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Messy play builds foundational skills that are crucial for children's later development. It is one of the most important kinds of early learning experiences we can offer to infants and toddlers. Find the most up-to-date information to answer three prompts: "What does research say?"; "What does it look like?"; and "Try this!" There's also an accompanying resource, Connecting at Home, which includes easy-to-try tips to help families offer messy play experiences at home.

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Research Notes

Messy play is the open-ended exploration of materials and their properties. Activities like squishing clay, pouring sand, and sorting stones allow children to repeat and experiment as they like. Children are naturally curious, and messy play engages their senses at a developmental level that is appropriate for them. They learn foundational cognitive principles as they exercise motor, language, and social skills. Messy play offers one of the best integrated learning experiences young children can have.

The Take Home

1. Messy play builds foundational skills across ELOF domains.

2. The open-ended quality of messy play allows children to explore and learn at developmentally appropriate levels.

3. Messy play activities are fun and engaging, easy to set up, and not always messy!

What Does Research Say?

Children who explore with their senses learn physical principles more quickly. This is especially important for infants and toddlers, who must learn foundational skills upon which more complex learning is built.
Research demonstrates that early visual and motor skills are related to later math and language skills. Simple activities, like playing with playdough or shredding paper, build fine and gross motor skills. But they also support learning related to cause and effect, number sense, and other important cognitive skills.

Open-ended activities like pouring sand or water, smearing foam, and making patterns with loose parts provide children with opportunities to experiment at their own developmental level and pace. Allowing children to direct their own exploration this way leads to superior learning. Research also shows that responsive adults improve children's learning through exploration.

Messy play harnesses children's spontaneous exploration to help them learn. Children develop curiosity, initiative, focus and persistence through messy play. These are foundational skills in the 'Approaches to Learning' domain of ELOF, which identifies learning strategies. Messy play activities develop children's autonomy and provide safe environments in which to practice these crucial learning skills.

What Does It Look Like?

Messy play is best done in an organized space. The activity may be messy, but the environment should not be. This requires preparation. Materials should be clean and ready to be explored, tools should be laid out and orderly. An organized environment is not only safe, but it also helps children feel welcome and helps them understand what to do.

Messy play works best in a defined space. We want to give children cues that will help them understand what behaviors are appropriate, and defining the space is one way to do this. For example, spread out a tarp before playing with sand indoors. This lets even very young children know that this is a contained activity. A space was prepared for it. When you enter this space, you are welcome to engage with this material in a way that isn't always allowed. You can step in the sand, sit in it, or pour it on your legs.
When we clean up and the tarp goes away, that's a cue that the messy play is over. Having a defined space that communicates where and how to play can support children who are dual language learners in understanding the expectations for messy play. Of course when you're working with older infants and toddlers, you'll need to be more flexible in your definition of space as they like to carry their materials from one area to another - a quintessential and important toddler task - so within your defined space be sure to allow for some traveling about too!

Children engage more when they are in an inviting, comfortable environment. This means thinking about the amount of space, the lights and sounds, the colors, and the decorations. It means creating a space that will be comforting. Too many tools or too many different materials might be overwhelming to children, so consider starting simple. Material exploration is often a slow process. Be sure to plan enough time to allow individual children to engage at their own pace.

Children and adults also benefit when messy play is done in an environment that is easily cleaned. Tarps are effective, as are other temporary floor or table coverings. Shower curtains work great too - and they are inexpensive. If you are doing messy exploration that will require water for cleanup, consider doing the activity near a sink, a cleanup area, or outside. Don't forget smocks for the children. And remember we can help children learn cleaning skills, too. For older infants and toddlers, leaving time for cleanup at the end of messy play is a great way to transition to other routines or play opportunities. It helps children learn responsibility and provides a helpful cue that the messy play is finished.

Individual children have different levels of interest in and tolerance for messy play, and it is important to observe and respond to those preferences. Some children may be extra sensitive to sensory input and won't like getting their hands or feet messy or wet. Support children's exploration by staying close and offering to clean or dry messy hands right away. Offer messy play materials such as paper, loose parts, or natural materials that do not require hands to get sticky or wet.

Try This!

Help families create sensory bins. A simple plastic bin can be used like a sensory table to keep material engagements contained. These handy bins are easily cleaned, and they can facilitate all kinds of wet and dry material engagements. Start infants with dry materials such as paper, balls or large pom poms. Older toddlers might enjoy beads or sand. Make sure the materials are safe and age appropriate.

