Talking about what you read is another way to help toddlers develop language and thinking skills.
Every time we finish reading a book, and go to our small group table we talk about what we just read. The children will talk about their favorite part of the book, and some times even add their own part of the story.
Parallel talk focuses on the child’s action and usually begins with “you.”
I have used Parallel talk by saying "You find it! Good for you!
Self talk is when the caregiver narrates or describes what is going on in the child’s world by putting word labels on things
I work and when I have my youngest niece and nephew. " I'm sitting next to your brother. I wonder what he is doing".
Language is essential for children to build relationships. Relationships are essential to learning.
If a child have a strong, safe, and trusting bond with an adult figure, they will get a positive learning, versus if they didn't have that certain relationship. Also have a calm smoothing voice with children they will respond easier and that relationship could begin, or get evens stronger than it was before.
Infants are ready to learn from birth. They absorb information through touch, from the sights, sounds, and scents around them
I like how this is stated. I never like when I hear people say. Their babies they don't know anything" or " They can't understand anything yet". This is wrong! We use our 5 senses everyday including when we are born.!
Set up a simple obstacle course, both indoors and outdoors. The course should encourage children to climb over, under, through, around, in, and out. Toddlers can: Crawl over large cushions. Crawl through tunnels made of sheets or large cardboard boxes. Step into and out of a hula hoop laid flat on the ground. Walk over squares of different surfaces such as grass, carpet squares, sand, and pea gravel.
I like that you said this. Whether you go outside because it is beautiful or stuck inside because the weather is horrible having an obstacle course is a great way for children to build up their gross motor. In my class room if its we cannot go outside we move the tables we use scooters, hula hoops, tunnel, rocking boat etc. we have to give them their gross motor time.
Physical health and well being are essential to school readiness. In infants and toddlers, movement and sensory stimulation are the major contributors to brain development and crucial to cognitive development.
This is so true! Having that play time allow children to develop their imagination while using their own creativity.Play is very healthy to the development of a young children
Information that promotes stimulating language and communication Post your hypothesis comments here
Three, Z. (2017, February 25). In How to Support Your Child's Communication Skill. Retrieved October 20, 2017 from https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/302-how-to-support-your-child-s-communication-skills
Something I would like to see more is support in infant-toddler language and communication. In the website zero to three, examples of how to support the language and communication are addressed, through both verbal and non-verbal language. It begins with a newborn and a 9-month-old using non-verbal communication such as nuzzling at the mother’s breast or using their hands to get what they need meet, then to a 28-month-olds communicate what she sees by verbal and non-verbal ways (pointing and saying the word “Derl” for squirrel). Finally, to a 3-year-old with complete verbal language telling a story about his preschool. The website explains many ways to stimulate infant-toddler language and communication. One way is by responding to their looks sounds and gestures. As stated in the website, “when he puts his arms out to you, pick him up, kiss him and use simple words. “You want up”. When he coos, coo back. When he gazes at you, make eye contact and talk with him”. This is saying that all communication is crucial to infant-toddlers, whether it is verbal or non-verbal. These quick responses by you tells the child that their language and communication is essential to you, and this will allow the language and communication of infant-toddlers to be endless and they will develop their skills quicker. Secondly is you should always talk and listen to your child. With infant-toddlers giving them the understanding that you are there to listen and talk is important for their development, because they feel like they are being heard, and will talk more. Lastly, another way the website discusses how to stimulate infant-toddler language and communication is by narrating the daily routines. Infant-toddlers need the words as well as a visual of the word to really connect them together.
At my center in the infant-toddler room they go over what they are going to do through the day. They write on a white board and hang it outside the classroom, so when families come and pick up their child they can read the note and know exactly what their child did and learned that day. When the children arrive, the teachers have smiles on their faces and are welcoming. They say hello to the families, and get the children ready for the day. Having some not talking yet they will bang objects on the table, or do a scream or a sound to get attention. Having both verbal and non-verbal is very important for infant-toddlers.
Information that tells you how to create positive approaches to learning Post your hypothesis comments here
Leonard, J. (2017, September 21). Babies Can Learn the Value of Persistence by Watching Grownups Stick with a Challenge. The Conversation. Retrieved October 21, 2017, from
In the newspaper; The Conversation Julia Leonard explains ways to create positive approaches to learning. She begins to illustrate to us how self-control and persistence increase academic outcomes. She describes an experiment that her and her colleagues did with the infants and toddlers trying to activate a musical toy by hitting the button. The children observed either someone working hard to achieve two different goals, or someone who effortlessly reached each goal. Infants and toddlers who saw the adult persist and succeed, pushed the button about twice as many times as those who saw the adult effortlessly succeed. Leonard concludes that persistence and positive learning comes from an adult model. Seeing this quality in the adults will allow the child to have a positive approach to learning.
One Way you can create a positive approach to learning is showing the infants and toddlers a box that will not open on the first try. Modeling persistence is a fantastic way to teach them a positive approach to learning.
