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A Reflection from Kenya: Six Universal Learning Foundations from Early Years Training
If you'd told me a few years ago that my work would take me to Kenya, I wouldn't have believed you.
Last week, I had the privilege of delivering Early Years training in Kenya and spending time with educators from different backgrounds, experiences and contexts.
As we talked, shared ideas and reflected together, I found myself returning to a thought that has stayed with me throughout my career.
Whilst our settings may differ, many of the foundations that support young children's development remain remarkably consistent.
The experience didn't teach me six new things.
It reinforced six things I already knew.
1. Language matters
One of the most powerful aspects of the training was the conversation itself.
People brought different experiences, different perspectives and different questions, yet the process was the same. We listened. We shared. We reflected. We learned from one another.
It was a reminder that language sits at the heart of learning.
Children make sense of the world through conversations, stories, shared experiences and meaningful interactions. Long before children are reading and writing, they are building understanding through talk.
For parents, that is an encouraging message.
Everyday conversations matter. Story time matters. Listening matters.
Often the richest learning opportunities happen in the simplest moments.
2. Curiosity drives learning
Perhaps one of the things I enjoy most about working in Early Years is seeing curiosity in action.
Whether we were discussing children's interests, exploring ideas together or reflecting on practice, curiosity kept appearing.
Children are naturally driven to explore, investigate and ask questions.
Sometimes, in our eagerness to teach, we can underestimate the importance of following those questions.
Yet curiosity is often where learning begins.
As adults, our role is not always to provide the answer. Sometimes it is simply to listen, notice and encourage children to keep exploring.
3. Play has a purpose
Another recurring theme during the training was the importance of play.
This is something that is sometimes misunderstood. Play can look simple from the outside, yet it is often where some of the richest learning takes place.
When children play, they are exploring ideas, testing theories, solving problems and making connections. They are developing language, creativity, resilience and confidence, often without realising it.
Whilst settings and resources may vary, this principle remains remarkably consistent. Children need opportunities to actively engage with the world around them, not simply receive information about it.
For parents, this is an important reminder.
Play is not separate from learning. For young children, play is often how learning happens.
4. Relationships Matter
One theme that surfaced repeatedly throughout the training was the importance of relationships.
Before meaningful learning can take place, children need to feel safe, secure and valued. They need adults who take time to listen, notice and respond. They need to know that they belong.
Although we often focus on resources, activities and outcomes, it is relationships that provide the foundation on which all of these things are built.
When children experience warm, responsive interactions, they are more likely to develop confidence, communicate their ideas and engage with new experiences.
For parents, this is perhaps one of the most reassuring messages of all.
You do not need to have all the answers or create perfect learning opportunities. The everyday moments of connection, conversation and shared experiences matter more than we sometimes realise.
Children learn best with adults who know them well and take time to understand them.
5. Engagement Matters
Another idea that surfaced repeatedly throughout the training was the importance of engagement.
Children are not passive recipients of information. They learn best when they are actively involved, making choices, exploring ideas and participating in meaningful experiences.
When children are genuinely engaged, they are more likely to persist, problem-solve and develop confidence in their own abilities. Rather than simply completing a task, they become invested in the process.
This is one of the reasons why understanding children's interests is so important. Engagement grows when learning feels relevant, purposeful and connected to the child.
For parents, this can be a helpful reminder that learning does not always need to look formal.
Some of the most valuable moments happen when children are actively involved, asking questions, making discoveries and taking ownership of their learning.
6. Every Child Is Unique
One of the things I have always valued about working in Early Years is the reminder that no two children are ever quite the same.
During the training, conversations often returned to the importance of truly knowing the child in front of us. Not the curriculum. Not the next milestone. The child.
Children bring different interests, strengths, experiences and ways of engaging with the world. What motivates one child may not motivate another. What works for one child may need adapting for the next.
This is why meaningful learning cannot be built on a one-size-fits-all approach. The most effective practice starts with observation, listening and understanding what makes each child unique.
For parents, this is an important reminder too.
It can be tempting to compare children or worry about whether they are keeping pace with others. Yet children develop in their own ways and at their own rates.
When we take time to understand their interests, celebrate their strengths and respond to their individual needs, we create the conditions in which they are most likely to thrive.
As the training came to an end and I reflected on the conversations I'd had throughout the week, I found myself returning to a simple thought.
Despite being thousands of miles from home, so much felt familiar.
The discussions about children's curiosity. The importance of language and communication. The role of play. The value of relationships.
Whilst contexts may differ, the desire to help children flourish is something that connects educators across the world.
I returned home feeling grateful for the opportunity, inspired by the educators I met and reminded that some of the strongest foundations for learning really are universal. 🌍
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