Encourage families to set a regular time for messy play. Many children thrive with routines and having a routine can provide a helpful reminder that messy play and sensory engagement can be a part of every day.

Exploring materials is usually done with hands, but don't forget the rest of the body. Walking barefoot on grass, sand, or paper can be a wonderful sensory experience. Can you make patterns with your feet?What else can you explore with your feet?

Encourage families to go outside. Nature offers plenty of materials for messy play. Children delight in scooping water, squishing mud, and sorting leaves. Outside time can be wonderful family time too.

Learn More

Connecting at Home

Messy play is the open-ended exploration of materials and their properties. It allows children to use their natural curiosity and engage their senses at the developmental level appropriate for them. They learn foundational cognitive principles as they exercise motor, language, and social skills. Messy play offers one of the best integrated learning experiences children can have.

Play with Patterns

Children love making patterns, and you can help! Set out some loose materials for your child - tiles, blocks, sticks, stones. Sit back and see what your child does with the materials. Describe what you see. If your child is reluctant to take part, make a pattern of your own and describe it as you do. Children can learn a lot from your example.

Chill Out with Water

Warm water in a bath is great, but so is ice! Ice is easy to use and clean up, and it's so versatile. You can explore a piece in the bath, but you'll have to work fast! For longer ice exploration, let your child play with it on a food tray or draw with it on sun-warmed cement. If you plan ahead and freeze some cubes with a bit of food coloring, color can be a part of the fun.

Bath Play

Bath time is a natural time for messy play. Children naturally explore the water, and you can help by narrating what you see. Sponges and shampoo bottles make fun and interesting tools to explore floating and sinking. If you have shaving cream, spray a bit on the wall and help your child spread it around.

Roll or Flow

Children enjoy making things go, and you can help by setting up a small ramp and some lose materials. Let your child roll or pour different kinds of materials down the ramp and explore how things move. Older children might enjoy bumps, jumps, or tunnels, which can be made with tape and discarded paper towel rolls.

" Go to Connecting Research to Practice

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Designing Messy Play for Infants and Toddlers | ECLKC

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Messy play is the open-ended exploration of materials and their properties. Learn ways to manage the mess as children learn foundational cognitive principles and exercise motor, language, and social skills.

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[Podcast Series Intro Video: Music plays in the background. Video lists each of the podcasts in the series with three pictures that correspond to each topic area. Topic areas include You, Nourishment, Routines, Environments, Following the Baby, Movement, Music and Empathy]

[Slide with photograph of Amanda Perez, Senior Writer/Training Specialist, Early Head Start National Resource Center]

Amanda Perez: "Hi! And welcome to the fifth podcast in the Early Head Start Caring Connections series. My name is Amanda Perez and I am a Senior Writer and Training Specialist with the Early Head Start National Resource Center. We hope that you are enjoying these podcasts and are sharing them with others who might find them useful. Don't forget to take a look at the information sheet that accompanies each podcast. It will direct you to the resources that we refer to . . . and Head Start Program Performance Standards that are relevant to the information covered."

[An infant and caregiver play in a quiet corner, stretched out in front of a mirror.]

Amanda Perez: "In the last podcast, Jan Greenberg talked about the positive messages that you can build into young children's environments. It's amazing how much we can say with the physical environment! We learned that you can tell children: "You're safe. You can feel comfortable here. Give it a try! You can do it!"

[A mother reads with a mobile infant.]

Amanda Perez: "In this podcast, we will talk about one simple - but powerful - practice that echoes those messages, following a child's lead. This practice is helpful with infants and toddlers at all stages and ages, but particularly with mobile infants, between six and eighteen months."

Amanda Perez: "Have you ever played follow the leader? I used to love playing with my older brother. This is a picture of us when we were small. I am really watching him here! I spent so much of my childhood admiring Malcolm, copying everything he did. So when we were older, and played Follow the Leader, following Malcolm felt familiar."

[Slide with pictures of Amanda and Malcolm.]

Amanda Perez:"But leading him was special! When I interested him in something new, I felt powerful, confident and capable. I felt great!"

[A toddler clasps hands with his teacher and friend, and chases a mobile infant in a park.]

Amanda Perez:"You can play a modified version of follow the leader with even the youngest children in the lead. Here's a short clip of a two-month old and his mother. She really observes her baby, and does what he does. As she follows her baby's lead, consider: what messages is she communicating to her baby boy?"

[A mother plays follow the leader with her two-month old, copying his actions.]

Mother: "Hello! Baby: "Grunt."Mother: "Yes! Yes! Can you say ma ma again? Ma Ma."

