One of the key skills for life that we want to empower our children with in the early years is independence, both in relation to their actions and their thinking. To become independent, children have to be confident in their own abilities otherwise they will remain over-reliant on the support of other adults or their more confident peers. Their confidence grows through opportunities to try new things in a safe and supportive environment with lots of positive reinforcement for their success and strategies to support any failures they may have along the way. Young children are on the whole very resourceful and very resilient, and when left to their own devices or given opportunities to be independent they can often surprise us.

We need to ensure that we are not only creating an environment and planning activities that are teaching children fundamental skills, but that we are giving them opportunities to put those skills into practice on their own, too. This might involve something as simple as filling a paint pot or as complicated as making bread. Both, and much more, are possible if children are given the correct input in the right environment, and then given the chance to have a go for themselves. 

One key way to facilitate independent learning is by enabling children to transport resources from one place to another. They are much more imaginative than we are, so while we might think the spoons are most useful on the shelf near the play dough, they could have a much better use for them with the small-world figures. 

Providing opportunities to carry bags and recycled tubs, or to push trolleys to relocate resources, enables children to act for themselves and think outside the box. 

It’s also important that resources are well organised, and children know where to find them and where to return them to. Is there a place where children can independently display any projects – 2D or 3D? 

Don’t forget the old trick of getting down low so you can take a child’s eye view of your provision: what do they see, what can they reach, where can they go?

Establishing Routines

Having effective routines that children can carry out themselves promotes independence.  

Consider Your Language

Research has shown that praise develops a desire to please the adult while encouragement provides feedback and promotes independence.

Reflect on the way you speak with children as they play, and remember your facial expressions and gestures are part of the language that you use.

Think aloud with the children, point out the things that worked or what they kept going with, so they begin to make connections about why and how they achieved something. Ask them what they think, invite their curiosity. And sometimes sit quietly with them and do some silent thinking together.

Learning from Others

Children have many learning tools up their sleeves. Watching is one of them, rising to the occasion is another. Think about how you can help children to learn from each other. Notice how they observe one another and then have a go themselves, copying actions. 

Use self-talk to explore this with children, commenting on how another child tried something in a particular way and wondering how they did it. Model asking an adult or child for help with something.

Suggest to children that they ask another child rather than an adult – for example, if they need help with knotting some string, you can point them in the direction of a child who can tie knots. 

Fostering an environment where learning is shared not only nurtures independence, it can also strengthen the children’s sense of community.

Metacognitive & Executive Function Skills

Metacognitive skills, such as planning, thinking, problem solving and evaluating, allow very young children to guide and make decisions about their learning. 

Executive function skills enable children to take in information, filter it, make choices, stay focused and plan. 

These skills are supported by your environment and the developmentally appropriate resources that are accessible for children to select from. Children also need to know how to use the environment as they develop. 

The role of the adult is key here, too. You may be working with a child to overcome a problem or learn a new skill together, gradually withdrawing your supervision as they become more proficient. 

Perhaps you are modelling the use of self-talk to encourage thinking processes, supporting the development of the language they can use to talk about their thinking. As you encourage them, whether verbally or with gestures and facial expressions, you will be helping them to make connections and to recognise how they achieved something. 

Supporting these skills requires working with each child as an individual, responding to their strengths and noticing when they are ready for the next step. Knowing your children is really important.

 Supporting Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is defined as “one’s ability to manage one’s own emotional responses and consequent behaviour and knowing how to control those big, overwhelming feelings such as anger or fear, in order to get on with the serious business of play, building relationships and learning”.

In order to learn self-regulation, babies and children need the support of adults through co-regulation – to guide them through their emotions, introducing strategies that can be learned and used again. 

In your setting, think about the resources, space, time and strategies you offer babies and children to help them learn self-regulation. As practitioners we have so many opportunities to support each child on the road to being an independent learner, and to becoming the small, and marvellous, person they are.

Five Ways to Promote Independence

• Involve children in decision making – e.g. ask them where and how they think resources should be stored and involve them in creating labels for different resources.

• Communicate with children about routines and resources. Model how to use spaces in the setting and how to look for new experiences and resources.

• Focus on the language you use, your gestures and facial expressions. Do they encourage rather than praise? Recording audio or video clips of yourself with children can support reflection on your practice.

• Share the importance of fostering independent learning with parents and carers. Suggest ways they can support this at home.  Independent learning is a skill rather than an instinct; children will learn it from the adults around them, other children, and the resources you provide.

  
  

  
  

  Adapted from Various Resources