To best support motor development and learning an infant toddler teacher should
KnowAn infant-toddler care and learning environment can accommodate young children at their current levels of development, provide appropriate challenges, and encourage the development of new and future skills. To develop new physical skills, infants and toddlers must have opportunities to a variety of interactions and experiences supported by responsive adult caregivers. A safe and supportive environment for infants and toddlers encourages movement and exploration of interesting objects to touch, grasp, mouth, shake, and pick up. It includes space to move around freely, crawl, pull-up, walk, climb, jump, and run. Additional information regarding ways to create safe and engaging care and learning environments for infants and toddlers can be found throughout the Safe Environments and Learning Environments courses. Show
Environments That Support Physical DevelopmentCreating a safe environment that encourages movement is critical to a child’s physical and motor development. It is important to focus on how you can help infants and toddlers develop an active lifestyle from the beginning. Keep in mind that:
The above points, along with the information you learned in Lesson Two, will help you consider the physical setup of the environment as well as the interactions, experiences, activities, and materials you offer. Features of Environments that Support Physical DevelopmentYou, as an infant or toddler caregiver, should consider the characteristics of a safe environment that help support the physical development of the children in your care. Examples of environmental features that support physical health are:
Materials for Experiences that Support Physical DevelopmentOffer a variety of materials and experiences that build on skills children currently have, and challenge them to use current skills in new and different ways. As you continue to create experiences for the infants and toddlers in your care, remember that young children of the same age often display different skills and develop at different rates. As the caregiver, continue to observe each infant or toddler carefully to consider how you can adapt interactions or experiences to meet their needs. Choose materials depending on the interests and needs of the infants and toddlers in your care, noting new physical skills that develop. Review the following tables for different experiences and materials that support infants and toddlers: Gross-Motor Development (Large Muscles)
Fine-Motor Development (Small Muscles)
Sensory Experiences: Indoors and OutdoorsFor healthy physical development it is important for children to learn about the natural and physical world around them. Sensory experiences help strengthen the connections among brain cells, which is important for learning and supporting development. From birth, children begin learning about their world by touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, and hearing. For example, as toddlers play and explore materials with their hands at a sand and water table, they are using their sense of touch; which is supporting their use of fine-motor muscles. As toddlers scoop and dump different materials, they strengthen their muscles and create opportunities to build skills that will help them use spoons and drink their milk from a cup during mealtime. As a caregiver, you should strive to provide daily opportunities for infants and toddlers to be outside (weather permitting) and interact with living things (plants, classroom pets) throughout their day. Research shows that children who play outdoors regularly have more active imaginations, lower stress levels, and have greater respect for themselves and others. You can also enhance sensory learning by providing infants and toddlers with a variety of materials and experiences, such as sand, water tables, and other materials with visual and textural qualities. Below are additional creative ways to support sensory experiences indoors and outdoors:
Each infant and toddler will have unique preferences and a personal comfort level with sensory experiences and materials. Observe throughout the day to help determine which types of sensory experiences and materials work best and are most engaging for each child in your care.
It’s very common for young children to appear uncomfortable with certain sensory experiences. This may be related to having little exposure to a material, or few experiences with a particular material. If you find that a child is uncomfortable with a specific type of material, you can:
To prevent injury, it is very important to remember that infants and toddlers must be carefully supervised as they explore materials (e.g., water or sand from the sand and water table) with their hands and mouths. SeePhysical Development: Outdoor Environments and ExperiencesVideo not availableWatch this video to learn about outdoor environments and experiences that support the physical development of infants and toddlers.DoThere are many different experiences and materials that can be offered to help the children in your care grow and develop physically. Read through the following examples — and pick at least one to try. Share your observations and thoughts with a trainer, coach, or administrator.
References & Resources Brachfeld, S., Goldberg, S., & Sloman, J. (2005). Parent-infant interaction in free play at 8 and 12 months: Effects of prematurity and immaturity. Infant Behavior and Development, 3: 289-305. Casby, M.W. (2003). The development of play in infants, toddlers and young children. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 24(4): 163-174. Claxton, L.J., Keen, R., & McCarty, M.E. (2003). Evidence of motor planning in infant reaching behavior. Psychological Science, 14: 354-356. Cress, C., Moskal, L., & Hoffman, A. (2008). Parent directiveness in free play with young children with physical impairments. Comunication Disorders Quarterly, 29(2): 99-108. DiCarlo, C.F., Reid, D.H., & Strickin, S.B. (2006). Increasing toy play among toddlers with and without disabilities by modifying the structural quality of the classroom environment. NHSA Dialog: A Research-to-Practice Journal for the Early Intervention Field, 9: 49-62. Epstein, Ann S. (2007). The intentional teacher: choosing the best strategies for young children’s learning. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2003). Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale, revised ed. New York: Teachers College Press. Hillary L. Burdette and Robert C. Whitaker, “Resurrecting Free Play in Young Children: Looking Beyond Fitness and Fatness to Attention, Affiliation, and Affect,” JAMA Pediatrics 159 (1) (2005): 46–50 James, K. (2010). Sensori-motor experience leads to changes in visual processing in the developing brain. Developmental Science, 13: 279-288. McHenry, J., & Buerk, K. (2008). Infants and Toddlers Meet the Natural World. YC Young Children, 63(1), 40-41. How can a teacher help in motor development of a child?There are several other strategies teachers can use to work with children to improve fine motor skills:. Play-based learning. Practicing skills such as lacing, threading beads onto a string and tying shoes are all great ways to improve fine motor ability. ... . Hand-eye coordination. ... . Use correct form. ... . Consider technology.. How do you promote motor development in toddlers?Encourage your toddler to build a tower of four or more blocks. Play parade or follow the leader with your toddler. Help your toddler to explore things around him/her by going on a walk or wagon ride. Gently roll a ball to your little one, and ask your toddler to roll it back.
How do you promote motor development in infants?4 Ways to Encourage Motor Development in Baby's First Year. Give them room to move. Babies need room to practice motor skills. ... . Tummy time – it's never too early! ... . Give your baby the “just right” challenge. ... . Make it fun!. How do you support motor development?Specific activities that support gross motor development include running at different speeds, jumping rope, playing hopscotch, tossing and catching balls of different sizes, pitching bean bags, climbing in many different directions, pedaling riding toys, pulling wagons or toys, pushing toy strollers or brooms, and ...
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