Back to Basics: Early Years Pedagogy

In recent years, early years education has become increasingly shaped by frameworks, assessments, and accountability. While these structures are often introduced with good intentions, many practitioners are finding themselves further removed from the very heart of what early childhood education should be about: nurturing the whole child through play, relationships, and joy in learning.

The truth is, early years pedagogy does not need to be complex or overburdened by initiatives. What it needs is a return to the basics, the foundations that have always mattered most for young children’s growth, development, and wellbeing.

Why back to basics?

Children are not data points; they are curious, creative, and relational beings. When practice is dominated by targets and tick-boxes, we risk losing sight of what really matters in the early years. A back-to-basics approach reminds us that quality provision is not measured in paperwork, but in the everyday experiences children have.

Focusing on simplicity also creates space for practitioners to feel confident and empowered. Instead of being overwhelmed by constant reforms or initiatives, they can lean into what they know works best: responsive, play-based, child-centred pedagogy.

What should we focus on?

1. Play as the foundation of learning

Play is not an “extra” or a “break” from learning; it is learning. Through play, children explore the world, test ideas, build friendships, and practise problem-solving. Returning to play as a central pedagogy means ensuring children have long, uninterrupted periods of time to immerse themselves in it.

2. Relationships at the core

Children thrive when they feel safe, valued, and connected. Strong, nurturing relationships with practitioners, peers, and families form the bedrock of early learning. Focusing on relational pedagogy helps us create environments where children feel secure enough to take risks, make mistakes, and grow.

3. The joy of communication and language

Language is the tool that unlocks thinking, expression, and connection. Going back to basics means spending time in meaningful conversations with children, listening deeply to their stories, and valuing every attempt to communicate. It’s not about flashcards, it’s about talk, storytelling, songs, and shared laughter.

4. Wellbeing before attainment

Children cannot learn if their basic needs are unmet. Attending to physical, social, and emotional wellbeing must come before pushing formal academic outcomes. A child who feels loved, secure, and respected will be ready to engage with the world.

5. The power of the environment

A well-thought-out environment is often the “third teacher.” Back to basics means creating spaces that are calm, accessible, and filled with open-ended resources. Simplicity matters here: children need room to explore, not rooms cluttered with overstimulation.

6. Trusting practitioners’ expertise

Finally, back to basics requires trust, trust in educators’ knowledge, instincts, and professional judgement. When practitioners are enabled to use their skills rather than constrained by compliance, they can respond to children in meaningful and authentic ways.

Moving forward

Taking early years pedagogy back to basics is not about ignoring innovation or resisting change. It is about ensuring that at the heart of every decision is the child, their play, their voice, their relationships, and their joy in learning.

If we can re-centre on these fundamentals, we build stronger foundations not only for children’s future learning but for their lives. After all, the basics are not “less”, they are everything.