[Infant forms his mouth into an "O" shape and the mother copies.]

Amanda Perez:"So, what messages did you hear? I heard: "I see you." "You are so interesting!" "Look - you can nod your head and so can I! We are connected and alike!" and "You have great power to affect me!" Wow!"

[Caregiver and young infant waves hands in front of each other.]

Amanda Perez: "Over time, we hope this baby, and all two-month-olds will have lots of interactions and experiences - with their families and others - that are loaded with these important messages. If these messages build up to offer young infants a sense of security and confidence, then, between six and eighteen months, when they are mobile infants, they are ready to explore."

[A mobile infant explores a tunnel.]

Amanda Perez: " Consider now this clip ofa mobile infant exploring a tunnel.We might expect him to come right through, but he is eager to learn all he can. He is learning with his whole body and mind, all his senses. This is true exploration."

[A mobile infant crawls across the floor.]

Amanda Perez:"Like this little guy, young children are wired to explore and learn! This is where the environment meets interactions with nurturing parents and caregivers.

[A mobile infant uses blocks in different ways.]

Amanda Perez: When children are secure that the adults around them will protect them from harm, they are free to follow their curiosity, wherever their minds and bodies take them. Our role is to offer them safe activities, objects and interactions that interest them, and to follow their lead as they explore."

[A baby responds to an infant massage from her caregiver.]

Amanda Perez:"When Magda Gerber, the early childhood thinker and educator, talked about the adult role with infants and toddlers, she used the term "respect." She stressed that even the youngest babies communicate with us, tell us in a variety of ways what they want and need. Caring adults invite their opinions, and listen when they provide them."

[Slide with photograph of Magda Gerber, Founding Director, Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE)]

Amanda Perez:"In the following clip from "Seeing Infants with New Eyes,"Magda offers a snack to a table of infants. More than twenty years after this video was produced, you might not offer infants juice at snack time. Focus here on Magda's interactions with these babies. How does she follow each child's lead?"

[Magda Gerber talks to the mobile infants and wait for responses.]

MAGDA CLIP: from 0:25 - 1:06, begin as the snack begins and cut before the banana.

[A little boy examines a rain stick]

Amanda Perez: Did you notice how Magda carefully observed the children she was feeding, listened for even their most subtle cues, and followed their leads? When we show babies that their choices are important to us, we also teach them self-awareness and self-confidence. This has tremendous importance in learning - and also in self-regulation.

[Slide of the definition of "Self-regulation.]

Amanda Perez: "Developing self-regulation is a major task of the early years. Self-regulation is the ability to manage one's own emotions, behavior, attention and states, including hunger and a sense of fullness. Paula Mydlenski, a Registered Dietician and training specialist, talked about supporting self-regulation through following a child's lead in a webinar called Beyond Bottles and Baby Food. Let's listen in."

[Slide with photograph of Paula Mydlenski, R.D., Training Specialist.]

[Slides from webinar Beyond Bottles and Baby Food.]

Paula Mydlenski: " Here we go back to the dance of nourishment. Who leads that dance? Uh huh, it's not us, it is the child. It's the child's cue that tells us when she wants to eat, how much she wants to eat, and if she wants to eat at all. Some years ago, Dr. Sam Forman, and his group of researchers at Harvard did some wonderful research. He was a pediatrician and a nutrition investigator. They found that left to their own resources infants and young children can self-regulate how much they should eat. Think about it, have you ever tried to give, say, a seven month old baby that extra spoon full of mashed bananas? What happens? Yup, you got it! It comes right back out! That child knows how much he or she wants to eat. Something happens when the child gets to be about three years old or so. They learn the game. They learn that they can please the adult by not listening to that internal cue, by not leading the dance, but giving the lead over to the adult and that's a mistake. When they do that they override the self- regulation of how much they should eat, when they should eat, and they start pleasing the adult. They do take that extra bite, even though they don't want it. They've lost the connection with the feeling of fullness, feeling satisfied, feeling as we call it, satiated. I don't know how many of you have it today, but if you have over-rode that internal mechanism, given up the dance young in life to the adult, now if you are having some issues with your weight, or sometimes eat and can't connect with how full you are and overeat, it might be because years ago you overrode that beautiful self-regulation, that beautiful internal mechanism of your brain that said, 'I'm full.'"

[A caregiver diapers a mobile infant.]

