The Early Years

Encouraging Autonomy

“Can you put your toys into your toy box?”

A child should engage with art and aesthetic as both the audience and the creator.

Creating and admiring beauty can provide children with inspiration and information. Filling their environment with art and beauty can support their creativity and cognitive development.

“Those flowers are beautiful, I love their colours! What do you think is beautiful?”

Engaging Environments | 3

Set up space so children can navigate it on their own.

When children can access and put away items on their own, their growing sense of independence is supported.

ENGAGING ENVIRONMENTS | 6

Incorporate elements that reflect the people, values and cultures within your community into the child’s environment.

Children feel a sense of belonging when they see themselves reflected in their environment.

OVERVIEW
The art in a child’s environment can provide inspiration and provoke creative thought. Art can take form in every aspect of the environment. When parents/caregivers help their child recognise visually appealing spaces, he feels respected and inspired.

PRACTICE
In the Home
You can encourage parents/caregivers to help their child see the beauty in his environment, no matter what that environment is. Fabrics, signs or labels, how items on shelves are arranged or decorative elements in the space can all be seen as beautiful. Encourage parents/caregivers to think about the light in the space: Is it natural light from the sun? How does it add to or distract from the beautiful things in the environment? What has been used to decorate the walls? What shapes and colours are displayed for the child? How can he be inspired by his environment to create his own art?
Encourage parents/caregivers to work with their child to decide how things in the home, especially the child’s things, are arranged. They can ask the child, “What do you think looks best? Should your dolls be in this yellow bin and your stuffed animals in the green bin?” or “I think a painting would look great in your room; can you help me find a painting you like?” Parents/caregivers can also use their child’s art to bring beauty into their home. They can ask their child, “I think your picture is beautiful! This blue is just like the blue in the living room. Can we hang your painting in the living room?” This encourages the child’s creativity and gives him a sense of pride in his artistic abilities.
In the Centre
You can create an environment in your centre that is beautiful and welcoming to children. The light in the space, the activities and documentation on the wall, and the use of calming colours and decorations all add to the aesthetic of the centre. Think about ways to include more art in the space, whether by hanging a painting the children might like or putting up the children’s own art on the wall to encourage their creativity.
You might set up one wall as an “art gallery,” framing each child’s work on the wall and asking them to name and describe their art, writing their responses beside each picture. You could add lights around the wall to bring attention to the artwork to create a gallery-like setting. You can talk about how art can take other forms, such as dancing, and make space for children to express themselves during music and movement periods. You can point out beauty in the world and in the environment to children and ask them to do the same: “The sky looks beautiful this morning; I love the reds and oranges of the sunrise. Do you notice anything beautiful outside?” If the children say yes, you can invite them to create the beauty they notice in the world.

REFLECTION
What kind of art was in your environment as a child? What do you remember about it?
Do you think about beauty and aesthetics when setting up a space for a child?
Is there art in your home or in your centre? Which piece does the child really seem to like?

DOMAINS OF EXPERIENCE
Cognitive social-emotional spiritual-cultural

BUILDS ON
“Making Marks on Paper” (12-24) “Safe and Stimulating Environments” (12–24)

OVERVIEW
Parents/caregivers can set up a child’s space so that he can navigate it independently. When a child can use the space on his own, he learns that is expected. Alternatively, if books or toys are inaccessible, if his personal items or water is in a separate area, a child will always need an adult's support to access those items. During the preschool years, children start to learn about what they can and cannot do by themselves. They love to practise tasks they can do themselves. Children’s spaces can be organized to support their increasing independence and sense of responsibility.

PRACTICE
In the Home
Encourage parents/caregivers to think about their child’s perspective of a space rather than their own. Which items in the home are easy for him to use on his own and should be kept at the child’s level, and which require more help and should be placed a little higher? When items are out of reach, it sends a message to the child that those are not for him. Parents/caregivers can place some things higher to encourage their child to ask for help with those items.
You can explain to parents/ caregivers that they can mount coat hooks at the child’s level and keep baskets or bins of toys on low shelves or the floor. Encourage them to notice what their child can do and brainstorm ways to support him to try new things on his own in how they arrange his space. They can praise their child’s attempts, even if he is unsuccessful. This will support his growing autonomy and give him the confidence to try again.
In the Centre
You can encourage autonomy and independence by setting up the centre to be accessible to the children. As children get older, they will want the freedom to choose to do things on their own, so the centre should be set up to encourage that. Make sure that everything available for children to access is at a height they can reach themselves. Choose low shelves, bins, child-size tables and small bookcases that are at the children’s eye level to allow them to engage with objects freely. By clearly labelling these baskets and bins, you can help children know how to put objects away when they are done with them. This also allows children to take part in cleaning up after playtime has ended, increasing their sense of responsibility and accountability.
You can pay attention to what self-care activities children can do on their own and what they still need help with. Take steps to set up the environment to allow them to practise their independent self-care. Use a step-stool so children can reach a sink to wash their hands, place all hooks at a height that allows them to hang their own coats and backpacks, and give them enough time to try to dress themselves before going outside.

REFLECTION
How do you encourage a child’s growing autonomy?
What does your home or centre look like? Is it set up so a child can reach everything they need to on his own, or does he often need help?
What can a child already do and what might he still need help doing?

BUILDS ON
“Simple Tasks” (12-24) and “Self-Help Skills” (12-24)

OVERVIEW
Children gain a stronger sense of self when their environment reflects the knowledges, beliefs and practices of their families and communities. When children recognise themselves in the spaces where they learn and grow, they feel a greater sense of belonging. This encourages resilience and a connection to community and self.

PRACTICE
In the Home
Encourage parents/caregivers to take time to think about who they are and where they live. They can ask themselves, “What makes my community unique?” or “What are my community’s strengths?” or “When does my community come together?” You can suggest that parents/caregivers think about how to add elements of their values, culture and their community into the child’s life.
If there is a certain food that is served at community gatherings, parents/caregivers can make that food with the child, explaining its importance. If there are certain tools or items of clothing that are significant to parents/caregivers, they can make these available to their child during play so she can engage with them on her own terms. Parents/caregivers can include music, art or books that reflect their community throughout the day and include stories and photos of the child during community gatherings.
In the Centre
You can include elements of the children’s different communities and cultures into the centre. You can have books in the reading area that are written in both languages or dual written in Inuktut and English to support children’s development in both languages. You could create a listening centre with audio recordings of a story being told. When labelling items in the centre, along with a picture of the item and the word in syllabics, you can add the label in English as well. If a child celebrates a holiday that you are unfamiliar with, you can use the opportunity to learn together about that holiday and create activities to support the children’s learning. Families may eat different foods during their celebrations; you can think about hosting a family potluck or asking parents/caregivers to send a snack for the class to try.
There may be other people in the community that can support teaching the children. Each child and adult is unique with their own gifts. There may be many people in the community who would be willing to share their teachings. Consider inviting community experts to the centre to speak to and spend time with the children or take children to other places to visit community experts or Elders .

REFLECTION
How do you feel connected to your community?
What can you do to support children’s connection to their community?
How does it help children to see themselves reflected in their environment?

BUILDS ON
“Safe and Stimulating Environments” (12-24) and “A Strong Identity” (12-24)