Eye contact is crucial in a nursery because it facilitates crucial communication and learning for young children.
Eye contact allows babies and toddlers to do more than just see your face. It is a key part of how they learn and develop. Here's why it's so important:
Enhanced Communication and Understanding
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Facial Expression Recognition: When you make eye contact with a child, they can see and learn from your facial expressions. This helps them understand feelings and intentions. For example, a smile can communicate happiness, and a frown can show concern.
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Gesture Comprehension: Along with facial expressions, children learn a lot from our gestures. Eye contact helps them focus on both. They can see and imitate actions, like waving hello or pointing at objects.
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Understanding Speech: Eye contact allows children to see how we move our mouths when speaking. This is especially useful for learning new words and how they sound.
Consider this in practice. When playing peek-a-boo, the child uses your facial expressions, gestures, and the rhythm of speech when saying "peek-a-boo" to learn about surprise and anticipation. Sing songs like "Row, row, row your boat" or "Humpty Dumpty" where they see how your mouth moves, and they learn the song too. These interactions make a big difference to their development.
Fostering Social and Emotional Development
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Building Connections: Eye contact is a fundamental way to form a connection with a child. It is a sign of attention and affection, helping them feel secure and loved.
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Learning Social Cues: Through eye contact, children begin to learn the subtle social cues that are important in interactions, such as knowing when someone is listening, or when it's their turn to speak.
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Developing Empathy: As they grow, eye contact helps children learn to understand others' perspectives and emotions, which fosters empathy.
Practical Examples in a Nursery Setting
| Activity | How Eye Contact Helps |
|---|---|
| Singing Songs | Children watch your mouth and face, helping them learn words and rhythms. |
| Reading Books | Eye contact with children while reading helps them connect the story with your expressions. |
| Playing Games | Eye contact while playing peek-a-boo or simple games helps children to learn social cues and expectations. |
| Daily Interactions | Eye contact during feeding, nappy changes and other routines reinforces feelings of security and care. |
- Always make sure to get to the child's level to create eye contact.
- Speak clearly and use simple language when engaging with the child.
- Be expressive with your face and gestures when you are talking.
In summary, eye contact is vital in the nursery as it enables children to learn language, understand emotions, and build connections that are essential for their social and emotional growth.
