Introduction

If you have ever played peek-a-boo with a baby, you’ll know that they find it endlessly fascinating and are always surprised to see that you are still there when you open your hands. But have you ever wondered why that is the case? Understanding how babies’ and toddlers’ thinking develops is key to being able to support their progress, and learning theories can help us to do this.

Figure 9.1 Figure 1 Learning is a complex process

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A baby lying on their back and smiling up at an older child who is crouching down next to them.

Figure 1 Learning is a complex process

By the end of this week, you will be able to:

• understand some of the key theories related to how babies and children learn
• recognise the importance of movement in a child’s holistic development
• understand why babies and toddlers need to be able to explore and investigate by themselves to help them learn and develop.