Early Years students at North Kent College have been enhancing their skills thanks to the addition of 16 interactive babies at the College.
Early Years students at North Kent College have been enhancing their skills thanks to the addition of 16 interactive babies at the College.
The students use the skills and knowledge they have gained to respond to the baby’s cries for care, determining whether it needs feeding, burping, rocking, or changing, whilst also learning how to dress it appropriately, according to the weather, and handle it correctly.
The interactive baby uses a wireless programming system to monitor how it is dealt with and which reports back on care events, mishandling actions and clothing changes, to enable a student to get feedback on their performance.
The students have been caring for the babies during lessons as part of their Level 2 and Level 3 Early Years qualifications and learning a variety of skills as a result:
- Effective communication. Interacting with the interactive babies cultivates effective communication abilities as learners learn to interpret and respond to nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language.
- Patience and adaptability. Babies requires patience and adaptability as learners navigate unpredictable situations, fostering resilience and flexibility essential for effective teaching.
- Observational skills. Learners hone their observational skills by closely monitoring the baby’s behaviours and needs, developing a keen eye for identifying developmental milestones and potential challenges.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Confronting various scenarios with interactive babies encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills as learners plan to meet the baby’s needs and address unexpected situations.
- Teamwork. Collaborative activities involving the interactive babies build teamwork as learners work together to care for the baby, promoting cooperation and effective communication within our classroom setting.
Nadja Nsajja, Head of Curriculum – Early Years at North Kent College,
“By incorporating interactive babies into our College curriculum, we empower learners to develop a comprehensive skill set essential for success in the field of early years and education, and help prepare them for life outside of the classroom.
”If you have a passion to work with children, then an Early Year’s course is the perfect place to start. It can lead to a variety of careers from a nursery nurse to a primary school teacher and more.”
North Kent College offers Early Years courses at both its Dartford and Tonbridge campuses. The courses are taught by industry professionals and include real life work placements to give students hands on professional training. To find out more visit the Early Years subject page on the North Kent College website.