Amanda Perez: "Paula reminds us that from birth, children not only have a drive to learn, but they have a natural ability to regulate not only what they eat, but the sensory information they can control. Caregiver: "Are you ready for a dry diaper, Kimmy? Yeah? You are? Good!" Amanda Perez: When we follow young children's lead, we honor their communication, and support a skill that they can build on in a lifetime of healthy eating, learning, and interactions with the world."

[A mother and home visitor talk together, as they respond to a mobile infant's cues.]

Amanda Perez: "So let's review: When we follow a child's lead, physically, they learn to use their bodies to explore and to trust the messages their bodies are sending them. Cognitively, they learn that learning is fun and interesting, their curiosity is valuable. Emotionally, they learn that their thoughts and feelings are important and worth expressing."

[A toddler dances a celebration, followed by his home visitor and parents]

Amanda Perez:"Consider now your practice. How do you follow a child's lead - or work with parents to follow their children? How do you do it during mealtimes, other routines, and in play, and maybe in dancing? How do you observe and listen for their cues, and then respond?"

[A caregiver gently guides a baby away from sitting on his friend's toy.]

Amanda Perez: "One last point: of course, following a child's lead doesn't always mean saying yes. Sometimes, a toddler will choose to wear shorts on a day when it's snowing, or a child will want to sit on a friend's toy or hit, and we have to say no. Remember your role as an adult in that child's life - you are nurturer, teacher, protector, provider.

[A caregiver plays peek a boo with a toddler.]

Amanda Perez: " And also remember the messages that you want to convey: You are safe. You are interesting and smart. You matter. Following a child's lead is one technique that communicates all those important messages to the children you serve."

[Slide/Banner for EHS NRC and ECLKC]

Amanda Perez: "Thanks so much for joining us! You can look us up at www.ehsnrc.org or on Head Start's Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center at eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov for more resources designed to support you in your work. Stay tuned for the next "Caring Connections" Podcast on "Movement" hosted by Laura Annunziata . . . This is Amanda Perez at the Early Head Start National Resource Center wishing you all the best - as you follow AND lead - in your work."

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Let's Talk About Following the Baby | ECLKC

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Podcast Series Intro Video: Music plays in the background. Video lists each of the podcasts in the series with three pictures that correspond to each topic area. Topic areas include You, Nourishment, Routines, Environments, Following the Baby, Movement, Music and Empathy] [Slide with photograph of Amanda Perez, Senior Writer/Training Specialist, Early Head Start National Resource Center] Amanda Perez: "Hi!

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[Music] Amanda Perez: Hi! Welcome to the third podcast in the Early Head Start Caring Connections series. My name is Amanda Perez and I am a senior writer/training specialist with the Early Head Start National Resource Center. We hope that you are enjoying these podcasts and that you will share them with your colleagues or anyone else you think would find them helpful.

Also, take a look at the information sheet that accompanies each podcast. It will direct you to resources that we refer to and Head Start Program Performance Standards that are relevant to the information covered. In the last podcast, Laura Annunziata and some colleagues talked about the difference between nutrition and nourishment. They described how nutrition is getting food in the baby, but nourishment is making that feeding routine a rich social, emotional, and cultural experience.

This podcast will apply those ideas to routines in general, and will look particularly at the importance of routines to the youngest babies. Sandy Petersen and Donna Wittmer define daily routines as the regularly occurring events that infants and toddlers experience during the day. You have them too, you know.

Think about how you started your day. Maybe the alarm went off and you woke up, got out of bed, had a cup of coffee, maybe, before a shower and breakfast. More than likely, you have morning routines, activities that help you transition from asleep to awake, from home to work. Consider why those routines are important to you. For many of us, the transition from sleep to being awake is not so easy. These activities help ease that transition. As we look forward to a new day, and all the uncertainties it brings, all of the elements in our morning routines not only help us to take care of our physical selves, but they also offer us a sense of security, don't they?

Now, consider the infants and toddlers you serve --whether they are in center-based or family child care settings, or if you see them at socializations and home visits. What are the major routines of their days? We have talked about feeding. What about those important arrivals and departures? Bathing and grooming, including hand washing and tooth brushing. Diapering and toileting. And sleeping. How many caregiving routines do you think a young child goes through in a day? It's enough to make all of us exhausted! Let's listen to Silvia Pizarro-Gamarra, a family child care provider with an Early Head Start program in Fairfax County, Virginia, as she describes her morning with the children she works with. As you listen, see how many routines you count.

Interviewer: How would you describe a typical day in Silvia's program? What is your typical routine?

