In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How learning develops during childhood.
- Why curiosity and emotions are so important for learning.
- Which skills develop at each stage.
- How to support learning while respecting each child’s individual pace.
- How educational games and play can support early school learning.
When we talk about learning, we all know what we mean. However, we rarely stop to think about everything that makes a child curious, willing to try new things and eager to keep learning.
Learning is about more than acquiring knowledge. It also means asking questions, making connections, solving small challenges and building self-confidence to face new situations. Above all, it means enjoying the process.
Intelligence is an important part of learning, but it isn’t the only factor involved. Curiosity, motivation and emotions also play a fundamental role. When children are interested in discovering something, they’re more likely to persevere, try different strategies and understand that making mistakes is part of the journey.
This leads to one key idea: intelligence alone doesn’t determine a child’s motivation to learn.
Expert tip
The aim isn’t for children to learn earlier, but for them to enjoy learning and want to keep discovering new things.
Play: a natural way to learn
Playing is learning, too. While children are having fun, their brains develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives, including attention, memory, language, reasoning, creativity, planning and self-control.
That’s why educational games and toys can be so valuable. Not because they make children learn things earlier, but because they offer experiences that spark curiosity and encourage discovery. A game that helps children learn to read, an activity that encourages writing, a children’s piano or a counting challenge can all help develop different skills while children enjoy the process.
When learning feels meaningful, it’s easier for children to stay motivated and approach new challenges with confidence.
Emotions help us learn, too
Emotions also play a fundamental role. Every emotion serves a purpose, but not all emotions lead us to act in the same way. Positive emotions encourage us to approach things: to get closer, explore, try and discover.
Intense negative emotions can encourage avoidance, leading children to withdraw, become defensive, feel overwhelmed or give up. That’s why it’s important to understand how different emotions can influence learning.
One of the keys to learning is feeling capable. Every time a child tries something, makes a mistake, receives support and discovers they can keep making progress, they build self-confidence. Little by little, they develop the belief that “I can do it”. Our role is to support this process without doing things for them and always respecting their individual pace.
An important message
Feeling capable doesn’t mean getting everything right. It means trusting that, with time and practice, you can keep learning.
What happens in the brain when children play?
When an activity is enjoyable, processes linked to attention, memory, curiosity and motivation come into play.
At the same time, children develop skills such as:
- Planning.
- Flexible thinking and finding solutions.
- Self-control.
- The ability to maintain attention.
Now that we’ve explored how to spark children’s interest in learning, let’s look at the different stages of development and how we can support school learning through play.
From 0 to 3 years: building the foundations for learning
During the first few years, children learn by exploring. They observe, touch, listen, handle objects, repeat actions and experiment again and again. This is how they begin to understand the world around them.
Although we don’t usually talk about school learning at this stage, children are developing the abilities that will later help them learn to read, learn to write and recognise numbers.
Before recognising a letter, they need to develop attention and the ability to distinguish shapes and visual stimuli. Before understanding numbers, they become familiar with concepts such as big and small, and more and less.
They also strengthen skills such as:
- Language.
- Memory.
- Curiosity.
- Understanding cause and effect.
How can we support children at this early stage?
There’s no need to turn every moment into a structured activity. Often, it’s enough to observe alongside them, respond to their questions, put into words what they discover and give them space to experiment.
Educational toys for young children, storybooks, music, building games, shape sorters and sorting activities can all support these early learning experiences.
Musical toys for children, such as a children’s piano, can also help develop attention, coordination, auditory memory and creativity from an early age. At this stage, the aim isn’t to teach specific content, but to spark an interest in discovering the world.
From 3 to 6 years: when curiosity drives learning
Between the ages of three and six, imagination takes centre stage. A box can become a castle, a drawing can turn into a story, and a word can be the beginning of a conversation.
At the same time, children begin to develop skills that will be essential for school learning.
They start to understand that symbols have meaning. This ability lays the foundations for recognising letters of the alphabet, beginning to read and understanding early mathematical concepts.
Language develops rapidly, and those familiar “why?” questions reflect children’s desire to understand how the world works.
During these years, children also develop:
- Attention.
- Memory.
- Logical reasoning.
- Early executive functions, such as taking turns and planning simple actions.
Educational games, storybooks, rhymes, letter games, puzzles and musical activities help strengthen these skills through play.
