Introduction to Teaching in Infant and Toddler Education
Teaching infants and toddlers—children from birth to five years—is a unique and rewarding role. In these early years, children are growing and developing faster than at any other stage in life. Every sound they make, every cuddle, every new word or step is part of a powerful learning journey. In Australia, early childhood educators play a vital role in supporting this journey by creating environments where children feel safe, valued, and inspired to explore.
Contemporary Theories and Understandings of Child Development
We now understand, thanks to decades of research, that learning starts from birth. Theories from thinkers like Vygotsky, Piaget, and Bronfenbrenner help educators make sense of how children learn and grow. For example, Vygotsky (1978) showed us that children learn best through social interaction—especially when adults or peers gently guide them to try new things they can't quite do on their own yet. This is known as the Zone of Proximal Development. Piaget (1952) highlighted the importance of active play and exploration in helping children make sense of the world. These ideas still shape how we work with young children today.
But in real-life classrooms and care settings, theory comes alive through relationships. Nolan and Raban (2015) remind us that secure, respectful, and consistent relationships are the foundation for everything else. When a baby feels safe and cared for, they’re more likely to be curious, to explore, and to learn. This is why forming strong bonds with children and their families is at the heart of early childhood education in Australia.
Approaches and Models in Australian Early Childhood Settings
When we talk about teaching babies and toddlers, it’s important to recognise that learning doesn’t just happen through formal lessons—it happens through play, care routines, and everyday interactions. Whether it’s changing a nappy, singing a lullaby, or exploring leaves in the garden, every moment is a chance to connect and support learning. Approaches like Pikler and Reggio Emilia have influenced Australian educators in seeing children as capable, curious, and full of potential (Gerber, 1998; Edwards et al., 2012). These approaches also encourage educators to slow down, observe, and follow the child’s lead—something Nolan and Raban (2015) call co-constructive teaching.
Curriculum and Frameworks Guiding Australian Practice
In Australia, educators are supported by national frameworks like the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This document guides everything from curriculum planning to daily routines and reminds us that children learn best when they feel a sense of belonging, are confident in who they are, and have opportunities to explore and communicate in their own way (ACECQA, 2022). The EYLF, along with the National Quality Framework (NQF), ensures that education and care services provide safe, respectful, and high-quality learning environments for all children, including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
Ultimately, teaching in infant and toddler settings is about more than just helping children meet developmental milestones. It’s about building trusting relationships, supporting identity, encouraging curiosity, and creating spaces where every child can thrive—emotionally, socially, and cognitively. With a strong foundation in theory, frameworks, and practice, educators in Australia are well equipped to support our youngest learners in meaningful, respectful, and culturally responsive ways.
REFERENCES
Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44(4), 709–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.4.709
Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia – Version 2.0. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations/approved-learning-frameworks
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Fleer, M. (2010). Early learning and development: Cultural-historical concepts in play. Cambridge University Press.
Gerber, M. (1998). Your self-confident baby: How to encourage your child's natural abilities – from the very start. Wiley.
Nolan, A., & Raban, B. (2015). Theories into practice: Understanding and rethinking our work with young children (2nd ed.). Teaching Solutions.
Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. International Universities Press.
Shonkoff, J. P., & Phillips, D. A. (Eds.). (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. National Academy Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
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Facilitating Language and Literacy Development
Infants and toddlers need their language and literacy development facilitated for overall cognitive and social growth. From birth, and into the early years, effective strategies for promoting language skills start and form the basis for future learning. Methods of developing language and literacy from birth include an environment that is language rich for infants in which they are exposed to spoken language consistently. The first thing caregivers can do to stimulate early language comprehension is to engage in simple verbal interaction, talking to the child about daily activities. Responding to your baby’s cooing or babbling teaches them that sound leads to meaning, helping to build the connection between sound and meaning for baby. As infants grow to toddlers, new vocabulary is introduced and language is repeated to help children recognize words and use language expressively. Early literacy development is based on reading, storytelling, and nursery rhymes. Even before they can understand the words, reading aloud to infants from birth promotes their listening skills and their familiarity with the rhythm and structure of language. Expressive tones and gestures are used to encourage engagement and vocabulary acquisition through storytelling. Memorizing nursery rhymes, songs that have repetitive phrases, and patterns in language are building memory, phonemic awareness and language patterns which are essential for a child’s readiness for reading. The integration of language activities into other curriculum areas helps build literacy development. For instance, when children are participating in art activities, caregivers can help the children describe what they are creating, expand their vocabulary. Singing songs with repetitive lyrics are helpful to phonological awareness in music. Caregivers embed language and literacy activities in multiple streams of the curriculum, offering an integrated model that helps to develop language in context, which supports future reading and writing.