First Five Years

First Five Years Research shows us that children who start ahead tend to stay ahead with the early years providing the foundation for the rest of a child's life.

First Five Years is a collaborative community of parents and educators sharing information about the early years and meeting the challenges of raising young children. First Five Years acknowledges that a parent is a child’s primary teacher and empowers parents with information so that children can benefit from high quality, early learning extending into the home. Written in a collaboration between

experienced journalists, leading academics and professional educators, First Five Years provides a source of reliable knowledge and a community to share information about the early years and meet the challenges of raising young children. Community Standards

Please be aware that we reserve the right to moderate this page and remove any posts or material that we deem inappropriate or not beneficial to this community. BE CONSIDERATE

Stick to discussing the ideas, not the people behind them. Please be respectful of others and their opinions. Please don't use this an opportunity to push commercial products or share things that are off-topic including spam or excessive use of external links. BE AWARE OF LEGAL RIGHTS

Don't post comments or content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination, advocates illegal activity, could be defamatory, infringes on copyright or trademarks or that may compromise any criminal or civil investigation. SHOW RESPECT

Don't use vulgar language. Don't attack people and don't respond to attacks. Report posts you think violate our community standards to info@firstfiveyears.org.au. We will moderate any reported posts and ban repeat offenders.

01/05/2026

Ask and educator: The questions parents want to ask. How long does it take children to settle in once they start early learning?

Most parents are understandably excited when their child first starts to speak. Many also know that one of the best ways...
30/04/2026

Most parents are understandably excited when their child first starts to speak. Many also know that one of the best ways to help their child’s language development is to talk to them as much as possible from day one, about almost anything. But how else can parents help their child’s language skills develop?

David Loyst has been studying and teaching about parenting for over 30 years as a speech language pathologist, autism consultant, and parent coach. He says it helps to think not just about language development, but ‘expressive’ language development.

Read the full story: https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/good-choices?utm_campaign=GC26&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=Post

29/04/2026

You’re can ask how educators get to know your child’s personality, interests and needs. That relationship matters.

It’s one of those thoroughly embarrassing parenting moments when you discover your child is “the biter” – the one who bi...
28/04/2026

It’s one of those thoroughly embarrassing parenting moments when you discover your child is “the biter” – the one who bites at birthday parties, pinches at child care or pulls hair in the playground.

A future flashes before your eyes that involves your sweet toddler growing up and being marched to the primary school principal’s office, expelled from high school, facing juvenile detention for petty crimes and then a lifetime behind bars for a series of unthinkable offences.

While this is how parents can feel, it’s not necessary to see it as a parenting failure or to be embarrassed. Biting is, for some children, a normal part of exploring their environment and a response to under-developed toddler communication skills. This doesn’t make the behaviour okay, however understanding why children may bite or be aggressive along with some simple strategies can help parents navigate this phase of childhood with greater ease and confidence; and a lot less stress.

Read the full article: https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/child-development/why-toddlers-bite-and-what-to-do

26/04/2026

Good Choices is about giving you the confidence when you start your Early Learning journey. We will help you along the way with tips, tricks and a little nudge to say, "you've got this!". 🩷

26/04/2026

Why is pretend play important?

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the benefits of pretend play. Children who engage in more elaborate pretend play in their preschool years have been found to be more creative and innovative some years later, and encouraging pretend play helps children access their memories to solve problems1.

Pretend play also prompts children to use their developing language and social skills and has been linked to literacy and language development as well as social competence.

While acknowledging the benefits of many diverse types of play, the evidence certainly shows that pretend play has a significant role in fostering young children’s learning and development.

While most of this evidence comes from preschool aged children, pretend play does not just suddenly start when children turn three. So, when and how do children start to pretend? And what can parents and educators do to support and encourage this important kind of play?

24/04/2026

You can ask questions like this. It’s completely normal for children to feel upset sometimes... what matters is how they’re supported.

Asking this helps you understand the care behind the care.

Children have huge imaginations and use these to turn rocks into spaceships, tables into forts or pens into fairies. The...
23/04/2026

Children have huge imaginations and use these to turn rocks into spaceships, tables into forts or pens into fairies. They might pretend to be “mum” or to “cook dinner”. Or they may invent their own characters, worlds and concepts that have no bearing on anything adults are able to come up with.

23/04/2026

The calm moments that matter... Comforting a child. Soft voices. Familiar faces. These moments shape early experiences.

22/04/2026

Parenting is inherently messy and noisy. For introverted parents it can be challenging to suddenly find you have a small person permanently needing your attention and that you’ve entered a world of play dates and mother’s groups.

Studies have shown introverts make excellent parents because of their empathy, listening skills and approach to conflict.

However, friction between the need for solo time and the social demands of parenting can leave some people conflicted. Wanting to be with your children, but also wanting to be away from them while craving valuable alone time to recharge your batteries, may lead to feelings of guilt.

Read the full story online now: https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/lifestyle/navigating-parenting-as-an-introvert

21/04/2026

You can ask to see sleep spaces and talk about rest routines. Comfort and safety matter.

Why talking to your baby or child matters 👶🏻The world of the young child is an exciting one. Through research we are fin...
20/04/2026

Why talking to your baby or child matters 👶🏻

The world of the young child is an exciting one. Through research we are finding out more and more about just how crucial the development of a young child is in predicting and supporting their future learning, life and success.

The first 1001 days are crucial
Latest research informs us that a child’s first 1001 days are crucial in developing attachment, physical development, communication and early language. While all three areas are key to a young child’s development this article unpacks how mums, dads, family and friends can support a child’s early communication skills.

Again, research states the importance of early communication and language and the need for children to be experimenting with sounds, babbling, making noises, learning vocabulary, and communicating from as early an age as possible.

Address

Murarrie, QLD

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when First Five Years posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to First Five Years:

Shortcuts

Share

Category