Parents often ask one straight question: what do young children need to learn in the pre-school years? There is no short answer. At ages three to five, growth comes from rich talk, movement, rhythm, pattern, and playful problem solving. Guided use of technology, purposeful music, and hands-on making build strong foundations for reading, languages, science, maths, and creative thinking. This approach aligns with Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National School Curriculum.
Why we focus on play-based learning at ages 3-5
Play-based learning builds physical and cognitive abilities in tandem. Early learners benefit greatly from interaction and feedback. They also need time to repeat ideas across settings so knowledge “sticks”. Open, guided experiences at Chadstone childcare give them that blend. Educators can watch closely, extend language, and nudge the next step. Pegs, clay, drawing, and tool-use build fine motor skills and encourage creative thinking.
Families then see real capability growing as their children explore new ideas and experiences.
Technology that invites thinking, not passive viewing
Technology earns its place when it prompts children at childcare near me to notice, record, and explain. Short, adult-guided sessions work best and always link back to real materials.
Examples of ways technology can be used in Early Learning:
- Audio and video recording. Children record a rhyme, replay it, and hear starting sounds. That sharpens phonological awareness and confidence with speech.
- Stop-motion storytelling. A tablet and a stand turn block play into a sequence. Children plan scenes, capture frames, and narrate. Early literacy grows through vocabulary, sequencing, and recall.
- Robots and simple coding. Floor robots with arrow buttons teach direction words, order, and early algorithms. Children count steps, test routes, and adjust when things go off track.
- Digital magnifiers. A plug-in microscope reveals leaf veins or fabric weave. Children compare textures, describe details, and sketch what they see.
- Shared Smart Board Activities. Children use an interactive whiteboard to play a memory game, sort shapes or items into categories or sequence steps in a story.
How do we keep screen use constructive? We set brief tasks with clear intent, keep devices shared, and follow each session with ‘unplugged’ activities in the room or the outdoor space that extend upon the same ideas.
Music as a direct path to language and numbers
Music gives rhythm to language and structure to numbers. It also brings joy, which keeps children engaged.
- Beat and syllables. Clapping names and tapping word parts link sounds to letters later on.
- Rhyme and repetition. Classic songs build memory, attention, and sound play. Children predict the next line and notice letter-sound links when we show simple labels.
- Call-and-response songs. Turn-taking and listening skills grow while children track a pattern in time.
- Counting in rhythm. Marching, skip counting, and simple drumming make number sequences concrete.
- Homemade instruments. Shakers, rubber-band guitars, and bucket drums invite design thinking. Children compare loud and soft, long and short, fast and slow, then describe their choices with new words.
Making and tinkering grow problem solving
Making is more than craft. It is planned exploration with materials that can be joined, tested, and rebuilt.
- Loose parts and construction. Blocks, tubes, and offcuts become bridges and towns. Children estimate lengths, compare height, and count pieces.
- Design cycles. Plan, build, test, and try again. Early scientific thinking appears through this test and learn approach.
- Labelling and captions. Adults model short labels, speech bubbles, and captions for displays. Children connect written language to their own ideas, giving context to their learning.
What each approach grows
| Approach | Early literacy | Early numeracy | Creativity and thinking |
| Tech (guided) | Vocabulary, sequencing, sound play, narration | Position, order, measurement, simple counting | Observation, iteration, digital storytelling |
| Music | Phonological awareness, memory, language patterns | Counting, pattern, timing, comparison | Expression, mood, collaboration |
| Making | Functional writing, labels, purposeful talk | Estimation, shape, problem solving | Design, persistence, flexible thinking |
Role of the Educator and the family
Great outcomes come from shared intent. Educators at daycare Chadstone design experiences that meet EYLF outcomes, align with the National School Curriculum in the last year before school, and are tailored to the interests of the children. Families provide context, culture, and daily routines that keep progress steady.
Two actions make the biggest difference at home for literacy: talk often and read every day. Add counting in real life, such as setting the table or sorting washing, and you also cover key maths ideas without extra resources.
What about developmental assessment? At Chadstone childcare centre, Educators make observations, take photos, and collect samples of children’s creations. These artefacts show growth in all areas of development, including language, numbers and creativity. They allow Educators to plan next steps that are individualised and relevant.
An example day in practice
- Morning provocation. A digital magnifier with seed pods next to pencils and clipboards. Children observe, examine and sketch.
- Group time with music. Clapping names, rhyming lines, and a counting song. The focus stays on listening and pattern.
- Maker session. Teams build a ramp road from boxes and tubes. They measure length against a piece of yarn and try steeper angles to change speed.
- Story capture. One team turns the ramp build into a stop-motion clip and narrates the steps. Others write or dictate captions.
- Outdoor extension. Chalk number lines, beanbag throws, and rhythm sticks take ideas outside.
Children meet ideas with eyes, ears, hands, and words growing both their cognitive and fine-motor abilities. They also move their bodies, supporting attention and mood, and developing gross-motor skills.
How Paisley Park puts this into action
At our Chadstone early learning centre, Educators plan technology, music, and making as connected strands. Sessions are brief, guided, and linked to real materials. We prioritise talk, shared reading, and practical maths in context. Our rooms include loose parts for construction, spaces for group music, and stations for shared learning experiences. Documentation shows what children said and did, not just what Educators planned. Families see evidence of growth in language, number, and creative problem solving that carries into school.
Final thoughts for families
Choose short, purposeful learning experiences at home that invite children to speak, listen, count, and create. Ask your centre how technology, music, and making are planned across the week and how these link back to the EYLF. If you would like to see these approaches in action, book a tour at your local Paisley Park Early Learning Centre and talk with our Educators about your child’s interests and goals.