Children Are Sponges:Observational Learning 

By Angelina Pluchino 

A common saying is that children are like sponges, soaking up everything they see and hear around them. This idea connects closely to the psychological concept of observational learning, developed by Albert Bandura. Observational learning occurs when people learn new behaviors by watching and imitating others.

As a nanny and someone who has worked in child care for several years, I see observational learning in action every day. Young children pay close attention to the adults and children around them, often copying behaviors without being directly taught. They learn by observing how others act and then modeling those behaviors themselves.

For example, I often see children imitate positive behaviors such as sharing toys, helping clean up, or using polite language after watching a caregiver or another child do the same. I've also noticed children repeating phrases I've used or acting out routines they see me perform throughout the day. These moments show just how much children learn through observation.

My experience working with children has taught me that caregivers serve as important role models. Children are constantly watching how adults interact with others, handle challenges, and express emotions. Because of this, it is important to model kindness, patience, and respect. When children regularly observe these behaviors, they are more likely to practice them themselves.

Bandura's research demonstrated that learning can happen without direct rewards or punishments. In his famous Bobo doll experiment, children watched an adult interact with a large inflatable doll. Some children observed the adult behaving aggressively by hitting, kicking, and yelling at the doll, while others watched non-aggressive behavior. When the children were later given the opportunity to play with the doll themselves, those who had observed the aggressive behavior were much more likely to imitate it. This experiment showed that children can learn behaviors simply by watching others, even when they are not directly rewarded for copying those actions. The findings help explain why parents, teachers, caregivers, and peers have such a strong influence on children's behavior and development.

Working as both a nanny and child care provider has helped me understand how powerful observational learning really is. It reminds me that children are always learning from the examples set around them, making it important for adults to lead by example every day.

Some references 

https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9733593/