Overview
Build children's understanding of the world so they gain important knowledge and vocabulary.
Access resources, activity ideas and advice for teaching understanding the world to early years children.
Understanding the world resources
These resources will help you when reviewing your current curriculum to make sure you are meeting the requirement of the revised understanding the world area of learning.
As you make changes to your curriculum consider what you want children to learn first and plan opportunities for them to achieve this.
What the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework says about understanding the world
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community.
Read more
The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters.
In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world.
As well as building important knowledge, this extends their familiarity with words that support understanding across domains.
Enriching and widening children’s vocabulary will support later reading comprehension.