Catching up after Covid for children's development
COVID: The impact on children learning 0-5 years
Image used from the report: https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-impact-of-lockdown-on-childrens-development-will-last-for-years-and-years-12500806
The report below reflects a lot of conversations being talked about today. How many children are behind not only in educational development but basic needs of potty training, eating with knifes and forks plus speech. Their social skills have been almost non-existent which is hampering starting nursery and school. Now we can move freely it is important that we help to alleviate the impact on our children.
It has been a tough time for everyone one way or another and children have not escaped the pandemic. My role within childcare is over 30 years working with children in the capacity of a qualified nanny, recruiter of nanny work, and teaching. This vast experience and understanding enables me to help those caring for children to guide them in setting a routine to help reduce these problems.
Whilst technology can help in many ways I urge parents, carers, nannies, and anyone involved in childcare to go back to basics take time to switch off the phones.
1. Set a routine for activities ideally one that is indoors such as craft or building activity and one that is outside for physical development this should be everyday
2. Think about development within that activity: Talking (language), numbers, colours, physical challenges and learning about our world.
For example:
Going to the park and looking at trees what do we learn?
1. Physical: running, skipping, walking, sensory skills of touching the trees
2. Intellectual (learning): Nature, colours, names, leaf shapes and why trees are important to our world that they give us air to breathe
3. Social/Emotional: spending quality time with people and not having technology imposing
4. Communication: talking about what you are seeing and activities you can than do after the trip out
Extended learning:
Pick up some leaves and then create a picture, talk about what you saw and include the words you have used, pick colours out that match the leaves, talk about the number of trees you counted, the leaves you have, this all helps the child’s development.
Place the picture somewhere for a few days to enable them to look at this and remember what they have learnt. Make a few I spy cards and when you are out seeing how many they can find.
Over the next few days look around and see if the child can recall the information, they learnt it all helps the memory bank
Pop in the library and find a book that relates to the learning too.
When learning is fun children will soak up the information.
COVID-19: Impact of lockdown on children's development will 'last for years
Sarah Bonetti said language and communication delays are now more common among preschool children - one of many concerns caused by lockdown.
Midlands correspondent @BeckyJohnsonSky
Thursday 23 December 2021 10:51, UK
A long-term strategy will be needed to help young children catch up after COVID
The impact of lockdowns on young children "will last for years", according to experts, who are warning that delays in communication and social skills will affect learning in the future.
Social and emotional development, interaction with their peers, behaviour, self-regulation, and anxiety have all been highlighted as areas of concern by Sara Bonetti, head of early years development at the Education Policy Institute.
"Being less able to pay attention" is another issue, she says, with language and communication delays also now more common among preschool children.
"It's not just the number of words, it's also letter recognition, so all the precursors to literacy," she said.
"Being with your parents is not the same as being with your peers - and a lot of them have missed out on peer interaction and just being out in the world.
Project action is a CIC company and trains nannies for Ofsted registration and offers training sessions to parents in their local community on childcare matters such as child development
