“It takes a village to raise a child.” 

Truly, early childhood development is not just about a child’s physical and cognitive development. It’s also about a child’s sense of belonging in a community. 

Belonging, Being & Becoming

Notice that “Belonging” is the first emphasis in the Early Years Learning Framework of Australia. Also, in the Framework’s learning outcomes, the sense of belonging or its derivatives are being mentioned again and again. 

For example, in the second learning outcome, “Children are connected with and contribute to their world,” notice that there’s special emphasis on Belonging. Under this learning outcome, children should be able to develop the following: 

• Gain an understanding of reciprocal rights and responsibilities 
• Respond to diversity with respect
• Become aware of fairness 
• Become socially responsible and show respect for the environment 

In other words, when children develop a sense of belonging, they start to develop the following essential virtues: 

• Respect 
• Understanding 
• Empathy 
• Sense of responsibility 

At an early age, children can also gain an understanding of their place in this world and how their actions affect others. As a result, they can better get along with other people and learn cooperation and collaboration. 

Respect and understanding

Societies and economies are becoming more diverse and interconnected. In these modern times, it’s critical for children to develop an understanding about different cultures and practices. 

With a sense of belonging developed through community involvement (facilitated by parents and early learning centres), children will be exposed early on a variety of cultures, practices and environments. It’s like opening their world at an early age to see what’s out there. 

With this early exposure and exploration, children can begin to see and appreciate the differences among people. Children might even start to sense subtle social cues and silent rules that influence how groups of people behave and come up with a decision. This awareness, appreciation and understanding can immensely help them in the future (especially when facing challenging social situations). 

A sense of belonging and community participation can help children with their overall development. Aside from preparing them for the future, it’s also a good way to provide them with rich experiences that can make their childhood more enjoyable.