Aistear Explained – You Are Most Likely Practicing It Already
We know the word Aistear can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but there is no need to worry as many childminders are practicing Aistear without being aware of it.
Aistear, which means “journey” in Irish, is a guide used in Ireland to support how young children learn and develop from birth until they start primary school. It focuses on play, daily routines, relationships, and fun activities to help children develop in a natural way. It is not a list of rules you must follow but rather a guide that childminders can use to support what you are most likely doing already.
Aistear was updated in 2024 to include nine principles. In this blog, we will give you a brief overview of each of the nine principles. Over the coming weeks, we will explore each one in more depth, using real-life examples from childminders’ homes to show how these principles come to life in everyday practice. This will help you see how they are being applied in your own home to support children’s learning and development.
Agentic Global Citizens: This principle highlights that children are important members of society, and their voices, ideas, and contributions deserve to be heard and respected.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: This principle reminds us to respect and celebrate each child’s uniqueness, their family, their home, and their community—while also valuing what we have in common.
Relationships and Interactions: Children thrive best when they have warm, caring relationships with the people around them, making them feel safe and secure.
Family and Community: Children learn a lot from their home, their childminder, and the wider community and it is these experiences that help shape how they understand the world around them.
Agentic Educators: Childminders use their skills to support each child’s learning in a way that works best for the child.
Transitions: Children go through many small and big changes in their young lives, and having a familiar, trusted adult like their childminder helps them handle these changes and feel safe.
Holistic Learning and Development: In a childminders home, children’s learning and development happens through everyday moments, routines, and play in a warm and caring environment.
Play and Hands on Experience: Much of children’s learning happens through play and hands-on experiences which is essential for keeping children healthy and happy, while also nurturing creativity and imagination.
Learning Environments: In a childminders home, the environment plays a big role in how children feel and learn.
It is important to remember that Aistear is not about making big changes or creating lots of paperwork but rather about recognising the value in what you are already doing, providing a loving and caring environment, building on the children’s interests, and supporting their overall growth and development.
To learn more about Aistear and how to connect your practices to the Aistear Framework, please click here. Don’t forget to watch out for our upcoming blogs on how childminders are already using the Aistear Principals.