When a child is playing with building blocks, they don’t have just fun; but they learn many skills. This activity help them to develop their ‘thinking skills’ (ex. Problem-solving, creativity, understanding shapes and balance etc). ‘fine motor skills’ (ex. Using small muscles in hands and fingers, hand-eye coordination etc) and ‘social skills’ (ex. Building friendship with peer children).

Through this kind of play, children learn how to be patient, try different ideas and feel proud of what they create. Play is a very important influence on their development.

According to Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2023, March 25), the importance of children is not just what is right next to them in a circle but also what is all around them without knowing. The social environment like relationships with others, significant stress and adversity, community support and faith or cultural traditions; which all play an important role in the development. But also the natural environments around them that shape their development by influencing indirectly by interacting with the environment of relationships; including the safety of their homes, the nutrias food, economics. Children need nutrients to grow and clothing to wear, and roofs over their homes to develop and to know they are safe. As an educator who works at child development laboratory, I am a part of our snack time at school. In our classroom we are only able to serve children two servings of snack, but I allow more if they are eating snack; because of hunger and I never want to see or hear a child say they are starving in the classroom but have to wait until lunch or to be picked up from parents before they can eat again. Snack is one thing I want to make a difference in the classroom. Make food fun, trying new options for children to explore in the classroom by the texture, the smell, the taste.

One impactful influence on young children's development is the environment in which they grow and learn. If this environment is supportive, stress will still occur- but in healthy amounts. When a child has a supportive, consistent set of caregivers- stress can be limited and relieved. According to this week's readings from Harvard University, high levels of excessive stress from a child's environment can trigger harmful levels of inflammation in the body. This inflammation can continue well into adulthood and cause autoimmune diseases, diabetes, arthritis, heart diseases, and depression.

After COVID 19, I started a garden in our school's outdoor classroom for our summer camp kids to take care of. The children that were interested, helped pull weeds, plant and water the plants as needed. Some of the things we grew were tomatoes, onions, peppers, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, and potatoes. At the end of the summer the kids were able to harvest their garden, they made and shared homemade salsa with all of the students in the program. They sat after prepping the salsa critiquing what needed to be added, cut differently. The children were very proud with how well their garden did, brainstorming how to get rid of the rabbit and woodchuck. Working as a team, they were able to make salsa that some of the kids haven't ever had before. Kids just need to be given a project that they can do with some guidance from an adult. Some of the kids were so excited about their involvement in the garden that they were bringing family up to look at it after hours. The students overall were able to tend a garden, pick and prep the vegetables knowing it takes time and patience to be able to reap the fruits of their labor.

Working in early education has shown how influential a child's environment truly is. Children will always be children, and while it has been discussed within schools and my workplace, in particular, that behaviors that challenge us are increasing, children are still being children. The environments are changing; the ever-present stress in the home, adverse experiences, trauma, and the family unit are contributors to the behaviors that challenge us.

Harvard's research suggests that consistency and support in the child's environment is a strong predictor in a child's future. What happens if a child is lacking a supportive, healthy and consistent environment? That is where educators can step in and offer the model of consistency and support. With the expansion of Pre-K for all, more children are likely to receive some fundamental social emotional skills, and a sense of consistency and support. GSRP and Head Start offer family advocacy support for families that have needs, goals, and barriers.

During my time in the GSRP classroom I have seen how art is a big influence on a daily basis. Art can have a significant influence on children's development in so many different ways. Children can use art as a way to express their ideas and thoughts. Their imagination leads to self-expression which helps to strengthen fine motor skills and develop hand-eye coordination. This also allows them to widen their perceptions and observation skills by paying attention to their surroundings. From this they can enhance communication skills because they can express and manage emotions from creativity. Art allows children to develop self confidence and feelings of accomplishment. In all, children cognitive and social development are strengthen.