Six Years On: The 'Covid Toddlers' and the Impact of the Pandemic
This time six years ago, we were all navigating the first few weeks of unprecedented circumstances - the first Covid lockdown.
For adults, the memories are still vivid: empty roads, daily briefings, learning to work from home, and navigating a level of uncertainty none of us had experienced before.
But for a group of children, that period wasn’t simply a disruption to life.
It was the beginning of it.
The babies and toddlers of 2020 are now sitting in classrooms across the country.
And increasingly, researchers are beginning to understand how those unusual early years may still be shaping children’s development.
What the Research Is Showing
A major new study examining the development of children who were toddlers during lockdown has found higher levels of delay in several key areas of early development.
The study reports increased challenges in:
- Speech and language development
- Movement and motor coordination
- Social confidence
- Emotional regulation
Importantly, this does not apply to every child. Many are thriving.
But the findings reflect something many early years practitioners and teachers have been noticing: that some children who experienced lockdown in their earliest years may need additional time and experiences to build certain developmental skills.
Early Childhood in an Unusual World
Early childhood is normally shaped by a rich social environment. Toddlers learn language through conversations overheard in busy rooms. They develop social understanding through playgroups and nursery friendships. They build coordination and confidence by climbing, running and exploring outdoor spaces.
During lockdown, many of these experiences disappeared overnight.
Families adapted in remarkable ways.
Living rooms became play spaces. Parents took on multiple roles as caregivers, teachers and play partners. Screens became the main way children connected with grandparents and extended family.
For some families, this period was calm and nurturing. For others, it was stressful and isolating.
Either way, the environment in which early development usually unfolds had changed dramatically.
Why Outdoor Play Matters Now
The encouraging news is that development remains highly flexible throughout childhood. Children’s brains are remarkably adaptable. With the right experiences, skills that were delayed can develop quickly.
Outdoor play offers many of the ingredients children need most.
Movement and coordination
Climbing, balancing, digging and running strengthen the physical skills that underpin learning.
Language and communication
Exploring outdoors naturally sparks conversation, curiosity and storytelling.
Social interaction
Unstructured play allows children to practise negotiation, cooperation and problem-solving with peers.
Emotional regulation
Natural environments help calm the nervous system and support emotional balance.
Creativity and curiosity
Nature offers endless open-ended materials that invite imagination and experimentation.
Not a “Lost Generation”
It can be tempting to frame children who experienced lockdown as a “lost generation”. But that narrative overlooks children’s capacity for growth and adaptation.
What these children need is not labels, but opportunities.
Opportunities to move, to play, to connect. And to explore the world beyond screens and walls.
A Chance to Rethink Childhood
Six years on, perhaps the deeper lesson of lockdown is a reminder of how important real-world childhood experiences are.
Children thrive when they have:
- Time for play
- Space to move
- Opportunities to build relationships
- Access to nature and outdoor environments
For the children who grew through lockdown - and for those growing up today - creating those opportunities is one of the most important things we can do.
Read the research paper here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/