Setting individual goals for children is a cornerstone of quality early childhood practice. Goals help educators scaffold learning, track progress, and celebrate achievements. But equally important is ensuring families are active partners in this process. While some families are eager to contribute, others may feel uncertain about how to set goals or what is “appropriate.” This article explores strategies and resources to support collaborative goal setting.
Why Individual Goals Matter
- Personalised Learning: Goals reflect each child’s unique strengths, interests, and areas for growth.
- Family Voice: Involving families ensures goals align with home routines, values, and aspirations.
- Consistency Across Settings: Shared goals help children experience continuity between home and centre.
- Celebration of Progress: Goals provide a framework for recognising achievements and building confidence.
Resources to Share With Families
Families often need practical tools to feel confident in goal setting. Beyond developmental milestone charts, consider offering:
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Age-Appropriate Goal Banks
- Simple lists of “I can…” statements (e.g., I can pour my own drink, I can take turns in a game).
- Categorise into social, emotional, language, and physical domains.
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Visual Prompts
- Posters or cards showing skills children typically develop between ages 3–5.
- Families can select goals that resonate with their child’s current needs.
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Reflective Question Sheets
- Prompts like:
- “What is your child most proud of right now?”
- “What skills would make daily routines easier at home?”
- “What do you hope your child will achieve this year?”
- Prompts like:
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Story-Based Examples
- Share short anecdotes of how children worked toward goals (e.g., learning to zip a jacket, joining group play).
- Families often connect better with relatable stories than abstract milestones.
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Framework Explainers
- Family-friendly summaries of EYLF outcomes, showing how everyday skills link to broader developmental goals.
Partnering With Families in Goal Setting
Families may struggle with wording or feel pressured to “get it right.” Educators can scaffold their involvement by:
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Collaborative Conversations
- Begin with family observations, then link them to developmental outcomes.
- Example: Parent says, “She loves drawing but gets frustrated with scissors.” Educator reframes: “A goal could be building fine motor confidence through cutting activities.”
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Choice Boards
- Provide a menu of possible goals. Families select one that feels most relevant.
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Shared Journals or Portfolios
- Families add notes or photos from home. Educators use these contributions to identify strengths and areas for growth.
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Workshops or Goal-Setting Cafés
- Host informal sessions where educators model how to set goals.
- Use role-play or group brainstorming to make it interactive.
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Dual Goals Approach
- Encourage families to set one goal that supports home routines (e.g., brushing teeth independently) and one that supports centre routines (e.g., joining group time calmly).
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Celebrate Together
- Share updates regularly through photos, anecdotes, or child reflections.
- This builds confidence and shows families their input is valued.
Families don’t need to be experts in developmental frameworks—they need accessible tools, relatable examples, and collaborative scaffolding. By reframing their observations into goals and celebrating progress together, educators empower families to be active partners in their child’s learning journey.
Further Reading
Individual Learning Plans (ILP) In Early Childhood
Individual Learning Goals
Reflective Practice and Goal Setting
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