You know better than anyone that encouraging your child to be independent can sometimes lead to them defying you just to assert their newfound power. However, when done correctly, it can be incredibly beneficial. By fostering critical thinking, positive learning dispositions, tenacity, and confidence, nursery sets children up for success in life. At nursery, we provide an environment that enables children to explore, create relationships, and develop their personalities and ideas, which are all critical to their long-term wellbeing. As children learn to perform simple tasks on their own, participate in activities, and interact with others, their self-confidence grows and they become more willing to attempt tasks independently. Independence can bring numerous benefits, including increased self-confidence and self-esteem.
It’s important to cultivate this trait in children from an early age; at home and at nursery. Encouraging children to take on small, easy tasks helps them avoid becoming overly reliant on adults or peers who are more confident. While it’s natural for children to struggle with new tasks at first, it’s important to avoid striving for perfection. At nursery, we prefer to use positive reinforcement such as “you’re getting there” and “that was a great try, let’s try that again tomorrow” rather than criticism like “No, that’s not right, let me do it”.
Positive reinforcement helps foster confidence, encourage children to keep trying, and enjoy the feeling that their actions have an impact. Below are some tips on how you can encourage independence in your young ones at home. We practice these skills each day at nursery. But be prepared, it can get messy!
