Any activity which creates sensory awareness on the part of infants, toddlers, preschoolers (and adults) sets the stage for learning and development. Once something catches our attention, we can then begin to explore how it impacts our senses (what does it look like, feel like, smell like, taste like, sound like …) and how we might respond to it. This response could involve avoidance, fear, attraction, further exploration, interaction, even memory of the same or similar experiences. The more positive experiences we have, the more likely we are to explore with confidence, interact creatively and learn from new experiences. In this way infants, toddlers and preschoolers are very much like older children and adults.
What is unique about these first three years is the astounding number of new experiences and the tremendous learning that takes place during this period of development. That is why we call this early learning development - we start with no experience and move at an astounding rate to become well organized, multi-sensory learners ready to explore and change our world. We build quickly on what we have learned.
The earliest learning occurs as a result of reflex generated movements in response to the world around us as well as random changes in our own body position. We quickly learn from these motor experiences how to generate our own noises and movements and we begin to see the changes in ourselves and our environment happen. Our world is one big learning playground after that!
Number one is freedom to explore the changes our infant movements create. Tummy time on an open flat surface allows the greatest freedom of movement and builds strength for head and body control. Eventually this leads to organized movement patterns which allow even greater exploration with creeping and crawling.
Language and sound patterns are as important as vision and movement in learning about where and what is in our environment. When we both see and hear consistent patterns, we link them and not only recognize and remember, but begin to anticipate and predict. The baby who hears Mom's voice certainly learns quickly to look for her in anticipation of the next meal! This process of matching what each of our senses tell us about the same event is called integration and is the highest level of organization. Now the senses no longer function in isolation, but contribute to the total learning experience. Eventually, as adults, we are so well organized and integrated that we can call up the total experience again with only a clue from one sense. That is why reading is so much fun!
Open ended play time allows the freedom for the mind that open floor and tummy time allows for the body. The opportunity to explore new tricks for old toys, movements, sounds, shapes, colors, etc. feeds our creative spirit and encourages confident discovery of relationships we might otherwise miss. Discovery of new ways to do the same thing, new outcomes for similar movements is what helps us experience the value of flexibility. Things do not have to always be the same or be done the same way to be successful. We learn tolerance and respect for innovation, confidence in problem solving and appreciation for variety. We are open to learning new tricks and, in fact, start to look for new tricks to learn. Learning is fun, exciting and beneficial. We learn to appreciate the opportunity to learn new tricks from others and share the experience of discovery. We learn to take joy in the discoveries of others and build on their ideas. Now we are ready to take on the world of school and life in our community as an adult.