Care as Curriculum: What This Means in Practice | Babies 0-18 Months

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Care as Curriculum

What This Means in Practice (Babies 0–18 Months)

Introduction

In high-quality baby provision, care is not separate from learning. Care is the curriculum.

For babies, learning happens through relationships, routines, sensory experiences and responsive interactions. Every nappy change, feed, cuddle, sleep routine and moment of shared attention contributes directly to development.

This document explains what “care as curriculum” means in practice for babies aged 0–18 months, and how this approach aligns with current best practice within UK EYFS settings.

Why Care Is the Curriculum for Babies

Babies learn through:

• secure, responsive relationships

• repeated, predictable routines

• sensory and physical experiences

• emotional co-regulation with adults

At this stage, development is rapid, holistic and deeply relational. Separating “care time” from “learning time” misunderstands how babies grow and learn.

The EYFS recognises this by emphasising:

• the prime areas of learning

• the importance of responsive care

• the role of the key person

• learning through everyday experiences

What This Looks Like in Practice

1. Care Routines Are Intentional Learning Opportunities

Daily care routines are planned, valued and observed as learning experiences.

For example:

• Nappy changing supports communication, body awareness, turn-taking and trust

• Feeding routines support language, social interaction and sensory exploration

• Sleep routines support emotional regulation and physical development

Practitioners are:

• present, unhurried and responsive

• narrating actions and responding to cues

• building predictable, reassuring patterns

2. Relationships Are Central, Not Secondary

Secure attachment is the foundation for all learning in the first year of life.

Key-person relationships:

• provide emotional safety

• support exploration

• enable babies to communicate needs

• support regulation and self-soothing

Practitioners prioritise:

• consistent responses

• warm, attuned interactions

• shared attention and eye contact

• sensitivity to individual temperament

3. In-the-Moment Responses Drive Learning

Rather than planned activities, learning for babies is driven by:

• observation

• responsiveness

• following the baby’s lead

Practitioners:

• notice what babies are drawn to

• respond to gestures, sounds and expressions

• repeat and extend actions or sounds

• provide language and emotional labelling

Learning emerges in the moment, rather than being delivered.

4. The Environment Supports Care-Based Learning

The baby room environment is designed to support:

• calm exploration

• sensory engagement

• physical movement

• emotional security

This includes:

• clear, predictable layout

• low-level resources for independent exploration

• spaces for rest, movement and connection

• minimal overstimulation

The environment supports routines rather than competing with them.

5. Observation Is Rooted in Care Moments

Observation focuses on:

• how babies communicate needs

• how they respond to familiar adults

• how they explore during routines

• how they regulate emotions

Meaningful evidence often comes from:

• care routines

• repeated daily interactions

• transitions and settling moments

These observations inform:

• next steps

• environmental adjustments

• care approaches

• partnership with parents

What Care as Curriculum Is Not

Care as curriculum does not mean:

• turning routines into formal activities

• rushing babies through care to “do learning”

• over-recording or excessive paperwork

• separating “care staff” from “educators”

It also does not mean:

• lowering expectations

• passive supervision

• lack of intentionality

Care as curriculum is highly skilled, intentional practice.

The Role of the Practitioner

Practitioners working with babies are:

• observers

• relationship-builders

• co-regulators

• facilitators of early communication

Their skill lies in:

• noticing small changes

• responding sensitively

• providing consistency

• creating emotional safety

This professional role is complex, reflective and deeply important.

Alignment with EYFS and Inspection Expectations

This approach aligns with:

• the EYFS emphasis on prime areas

• the role of the key person

• learning through everyday experiences

• Development Matters guidance for babies

During inspection, practitioners can confidently articulate:

• how care routines support learning

• how relationships underpin development

• how observation informs responsive practice

In Summary

For babies aged 0–18 months:

• care and learning are inseparable

• relationships are the curriculum

• routines are learning opportunities

• observation guides practice

• responsiveness matters more than planning

Care is not something that happens around learning. Care is the learning.

Document Updated: January 2026

Recommended next read

Or read our ‘Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement’

Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Babies 0-18 months)

Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.

Pedagogical identity:
Relationship-led, care-centred baby practice where routines, interaction and sensory experience are the curriculum.

• 1. Welcome to the Baby Room (Start Here)

  👉 This section protects developmentally appropriate practice.

