Every child undergoes several experiences during this phase to have a long-term effect on his/her life course.
According to the educationalists children are born as blank slate or "Tabula Rasa" (concept given by Locke). Children begin their life from zero.
In fact a child’s mind can be molded. In this stage, they might also be going through physical, social and cognitive developments at this time. In this phase children learn to socialise, think logically and learn the concept of making friends. She or he has developed gross motor skills and is progressing with fine motor skills.
According to the developmental theorist Human Life Span is divided into different developmental stages, each theorist has its own way of classification. Erick Erickson and Jean Piaget were the two most widely acceptable developmental theorists of Human Life Span. Erick Erickson identity stages according to Emotional development of the child, according to his Theory early childhood falls in two of its stages - 1) Will (autonomy Vs Shame and Doubt - 2-4 years) 2) Purpose (initiative Vs Guilt - 4-5 years). While Piaget identifies Life Span according to cognitive development into 3 developmental stages - Pre operational, Concrete operational and Formal operational. He identifies Preoperational (2-7years) as the stage of early childhood.
In studying any of the above mentioned or other theorists deeply, we find one common theme: they all identify early childhood as a crucial period when a platform is laid for future growth and development.. If the foundation of the building is laid correctly, the building can withstand all outrage, and even the design of the building is based on the foundation.
Similarly, the environment we provide for a child will significantly shape the type of person he/she will become in the future. That is why child psychologists and parenting counselors repeatedly advise parents to provide their children with an exploratory environment where they can learn and discover new things.
The main reason for the growth of the play school market is the belief that a child's grasping capacity is at its peak at this age.
Using Play-Way Techniques, children can learn as many skills/language as they have access to.
We can even remember our nursery rhymes, alphabet songs and number songs during this phase - this is what is called play way technique (learning through songs etc.) Our nursery teachers have used it during a period of a child's early childhood when the power of memory is at its peak.
In those days, we had learned everything by simply copying our teachers, our parents, and our immediate environment. In early childhood, if psychiatric or cognitive, physical and developmental delays are identified, then coping chances are greater than any other developmental stage. But if a child experiences trauma/abuse at this age, the aftereffects are more serious and can negatively impact their development.
“The need to provide a healthy and safe environment to the children is identified by UNICEF also. In 2014 UNICEF staff and government counterparts participated in the Forum on Investing in Young Children and panel discussion on neuroscience and early childhood development (ECD) (UNICEF). These were excellent capacity enhancement opportunities and advocacy platforms for increasing investments in ECCE. India Country Office hosted South Asia ECD Meeting bringing together 6 countries in South Asia to discuss ECD priorities and programming. The events provided a major boost to growing momentum on ECD in South Asia region (UNICEF). Even the major government flagship programs Mid Day Meal, Right to Education, Mission Indradhanush etc. all focus on providing a safe, healthy, nutritive and exploratory environment to the children. Through Mid Day Meal the government aims to provide good quality/nutritious meals to every child and through Right to Education efforts are made that every child gets the opportunity to study. Both of these schemes may cater children above 6-7 years. But through Aaganwadi's special provisions were made to cater needs of young ones, Education through interesting means and healthy nutritive food for their physical growth that to in their immediate environment” – Ezine.
Author Bio: Prapti Chauhan is a professor of Genetics in Bangalore. She has contributed to several online research papers. However, she passionately develops contents on pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, baby cord blood banking in india, umbilical cord lining and more.