Games that encourage reading, writing or counting can also support these early learning experiences while respecting each child’s individual pace.
A key message
Every experience counts. Not because children need to learn things earlier, but because every moment of play, every question and every discovery helps build the confidence they need to keep learning.
From 6 to 8 years: learning to use the tools of knowledge
Once children start school, they begin to use the skills they’ve developed in their early years more consciously. Letters become words, numbers become calculations, and new knowledge is organised in a more structured way.
At this stage, children don’t just learn facts and concepts. They also discover strategies for understanding, solving problems and tackling new challenges with greater independence.
Reading comprehension, writing, logical reasoning, working memory and planning develop progressively. As in earlier stages, every child follows their own pace.
Play continues to be a valuable way to consolidate these skills. Educational games, logic challenges, puzzles, construction activities and music allow children to practise attention, concentration and perseverance while enjoying the process.
Maths games for children help reinforce concepts such as calculation, reasoning and early mathematical operations in an accessible and engaging way. Similarly, reading games and writing games help children continue developing their reading and writing skills with confidence.
How can we support children from the age of 6 onwards?
Our role changes slightly. We no longer simply support their discoveries; we also help them develop strategies.
We can ask questions such as:
- “What did you have in mind when you tried to solve that?”
- “What other approach could we try?”
- “Why do you think that happened?”
These conversations help children understand their own learning process and build confidence. And perhaps that’s the most valuable thing we can teach them: that learning is an adventure worth taking part in.
Expert tip
Supporting children doesn’t mean giving them all the answers. Sometimes, asking a good question is more helpful than providing an immediate solution.
Educational toys by age: ideas for every stage
The I Learn collection supports children through the different stages of development, making learning a natural and engaging experience. Through play, these educational products help develop skills such as attention, memory, language, reasoning, curiosity and independence. They’re designed to let children practise on their own while parents can follow their progress.
First discoveries (0–3 years)
During the first few years, games such as *Mums and Babies*, *Animal Bingo* and *I Learn with Coco* help develop basic cognitive skills through play. They also encourage interaction and help children learn to take turns as they explore and **learn through play**.
Early school learning (3–6 years)
From the age of three or four, games such as *I Learn to Write*, *I Learn to Read*, *I Learn the Alphabet*, *I Learn to Count* and *I Learn to Play the Piano* introduce early school learning while respecting each child’s individual pace. These educational games help children become familiar with letters, reading, writing and early mathematical concepts in ways that encourage curiosity and motivation.
Learning is an adventure
Literacy games help children recognise letters and sounds, connect pictures with words, develop fine motor skills for writing and take their first steps towards writing. *I Learn to Count* helps children recognise numbers, understand quantities and develop early calculation skills through age-appropriate activities.
Meanwhile, *I Learn to Play the Piano* introduces children to music through a child-friendly piano. As they begin learning to play in a fun and playful way, they develop creativity, memory, coordination and the ability to distinguish between sounds.
A key message
The aim isn’t to rush learning, but to spark curiosity and build the confidence to keep discovering.
Key principles for supporting learning:
- Learning begins long before children start reading or writing.
- Curiosity is one of the most important drivers of learning.
- Play sparks motivation and encourages new discoveries.
- Making mistakes is part of the learning process.
- Every child develops at their own pace.
- Educational toys can support learning, but families continue to play a fundamental role.
- Supporting children also means observing, asking questions and trusting in their abilities.
Frequently asked questions about learning through play
At what age does school learning begin?
Learning starts long before children begin school. From birth to age three, children develop attention, language and memory. Between the ages of three and six, they begin building the foundations for reading and early mathematical concepts.
Which educational games help children learn to read?
Games that focus on recognising letters and sounds, connecting pictures with words and developing the fine motor skills needed for writing can help. The aim isn’t to rush children, but to respect each child’s individual pace.
How do I choose educational toys for different ages?
From birth to age three, look for materials that encourage exploration, sorting and fitting shapes together. From three to six, try letters, rhymes, puzzles and musical activities. From six to eight, logic challenges, maths games and reading activities can help children build on their skills.
Is making mistakes really helpful?
Yes. Every time a child tries something, makes a mistake and receives support, they discover that they can keep making progress and strengthen their belief that “I can do it”.
