Assessing the play and learning environments of children under two years in peri-urban Lima, Peru: A formative research study

Abstract

Background During the first two years of life, children’s access to learning materials and opportunities for play, as mediated by the caregiver, are critical components of a developmentally supportive environment. While home-based interventions have potential for improving early child development (ECD) in low-resource settings, the design of locally acceptable strategies requires an understanding of the household context. In this exploratory study, we aimed to characterize the home learning environments of children 6–23 months of age in peri-urban Lima, Peru, with an emphasis on play and communication.Methods Drawing on the developmental niche framework, we used quantitative and qualitative methods to understand children’s physical and social settings, childcare practices, and caregiver perspectives. We conducted interviews, unstructured observations, and spot-checks with 30 randomly selected caregiver-child dyads, as well as key informant interviews with 12 daycare instructors. We analyzed data for key trends and themes using Stata and Atlas.ti, and employed an adapted version of the Indicator of Parent-Child Interaction to evaluate the video-recorded observations.Results Children’s social settings were characterized by multi-generational homes and the presence of siblings and cousins as play partners. Access to books and complex hand-eye coordination toys (e.g. puzzles, building blocks) in the home was limited. Caregivers generally demonstrated low or inconsistent levels of interaction with their children; they rarely communicated using descriptive language or introduced novel, stimulating activities while playing. While it was not common for caregiver to read or tell stories to children, singing to children was widely practiced and enjoyed. On average, caregivers ascribed a high learning value to electronic toys and “educational” TV programs, and perceived playing with everyday objects in the home as less beneficial.Conclusions The features of the home learning environment highlighted here indicate several opportunities for intervention development to improve ECD in peri-urban Peru. These include encouraging caregivers to communicate with children using full sentences in the context of their daily commitments and activities and enhancing the use of everyday objects as toys. In addition, there is great potential for a home-based intervention to leverage song and music to encourage positive caregiver-child interactions in this setting.

Effects of early childhood education on early childhood development in Bangladesh

“…One possible contributing factor is the potential lack of exposure to structured learning environments and educational stimuli during the critical early years of development [26]. Early childhood education programs often provide a foundation for cognitive, social, and emotional development, and the absence of such experiences may hinder overall developmental progress [27,28]. Moreover, disparities in socio-economic conditions, parental education levels, and access to resources could play a role [28].…”

“…Early childhood education programs often provide a foundation for cognitive, social, and emotional development, and the absence of such experiences may hinder overall developmental progress [27,28]. Moreover, disparities in socio-economic conditions, parental education levels, and access to resources could play a role [28]. Children who do not participate in early childhood education programs may face additional challenges related to family income, educational support at home, and overall household well-being [21,[29][30][31].…”