Daily Program for Infants and Toddlers

Chapter One: Introduction Welcome to Daily Program for Infants and Toddlers, hosted by the Center for Early Childhood Professional Development. This course is one in a series of training courses available to those providing care for young children. As you participate in these courses, you will become part of a program designed to build strong…

This activity will help you to become more familiar with the Oklahoma Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners. Click on the link titled Core Competency Scavenger Hunt. You will be given sixteen clues. Find the Core Content Area, level of competency, and page number where each core competency clue can be located. You may refer…

Definition of Terms The American Academy of Pediatrics – an organization of approximately 60,000 pediatricians dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Attachment – the process of developing secure bonds with infants by providing consistent, loving, responsive care. Secure attachments are critical to infants’ and toddlers’ healthy development cognitively,…

In this activity, you will choose the term that corresponds with the definition. Part 1 (Draggable Terms Appear Below the Definitions) Part 2 (Draggable Terms Appear to the Right of the Definitions) Part 3 (Draggable Terms Appear Below the Definitions) Part 4 (Draggable Terms Appear to the Right of the Definitions)

Responsibilities of Early Childhood Practitioners As more parents enter the workforce, more young children enter child care centers or family child care homes. Group care during the first three years of life is very different from group care during the preschool years. As providers recognize the importance of early experiences and culturally sensitive care, they…

Developmental Theories Social/Emotional Development Psychologist Erik Erikson looked at life as a series of stages. The eight stages he identified represent a lifelong process of developing a sense of self. The chart below gives the essence of the first two stages, trust and autonomy. AGE STAGE PROVIDER’S ROLE Infants Birth – 18 months Trust ▪…

Developing a “Goodness of Fit” One important concept in care that supports healthy social-emotional development is the notion of “goodness of fit.” A caregiver can improve the goodness of fit by adapting his or her approach to meet the needs of the child. You can use your knowledge of temperament in many ways to support…

In this activity, you will list ways that you, as a provider, can accommodate the three types of temperaments to provide care and planning for infants and toddlers in your classroom. Downloadable Resources Temperament Worksheet

Developmental Milestones from Birth to Age Three Although development will vary with each individual child, knowing age ranges and developmental milestones will help the provider support and encourage growth and development in all ages. Throughout this text, the age ranges recommended by the Council for Professional Recognition will be used with the understanding that young children…

In the links provided, look at the following charts that outline the developmental milestones for children from birth to age three. After studying the charts, complete the chart that allows you to match the learning activities to the developmental milestones of children. If you need assistance, you can study the Developmental Milestones provided as a…

Health & Safety Providers must be aware of how essential good health and safety practices are to the growth and development of the children. A Good Health Handbook is available for adults who work for children through the Department of Human Services, Child Care Services or the Oklahoma State Department of Health. This Handbook is free of charge…

Health and Safety Policies and Procedures Keeping detailed records and being informed, knowledgeable, and trained, when necessary, about current health and safety practices is a primary responsibility of the provider. Below are some examples: • Make sure all children are up to date on the proper immunizations. • Have a policy on exclusion of ill children (required…

Shaken Baby Syndrome Shaken baby syndrome (or SBS) — is a form of inflicted head trauma, it’s also been called Abusive head trauma (AHT), inflicted traumatic brain injury or shaken impact syndrome. Direct blows to the head, dropping or throwing a child, or shaking a child, can cause all of these head traumas. Head trauma is…

SIDS and Safe Sleep Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant younger than one year of age that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation. This investigation includes performing a complete autopsy, examining the death scene, and reviewing the clinical history. When a baby dies, health care providers, law enforcement…

Choking Hazards for Children From the time your child starts picking things up with her fingers until the age of four or five, you’ll need to be vigilant about choking hazards. Children under four are the most likely to choke on something. This is partly because they tend to explore their world by putting things…

Loving Routines- Meeting the Needs of Infants and Toddlers Infant and toddler rooms are filled with activity as providers meet the daily needs of the youngest children in group care. Infant and toddler rooms are also calm, home-like places where babies grow and learn about their world. Because learning occurs through repetition and consistency, providers…

In this activity, you will be creating a daily schedule for infants and toddlers. Move the routine activities to the corresponding time slot on the chart. For Infants   For Toddlers

Feeding and Mealtimes Mealtimes need to be happy times for young children and their providers. A pleasant, relaxed atmosphere contributes to growth in all areas of development. Providers need to have basic knowledge of nutrition. Good nutrition is an integral part of good health practices and will promote the child’s physical development. Planning nutritious meals…

