What else shapes the first five years of a child’s development?
Apart from a child’s relationships with parents and carers, and the things that they see, hear, touch, smell and taste, there are a number of other things that shape the first five years of a child’s development.
Genetics also plays a part in a child’s wellbeing and development. So too does healthy eating, as healthy food gives children the energy and nutrients they need to survive and thrive. The food they eat in the first few years of their life helps develop their sense of taste and can set up the foundations for healthy eating for the rest of their life.
Physical activity also helps play a part in a child’s development. It develops their motor skills, gets them moving, helps them think and gives them an opportunity to explore their world.
Physical activity also affects the health of a child, as it has been scientifically proven that physical activity improves our overall health. The health of a child can affect their development, too. We all get sick, and these illnesses don’t necessarily cause long-term problems, however, if children have chronic illnesses during their childhood, this can affect their development, and if so it is important to speak to medical professionals for the best support.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
The importance of the first five years of a child’s development; a short guide
The first five years of a child’s life are the most vital, in terms of their development; how they grow physically and emotionally, and how they learn to communicate, think and socialise. In the first five years of life, a child’s brain develops more, and faster, than at any other time in their life. It is through your relationship with your child that you will find to be one of the most important influences on your child’s learning and development. In these first years, a child’s main way of learning and developing is through play.
Relationships are the most important experiences in your child’s environment because they teach them the most about the world around them, they shape the way they see the world, they learn whether the world is safe and secure, whether they are loved, who loves them, what happens when they cry, laugh or make a face, and much more.
Play gives children an opportunity to explore, observe, experiment, solve problems and learn from mistakes. Lots of time spent playing, talking, listening and interacting with you helps your child learn the skills they need for life. These skills include communicating, thinking, solving problems, moving and being with other people and children.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
How much screen time is too much for young children?
Trying to decide how much screen time is too much for our children is a hotly debated topic. In this day and age, it’s no question that screen time will be a part of life for many young children. Even children below 2 years of age can benefit from screen time, to a degree. It is important to consider the education benefits they would be getting from what they watch, but it is equally important to teach them about limits, and help them develop healthy screen habits.
Child development experts also recommend limiting children’s daily screen time. Screen time limits can help lower the risks of screen time for your child, which include physical, developmental, safety and other risks. Screen time guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say that children under 18 months should have no screen time other than video-chatting, and children aged 18 months to 2 years can watch or use high-quality programs or apps if adults watch or play with them to help them understand what they’re seeing. Online reviews can help you decide whether a movie, app or game is high quality and has educational benefits.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
Incorporating physical activity into your children’s daily lives; tips and tricks
It’s important for everyone to keep active and healthy to live a good life. Your child’s health and development will improve with physical activity that varies in intensity. Finding activities that children enjoy is the key to getting children enthusiastic about physical activity. There is so much to choose from; dancing, cycling, skipping, tennis or bowling. The activity itself doesn’t matter; what’s important is that it involves being active and having fun. If you’re looking for ways to introduce physical activity into your children’s daily lives, we’ve compiled a number of tips and tricks.
1] Be a role model for your children. When they watch you having fun running down the beach flying a kite, they’ll surely want to join in!
2] Give praise and encouragement when children participate in more difficult activities, and keep encouraging them even when they are finding it difficult.
3] Play along with your child; children love time spend with parents and carers, so make sure you can set aside some time in your day to play with your child.
4] Support your child if they take up school sports and activities. Go along to the games and cheer from the sidelines; they’ll be encouraged by your presence.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
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