Development means changes in your child’s physical growth. It’s also the changes in your child’s social, emotional, behaviour, thinking and communication skills. All of these areas of development are linked, and each depends on and influences the others.

In the first five years of life, experiences and relationships stimulate children’s development, creating millions of connections in their brains. In fact children’s brains develop connections faster in the first five years than at any other time in their lives. This is the time when the foundations for learning, health and behaviour throughout life are laid down.

In the early years, play is children’s primary way of learning and developing.

Play is fun for your child. It also gives your child opportunities to explore, observe, experiment and solve problems. Your child will need your support and encouragement to do this. But it’s important to aim for a balance between supporting your child and letting your child try things on their own and sometimes make mistakes. Finding out for themselves about how the world works is a big part of your child’s learning.