  • Baby Pedagogy Position Statement – How Babies Learn (0–18 Months)

  • Care as Curriculum: What This Means in Practice

  • How Our Baby Room Practice Works

  • Curriculum Language in Baby Rooms(Intent, Implementation & Impact Explained)

• 2. Baby Development & Adult Understanding

  👉 These documents support adult understanding — not expectations for babies.

  • Baby Curriculum Maps - Developmental progression across age bands(0–3 months | 3–6 months | 6-9 months | 9-12 months | 12-18 months)

  • Adult Reference: Developmental Signals & Support

  • Understanding Early Communication & Regulation

• 3. Observation-Led Practice & Responsive Care

  👉 Observation informs interaction, routines and environment.

  • In-The-Moment Narrative Observation Template for Babies

  • Micro-Observation Template (Checklist Format)

  • Pocket-Sized Observation Card

  • Using Observation to Respond to Babies’ Needs

  • In-the-Moment Prompt Cards (x17)

• 4. Environment & Continuous Provision

  👉 The environment supports exploration, movement and communication.

  • Baby Room Environment Guide & Resourcing Lists

  • Baby Room Continuous Provision Maps

    • 0–9 Months

    • 9–18 Months

  • Labelling Pack | Baby Room (0–18 Months)

• 5. Routines, Care & Emotional Wellbeing

  👉 Care routines are central to learning and wellbeing.

  • Daily Routines as Learning Opportunities

  • Transition & Sleep Routine Record Pack

    • Daily Transition Record

    • Individual Sleep Routine Profile

    • Review Template

  • Supporting Emotional Regulation in Baby Rooms

• 6. Language & Interaction in Baby Rooms

  👉 Language is built through interaction, not instruction.

  • Five Sentence Stems Every Baby Room Practitioner Should Use (Baby Room Poster)

  • Responsive Talk, Narration & Imitation

  • Supporting Early Communication (Pre-Verbal & Emerging Speech)

• 7. Planning & Documentation

  👉 Planning supports adults — it never directs babies.

  • Weekly Care & Learning Planning Templates (x2)

  • Using Baby Room Planning Templates Responsively

  • ‘Intent - Implementation - Impact’ Reference Grids(Emotional, Communication, Physical, Sensory, Social, Problem-Solving, Independence)

  • Baby Responsive Planning Sheet

  • When (and When Not) to Plan in Baby Rooms

• 8. Assessment, Safeguarding & Statutory Responsibilities

  👉 Proportionate, sensitive and statutory practice.

  • Concerns & Referrals Quick Form

  • Recording and Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

  • Progress Check at Age 2(looking ahead)

    • Report Template

    • Practitioner Guidance

• 9. SEND & Early Identification

  👉 Early support is relational, preventative and respectful.

  • SEND Identification & Next Steps Pack | Babies

    • What to Look For

    • What Evidence to Collect

    • Practical Next Steps

  • SEND & Inclusion Support Pack

    • A practical Toolkit for Early Years Practitioners

    • Inclusion Through Environment & Interaction

• 10. Parent Partnership & Communication

  👉 Strong partnerships support consistency and trust.

  • Daily Diary – Baby Room

  • Baby Room Welcome & Settling-In Pack

  • Supporting Babies at Home (Shared Routines & Communication)

  • Supporting Speech & Language at Home (0–3 Years)

• 11. Transition Beyond the Baby Room

  👉 Transitions are emotional, not academic.

  • Preparing for Transition to Toddler Room

  • Sharing Information with Sensitivity

  • Supporting Babies and Families Through Change

Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members

Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.

• Curriculum & Pedagogy

  • Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement

  • EYFS from Birth to 5: Curriculum Coherence & Pedagogical Throughline

  • Whole-Setting Curriculum Map (Birth-5): Curriculum Intent & Progression

  • Pedagogy Guidance Document

  • Speech & Language Development - Setting Statement

  • EYFS Inspection-Facing Summaries

• Early Years Schemas

  Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5

  ↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)

  ↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template

• EYFS Setting Policies

  • EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List

  • Childminder Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List

• EYFS Glossary

  EYFS Glossary

  ↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.

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What is Professional Membership?

Find our more about our Professional guidance for confident, reflective EYFS practice (Birth–5)

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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context. All resources, experiences and environment arrangements must be risk assessed by the setting and used in accordance with individual children’s developmental stages, needs and supervision requirements.

Safeguarding content does not replace a setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy or the statutory role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). All concerns must be managed in line with current statutory guidance and local safeguarding procedures.

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