How to use Nurturing Bright Futures
This guide has been designed to help you support your child’s early development from pregnancy to age five, in simple and practical ways. Whether you’re preparing to welcome a baby or getting ready for school, this guide will walk alongside you with encouragement, ideas and reassurance.
We’ve based this guide on the image of a growing garden, because just like plants, children need the right conditions to help them thrive. Every part of the garden represents a part of your child’s learning and development:
The Watering Can: Every Drop, Every Moment
The watering can represents the care and attention given by parents, carers and early years practitioners. Every interaction, every moment, is a drop that helps a child to grow and flourish.
The Flowers: The Garden of Learning
The flowers represent children’s learning and development. When adults give time, care and encouragement, children’s learning grows- just like flowers cared for in a garden.
The Soil: Foundations for Growth
The soil shows what helps children to thrive: being safe, loved, valued and having a sense of belonging. When these foundations are strong, children grow, learn and flourish.
What you'll find in each section of this guide
To keep things simple and supportive each section of this guide follows the same format.
The importance of…
Each section starts by explaining why this part of your child’s development matters and how it helps them now and in the future.
Celebrating your unique child
All children develop in their own time. Every child is unique and this guide is here to support you and reassure, not pressure. Don’t ever underestimate the power of those moments you have with your child when you support their brain development through talking and play.
Just like plants in a garden, every child. grows in their own way and that’s especially true for children with special educational needs and disabilities or children who have experienced early childhood trauma. Try not to focus too much on their chronological age, what matters is their own individual starting point. If they’re not meeting certain milestones, that’s okay. Support, patience and celebrating wins can make a big difference. When looking through this document, choose the activities that feel right for your child and family. There’s no onesize-fits-all, just what fits your child
Growing and learning together: a developmental guide.
This part focuses on child development from pregnancy to age 5, when so much learning happens through love, play and connection. Each part of your child’s development is explained clearly by what it might look like in daily life and the simple things you can do to help them learn as you grow and learn together.
Useful links and references to find out more
Follow these links to find out more about your child’s development at this crucial time and what you can do to help them.
- The Best Start in Life parent hub
- Birth to Five Matters: Information for parents
- Centre for Early Childhood: The explainer series
- UNICEF Early Childhood Development
- BBC CBeebies Parenting
Every drop, every moment
Just as drops from a watering can help a garden grow, every moment you share helps your child learn. Although the journey in this document focuses on children’s growth and development from pregnancy to five years old, it’s something you can keep dipping back into to continue supporting your child throughout their reception year and beyond.
Story and rhyme time
Fun, free ways to support learning and connection. Reading and rhyming help build language, imagination and emotional closeness.
Links to explore
Quick access to websites and resources to find out more or get ideas and support.
Here to help
Links to support services who you can contact if you need support or reassurance
“I feel good about going to school because I want to try going there with my friends. I’m excited about going in the garden. I like to play hide and seek.”
Taylor, aged 4
“My son is happy, friendly and energetic. He is curious and enjoys asking lots of questions about the world around him. He’s happiest when role-playing his favourite characters. What’s important to me is that he feels valued, understood and supported to make meaningful relationships, have first-hand experiences and that his interests are used to extend and challenge his learning.”
Mum of JJ, aged 3
“It’s the simple, cost free, everyday moments families share: talking, playing, sharing stories, doing chores together and exploring local places that make the biggest difference to young children. These familiar experiences help build children’s language, confidence, curiosity, independence and a lifelong love of learning.”
Reception teacher, Primary School