September 18, 2025Dr Aaron Bradbury
In early years settings, it’s easy to get caught up in planning for what’s next, school readiness, developmental milestones, the next observation or assessment point. But children don’t live in the future. They live in the now.
The Child in the Now approach (Bradbury & Grimmer, 2025) reminds us that our role isn’t just to prepare children for what’s coming, but to nurture who they are today. Childhood isn’t a rehearsal; it’s life in its fullest form.
The pressures of school readiness, performance measures, and deficit language have never been greater. Many children are being described as “behind” before they even start school, and practitioners are being pulled towards data over deep relationships.
Early Years Reimagined Child in the Now model allows us to take stock and think about what is needed for our children now.
Now, more than ever, we need to:
By embracing the now, we’re not ignoring the future, we’re strengthening it. A child who feels safe, loved, and curious today will carry that security and confidence into tomorrow.
It’s one thing to talk about valuing the child in the now, but what does that really mean in the everyday life of an early years setting? It isn’t about creating brand new initiatives or rewriting your whole curriculum. It’s about the small but powerful decisions practitioners make in the moment; the pauses, the choices to listen, the willingness to follow the child’s lead.
Being present with children means slowing down enough to notice the richness of what’s already happening. It’s about trusting that play, emotions, and curiosity are not distractions from learning, they are learning. When practitioners step into those moments, they send a clear message: who you are and what you are doing right now is important.
Below are four snapshots of what this can look like in practice. As you read, you might ask yourself:
A child spends twenty minutes carefully lining up cars in a row. Rather than redirecting them to a planned “maths activity,” the practitioner joins in, counting, comparing sizes, and asking, “What might happen if this car goes first?” In that moment, learning emerges from the child’s own play.
A three-year-old tells the same story about their dog every day. Instead of moving quickly on, the practitioner pauses to listen, asking open questions, helping the child to expand their vocabulary, and showing that their story matters.
A child arrives upset after saying goodbye to a parent. Rather than hurrying them into the room, the practitioner sits quietly with them, offering comfort until the child is ready. The message is clear: your feelings matter, right now.
On a walk outdoors, children notice a line of ants. The planned timetable pauses, and the group crouches down together to watch. Questions tumble out: “Where are they going?” “What are they carrying?” In that moment, curiosity is the curriculum.
It’s easy to see these “now” moments as small or incidental, but they are far from insignificant. Every time we pause, listen, and connect, we lay foundations that reach far beyond the moment itself. These daily interactions shape how children feel about themselves, how they relate to others, and how they engage with learning.
Yet in today’s early years landscape, this focus on presence and relationships is under real pressure. Policies framed around school readiness, data collection, and “catch-up” targets can leave little room for the slower, relational work that children actually need. Too often, practitioners are asked to prioritise paperwork over play, outcomes over emotions, and future goals over present experiences. (Bradbury and Grimmer, 2025). The Child in the Now model reminds us to resist that pull. It places value back where it belongs: in the relationships and experiences children are living today.
When we choose to be fully present with children, we are saying: you are enough, right now. This simple message has profound consequences:
As practitioners, it’s worth asking ourselves:
The truth is, the quality of early years practice is not measured by the number of activities we deliver, but by the depth of connection and meaning we create in those everyday moments.
Focusing on the Child in the Now doesn’t mean ignoring the future. But it does mean recognising that the best preparation for tomorrow is a secure, joyful, and meaningful today.
As practitioners, we hold the privilege of shaping these everyday “now” moments. Every time we pause, listen, and connect, we affirm to children: You matter, just as you are.
The child in the now is living their one childhood, let’s make it count.
About the author
Aaron is a Principal Lecturer for Early Years and Childhood (Sociology, Health and Psychology, Special Educational Needs, and Inclusion) at Nottingham Trent University. He is a Member of the Coalition for the Early Years on the Birth to Five Matters, Vice Chair of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network and currently researching on Early Childhood workforce development. He has a passion for making the voice of the child, nurturing through a diverse lens and pioneers of early childhood the foreground of practice. So much so that he has co-authored a range of early childhood books including the best seller Early Childhood Theories Today. Aaron manages his own website and community called Early Years Reviews. Aaron has initiated and chaired the group of professionals who have created #PlayMatters.
