The needs of children at age three in a child care setting are based on fundamental rights outlined by the United Nations. Overviews of the stages of development that occur during a child’s third year of life and best practices for physical and psychological development of this age group in the United Kingdom are examined. Research shows the United Kingdom is behind other developed countries in child development services. There is a need for qualified professionals to serve in the child care industry. Full day care settings lack more than 120,000 qualified providers across Britain (Department for Education, 2011).
Three-year-old children are developing in stages that change rapidly, from being completely dependent on caregivers to learning self-care skills such as toileting, dressing, cooking, and climbing. Being three is full of exciting opportunities for exploration through play and social interactions that will help the childern learn to function in the world around them.
Children at the three-year old stage of physical development are growing out of the toddler stage and have learned to walk and run, have a full set of baby teeth, and sleep between 10-12 hours a night with few if any daytime naps. My own three year old son does not take a nap and hasn’t since he was two and a half years old. Most three-year-olds are transitioning out of nappies or are able to use the toilet. A normally developing three year old can wash his or her hands, hop on one foot and kick a ball forward. This age group has a normal weight between 25-44 pounds and is between 34-43 inches tall (National Network for Child Care, 1995). This stage of development is critical for children to learn proper hygiene practices such as bathing and teeth brushing, and to wash his or her hands at appropriate times. Three-year-olds are beginning to communicate well, with full sentences and an awareness of danger and safety are concepts three-year-olds can understand and share with others (Raising Children Network, 2012). Three-year-olds are capable beings with a need to learn new ideas and words, and the need for reassurance is less than when the child was a toddler.
The developmental needs of a three-year old include communication development, muscular and skeletal development, routines, transitions, and imaginative play, both individually and in groups. A younger three year old may need more opportunities to play alone or in parallel with another child rather than in a group, as an older three year old child might prefer.
Emotionally, three-year-olds still need to know that a caregiver is close by. Children at this stage enjoy helping the caregiver with almost any activity and they begin to form friendships with peers. Affection and love are easily expressed at this stage, my own son is always kissing and hugging us and telling us he loves us. Three year olds also need time to themselves, and quiet spaces in which to be alone can be found in a best practices setting. Communication develops rapidly at this stage, especially when caregivers attend to and support conversations.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets the global standard of human rights in relation to the care and upbringing of children (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1989). In particular, articles 29 and 31 relate to the rights of the child to have appropriate care, play, and learning opportunities to thrive and develop into productive, well-adjusted citizens. Article 29 directs countries to provide an education that allows a child to develop his or her own skills and talents while learning to respect freedom and human rights. Article 31 recognizes that all children must have opportunities for play and rest in a safe environment and that all children have a right to participate equally in cultural activities.
The child’s rights as established by the United Nations requires participating countries like England to establish and monitor best practices in child care and development. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the monitoring agency in the United Kingdom. Best practices emerge from the EYFS in the care and development of children from pregnancy to age five (Directgov, 2012).
In his definition of developmentally appropriate teaching, Fisher emphasises that the teacher should be “...concerned with the developmental stage each child has reached rather than making assumptions according to a child’s age (2011, p. 34).” Best practices are based on helping the child through each zone of proximal development rather than on age-based standards of learning. Scaffold learning, as suggested by the research of social learning theorist Lev Vygotsky and his work on the zone of proximal development theory has led to the development of modern learning and development theories (Kozulin, 2011). Piaget developed concurrent theories such as causality, which remain a foundation for modern and revised learning theories (Piaget in Macleod-Brudenell & Kay, 2008). Montessori characterized the three year old child as possessing an extraordinary capacity, the ability to absorb information from his or her surroundings. Montessori named this stage "the absorbent mind" (Montessori, 2007). The child from 3 to 6 is an explorer, soaking up every aspect of the environment, including language and culture. Montessori developed the saying of the child to be "help me to do it myself" (Seldin, 2007 pp 76) Development during this period focuses on learning to be independent. The day care setting should then support this natural drive, enabling the child to become competent, and therefore confident. The Montessori approach embraces the full development of the child, addressing the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of the child as a whole.
Three-year-olds function well with a guided routine that does not vary at a nursery with little staff turnover and a smaller group of children. A typical ten-hour day at a nursery grounded in best practices in tending three-year-olds begins with breakfast and free playtime followed by planned activities such as cooking or number skills, this can be indoors or outdoors. Adult guided learning and social play occurs during this time. Three-year-olds are capable and willing helpers for setting the table. Lunch is a group activity with a focus on learning about foods and how they help children grow. This age group of children can set the table, serve food, clear their own dishes and wash their hands. After lunch the children have a quiet spell. Snack occurs mid-afternoon, followed by social play and staff facilitated learning activities. Outdoor play if the weather permits occurs here again. After dinner it’s free play and story time, this timetable provides structure and routines that the children can rely on (Ladybirds Day Nurseries, 2012). Throughout the day, this age group can help pick up the classroom as a transition activity and learn to perform important self-care skills like toileting and brushing teeth after meals. Cuddles and quiet one-on-one moments are offered as needed. A three-year old who spends 50 hours a week at a quality childcare centre has a strong emotional bond to his or her primary caregiver, creating a sense of familiarity and safety while the child learns to function independently. Best practices for this age group are built on stable interrelationships between children and caregivers.
Learning is an inclusive process; it occurs every moment that a child is engaged with the world around him or her. Washing hands is a process that promotes physical development of small motor skills and is a social skill that promotes good health habits, while intellectual stimulation is provided by a discussion of the properties of water, or reasons why it is necessary to have clean hands, that is, to reduce the spread of germs.
When a three-year old interacts in a social activity like story time, he learns to sit still, thus gaining control of his large muscles. He attends to the story and his own imagination sparks ideas and questions he can discuss with the group.
Three-year-olds experiment with personal power and letting a child make choices increases confidence and stabilizes power struggles. Caregivers must be skilled in negotiations while providing the structure for a child to make choices whenever possible. Child-care centres are responsible for adapting and maintaining a sense of culture for each child. Connections with a home culture are necessary for a child’s proper social development and a best practice is caregiver awareness of cultural influences and the ability to assimilate a child’s individual cultural needs into the centres activities. Centres that perform best practices have a whole-child curriculum in mind with an environment for learning that is clean, safe, organized, and efficient. Toys are kept in good condition and are chosen to promote specific developmental tasks such as fine and gross motor skills, literacy, or imaginative play. Caregivers plan activities with seasonal and cultural events woven into the lesson plans.
The United Kingdom falls far below other wealthy countries in meeting the needs of the child. A UNICEF study in 2000-2003 of children’s well-being places England at 21st place on a list of wealthy countries (UNICEF, 2007 pp. 1-52). The study looked at country’s ability to promote children’s health and wellness. Child poverty in England has doubled since 1979, leaving England behind most of the developed world in child wellness. Of all the advanced countries examined in the study, only Norway has avoided an increase in child poverty (BBC News, 2011). It falls upon the United Kingdom to emulate practices and legislation that has been successful in other European States and to continue research and development into best practices for early childcare.

References:
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