Understanding the EYLF: What Parents Should Know About Early Learning

For many Australian parents, the world of early learning is unfamiliar territory—filled with frameworks, acronyms, and philosophies that can be a little overwhelming at first. If you’ve recently begun researching childcare options or are considering enrolling your child in a day care centre or early learning centre in Dural, you’ve likely come across the term EYLF.

But what in the world is EYLF, and why in the world is it so important in choosing the optimal childcare centre for your child?

Let's unravel.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is the national curriculum of Australia, guiding education and care for children between birth and five years. It is founded on the belief that early childhood is a time of essence in the becoming of human beings and the launch of a lifetime of health, behavior, and learning.

Even if you are a new parent or changing from home to care centre, it is helpful to understand how the EYLF works in the first place so that you can make informed and confident choices should you be taking the option for a child centre in Dural or another Australian centre.

What Is the EYLF

Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) forms part of the National Quality Framework (NQF) under the Australian Government. It guarantees a shared national approach to participation in early childhood care and education in preschool, family day care services, and long daycare.

The framework works on five broad learning outcomes:

• Children have a strong sense of identity
• Children are connected with and contribute to their world
• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• Children are confident and active learners
• Children as successful communicators

All of these outcomes are couched with the aim of ensuring that quality care and education are offered to all the children in all the Dural and Australian early childhood centers.

Why EYLF matters for your child

When your child care service employs the EYLF, it promotes learning through play, exploration, and everyday routines. It gives children a sense of security and support from an environment where they feel valued, respected, and accepted for who they are.

This is how the EYLF assists your child to develop in the early years:

• Emotional Development: Assists children to develop resilience, self-regulation, and belonging.
• Cognitive Skills: Promotes curiosity, problem-solving, and early literacy and numeracy.
• Physical Development: Promotes motor skills in the process of indoor and outdoor activities.
• Social Skills: Promotes empathy, sharing, and good relationships.
• Language Growth: Promotes communication, vocabulary, and listening.

This is not "babysitting." A well-organized day care centre using EYLF has an active role to play in your child's learning experience.

How the EYLF Is Implemented at Day Care Centres

The beauty of the EYLF is its flexibility. It allows educators to tailor learning experiences based on each child’s interests, strengths, and cultural background. At a reputable early learning centre in Dural, you’ll find educators observing, documenting, and evaluating children’s progress using the EYLF as a guiding tool.

Examples of EYLF in practice:

• Learning Through Play: Structured and unstructured play sessions that promote problem-solving and cooperation.
• Group Work: Experience the promotion of cooperation and discovery through group work with peers.
• Cultural Immersion: Experience immersion in the other culture's diverse traditions, myths, and celebrations.
• Outdoor Education: Learning in the outdoors about learning about the world and living sustainably.

The Educator's Role in the EYLF

Teachers in a high-quality child care service are not merely managers—They are learning facilitators. Teachers plan learning environments and experiences carefully with the aim of ensuring that they meet EYLF principles.

Examples of teacher roles are:

• Observation and Listening: Hearing children's interests and planning outdoor learning activities from their interests.
• Extending Learning: Open questions to elicit children's thinking.
• Creating Safe Places: Physical and emotional safety for all children.
• Communicating with Families: Shared observations, news, and joint goal setting.

Children benefit from systematic support and guidance at home and at the centre when teachers work with parents.

The Benefits of Outdoor Play in Early Learning

Interestingly, perhaps the most symbolic element of EYLF is its emphasis on outdoor play—and a good one at that. At all top-quality early learning centres in Dural, children are encouraged to come outside and let nature be their playground every day.

Why is outdoor play so important?

1. Assists with Physical Development

Climbing, running, jumping, and digging are all outdoor play skills that build gross and fine motor skills. Whatever outdoor play does is to get children's bodies stronger, their coordination improved, and their body confidence increased.

2. Makes Mental Health Better

Outdoor play is wonderful because it de-stresses, puts people in a good mood, and gives a sense of calmness and concentration to small children.

3. Makes Children Creative and Problem-Solvers

In open spaces, kids use creativity and imagination to devise games and independently or in groups solve problems.

4. Encourages Social Skills

Outdoor play encourages working together, cooperation, and sharing the load. It also gives the children more room to mingle freely with other children.

5. Encourages Respect for the Environment

Garden, bug, and weather education teach children about the ecosystem and looking after the world that they are living in.

6. Meets EYLF Learning Outcomes

Outdoor learning is the perfect fit with EYLF because it engages children with the world around them and builds interactive, active learning.

What Do Parents Have to Consider Looking at in an EYLF-Based Centre?

All childcare centres are not made equal, even those that adhere to the EYLF. As a parent, one must observe how a day care centre truly applies the framework in practice.

Some of the signs of successful implementation of EYLF are:

• Purposeful Play Spaces: Indoor and outdoor spaces to be guided to children's interests and diverse.
• Visible Learning Records: Wall displays, portfolios, or apps showing learning stories and progress.
• Engaged Staff: Staff to be friendly, confident, and passionate about early childhood learning.
• Cultural Diversity: Materials and activities reflecting rich cultures, for instance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge.
• Parent Involvement: The centre to keep you actively involved in your child's education.

How EYLF Prepares Your Child for School

Commencing formal school can be overwhelming, but children who've experienced EYLF-created learning are better equipped—socially, emotionally, and academically.

School-readiness skills acquired through EYLF:

• Obedience and compliance
• Self-control of feelings
• Independence
• Literacy and numeracy basics
• Attention and focus
• Communication and listening

EYLF isn't about rushing scholars forward early in life—it's about developing the whole child so learning is integrated into life, fun and engaging, and relevant.

Early learning is not just preparation for school—it’s preparation for life. The Early Years Learning Framework helps guide educators in giving your child the best possible start. By choosing a centre that truly embraces the EYLF, you’re choosing an environment that celebrates your child’s individuality, fosters a love for learning, and nurtures their development every step of the way.

At Wiggles and Giggles, we’re proud to be a trusted early learning centre in Dural that wholeheartedly embraces the EYLF. Our experienced educators use play-based learning, outdoor exploration, and family partnerships to create a nurturing and stimulating environment. Whether you’re seeking a day care centre or a childcare centre that puts your child’s development first, Wiggles and Giggles is here to support your family’s journey—every wiggle and giggle along the way.