Silvia Pizarro-Gamarra: Well, for instance, today my first baby arrived at four in the morning. I have to get up earlier since they ring the bell, so I have to be up and running, and be ready for the baby. Sometimes when he arrives he is still asleep, but most of the time he is not. I start playing with him in the room where the other children sleep. Then I give him his milk. I stay with him for a while, reading him a book and we stay like that until he falls asleep. Then, at seven in the morning, he wakes up because Anai, the other little girl, arrives. I change Daniel's diaper.

Anai asks when she wants to go potty because she's a toddler. Then we start getting ready for the other children and we have breakfast. At ten in the morning, the children have a snack. But before their snack, we do a routine activity. We read, or we play, or do some other activity, dependingon the day, and also depending on each child since they are so different, so I have to make sure that they progress almost at the same rate.

Amanda: Wow. Silvia listed twelve routines, just before lunch! Did you hear her talk about the way that she individualizes them for the children in her care? For example, she diapers Daniel at pretty regular times, right? But is flexible to when Anai needs to use the bathroom. That seems obvious, but is a great example of why individualization of routines is so important to making sure that each child's individual needs are met in ways that make sense to him or her. Your days, your work are chock full of routines. Why are they so important to young children? Consider the youngest infant --a newborn. We often talk about how remarkable the youngest children are, how much they are learning. And they are. But they enter the world completely dependent on adults to take care of them. Physically, they need safety, nutritious food, good health, and sound sleep.

Remember that sense of security you get from your morning routine? For young infants, between birth and eight months, their primary social and emotional goal is to develop a sense of trust and security in their environment and with the people who take care of them. When they feel secure that their needs will be met, children can devote their attention to learning all that the world is offering them. One way that we can provide that sense of security is to make sure that the routines in child care or in socializations mirror, to the extent possible, the routines used at home.

Angie Godfrey, the infant-toddler specialist at the Office of Head Start talked about this and showed a short clip from an Early Head Start program during the webcast, "Beyond Sweet Dreams and Bedtime Stories." Let's listen in. Angie Godfrey: It is so important that program staff talk to families and work with them to ensure that the infants and toddlers in their care find comfort and rout --in the routines that they know from their home. In the following clip, we'll see how one program began using a cradleboard to help a child sleep after talking with a family to find out what worked best at home.

Little Raven Limpy: Are you ready to go take a nap? Are you ready for a nap?

Narrator: Little Raven Limpy is a teacher at the Arrapahoe Early Head Start Center. Infant Hailee was having difficulty sleeping. In her role as partner with the family, Raven sought help from the home.

Little Raven Limpy: He said that he had a cradleboard. It was given to her by her great-grandmother and that he put her in there after a feeding. So, I asked him if he would bring it in and I would put her in there so she could have a good nap. I sing to Hailee a lullaby that was sang to me by my grandmother. [Singing] Cradleboardis that security and comfort. And so when she's in there, it's not like restraint or anything. It's for her needs. Developmentally she is getting the love that --and everything with the cradleboard. She was sleeping.

Amanda: So, in child care settings and socializations, staff can really incorporate elements from home during routines to support children in building that sense of trust and security. This is important not only in sleep routines, but in all the daily routines in the program --from arrivalsand departures, to toileting. Consider your program. How do you learn about family routines in ways that support each child's sense of security? Routines are important for home visitors, too. In the following clip, from the audio conference, "Laying Foundations: Supporting Social and Emotional Development in the Earliest Years," a home visitor, Maggie Anderson from Education Connection, talks about home visiting with a three-month-old named Joel and his parents.

Maggie Anderson: The routines of my weekly home visits, and the predictable structure of the visits in turn, encourages and supports the family in creating their own routines. For example, the routine of mom and dad diapering, offering Joel a teething ring to hold, followed by a bottle and then some tummy time provides the same sense of security for Joel as our predictable home visits provides security for mom and dad.

Amanda: So, on home visits, Maggie does two things. First, she talks with families about the importance of their children's routines. Then, through the regular scheduling and structure of her home visits, she offers Joel's family the same sense of predictability and security that Joel needs. If you're a home visitor, how do you talk with families --particularly families with the youngest babies --about caregiving routines? And how do you structure your home visits so that adults and children in the family feel the same sense of security that Maggie describes? Routines seem so simple, so basic, but their importance is vast. Let's close by listening to Magda Gerber, the great early childhood thinker and educator, as she talks about routines. This is a clip of a mother changing her baby's diaper from "Seeing Infants with New Eyes." As we listen to Magda, you will notice that this is an older clip, developed in the 1980's. But while our ideas about safety in cribs and how to diaper a baby may have changed, the importance of relationships and interactions between a young child and adult has not. Listen to Magda's message and watch the rich exchange between this mother and her baby.

