Early Childhood Curriculum
Early Childhood Curriculum is an organized educational program that offers learning opportunities for children from birth to age 8. Holistic development is the main focus of this program which includes cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth that help children to tackle the challenges in their future learning and life.
A successful early childhood curriculum consists of several key features: first and foremost, it should center on the play method of learning; integration of different development areas (cognitive, social, emotional, physical); the use of culturally relevant materials and family participation. For example, the curriculum could include manipulative activities, storytelling, and outdoor exploration, which would enable the children to learn experientially and through interactions.
Parents are the key players in the early education curriculum as they actively involve themselves in their child's learning and development working together with the teachers. Some of the strategies to engage with families include the sharing of cultural practices, participation in workshops, and providing curriculum activity feedback. For example, the curriculum may encourage family involvement by organizing 'family days' where parents can participate in classroom activities thus enhancing the learning that the child gets at home.
The early childhood curricula are the means of diversity in this area because they can be individualized and differentiated. This could include the use of different activities to accommodate what children need for their development and learning, so that they all can join and flourish. For instance, a curriculum that has visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning paths could add songs, storytelling, and manipulative materials to teach different modalities and meet the different needs of children.