At Aspire Berwick Waters, we operate a comprehensive long day care facility that provides tailored programs to nurture development at each developmental milestone. Research indicates numerous advantages associated with participating in a long day care setting. Among these advantages is the enhancement of social development, which involves strengthening children's social skills and mitigating the impacts of social disadvantages.
Discover more about the positive impact early education can have on your child's social development and how we support this at Aspire Berwick Waters.
1. Developing Social Competence
Research shows that one of the best ways to help your child develop the social, emotional, and cognitive skills required for social competence is through early education. Social competence refers to a set of skills and abilities that enable children to self-regulate their emotions, navigate social situations, and interact effectively with others. Social competence allows children to independently navigate social interactions with peers and adults, form friendships, deal with difficulties,
2. Forming Healthy Friendships
The development of social skills in long day care helps children begin to form healthy relationships and friendships with others. Children learn how to communicate with peers and educators, how to get along with others, share, take turns and communicate their ideas.
Positive friendships early in a child’s life help them learn to connect with others and supports
children to self-regulate their emotions. Attending long day care gives children increased exposure to social interactions, supporting them to better connect with their peers.
3. Lowers Rates of Antisocial Behaviour
Research conducted by the Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare showed that children in high-quality care perform better in cognitive testing. They are less impulsive, have a more advanced vocabulary, have greater social competence, are more cooperative and have fewer behavioural problems.
How Aspire Berwick Waters Curriculum Supports Social Development
Our curriculum at Aspire Berwick Waters is designed to include activities for the children that allow them to engage in social play and form friendships that support their well-being and self-confidence.
Water play is one activity that is encouraged in the Berwick Waters curriculum and allows children to develop important social skills when working in groups. It involves scooping, swooshing, squeezing, squirting, and pouring different items in a water tub as a group, which is a great way for children to learn how to share and negotiate.
Name recognition is another activity for our kindergarten children that is educational while also supporting social development. This activity guides children to recognise different letters which promotes social interaction and cooperation among the children.
Incursions and Excursions that Promote Social Development
At Aspire Berwick Waters, we also offer a range of incursion programs that promote social competency and healthy relationships.
Our regular Little Sports Heroes incursion program encourages children to engage in physical activity and participate in different sport sessions. Exercise helps children develop and nurture their social skills by communicating with one another and working as a team. It also provides them with an opportunity to make new friends.
The ELLA Mandarin incursion Program is another program where our children are introduced to new languages through interactive, play-based learning. These experiences provide valuable learning to children that supports their language and social skills and their overall awareness and appreciation for different cultures and communities.
At Berwick Waters, we also participate in regular excursions such as nature walks to the local wetlands. These regular outings are a great opportunity for the children to embrace the community around them and gain a better understanding of the macro environment. It also promotes co-operation with their peers and supports children to become social and environmental problem solvers.
These are only some of the activities and incursions we offer at Aspire Berwick Waters that can help your child’s social development. To secure a spot at Aspire Berwick Waters, contact us on 1800 978 429 or book a tour of the centre here.