Princess of Wales releases animated film series to highlight importance of early childhood

A new animated series from the UK’s Centre for Early Childhood is drawing global attention to the foundational role of nurturing relationships in the earliest years of life, with the Princess of Wales leading the initiative.

The seven-part film series has been developed by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Each short film explores how everyday moments of connection such as eye contact, shared play and positive communication, can build strong social and emotional foundations in babies and young children.

“Early childhood has been recognised as the golden opportunity to build strong foundations for future life, health and happiness,” the Princess said in a statement. “These films showcase how adults can create nurturing, loving interactions with children, helping to foster social and emotional development during their earliest years.”

Although produced in the UK, the films are intended for a broad professional audience, including educators and health professionals, offering tools to support meaningful conversations with parents and caregivers about child development.

The films align closely with Australia’s National Quality Standard, particularly Quality Area 5 Relationships with children and Quality Area 6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities, which emphasise the importance of secure relationships and effective communication in promoting positive outcomes for children.

The full series is now available on the Centre for Early Childhood’s YouTube channel and may be of interest to Australian ECEC professionals seeking to spark dialogue with families or explore new ways of communicating the importance of nurturing care.

Visit the Centre for Early Childhood here.