Mother’s Day from the Perspective of Early Childhood Education
Mother’s Day is an important moment in the context of Early Childhood Education (ECE) because it is closely related to the role of the family, particularly mothers, as the child’s first educational environment. During early childhood, children are in a critical period of development often referred to as the golden age, which requires optimal stimulation through warm, consistent, and nurturing interactions. In this context, mothers make a significant contribution to shaping the foundations of children’s development, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects.
From the perspective of early childhood education, mothers are regarded as the first and primary educators who play a central role in the internalization of fundamental life values. Through everyday activities such as accompanying children in play, engaging in communication, and guiding daily routines, mothers indirectly instill moral values, social attitudes, and positive habits. These early experiences serve as an essential foundation for the formation of children’s personality and character in later stages of development.
Mother’s Day also holds pedagogical relevance as a form of contextual learning for young children. The theme of Mother’s Day can be integrated into early childhood learning activities through a play-based approach. Activities such as storytelling, singing, and simple creative projects enable children to be introduced to concepts of affection, respect, and appreciation for the role of parents, particularly mothers, in ways that are appropriate to their developmental level.
In addition, Mother’s Day can be interpreted as an opportunity to strengthen children’s social and emotional development. Children learn to express positive feelings such as love and gratitude while developing empathy toward others. These abilities play an important role in building emotional intelligence, which influences children’s capacity to interact and adapt within social environments, including early childhood education settings.
Mother’s Day in the perspective of early childhood education should not be viewed merely as a ceremonial celebration, but rather as a meaningful part of the educational process. Appropriate interpretation and developmentally suitable activities can make Mother’s Day a supportive medium for children’s holistic development and help strengthen collaboration between families and educational institutions in fostering character values from an early age.
