this in your child – an intimidation that’s more about their shyness than anything the teacher is doing to frighten them.
Craft activities for children provide an opportunity for a collegial, yet personal, working style that can lead to natural conversation and a sense of working together. Children can work independently, with help or in conjunction with your or siblings on a project. This will promote a cooperative spirit and a real sense of achievement when they see what a group of people can achieve when they work together.
Craft activities for children – confident and involved learning
The last learning outcome we’ll look at is “Children are confident and involved learners”. The resilience that develops with crafting – experimenting, failing and trying again – goes a LONG way to promoting confidence in a child at school.
School, as we all know, is NOT about succeeding at everything the first time around. The challenge for children (and adults) comes when we realise that we are not instantly the best at a task. That we do need to try, try again and adapt our approach. Craft activities for children can enhance this – taking on more complex projects, adapting plans to suit a changed goal, taking on feedback and constructive criticism. All of these are VITAL learning skills that a healthy approaching to crafting endeavours to create.
Early Years Learning Curriculum Framework
If you’d like to learn more about the early years learning framework you can find information about what your child will learn in prep here.
Louise Lavery is a content writer and the online content manager for Families Magazine – Families Online – a resource for parents with children aged 0-13. Families Magazine is the Clever Resource for Thinking Parents.