Would you like to see better concentration, stronger and healthier social connections, an improved capacity to learn and absorb information and a healthy way of processing setbacks and stress in your child? Then keep reading.
As early years teachers we constantly look for ways to support our pupils in the best possible way. For quite some time now we have been getting ready to launch our most special project – transforming our Early Years Day Nursery, with over 20 years of experience, into UK’s first “Head Start: Joy” nursery.
Why is this so important?
The world is getting more and more complex. Children are exposed to social media and media in general, with rising instances of cyber bullying, exposure to stereotypes and chronic stresses of modern life.
A recent NHS study showed that in 2022, 18% of children aged 7-16 years and 22% of young people aged 17-24 had a probable mental health disorder.
At Early Years Day Nursery we teach our pupils to become confident and independent in practical ways. We help them develop their fine and gross motor skills. We plan activities that improve their understanding of concepts of gravity, size, quantities, or elements of how the world works, such as nature, the ecosystem, and the weather.
All those things that are super important and form a big part of our curriculum.
But we also believe that teaching them emotional intelligence and wellbeing is just as important.
The latest neuroscience and psychology findings show us that this can be taught, just like we teach children how to put on their coats and how to brush their teeth. And that the best time to do it, is to start with early years, like any other skill. Hence, Alba Early Years Day Nursery is becoming the UK’s first setting to become a Head Start: Joy nursery.
What do we mean by JOY
What we are talking about is a deep wellbeing. It is bigger and deeper than happiness. It is lasting. It is dependent on internal factors and not on external ones. It helps us achieve a life of satisfaction and meaning and it gives us resilience to weather emotional and other difficulties.
In a world where children are under a lot of peer pressure, influences from the media, social stereotypes, the internet, the state of the world around us, etc. etc. etc., it is increasingly important to help create a foundation for wellbeing that they can draw on for the rest of their lives.
Wellbeing is a skill
Recent neuroscience and psychology research from top universities concludes that wellbeing is a skill and that it can be taught.
And if it can be taught, we should start with early years, when neuro plasticity of the brain is at its greatest. Just imagine the head start your child would have if we can teach this skill early on!
Just like brushing our teeth, we do not wait until our children are grown up. We start when they are young. In an age-appropriate way.
Impact on health
Research also shows that our genetics and personality are only responsible for about 50% of our 'baseline wellbeing. The rest comes from:
1) our ability to reframe more positively
2) experience/practice of gratitude, and
3) our choice to be kind and generous.
Clinical trials have shown that while acts of kindness towards ourselves improve our wellbeing while we do them, those doing acts of kindness for others, experience a wellbeing improvement for 2-4 weeks after.
This prompted scientists to start looking at physiological impacts of acts of kindness for others. They did blood tests as part of these clinical trials and found out that such behaviour literally changes our RNA gene expression, creating a stronger immune response.
Chances are, this is just the tip of our understanding of this amazing impact on our lives and on our physiology.
Impact on life outcomes
Various studies have shown that a focus on mindfulness and wellbeing helps build a resilient cognitive and emotional neural framework and allows a child to learn how to continue to consciously develop their cognitive capacity over time.
In turn, studies have shown that this leads to better life outcomes for those children, across a range of indicators – better self-organisation, stronger and healthier relationship and, as a result, better life choices, more effective execution on those choices.
Head Start: Joy nursery
Head Start: Joy is going to be an ongoing project for our staff and children. The team will be learning and growing, together with the children, as we go.
It will focus on three key pillars, scientifically proven to help us develop the skill of wellbeing:
Observing – this is the mindfulness piece, helping staff and pupils become more observant of themselves, of their emotio
ns and of those of others.
Re-framing – this is about learning to see a situation from a different, more positive angle, more grateful angle.
Embracing – this is the compassion and kindness piece, where we build trust and connection with others.
These principles are being woven into every aspect of our nursery life. From the way our daily routines are structured to provide for moments of concentration, observation, and awareness, to the types of toys and activities we have available (such as our kindness jar for Christmas and how we weave nature into our day-to-day teaching), to how we communicate with our children during interactions.
Each moment becomes an opportunity to practice wellbeing skills, without even noticing that they are learning.
Want to give your child a head start in life? Come and see us about our Head Stat: Joy and what it can do for your little one. There is no other nursery like it in the UK.
020 8575 9215 or info@alba-earlyyears.co.uk
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