EYLF outcomes in early childhood education

What is the Early Years Learning Framework?

The Early Years Learning Framework is a core element of the National Quality Framework for early childhood education in Australia.

It sets the standard for how educators support young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, and through the transition to school.

At its heart, the EYLF recognises that children learn best through play — by exploring, experimenting, socialising, and simply being curious about the world around them.

This framework is built around three key ideas:

• Belonging – helping children feel connected to family, community, culture, and place.
• Being – valuing the present moment in a child’s life, not just preparing them for the future.
• Becoming – supporting each child’s growth as they learn, develop, and shape who they are.

EYLF principles

• Whole-child focus – recognising that learning isn’t just academic, but includes emotional, physical, social, and creative development.
• Child-centred approach – tailoring learning to each child’s personality, pace, and passions.
• Ongoing progress – supporting consistent growth through early years and tracking development over time.
• Family partnerships – working closely with families to strengthen children’s learning at home and in care.

Educators use these principles to create learning environments and programs that suit the individual needs and interests of each child.

What are the EYLF outcomes?

The EYLF outcomes are five key learning goals that guide how young children grow, learn, and connect with the world around them in early education settings.

These outcomes support educators like Juniors Journey in creating play-based learning experiences tailored to each child’s needs.

They cover all areas of a child’s development, from language and physical abilities to emotional well-being and social skills.

The five learning outcomes of the EYLF are:

1. Children have a strong sense of identity: Children feel safe, secure, and supported. They build confidence, self-awareness, and positive relationships with others.
2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world: Children learn about fairness, respect, and responsibility. They begin to understand their role in communities.
3. Children have a strong sense of well-being: This includes physical health, emotional safety, self-regulation, and resilience.
4. Children are confident and involved learners: Children explore, ask questions, and engage in problem-solving. They experiment, make decisions, and take supported risks in their learning.
5. Children are effective communicators: Children use language, symbols, gestures, and creativity to express themselves. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as early literacy and numeracy.

These flexible learning outcomes are designed to reflect the diverse backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles of children.

They align with the core principles of Belonging, Being and Becoming, ensuring every child is seen, supported, and encouraged to thrive at their own pace.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the EYLF outcomes.

EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

Summary

• Children build strong, positive relationships that help them feel secure and supported.
• They begin to explore their emerging autonomy, learning to make choices, bounce back from challenges, and trust their own capabilities.
• A healthy sense of identity grows as children gain confidence in who they are and what they can do.
• Through everyday interactions, they learn the value of kindness, empathy, and respect for others.

Learning Outcome 1 revolves around helping children build a positive sense of self, the foundation for everything that follows in their learning and life.

When children feel secure and valued, they gain the confidence to explore the world around them, take risks, form friendships, and grow into resilient and capable individuals.

It’s in those small, everyday moments—being greeted by name in the morning, having someone listen when they’re upset, or receiving encouragement when they try something new—that identity begins to bloom.

Example activities

From choosing what to play to facing others’ feelings, every experience can shape their confidence, resilience, and sense of belonging.

By offering meaningful choices, celebrating their backgrounds, and guiding them through challenges with empathy, we help children grow into capable, kind individuals who feel connected to their world.

Here are some ideas to help children thrive under this learning outcome:

• ‘’Who Am I?” Cubes: Provide blank dice with different prompts like “My favourite food,” “A skill I’m proud of,” or “Something I’m learning.” Your child can roll the cube and share or draw a response. This activity builds confidence and self-awareness in a fun and social way.
• Culture in a Box: Fill small boxes with items that represent your family and friends’ cultural backgrounds — like a favourite recipe, a traditional object, or a photo. Your child can then explore and present this box to others to celebrate diversity.
• Neighbourhood Map: Work together to draw a giant map of the local area. Your child can add where they live, places they visit, or special landmarks. This sparks conversation around community and connection while strengthening geographical awareness!
• Proud Posters: Create a weekly space where your child can showcase something they’re proud of—whether it’s a drawing, a story, or simply being kind to someone. Display their achievements with a photo and a short caption in a ‘Proud Poster Wall’ to celebrate their personal growth.
• Kindness Catchers: Give your child a little ‘kindness token’ they can hand to someone when they see them doing something kind. At the end of the day, talk about where the tokens went and why. It’s a simple way to foster awareness of kind behaviour.

EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Summary

• Children recognise and appreciate differences in people, learning to treat others with fairness and respect.
• They develop a growing awareness of their role in the community, understanding that they can make a positive impact.
• They begin to understand shared responsibility and the importance of contributing to group life.
• They also start to show care for the environment, developing habits that reflect social responsibility and sustainability.

