Growing together in early child development
The first 5 years of life are critical for children’s development. Growing Together brings together content from Raising Children Network and ABC Kids Early Education to help you understand more about how your child is growing and learning and what you can do to help.
Hosted by Play School’s Leah Vandenberg and Luke Carroll, the Growing Together videos cover important early child development topics. If you’re curious or looking for ideas or inspiration, check out the videos topics below and get extra resources from Raising Children Network and ABC Kids Early Education.
Tips to build a strong relationship with your child
More about how warm and nurturing relationships help children’s development
- Relationships and child development
- Positive attention: what it is and why it’s good for your child
- Special moments with children
Ideas for building your relationship with your child
- Positive relationships for parents and children: how to build them
- Talking and listening activity: children 3-6 years
- Family story book activity: children 3-6 years
ABC Kids programs that show positive parent-child relationships
Helping kids learn about feelings
More about children’s emotional development
- Understanding and managing emotions: children and teenagers
- Helping toddlers learn about feelings
- Raising Children Network – Helping toddlers with their feelings - Episode 5 (YouTube video)
Ideas for supporting your child’s emotional development
- Learning about emotions: activity for children 3-6 years
- Puppet play and activities for kids
- Emotional ladder picture: activity guide for children and teenagers
ABC Kids programs about emotions
- ABC iview – Moodies
- ABC iview – Play School: Mindfully Me
- ABC iview – Kiri and Lou
- ABC iview – Tell Me A Tale
ABC Kids Listen podcasts that support children’s emotional development
Fun ideas to help kids learn language and literacy skills
More about language and literacy development
Ideas for supporting your child’s language and literacy development
- Literacy activities for children
- Reading activities: children 2-6 years
- Alphabet search: road trip activity for children 3-6 years
ABC Kids programs that promote language and literacy
Tips to help kids build resilience
More about resilience in children
- Building resilience in children: 3-8 years
- How to build resilience in autistic children and teenagers
- Self-compassion for children: 3-8 years
Ideas for building your child’s resilience
- Helpful thinking: activity for children, teenagers and parents
- Why boredom is good for your child’s play and development
- Why risk in play is good for child development
ABC Kids programs that show characters being resilient
Ideas for storytelling with kids
More about reading, storytelling and children’s development
Ideas for reading and storytelling with your child
- Reading activities: children 2-6 years
- Roll-a-story! Imaginative storytelling activities for kids
- Play ideas for toddler talking and reading: in pictures
- Library activities: children 3-6 years
ABC Kids programs with stories for your child
ABC Kids Listen audio stories for your child
Tips to help kids speak up for themselves
More about the benefits of children speaking up for themselves
Ideas for helping your child learn to speak up for themselves
ABC Kids programs that show characters speaking up for themselves
- ABC iview – Play School: All Together
- ABC iview – Bluey: Season 1 – Yoga Ball
- ABC iview – Play School: Growing Strong
Tips to help kids build friendship skills
More about children’s social development
Ideas for helping your child develop friendship skills
- Playgroups: what they are and why they’re good
- ‘I spy’: turn-taking and talking activity for children 3-6 years
- Funny folded drawing: fun and creative activity for kids
ABC Kids programs that show children and friendships
How connecting with community benefits kids
More about the benefits of community for children
- Community connections for children: family, friends, neighbours and local organisations
- Strong families: what they are, how they work
- LGBTQ+ families: community, disability and inclusion
- Raising bilingual kids: parent stories
Ideas for getting your child involved in the local community
- Playgroups: why they’re good
- Preschool: how it works and why it’s good
- Prosocial behaviour: children and teenagers being helpful and valuing others
ABC Kids programs about community
Benefits of pretend play for kids
More about pretend play and children’s development
Ideas for encouraging your child’s pretend play
- How to build a cubbyhouse for kids
- Dress-up games: activity for children 3-6 years
- Guess the animal game for kids
ABC Kids programs about pretend play
ABC Kids Listen podcasts to encourage pretend play
Ideas to help your child learn about maths and numbers
More about children’s numeracy development
Ideas getting your child interested in maths and numbers
- Counting activities: children 3-6 years
- Play shop: money management activity for children 3-8 years
- Peg games and activities for kids
- Growth chart: numeracy activity for children 3-8 years