WiseTip: AL-PER-M0003-G01A

Approaches to Learning

Promoting Persistence

During diapering, bath time, or your baby's waking moments, allow enough time for your baby to explore new objects and activities. For example, let them explore bath items, touch the towel, or explore toys.

WHY IT MATTERS

Giving children time to fully explore something without interruption helps them develop task persistence. Caregivers should try to be sensitive to when children are exploring and provide time for them to persist.

Hyson, M. (2008). Enthusiastic and engaged learners: Approaches to learning in the early childhood classroom. New York: Teachers College Press and Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Persistence has been considered an important aspect of emotional regulation and executive functions among young children.

According to researchers, young children’s persistence while facing challenges and controlling their frustrations, as well as their compliance with caregivers, are part of acquiring emotional self-regulation.

Eisenberg, N., Gershoff, E. T., Fabes, R. A., Shepard, S. A., Cumberland, A. J., & Losoya, S. H. (2001). Mothers' emotional expressivity and children's behaviour problems and social competence: Mediation through children's self-regulation. Developmental Psychology, 37(4), 475–490. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.37.4.475

Studies have also suggested that persistence in infancy and early childhood statistically predicts longer-term cognitive outcomes, arguably mediated by a suite of temperamental and cognitive factors involved in executive function and “effortful control.”

Leonard, J. A., Lee, Y., & Schulz, L. E. (2017). Infants make more attempts to achieve a goal when they see adults persist. Science, 357(6357), 1290–1294.