Children don’t just learn from their immediate surroundings—they learn with them.

From their families and peers to the broader community and natural world, children begin to understand themselves by exploring their place within these relationships.

Learning Outcome 2 is all about nurturing this awareness.

From the moment a child helps a friend tie their shoelace, waters a shared plant, or learns a greeting in another language, they are learning what it means to belong, contribute and be socially responsible.

When children feel part of something bigger than themselves—whether it’s their class, their street, or the planet—they begin to care.

They start to notice how their choices impact others, how kindness builds bridges, and how even small hands can make a big difference.

Example activities

As children grow, so does their understanding of the world around them.

From learning about their neighbours to caring for the planet, every experience helps them see their role and responsibility in something bigger.

When we involve children in meaningful, hands-on activities, they begin to recognise that their actions and contributions matter — in their homes, communities, and beyond.

Here are some ways to do this:

• Family Rules: Create a child-led agreement where children help brainstorm what makes a happy, kind home. With your support, they can come up with house rules, design posters, and even sign their name to make it feel official. It’s a simple way to teach responsibility and cooperation.
• Little Sous Chef: Help your child take part in safe meal prep tasks like washing fruit, laying out napkins or helping clean up after snack time. Lead discussions about hygiene, sharing, and caring for others while you’re at it.
• Kindness Calendar: Together, brainstorm small acts of kindness—like helping a younger child, picking up litter, or complimenting someone. Create a monthly calendar where each day features a “kindness mission” for your child to complete.
• World Music Makers: Explore instruments, rhythms and music from different cultures. Plus, give your child materials to make their own versions, like rain sticks, hand drums or maracas!
• Nature Neighbourhood Art: Take a walk and collect natural materials (fallen leaves, bark, petals—nothing living or endangered). Back at home, create a “neighbourhood nature mural” showing trees, animals and features of the local landscape using these found items.
• Postcards from the Planet: Set up a pen-pal style project with a family in a different area. Exchange letters, drawings or photos of life in each place. Children can ask questions and compare how different communities live, play and learn.

EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

Summary

• Children grow more confident as they develop the skills to care for their physical health and stay active.
• They learn to recognise and manage their emotions, building resilience and a strong sense of emotional wellbeing.
• As their awareness grows, they start to understand how to keep themselves safe and make choices that support both their mental and physical health.

Learning Outcome 3 from the Early Years Learning Framework focuses on nurturing the physical, social, and emotional well-being of every child.

From a child’s first independent handwash to the pride of conquering a climbing frame, each little achievement builds their self-belief.

And a strong sense of well-being is what helps children bounce back after a fall, speak up when something feels wrong, and offer kindness to others.

When children know how to listen to their bodies, name their feelings, and ask for what they need, they carry those skills into every area of life.

They’re more confident to play, learn, build friendships, and face challenges head-on.

Example activities

Children grow best when their physical, emotional, and social needs are supported in harmony.

Healthy habits lay the groundwork for energy, focus, and confidence, while safe, predictable environments with warm relationships give children the confidence to explore, make mistakes, and try again.

Plus, everyday routines around self-care and safety nurture independence and lifelong life skills.

Below, we share some ways to support this learning outcome.

• Fruit and Veg Rainbow: Create a colourful chart where your child can add stickers for each colour of fruit or veg they try that week.
• DIY Spa Day: Let your child explore self-care by setting up a mini wellness centre. They can soak their hands in warm water, apply aloe vera gel to their arms, and practise deep breathing with soft background music. Talk about what makes them feel relaxed and cared for.
• My Cosy Corner: Have your child help design a relaxation space with cushions, sensory toys, books and soft lighting. Let them contribute name ideas and even vote on the space’s mascot (a plush animal, perhaps!). This gives them ownership over a safe place to reset.
• Feel-Good Footpath: Paint or chalk a sensory footpath outside with stepping stones of affirmation. As your child walks along, they can repeat phrases like “I am strong,” “I can do hard things,” or “I am a kind friend.”
• Safety Detectives: Create a mystery-themed game where your child can find and fix “safety clues” around the room (e.g., a tipped-over chair). They’ll learn to spot risks while feeling proud of helping keep their environment safe.

EYLF Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

Summary

• Children explore and experiment as they develop key thinking skills like problem-solving, inquiry, and investigation.
• They start to apply what they’ve learned in new and different situations, showing flexibility and understanding.
• By engaging with people, places, materials, and technologies, children begin to take ownership of their learning journey.
• They build important growth mindsets — curiosity, creativity, confidence, persistence, and reflection — that support lifelong learning.

