Learning, Well-Being, and Growth in Early Childhood

The Early Childhood (EC) years are a time of remarkable brain growth. Through play, conversation, and exploration, young children build the language skills and curiosity that become the foundation for all future learning.

Step into an EC classroom at SSIS, and you might hear children chatting to a friend about finding a treasure as they dig in the sandbox, or discussing how many pots they need to make dinner. Or they might be talking about landing a spaceship as they hold a stone from the sensory garden. During all of these activities, something very important is happening: the students are learning how to use all the tools their growing brains are building. 

We learned this and more during our recent Parent Coffee, “Well-Being, Achievement, and Helping Children Become Their Best Selves,” hosted by our Director of Counseling & Psychological Services, Dr. Priscilla Bade. She shared valuable insights into how the brain develops at each stage of childhood and how well-being promotes that growth. 

This post marks the beginning of our Becoming Our Best Selves series, building on that session. This semester, we’ll take a look at what’s happening in children’s brains at different ages and share simple ways to support that growth at home, so that your child develops both the skills and the mindset to become their best self.

What’s Happening in the Early Childhood Brain

Imagine your child’s brain is like an architect designing a kitchen. At this stage, the brain is busy planning and organizing the space — making sure it has everything it needs for the tasks it performs in there, such as preparing food, cooking meals, washing dishes, and keeping the food and tools in the right places. The brain’s job is to build this “kitchen” in the best way possible.

Like the kitchen, the brain at this stage is not yet finished. It is being built through every experience, sound, and word your child hears. And the construction is happening quickly! A big part of what’s happening in a child’s brain at this stage is learning how to use words. They are progressing from using simple words and phrases to constructing sentences and having more complex conversations. 

Children at this stage are also learning how to speak more clearly, they learn to understand many more words, and use language to tell stories and play with others. All of this learning is building a strong foundation for when they start to read and write.

What This Looks Like in EC Classrooms

In our EC classrooms, you might see a teacher sitting on the floor with a small group of children who are building with blocks. One child says, “My tower is falling!” Instead of fixing it, the teacher asks, “What do you think we could try?” Another child suggests, “Maybe not so tall?” Together, they problem-solve, test ideas, and celebrate when it works.

In EC, students explore independently in both indoor and outdoor learning spaces, working with various materials, making choices, and talking through their thinking. Teachers listen closely and ask questions that stretch their ideas: “I wonder what would happen if . . . ?” or “How did you figure that out?” This back-and-forth conversation builds language, confidence, and the joy of discovery.

How Parents Can Support This Growth at Home

Every family is different, and even small moments, such as sharing a meal, taking a walk together, or listening to your child’s stories, are all powerful. Here are some simple ways to support this stage of their growing brain:

Talk to your child constantly.

• Talk about what you are doing: “I’m putting the blue sock in the washing machine.”
• Describe what they are doing: “You are stacking those blocks so carefully!”
• Help them learn new and more complex words. If they say, “My car is fast,” you can say, “Yes, your car is very fast, it is zooming down the hill!”

Why? The EC child’s brain is rapidly learning to use words, so treat every moment as a chance to speak. And it’s okay to use big and fancy words!

Read and tell stories every day.

• Carry a small read-aloud book with you for when you’re waiting somewhere. 
• Choose a story that makes you and your child laugh or wonder. You can make up stories if you don’t have a book to read. 
• Point to the words and pictures when you read.
• Ask questions like “What do you think will happen next?”

Why? It helps to build the foundation for reading and writing, even a short picture book helps!

Encourage imaginative play.

• You don’t need to lead every game. Sometimes just watching with interest is enough.
• Try saying: “I see you building something tall!” or “Tell me about your drawing.”
• When your child turns a blanket and pillows into a fort, ask them: “Is this a castle or a rocket ship?” Add words that relate to their ideas. 

Why? Pretend play helps children use language more creatively and build vital brain connections.

Growing Together

To support this stage of growth, you don’t need to teach lessons at home. Just join your child’s world of wonder, one story, one question, one moment at a time. When children feel safe to explore and express themselves, they become their best selves: confident, curious, and kind, and ready for all the growing that comes next.

At every stage, from Early Childhood through High School, SSIS partners with parents and supports families with guidance, resources, and care. 

Next in the Becoming Our Best Selves Series: Elementary School