Magda Gerber: When you're reading books, you usually talk about teaching your child, stimulating your child, playing with your child, entertaining your child. But very seldom do they say what happens while you care. Because, it is during the caring that you really develop, hopefully, a caring relationship.

Mother: We're going to undo it. Unzip, unzip, unzip. Okay, let's pull one arm out.

Magda: This is one thing you can't, you do while the child is close. You cannot do it via distance. You have to be there. You look at the child. You talk to the child. you talk about what you are doing together. You talk what you expect from the child. And all these are incredibly important learning experiences, emotional experiences, refueling experiences for both parties.

Amanda: Magda reminds us of the importance of nourishment during these routines that take up so much of a child's day. As parents, child care providers, and home visitors, we have an opportunity to make the very most of that time. So, don't just feed a baby, nourish her. Don't just help a toddler learn to brush his teeth, nourish him. Caring for infants and toddlers is more than just daily routines. It's about using those routines to nourish the infants and toddlers you serve. Thanks so much for joining us today. You can look us up at www.ehsnrc.org, or on Head Start's Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center at eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov for more resources designed to support you in your work. Stay tuned for the next Caring Connections podcast on "Environments," hosted by Jan Greenberg.

This is Amanda Perez at the Early Head Start National Resource Center wishing you all the best and some nourishment, too, in your work.

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Music] Amanda Perez: Hi! Welcome to the third podcast in the Early Head Start Caring Connections series. My name is Amanda Perez and I am a senior writer/training specialist with the Early Head Start National Resource Center. We hope that you are enjoying these podcasts and that you will share them with your colleagues or anyone else you think would find them helpful.

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[Music]

Amanda Perez: Hey. I'm Amanda Perez with the Early Head Start National Resource Center, and welcome again to "Early Essentials." We're here at the offices of the home-based Early Head Start program at the Reginald Lourie Center. And we're thinking here about getting to know a young child - with the help of a family, of course - and using that information to respond to children's needs and design services for them. In other words, we're thinking about responsive interactions.

Here's Robin Stickel, an infant/toddler teacher, talking about getting to know the children in her program.

Robin Stickel: Part of being a responsive caregiver is recognizing their needs. And at first - when they first begin with us, it can be a real challenge because you have eight crying children who miss their mommy and want nothing more than to be back home. So, you try your best to look at their cues. So some children require hugs and they want your comfort; some kids are - you know, they want you - to be left alone and they don't want to be there.

Amanda: So learning about each individual child and responding to that child is not just a matter of asking them questions and talking with them. It's a matter of observation and interest, of quiet focus and attention. I recently talked with Janet Gonzalez-Mena and other experts about responsiveness and why it is so important.

Janet, thank you for being here. I think we have to start with the definition. Tell us what a responsive interaction is.

Janet Gonzalez-Mena: Well, to put it in three simple words, it's about "watching," "wondering," and "responding." "Watching" is about observing an infant's body language; "wondering" is about trying to figure out what the baby is communicating; and "reacting" is being responsive to the language that you've just read.

Amanda: Why do you think those tuned-in responses are so important?

Janet: It's a way babies get their needs met. It's about developing relationships with babies, which is essential. We certainly have enough research now about attachment and relationships. It's about communication; and babies start communicating from birth, and we need to be able to understand and respond to what they're communicating.

Amanda: Janet, you got us started thinking about the importance of responsive interactions. Let's hear from some of our experts.

Calvin Moore, Jr.: I think that if you start with a child and you understand how important and unique that child is and that child is different than any other child in the classroom, that you can begin to help make those connections for the child; that they will be confident in who they are, they would know who they are, and that they will take who they are out into the world as a competent adult. But it begins with the young child. It begins with that infant understanding that when they form that attachment with the adult, that the adult is beginning a journey with them, and that journey starts with how important, unique, and special that child is. And they catch on to that pretty quickly. They begin to understand that, "This adult really knows me and really sees me and really values me."

Chad Sullivan: I would hope that the infantile-ed teachers know how important it is to build a relationship with a kid and listen and learn from the kid, because that's how you become a really good teacher.

Amanda: So, Janet, you and Calvin and Chad speak about responsive interactions as such a foundational piece of social and emotional development, but it's also the beginning of communication, right?