Every day, children are making sense of the world around them—experimenting, observing, and asking “what if?”

Learning Outcome 4 focuses on sparking this natural curiosity and helping children feel capable as they investigate ideas and make connections through play and discovery.

When a child proudly shows you the tower they built “all by myself” or spends an hour figuring out how to make a toy, they’re demonstrating the very heart of this outcome: active involvement, persistence, and a deep joy in learning.

They learn that curiosity is powerful, that mistakes are part of growth, and that there’s always more to explore.

Example activities

Children are naturally curious, creative, and capable—traits that flourish when they’re given space to explore, question, and express themselves.

By offering open-ended materials, encouraging persistence through trial and error, and celebrating imaginative thinking, we nurture problem-solvers who aren’t afraid to make mistakes.

These experiences build not only creativity but also independence and adaptability, helping children grow into confident learners who follow their interests and think for themselves.

• Why? Wall: Set up a section on your wall where your child can post “why” questions on sticky notes. Each day, choose one to explore together—either through books, videos, or hands-on experiments. This validates their curiosity and teaches them how to seek answers.
• Fix It Friday: Present a small “broken” setup—like a paper bridge that can’t hold weight—and challenge your child to redesign it. This promotes critical thinking, group discussion, and creative problem-solving.
• Story Stones Storytime: Create story stones with painted images (dragon, cloud, shoe, rainbow). Your child can pull out stones one by one and create a story with you. This builds narrative skills, creativity, and collaborative storytelling.
• Knowledge Passport: Give your child a little “passport” to document something new they’ve learned each week—through drawings, stickers, or photos. This reinforces that learning happens everywhere.

EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

Summary

• Children use a variety of media and creative forms to express their ideas and share meaning.
• They explore and make sense of written, visual, and spoken texts, building early literacy and communication skills.
• Through both verbal and non-verbal interactions, children learn to communicate for different purposes and with different people.
• They begin to understand how symbols, patterns, and systems work, including numbers, letters, and visual cues.
• Digital tools and technologies become part of their learning, helping them research, explore, and communicate their thinking in new ways.

Communication is much more than words—it’s how children express their ideas and understand others.

From chatting with friends at morning tea to creating a puppet play, every interaction helps children become more confident, expressive, and socially aware.

Learning Outcome 5 in the Early Years Learning Framework focuses on nurturing those all-important communication skills. It encourages children to express themselves through speech, movement, art, symbols, stories, and play.

Whether it’s asking questions, listening carefully, recognising body language, or engaging with books and technology, each of these moments builds the foundation for lifelong learning, problem-solving and connection.

Example activities

Children learn to understand and communicate with the world through language, stories, numbers, and creative expression.

By nurturing rich conversations, encouraging storytelling, and exploring symbols and sounds, we pave the way for clear communication.

Here are some potential activities to promote this learning outcome:

• Emotion Mirror Games: Use mirrors and facial expression cards to play games where your child can copy or guess emotions. Add in scenarios like “How would you feel if your tower fell down?” to help build emotional language and empathy through non-verbal cues.
• Story Stones Adventure Trail: Create a walking story trail in an outdoor space using painted stones or signs. Each stop reveals a new part of the story (written or told by your child), encouraging movement, sequencing and comprehension.
• Menu Makers: Let your child create a menu with prices in an imaginary restaurant. They can role-play as a chef, customer and cashier—counting coins, taking orders, and doing basic addition as part of the fun.
• Sound Story Orchestra: Choose a story and let your child assign instruments or sound effects to characters or events. As you read, they play their chosen sounds. It teaches rhythm, listening, turn-taking and the connection between sound and meaning.

Foster your child’s growth at our early learning centre

Supporting children to grow into capable, confident learners begins with the right foundation.

The EYLF learning outcomes offer a practical, proven framework that helps educators plan, observe, and respond to each child’s needs through play-based learning.

At Juniors Journey, our educators shape every program around the children we care for — their interests, their pace, their way of learning.

It’s how we ensure every child feels valued, supported, and ready to explore the world around them.

By focusing on what really matters — identity, wellbeing, communication, curiosity, and connection — we create a supportive and nurturing environment that genuinely fosters your child’s development across all areas.

If you’re based in Gateshead, Mildura, or Eglinton, our early learning centres offer a welcoming and empowering start to your child’s education.

We’ll work closely with your family to build strong partnerships and positive learning experiences that last well beyond the early years.

Enrol your child, book a tour or get in touch with our friendly team to learn more.