Information that promotes enhancing cognitive development Post your hypothesis comments here
Guyton, G. (2011, September). In Using Toys to Support Infant-Toddler Learning and Development. Retrieved October 21, 2017, from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201109/Using%20Toys_Guyton_Online_0911.pdf
In the journal article, “Using Toys to Support Infant-Toddler Learning and Development” by Gabriel Guyton, she describes many different toys and activities that families can use with infant-toddlers to enhance their cognitive development. In the heading, “Homemade toys and readily available materials”, she mentions how many advertisements have lead people to believe that toys are better if they are store-bought or expensive, when really, materials that you have at home are great if not better. Guyton goes into detail how using homemade materials such as; “fabrics, bottles, cardboard boxes, yard, cooking pans, pine cones”, (Guyton, 2011) can be very engaging to infant-toddlers, and is an excellent way to start building relationships between the child and teachers and/or parents. In agreement to the article, hiding a toy under a scarf and playing the peek-a-boo game are ways teachers can enhance the cognitive skill of object permanence. Cognitive development is how infant-toddlers develop their thinking skills. Drumming on pots and pans in front of a child, will allow the child to practice imitation, and think about how to make the same sound you just made. In the next heading titled, “Choosing and using toys to support cognitive development” Guyton picks four objects to speak upon, and give examples on how to enhance the cognitive development of infant-toddlers. The first object is fabric, and the many ways you can use this material, such as in dramatic play, and pulling it out of a hat. Across from the heading is an example of how a scarf is used to enhance cognitive development. An 8-month-old and a teacher put a scarf over a doll, and asks where the doll is. They lift the scarf and the doll is revealed. This is an example of object permanence. The second object is blocks, and the example and connection to cognitive development is that a 22-month-old is stacking the blocks and having them balances, this is an example of spatial relationship. The third object to enhance infant and toddler cognitive development is puzzles. The example shows a 12-month-old tries to figure out how certain pieces fit. Puzzles make your mind wonder and think about problem solving. The final object is a rattle, and this example mentions an 8-month-old shaking an empty water bottle filled with crayons, encouraging the infant to demonstrate cause and effect.
There are many ways to enhance this development. We do this in many ways, the first way is giving the infant-toddlers activities and/or games that will support and spike the curiosity of the children, such as a mystery bag or creating bubbles. Second, is we always ask open-ended questions, and allowing time to the answer those questions. Having open-ended questions allow infant-toddlers to think and get their minds going, and give more information than just yes or no. Some ways we start an open-ended question is by saying, “What do you think will happen if?” or “Can you think of another way to do this?”. They explore everything around them. Giving them materials such as: rattles, instruments, blocks, puzzles, etc. they are very intrigued, and wanting to examine the item that much more. Giving children time, and space and a variety of different toys and activities will allow their cognitive development to expand even bigger. When the children have had time to explore these toys and activities replace them with other engaging items that the children will want to help with. However, make sure they are out for a good amount of time, so the children can get a good grasp on the concept of it before replacing it.
Local resources to support children and families of infants and toddlers Post your hypothesis comments here
(2017). In JRI Leaders in social justice. Retrieved October 21, 2017, from
160 Gould Street, Suite 300 Needham,MA 02494 (781)- 559-4900 Fax- (781)-559-4901
Justice Resource Institute (JRI) is an organization meeting the needs of underserved individuals, and families since 1973. The company I work for Cape Cod Child Development (CCCD) has had JRI come out and look at children who seem to need their support. They have locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. They meet the needs of; developmentally delayed individuals living with mental illness and behavioral challenges, court-involved children and adolescents; LBGT, and children and adults who have experienced trauma. JRI also provides home-based counseling and trauma-informed care. JRI provides many services for children and their families such as, foster care services, adoption supports, and healthy after-school supports. They provide families with environments of safety and care. As of today, JRI is one of the largest human services providers in the Commonwealth.
JRI has come to training we’ve had to talk briefly about what they do. They are here to provide and support families with all diverse types of situations. They branch out to help everyone as much as they can. Their main site is located right in Needham Massachusetts. They will provide services for as long as you need it, and the services that they do provide could be long-term or short-term. JRI does not just work with certain people and families, they work with everyone and anyone who needs their help.
Information about developmental milestones Post your hypothesis comments here
The Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health. (2015, January 18). Track your child’s Developmental Milestones. Retrieved October 23, 2017, from
http://www.spanadvocacy.org/sites/default/files/files/Tracking%20Milestones%20Brochure_Custom_NJ.pdf
This brochure is a visual of the developmental milestones infant-toddlers should reach at certain ages. This tracks infant-toddlers from the ages of 6 months to 4 years. This brochure has just the right amount of information to keep it neat and organized. Different components on the brochure gives you more information on what to expected with each developmental milestone, and the possible delays that come with it. It also gives a few websites, and telephone numbers in case you see any delays in your child’s milestones, and want to contact someone. Also, the websites will allow you to get a little more information regarding exactly what you need.
Since the infant-toddlers joined our company, the teachers and the families are learning more about diverse ways to work with any developmental milestones they have with their children. They will mostly get services and be like the ones we have such as early invention. Having these services will help the families get activities and plans set in place for those children. When the activities and plans go into action for the infant-toddlers, you will then see a difference in the milestones then you did when there was not any activities or plans.
The physical environment supports or hinders relationships. Research suggests that in safe environments caregivers smiled more, encouraged exploration, and gave fewer negative comments. Additionally, the environment affects educator and family relationships. A comfortable place for adults within the children’s environment can encourage families to visit throughout the day. A place for adults to sit comfortably for a moment at the end of the day acknowledges the their needs and encourages conversation. The environment affects peer relationships. The amount and arrangement of space and the choice and abundance of play materials can either increase the chances that young children will interact positively with each other or increase the likelihood of biting, toy pulling, and wandering. With easy access to the outdoors, the daily rhythms of toddlers can be accommodated. In many centers, time on the playground is rigidly scheduled and may not accommodate the needs of toddlers. Toddlers need small amounts of food and drink throughout the day to support their emotional, social, and physical well-being. A small refrigerator will allow educators to offer snacks to toddlers frequently.
I believe this is so true. If your classroom is calm, not a lot of stuff, and has space, then most likely the children will be calm, and not as active.
For example, infants crawl before they walk, babble before they talk, and so on. Remember that each child achieves developmental milestone at an individual rate.
I made a connection to this right off the bat. It made me think of a time I was with my best friend. More to come of this story in my connection section.