EYFS stands for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and it sets the standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. We thought we’d share with you a bitesize introduction to EYFS, so you can find out more about the care your child will receive up to the age of five years.
Children thrive when parents and professionals work together, so understanding and supporting the EYFS framework will benefit your child immensely and give you a greater understanding of how they are developing.
Overarching Principles
There are four guiding principles that shape EYFS:
A Unique Child
- Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
Positive Relationships
- Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Enabling Environments
- Children develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time.
Learning and Development
- Children develop and learn at different rates and in different ways.
Why is EYFS So Important?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is important because it helps children develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond. It also helps your little one develop a strong sense of self and form positive relationships.
What Can You Do to Help Your Child?
Supporting the Early Years Foundation Stage for your child involves providing a nurturing environment that encourages learning and development in key areas.
Here are some ways you can support your child’s EYFS journey:
- Read books together and ask open-ended questions about the story.
- Sing nursery rhymes and encourage them to repeat words and phrases.
- Promote self-care skills like dressing, handwashing, and using utensils.
- Help them develop independence by allowing them to make small choices.
- Count objects during everyday activities (e.g., counting steps, toys).
- Encourage problem-solving through puzzles and sorting games.
- Explore nature and talk about the environment (seasons, weather, animals).
We’re sure that you find yourself doing a lot of these things with your child naturally, and when you do, you are helping to support their development as well as having fun and spending time with them. It’s a win win!
If you would like to find out more about the EYFS, please speak to your child’s key worker and they will be happy to help.
