What is early childhood development and why is it important to your child?

Experience has shown us that a person’s life; their successes, health and emotional well-being have their roots embedded deeply in early childhood development. We know that if we get it right in the early years, we can expect our little ones to thrive throughout school and their adult lives.

Nature, in other words genetics, nurture, and the environment that we provide for our children, influence a child's development. A child’s early childhood environments and the appropriate experiences are crucial to the way each child’s brain structure develops.

Caring and supportive environments such as Kay-Dee Educare provide the optimal learning experience for early childhood development and the best chances for success in schooling and life.

Early Childhood development learning at Kay-Dee Educare

• Kay-Dee Educare is designed to provide children with the best start in life. This is done by equipping our teachers and staff with the latest modern teaching skills. In-house training, seminars and education exercises are conducted to ensure that all forms of learning are up to the best standards possible and are developmentally appropriate and enjoyable. We are here to ensure that your children acquire all the knowledge, skills and attributes that are relevant for their educational age-bracket and also build a solid foundation for future development.
• We cover all areas of learning. This is achieved in the learning centre and outside on the playground to ensure your child’s social development, emotional and mental health are all being taken care of.
• We help them develop confidence, self-esteem and a sense of security. It is proven that children develop independence as they acquire new skills.

Early Childhood Development and Care

• Toddlers cannot as yet understand speed and distance. So they need constant supervision indoors and outdoors.
• We provide a safe, supervised environment for your little one. Toddlers love to imitate adults, overstep rules and boundaries. As toddlers usually have no sense of danger they can sometimes be a hazard to themselves and while toddlers are capable of learning safety rules they cannot be expected to consistently observe them.
• We teach our children to share and play co-operatively. They are taught good hygiene skills and to care for themselves and also to become aware of their personal safety.
• Our staff are highly trained to observe and deal with children in all the age groups which also include special needs children.
• Babies to Grade R are all unique individuals who learn in their own way at their own pace. Therefore, parents should never compare their child with others of the same age.
• Kay-Dee Educare Centre supports all age groups ensuring each child reaches their full potential.
• Our form of discipline is consistent and age appropriate.

Developing Senses through Play

• We cover and incorporate all age groups needs and personal interests.
• Toddlers are introduced to Fantasy Play: (by imitating others in an imaginative way) such as;
  • mommy and daddy, granny, grandpa, domestic play, etc.
• Toddler’s basic need to explore their surroundings and make sense of their world is developed through high quality play and teacher involvement.
• We offer support for learning difficulties which may slow down growth and development.
• We help our toddlers begin to identify relationships e.g.
  • Play-dough can be moulded into different shapes; water and sand makes mud (in other words cause and effect).
• Our centre provides the opportunity for assessed freedom where children can play and socialise freely while being supervised.
• Children learn about all of the 5 basic senses and the environment around them. Our staff teach them to listen to and recognise sounds in their environment and also to follow directions.
• Our learning programme encourages them to use their own imagination and initiative. We use situations where they can observe and experience characteristics within their environment using ALL their senses. (touch, taste, smell, hear and sight)
  • For example;
  • Touch: They explore a variety of materials and appreciate colour, shape, texture
  • Hear: they listen to music and respond with vocal sounds, body movement, singing, clapping and develop their sense of spacial awareness.
• We teach spatial awareness and assist toddlers with their physical abilities which are rapidly developing as they become exposed to more obstacles by using for example climbing frames, wheeled toys and other playground apparatus.

Kay-Dee Learning Environment

• We offer one of the best possible environments to learn and grow in. Our learning facility is a well-planned, well-organised and well-resourced indoor and outdoor area learning centre. Every day we observe the happiness and excitement Kay-Dee brings to the children when they experience life, learn new skills and make fresh discoveries at our learning centre.
• All our children enjoy stories, rhymes and songs together. We combine these with developmental play activities such as gym circles, skills circles, obstacle courses, game skills circles and dance circles.
• We also include concrete Montessori methods and resources for teaching our slower paced and visual learners.
• Our centre engages professionals who have studied at UCT, Unisa and certified colleges to do their practical training on our premises with all our age groups.

Kay-Dee Educare Centre Mowbray

Kay-Dee ensures that your child will have a meaningful early childhood development experience that is full of fun and happiness.

For more information about our Educare Centre, please contact us.