Janet: Many responsive interactions are the building blocks of communication, because communication is two-way - that the baby does something, the caregiver responds, the baby does something back, the caregiver responds. And that creates this kind of communication that leads to strong, secure, comfortable relationships. For someone who hasn't been around babies, it helps them to begin to understand that the baby is communicating. They're not just lumps lying there. And you can help them begin to see how the body language is a form of communication - and facial expressions. And crying is definitely a form of communication.

Amanda: This approach requires that staff really slow down. Can you talk a little bit about that? Janet: As long as you're kind of hustling around, getting things done, you're just leaving the baby behind. Because you really, really have to slow down. The only way you can have any kind of respectful responses to a baby is when you're really in the moment, moving at the baby's pace. And that is so hard for some really efficient people who have a lot to do to change, but it's so essential.

Amanda: And as we're slowing down, we're taking the time to understand what those children are telling us. We asked our experts about what we can learn when we slow down.

Eileen Wasow: I think sometimes we're overeager to fill the day with activities. The difference happens when we slow down and begin to observe a child more. I think in particular about being on the floor near a child who's appearing to just do something repetitively, and then you tune in and become more sensitive to what the child is really working on, listening to the self-talk that they're doing. You see them - what strategies are they using? How are they interacting with those materials? How are they taking in something that's happening near them? So, it's important to slow down.

Matika Laxson: Getting to know my nonverbal infants was really just about watching their body language and their cues. You just listen. I have one that cries - right? - only cries when he's tired or needs a diaper. [Laughter] So you check his bottom, and if his bottom's not wet or poopy, then he's tired. And there's quite a few of them that just - they do certain things when they need things, and it's - they can't tell you exactly what, but they'll show you. I have one that, when she gets tired, she starts to suck her hands. But, yeah, it's just watching and listening, and they'll tell you. It's just... They just can't speak it yet.

Cleo Rodriguez, Jr.: I think when we're responding to young children, that we may not get it right the first time. We may think one thing, and the child is still trying to send a message. And so, I think it's our job to try again, try another technique, try something different to see if it is that from which the child is - is sending a message.

Amanda: So much happens through the routines of the day. You've said that babies are not just recipients of routines, they're participants. Can you say more about that?

Janet: If I use diapering as an example and I compare someone who isn't being responsive, not using responsive interaction, to someone who really has the spirit, the whole diapering looks different. Because in some diaperings, the baby's just the recipient of the adult's action. But in a real interactive diapering, the baby is also participating actively and the adult is asking for participation. And though it seems like it might take longer to do it that way, there's nothing like cooperation to move things along fast. [Laughter]

Amanda: So, Janet, we asked our experts about responsive interactions as a way to make sure that we are really meeting the unique needs and interests of each child. They had some great strategies to share with us, including a lot of thinking about routines.

Janna Wagner: So, one way to find time to nurture responsive relationships with your children is to look at something you do every single day but think of it as a chore, and that's routines. So routines are really opportunities for one-on-one time with each and every child. And you know, we think of routines as something to rush through; but really, in routines, infants and toddlers really develop that close connection with you that's so important for their later development. And you can do this through warm, relaxed conversations with them. You can babble or coo back to babies. You can self-talk what you are doing to the infant and toddler so they know what to expect. You can just have a little one-on-one time with a child.

Jan So: I really love eating with the kids, because it's not so much about the eating, it's about sharing. I've noticed that if you can sit with a child and maybe share some - you know, something little, even like crackers or a cookie, it makes them feel that they're going to be taken care of, that you're paying attention to them, that you know that they're hungry and they can't do it for themselves so you're going to do that.

Marie Tabanera: Being in the mobile infant class, they're very, very tiny, so I spend a lot of time on the floor, mostly. I think - I'd say 99 percent of my day is on the floor just interacting with them, trying to do activities that will involve more than one, but also trying to have that one-on-one. So one child might be interested, but here comes three or four of them. So acknowledging them, talking to them, trying to make eye-to-eye contact with them, using their names, and including - making them feel included. Even though it's a group, they're feeling like we're still having that one-on-one time. And I think, over the weeks of being with them and having - having those children just with me, I can read them. So, now it just comes naturally, you know? [Laughter]

Amanda: So, it takes time - right? - many responsive interactions to get to know children. And with practice, as Marie says, it comes naturally. Another piece of learning about the child is learning about the family's culture. Talk to us about that, Janet.

Janet: Well, you know, every baby comes with a family. Every family comes with a culture. One of the huge issues in our country is identity development. Never - back in the days when we didn't have child care, we didn't have children starting school until they were 6 years old, they developed their identity in the bosom of their family. Now children - babies are in out-of-home care, so it's so important for us to recognize, value, try to understand the culture of the family and the identity that the baby is forming as member of that family, as well as a member of the larger group.