Feeding Mobile Infants As babies grow and are able to move about, the introduction of solid foods is a significant milestone in development. They are not only gaining additional nutritional offerings, but an enjoyable sensory experience. They are able to sit in a highchair and find out about the taste and textures of the food they are…

Diapering & Toilet Learning Although diapering should not be a scheduled event, diapers should be checked regularly and changed as needed. Responsive care helps infants develop trust in their provider that their needs will be met. Diapering can also be a time to speak gently with the child and offer a gentle touch and massage…

Nap Time Infants and toddlers need to sleep periodically throughout the day. They are learning and growing and that expends a great deal of energy. It is just as important to individualize periods of wakefulness and sleep as it is in any other area of child care. The provider needs to show patience and consistency when…

Keys to Planning a Playful Environment What exactly is meant when we say you need to apply developmentally appropriate practice? And what does the provider need to know and do to follow this in his/her programming for our youngest children? Developmentally appropriate practice is applying child development knowledge to a program that is suitable for the…

The Play Environment Infants and toddlers thrive in an environment that meets their safety and comfort needs. A home-like environment is much more nurturing and appropriate for babies than a sterile, institutional environment. Room arrangement is important because of a baby’s need to eat, sleep, play, and cuddle. Softness helps provide for the baby’s and the provider’s comfort.…

The downloadable chart below lists some things to consider when arranging the indoor and outdoor environment. Download, print, and fill in the reasons for having these items in the play environment. Downloadable Resources Play Environment Consideration Chart

Appropriate Adult/Child Ratios An important aspect of providing a quality environment for infants and toddlers is having appropriate adult/child ratios. The NAEYC gives providers a very good reason for having appropriate adult/child ratios: “Infants and toddlers learn through their own experience, trial and error, repetition, imitation, and identification. Adults guide and encourage this learning by ensuring that the environment…

In this activity, you will be matching the description and objective that corresponds to each activity listed on the activity plan for the young infant, mobile infant, and toddler/two.  You can download sample activity plans and planning resource articles in the Caregiver’s Guide.   Young Infant   Mobile Infant   Toddler/Two

Screen Time As technology takes a larger role in our lives, it is important to realize how screen time affects our children. Screen time is more than just watching television: screen time can be using a smart phone, computer, video game, or tablet. Creative play can get lost in screen time. It’s virtually impossible for…

Creating a Loving, Positive Environment Daily Routines support memory and organizational skills. Teachable Moments are found within routine care during one-on-one interaction which builds self-esteem and a child’s sense of self-worth. TEACHABLE MOMENTS Routine Care: Frequently use the child’s name with gentle eye-to-eye contact. Hello and Good-bye: Model how to have a conversation. Diapering: Label body parts. Mealtimes and…

Ways to Encourage Self-Control 1. Set reasonable expectations and limits. Knowing how children develop and learn helps the provider hold realistic expectations for ages and stages of development. Young children need limits to feel safe and secure. This encourages them to learn and to reach their potential. 2. Respect children and their feelings. Children are…

Chapter Seven: Observing and Recording Providers for young children spend their days engaged in the daily routines of the children. Infant and toddler providers are aware when babies need to be changed, fed, played with, and cuddled. Responding to each child’s needs promptly will help establish a healthy attachment with the provider. In the hustle…

Creating Partnerships with Parents The young children in the provider’s care are reflections of their families. In these reflections the provider can see family values, cultures, beliefs, practices, attitudes, and varying lifestyles. It is the provider’s responsibility to look deeply into the family reflections, gather information, and apply it to their care in respectful ways.…

Creating Partnerships with Parents (Part 2) Two psychologists who have helped father the idea of cultural diversity in early childhood are Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget. Both psychologists believe infants are born with the basic materials/abilities for intellectual development. Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who founded the theory of cultural-historical psychology. His work has become…

Commitment to Professional Development Efforts to increase professionalism in the field of early care and education have become prevalent across the nation. This emphasis on becoming highly trained providers is essential for the children’s development and for professional growth of the provider. It takes a skilled, knowledgeable, sensitive person to provide excellent care for children and…

Accreditation One goal for a child care program might be to obtain an accreditation through a national organization. There are numerous organizations that a program can go through to obtain this. Each of the accrediting bodies have requirements and expectations that the program will have to follow. The program should research the different organizations for the one with the…

Final Test Please complete the final test.  Completion of this final test is required to earn a certificate of completion for this course, and is required to qualify for Registry credit.   Copyright © Copyright by The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, on behalf of Center for Early Childhood Professional Development

This is the final lesson of this course. Follow these steps to complete this course and receive your certificate: Make sure that you have completed all of the lessons in this course. Mark this lesson as complete by clicking the “Complete Lesson” button at the bottom of this page. Fill out the form provided on this…