Early noticing is about access, not labels. The aim is to open the right doors sooner while keeping the mana of each child and whānau intact.
In early learning settings, difference is normal. Some children may benefit from extra support for attention, communication, sensory needs, or behaviour. Often the hardest part is knowing what to notice, how to start a respectful kōrero with whānau, and how to record observations in ways that protect privacy and reduce bias. This article provides light, repeatable ideas for ECE practice that sit comfortably within Te Whāriki, support ERO’s improvement focus, and puts whānau partnership at the centre.
What noticing is, and what it is not
Noticing is at the heart a gentle practice. It involves teachers observing patterns in children that persist across time and contexts, then partnering with whānau to plan support. Noticing is not diagnosing; it avoids deficit language and treats observed differences as information that guides teacher practice.
The following simple four-step cycle can be used each term:
Notice: Capture brief, specific observations inside everyday routines (one or two lines only). Record what you saw, when it happened and what happened just before it.
Nurture: Try one practical strategy for two to four weeks. Keep it visible so every adult in the centre can implement it the same way.
Partner: Share what you are trying with whānau and invite their feedback. Agree on the next step together.
Plan: Evaluate what worked and what needs adjustment, including documentation. If concerns persist across settings and time, agree on next steps and who will help.
This cycle produces helpful evidence for internal evaluation, maps directly to Te Whāriki learning outcomes, and aligns with ERO’s Akarangi focus on responsive, inclusive practice.
Everyday indicators – used as prompts, not labels
Use these prompts to notice patterns in children across several weeks, then check with whānau about what they see at home and what matters to them.
Communication and interaction
Limited response to their name across many days, or very little back and forth with others.
Few gestures such as pointing, showing, or waving by the later toddler years.
Unusual tone, very limited words for age, or loss of words that were present previously.
Difficulty understanding simple instructions, even with visual aids and predictable routines.
Play, interests, and flexibility
Prefers to play alone most of the day, or finds peer play very difficult even with adult scaffolding.
Strong need for sameness and big distress with small changes.
Intense interests that crowd out other play, or repetitive play that does not expand with gentle modelling.
Attention and self-regulation
A strong need for movement, difficulty staying with any activity for more than a minute, or frequent risk taking that does not settle with predictable routines.
Frustration that escalates quickly, or difficulty shifting from a preferred activity to a group routine despite transition support.
Often in their own world or constantly on the go even after sleep and kai.
Sensory processing
Covers ears in ordinary noise levels, avoids touch during everyday care, or seeks strong movement in ways that disrupt their learning.
Very narrow eating range or gagging with common textures.
Watches objects out of the corner of the eye or lines things up repeatedly, with high distress if the pattern is changed.
Motor skills and daily living
Clumsiness well outside the peer range, frequent falls that do not reduce over time, or difficulty using simple tools.
Toileting or sleep challenges that are extreme for age and do not improve with consistent routines and whānau partnership.
Patterns across several of the above domains warrant a sensitive kōrero with parents and a trial of targeted supports.
Practical strategies to get started
Visual structure: Picture schedule of the day.; first-then boards for transitions; a small sand timer beside high friction routines.
Co-regulation scripts: Warm, brief phrases during escalation, e.g. “I am here. Breathe with me. We can go slow.”
Sensory-smart tweaks: A defined quiet nook; soft furnishings to dampen noise; chewy or fidget options that are offered, not forced.
Peer play scaffolds: Parallel play set ups; side-by-side adult modelling; simple turn-taking games with a visual “my turn, your turn” card.
Transition cues: Two-minute preview; a visual next card; a consistent helper role that bridges activities.
Trial one or two strategies for two to four weeks, then notice what shifted. Adjust with whānau as required.
Useful tools and tips
The One-Two-Three rule
One sentence about the behaviour, two about context, three words on next step.
E.g. “Bolted at tidy up. Noise high, no preview. Next, preview and helper.”
Traffic light record
Green = strategy worked; amber = partial success; red = not effective.
Photograph each week for your internal evaluation folder.
Bias pause
Before documenting, ask: “Could this be hunger, tiredness, or unfamiliar routine? Have we considered language and culture? What strength did we see?”
Talking with whānau
Begin with strengths, goals, and the child’s interests.
Share two short observations in plain language (not a list).
Describe what you tried and what happened; invite whānau to help choose the next strategy.
Offer written notes with consent; store them securely and keep to the minimum necessary detail.
If safety concerns arise, explain lawful information sharing pathways, and involve the right agencies.
Consent and privacy
Obtain written consent before any clinician observes a child, or before you share classroom notes beyond the team.
Record what was shared, with whom, and why. Use your centre’s privacy statement and consent templates and keep language clear and accessible for parents.
Examples in practice
Example 1: Transitions were the trigger
A three-year-old who loved cars found mat time and tidy up very hard. He bolted, hid, and sometimes pushed others.
Kaiako added a two-minute preview, a simple first-then card, and a small helper role that moved him from mat to kai. Adults used a calm co-regulation script of “I am here. Breathe with me. Hands on knees. We can go slow.”
Over three weeks the bolting faded. Parents reported smoother mornings at home.
Example 2: Noise was the hidden barrier
A four-year-old covered her ears and froze during group songs, then had a meltdown.
The team softened noise in the room, created a quiet nook, and offered simple hand signals to join in without words. They modelled parallel play before expecting group games.
Parents tried bath time songs in a quieter space at home. Within a month she joined the second half of group time, and her confidence grew because adults adjusted the environment first.
Resources and additional support
Start with whānau; share observations and what has helped at home.
Talk with Ministry of Education Learning Support; ask about behaviour, communication, or sensory supports, and early intervention pathways.
Consider a developmental or neurodiversity assessment. Parents can seek referral through the GP or pediatrician, or contact a registered psychologist for a consultation.
Connect with national and community organisations, e.g. KidsHealth, Altogether Autism and ADHD Aotearoa. These networks can offer practical resources and whānau support.
Nadjela Salimi is a registered clinical psychologist based in Auckland. She works in child and adolescent mental health as well as privately, delivering assessments and interventions. Nadjela’s clinical focus is neurodivergence and she has completed many ADHD and developmental assessments both in New Zealand and abroad. She brings a practical, warm, down-to-earth style to her work with ECE centres and whānau.
