How much are young children affected by events that take place around them?
A lot. Young children are active players in the world. Even though they may not understand the meaning of what they see or hear, children absorb the images that surround them and are deeply impacted by the emotions of the people they rely on for love and security.
Playing is how children learn. Play comes naturally to children. They play during daily routines. They play during learning experiences you provide. Think about a baby who starts a peek-a-boo game with you when you pull her shirt over her head. The toddler or two-year-old who imitates the way you read to her as she reads to her doll. Or the three-or-four year old who scribbles and marks on a large sheet of paper you put out on the table, then announces proudly, “I wrote my name.”  Sometimes it may look like not much is happening. Filling and dumping small objects from a can may seem boring to you. Playing blocks seems like just stacking them and knocking them down.