Belonging through Community for Young Children

Benefits of Belonging through Community for Young Children

Being involved in, and contributing to, extended family, community and culture has enormous benefits for young children.

It helps them learn, grows their confidence and builds self esteem. Plus it helps them feel that they belong, and that their contributions matter.

Let’s look at this in more detail:

Learning – in the early years, children learn primarily through their interactions, either with people or objects. Being part of a community and interacting with a range of people, broadens their perspective. It also helps them develop foundational social skills they will use throughout their life.

Confidence – when a child spends time with people outside the family unit in the broader community, it helps them develop their social confidence. The more accustomed they are to being in varied groups the more confident they become.

Self Esteem – when children feel like they are an important and valued part of their family, peer groups, community and culture, it helps them to feel good about themselves.

Sense of Belonging – being a part of groups outside of the family unit, increase a child’s sense of belonging. This leads to a strengthened sense of identity.

Sense of Contribution – if a young child is encouraged to participate in tasks or activities that help others, it grows their ability to empathise. They learn to think about the needs of others and it bolsters their self esteem.

Contributing as a Family

Some ideas for contributing to your community as a family:

• Bake Stand: If you enjoy cooking together, bake biscuits or cupcakes, and set up a stand to sell them, donating the money to a local charity.
• Care for Neighbours: Do you have an elderly neighbour who lives alone? Cook extra for them when you’re making your family meals or encourage your children make them gifts or cards.
• Pick up Rubbish: If you enjoy being in nature as a family, take some gloves and garbage bags and spend an hour cleaning up your favourite nature spot.
• Car Window Kindness: Children who enjoy getting creative will love this one. Write poetry, kind messages or create artwork to place on people’s car windows (not so good in wet or windy weather). For inspiration visit: www.carwindowpoetry.com