(EYLF) Learning outcome 2

Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Experiences of relationships and participation in communities contribute to children’s belonging, being and becoming. From birth children experience living and learning with others in a range of communities. These might include families, local communities or early childhood settings. Having a positive sense of identity and experiencing respectful, responsive relationships strengthens children’s interests, knowledge and skills in being and becoming active contributors to their world. As children move into early childhood settings, they broaden their experiences as participants in different relationships and communities. 

Over time the variety and complexity of ways in which children connect and participate with others increases. Very young children participate through smiling, moving, imitating, gesturing and making sounds to show their level of interest in relating to or participating with others. As children grow, they develop more complex ways of connecting and communicating with others. Older children show interest in how others regard them and develop their understandings about friendships. They learn to appreciate that their actions or responses affect how others feel or experience belonging. Feelings of belonging strengthen children’s connection with and active contribution to their world. Belonging includes people, Country, place and communities where educators assist all children to explore values, traditions and practices of their own and others’ families and communities. 

When educators create environments in which all children experience mutually enjoyable, caring and respectful relationships with people and the environment, children respond in positive ways. When all children participate collaboratively in everyday routines, events and experiences and have opportunities to contribute to decisions, they learn to live interdependently. 

Children’s connectedness and different ways of belonging with people, Country and communities helps them to learn ways of being which reflect the values, traditions and practices of their families and communities. Over time this learning transforms the ways they interact with others. 

Children are increasingly connecting with others through digital contexts. The use of digital technologies and the internet includes sharing and communicating information, enabling children to connect and contribute to their world in new ways. Educators use evidenced-based knowledge to assist children and families in using digital technologies in safe and healthy ways. 

Children’s connection and contribution to their world is built on the idea they can exert agency in ways that make a difference and build a foundation for civic and democratic participation. Educators assist all children to explore notions of sustainability (social, economic and environmental) where children learn what they do can make a difference. Environmental sustainability focuses on caring for our natural world. Social sustainability is about living peacefully, fairly and respectfully together in resilient local and global communities. Economic sustainability refers to practices that support economic development without negatively impacting the other dimensions. This includes a focus on fair and equitable access to resources, conserving resources, and reducing consumption and waste. 

Educators know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are strongly tied to the land and often there are cultural expectations and considerations that may transform the way they interact with others and the environment. Educators are sensitive to this and work to build trusting relationships with families, Elders and communities so that histories, stories, languages, as well as the local knowledge of how the Traditional Owners cared for and sustained the land, are shared with all children.