There are many different tools or strategies that teachers use to support children to develop a sense of belonging, trust, and confidence within early childhood settings. One of the key tools for supporting infants and toddlers to develop a sense of belonging and trust is anchoring. Anchoring is where a teacher ‘anchors’ by sitting on the floor and remaining in that place while infants and toddlers independently move off to engage and explore.   

Ripeka and the teaching team at Kids’ Domain explain how they use anchoring as a way to support and nurture their infants’ and toddlers’ emotional needs. They demonstrate how, by anchoring, they can support their children to settle and learn to trust their teachers, as well as to develop confidence to explore and learn throughout their environment.

Glossary: 

Kaiako: teacher

Pēpē: babies