The Foundational Stage envisions an integrated approach to Early Childhood Care and Education; for children between ages 3-8. The transformative nature of this phase of education is expected to qualitatively improve the contents and outcomes of education, thereby, impacting the lives of our children towards a better future. All studies and research related to the early period of development of a child, unambiguously leads to the conclusion that high-quality care and education during this period has a lifetime of positive consequences for all individuals and thus, the nation. ( K Kasturirangan, Chairperson)
Importance of Holistic Development at Foundational Stage
From 3 to 8 years of age, ECCE includes continued attention to health, safety, care, and nutrition; but also, crucially, self-help skills, motor skills, hygiene, the handling of separation anxiety, physical development through movement and exercise, expressing and communicating thoughts and feelings to parents and others, being comfortable around one’s peers, sitting for longer periods of time in order to work on and complete a task, ethical development, and forming all-round good habits.
Supervised play-based education, in groups and individually, is particularly important during this age range to nurture and develop the child’s innate abilities and capacities of curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, teamwork, social interaction, empathy, compassion, inclusiveness, communication, cultural appreciation, playfulness, awareness of the immediate environment, as well as the ability to successfully and respectfully interact with teachers, fellow students, and others.
Reference and Excerpt
National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage-2022
https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/NCF_for_Foundational_Stage_20_October_2022.pdf