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Babies are born ready to learn and their brains develop through use which mean your child needs a stimulating environment with lots of different activities that give them plenty of ways to play and learn and lots of chances to practice what she/he's learning throughout the day.

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Learning through play or play as learning is a core foundation philosophy of early childhood education.  However, play as learning is more complex than simply giving children opportunities to engage in a wide range of play experiences and materials. For play to be an effective learning tool for young children there must be active participation and engagement by both the children and the educator. Here are some of children's developmental milestones and the EYLF/NQS goals:

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0 to 1 year old

Physical

  • Pulls self to standing position when hands held

  • Raises self to sitting position

  • Sits without support

  • Stands by pulling themself up using furniture

  • Stepping movements around furniture

  • Successfully reach out and grasp toy

  • Transfers objects from hand to hand

  • Picks up and pokes small objects with thumb and finger

  • Picks up and throws small objects

  • Holds biscuit or bottle

  • Crawls

  • Mature crawling (quick and fluent)

  • May stand alone momentarily

  • May attempt to crawl up stairs

  • Grasps spoon in palm, but poor aim of food to mouth

  • Uses hands to feed self

  • Rolls ball and crawls to retrieve

 

Cognitive

  • Moves obstacle to get at desired toy

  • Bangs two objects held in hands together

  • Responds to own name

  • Makes gestures to communicate and to symbolise objects, e.g. points to something they want

  • Seems to understand some things parent or familiar adults say to them

  • Drops toys to be retrieved, handed back, then dropped again/looks in direction of dropped toy

  • Smiles at image in mirror

  • Likes playing with water

  • Shows interest in picture books

  • Understands gestures/responds to ‘bye bye’

  • Listens with pleasure to sound-making toys and music

  • Notices difference and shows surprise

 

Language

  • Responds to own name being called, family names and familiar objects

  • Babbles tunefully

  • Says words like ‘dada’ or ‘mama’

  • Waves goodbye

  • Imitates hand clapping

  • Imitates actions and sounds

  • Enjoys finger-rhymes

  • Shouts to attract attention

  • Vocalises loudly using most vowels and consonants – sounding like conversation

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Source: Developmental milestones and the EYLF/NQS

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