Slowing down to keep up: taking time in the moment with young children

The world of early education and care is a busy one. It is fuelled with the rapid development of young children, countless curiosities and questions, routines of critical care and playful interactions - all of which provide opportunities for learning and growth.

With so much going on, it can be difficult to get everything done, but sometimes it’s necessary to think about what happens when we slow things down in order to appreciate the moment and fully immerse ourselves in all that an individual interaction has to offer.

What does it mean to 'slow down'?

Slowing down isn’t always about the speed at which we are operating, nor is it always about the rates at which we learn, change or develop. It isn’t necessarily about the ways in which we plan how to complete a unit of learning or the progression of a provision. Sometimes, when we are slowing things down, we are thinking about the individual interactions we have on offer, working in the moment to harness the unplanned for power of the present.

We can think about slowing down in multiple ways throughout the ‘every day’ of early education and care, such as…

through care routines, like nappy changes or food times
during transitional aspects of the day, like getting ready for the garden or tidying up
through our conversations with children in play
when we are taking part in handovers with parents and carers

When we ‘slow down’ we are thinking more intentionally about the meaning of our interaction, taking time to share a special value that might have otherwise been missed had we stayed completely focused on instantly reaching the goal or objective of a task. Instead, we are utilising the unique nature of the process, the interaction and the moments of learning throughout to really engage with children on a deeper level that promotes even more valuable learning opportunities.

Slow pedagogy, researched by Alison Clark, building upon the work of others in the field, refers to thinking about the value of the moment, appreciating the sense of feeling unhurried and appreciating the present. It’s something that supports building relationships not only with children but also with other colleagues as well as parents and carers too. It infuses into practice, a nurturing leadership capacity that pays attention to the individual, whilst also allowing children to feel heard in the space of their learning and development.

How can we slow things down?

When we think about slowing down in early years, we aren’t referring to slower steps and ‘walking feet’, but instead to think about the ways in which we can spend more time thinking reflectively and sensitively through our interactions and actively listening to those around us. So, how can we put it into action? Let’s take a look at some of the ongoing opportunities we might have in setting and think about how we can slow them down to incorporate meaningful learning.

Through care routines, like nappy changes or food times

Care is integral to our professional role in early education and care, varying across the age ranges that we work with. For those of us working with babies, more of our time is likely to be caught up in care-based routine where younger children are still acquiring the essential skills for their independence. However, all children throughout the early years should feel safe and secure to be supported or ask for help when it is needed, which is why these one-to-one moments offer the opportunity to harness the magic of the slower pedagogy.

Try to take some extra time during nappy-changing routines to support children in feeling acknowledged during these intimate moments of care. You could have a little chat about what is for lunch, or sing a song together, taking time to clap along. Explain the process of nappy-changing to the child so that they know what you are doing.
Food times can be equally as time-pressured, especially when we think about the monitoring of a rolling snack or lunch times with naps imminently following. If we slow things down though, food times can offer a whole host of golden learning opportunities. Involving the children in the self-serving of food portions helps to develop crucial physical and mathematical skills through the scooping and pouring of equal portions. Slowing down at the dinner table also allows for conversation and reflection to take place, all the while, developing personal independence and social skills.

Through transitional aspects of the day, like getting ready for the garden or tidying up

Transitions are often considered as major events such as when a child moves to a different room in the setting, or indeed to a completely new setting, such as when they start school. However, transitions occur regularly throughout a standard day, from the initial transition into the setting at the start of their session, to snack time, nap time etc, right up until the transition back to parents and carers at the end of the day. We can make the most of these transitions by slowing them right down to maximise their value and meaning.

Take the opportunity when tidying away to explore new skills, encouraging children to think critically about the problem and how to solve it. For example, learn to use a mop together or think about suitable storage spaces to put things away.
Take some time to get ready to go out into the outdoors together, ensuring children are given some autonomy to get dressed appropriately for the weather they see outside.

Through our conversations with children in play

Slowing down in our interactions with children during play, allows both children and professionals to reflect on the moment before them. Sustained Shared Thinking (SST) allows us to think about how to support children’s language development and critical thinking skills by using prompting questions and collaborative thought. By slowing down our interactions, thinking more about the why and how rather than the what of the activity and a focus on the end outcome.

When we are taking part in handovers with parents and carers

Handover opportunities are a great way to build the foundations of relationships with the parents and carers at home whose influence has the greatest impact on a child’s growth and learning. But, when we think about these interactions, who is speaking? It is often a rushed period in which essential details, often care-based and objective, are relayed before it is time to go home. By slowing down our approach to handover conversations, we can involve children more directly in the discussion, using their interests throughout the day to highlight what is important to them and, therefore, impactful for parents, carers and professionals to know.

Conclusions

There are many ways we can slow down our interactions and spend time thinking thoughtfully about our pedagogy and practice, which is what makes this such a rewarding and novel way to think about making small changes to support children’s learning and development. How might you slow things down in your setting today?

Further reading - Slow Pedagogy interactive PDF – The Froebel Trust