Approaches to Learning During the First Year of Life
Infants are born ready to learn. Learn strategies to support babies’ sensory experience of the world around them during their first year of life.
Approaches to Learning is one of the five central domains of the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF). It focuses on how children learn. These resources explore how children acquire the skills and behaviors they use to engage in learning, such as self-regulation, initiative, curiosity, and creativity.
Other ELOF domains include Social and Emotional Development; Language and Literacy; Cognition; and Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development.
Infants are born ready to learn. Learn strategies to support babies’ sensory experience of the world around them during their first year of life.
Toddlers learn by following their curiosity. Learn how to support them as they gain new skills and concepts by exploring and experimenting. Discover ways you can guide their learning as they engage with the world.
As children play, their brain builds connections that support many skills, including the skill of self-regulation. Learn how you can be the child’s most important teacher and “guide on the side” as they play.
Make-believe play is an important part of a research-based curriculum and practices you use every day. The sky is the limit as children create play experiences to explore scenarios from their world and beyond!
What’s in the box? Endless possibilities! Educators and families can use cardboard boxes to spark children’s imaginations. Children build skills as they imagine, create, and test and implement their ideas.
Children use blocks to erect buildings, create towers, enhance dramatic play, and so much more! Educators can provide a variety of blocks, interesting accessories, plenty of space to explore, and then watch the block party begin!
Approaches to Learning focuses on how children learn. It refers to the skills and behaviors that children use to engage in learning.
In this in-service suite teachers learn ways to help children when they struggle to learn a concept or complete an activity.
Find out how to make children’s learning meaningful. Also, explore how learning can be relevant in children’s everyday lives.
Use this video to explore the rapid growth and development that occurs in the first three years of life. Explore its influence on later development and learning.
HeadStart.gov
official website of the Administration for Children and Families