Amanda: Knowing a family, learning from the family, helps us understand the messages a baby sends and respond appropriately. How can staff work with families to support their responsive interactions with their babies?

Janet: Well, of course, if you're pretty sure that the way you're responding to the baby fits the family's culture, then the modeling effect certainly comes into play as parents watch. You can also make suggestions to parents about what you perceive the baby is trying to communicate, ask them what they perceive the baby is trying to communicate, and have them - encourage them to make responses that for them feel important and relative to what this baby's trying to communicate.

Amanda: So, you've said two things now about families. First, we can really learn from families to understand what we're seeing in responsive interactions with their children. And second, that we can also recognize the ways families are responsive to their children. So we asked some staff how they learned from families.

Jody Mortensen: We have daily communication with parents who drop off their children. So, they let us know how their night went or how their morning has gone so that we can work with that throughout the day. And even when they come on the bus, whoever's riding the bus, the parents will tell the bus driver what has happened and then they'll relay the message to us.

Maria Mottaghian: We have to ask families. We ask them, "What is it that their child likes to eat? When does their child fall asleep?" You know, all of those little questions that will help the teacher be able to better connect with that child. So, it's a conversation that we have to have with parents.

Amanda: Great tips from those staff on learning from families. We also asked Brenda Jones Harden to talk with us about home-based programs and how staff can encourage families in their responsiveness to their children.

Brenda Jones Harden: I heard a term recently called "unplugged interaction," and I thought it was the perfect term for how home visitors can help parents to really think about slowing themselves down. Not looking at television, not listening to the radio, not being on their iPhone, but really just being with their children in a way that their children can say, "Oh, my mommy is with me," even if it's for one moment, two moments. It doesn't have to be for a long, extended time. But just so the child can say for a moment that, "I am the center of my parent's attention." I think if parents can think about ways to do that for a few moments a day, and home visitors can help them think about how to pencil that in, how to make that part of their evening with their children when they come home from child care, I think would be a gift that home visitors could give to parents.

Amanda: We've heard lots from our experts about responsive interactions. Let's take a practice moment to apply some of the things we've heard. This home visitor has been working with 2-year-old Bella and her mother for a long time. Notice the comfort they have with each other as they interact. This home visitor has worked hard to establish a strong relationship with this mother and child. The mother and the home visitor have a lot to cover in today's visit. They plan to work on motor skills and language, and they've planned several experiences for this 90 minutes. Watch the signals Bella sends and how these adults respond. What is Bella interested in as her mother and home visitor talk? How do you know?

Home Visitor: Lettuce and carrots. Now, what new thing have you noticed she's been doing since we met last week? Roll the ball!

Amanda: What do you think she tells us here?

Home Visitor: What is squiggling in the dirt? Here are some worms. Has she seen the worms outside yet on the sidewalk? What's fluttering behind the bush? There's the butterflies.

Amanda: Notice how her mother responds.

Mother: A, B, C. This is a number one. Can you say "one?" One.

Amanda: How do you think Bella feels when these two adults figure it out?

Mother: You want to play with me? 1, 2, 3. Uh-oh! It's okay. Throw it back. 1, 2, 3. Uh-oh! Let me see. 1, 2... Are you ready?

Home Visitor: Catch it!

Mother: 1, 2, 3. Uh-oh. You need to put your hands together.

Home Visitor: [Clapping] That's a good try.

Mother: 1, 2, 3.

Home Visitor: You going to throw it to me? Oh, it bounced!

Amanda: Let's watch again. Watch for the signals Bella sends and the ways her mother and home visitor respond. Notice how Bella turns her interest to the ball. She examines it and then rolls it away.

Home Visitor: Roll the ball!

Amanda: Bella keeps that ball close to her even when she's engaged in a new activity. It is still important to her. Bella's mother notices Bella's interest in the ball and helps her notice and name other details on the ball. Sometimes children don't follow the plans we make. In the end, the adults in this interaction recognize Bella's cues. The goal here is to work on physical and language skills, right? And these adults know that by following Bella's interests they can be most effective in supporting her learning. Notice Bella's delight. So, even as these adults are helping Bella build physical and language skills, they're also sending her a message so crucial to her emotional development. They're showing her that she matters, her interests matter, and that she has a role in her learning, too.

That message at the heart of responsive interactions is foundational to school readiness. Janet, how so?

Janet: Responsive interactions are what create relationships. And certainly, relationships in the early years are - make all the difference in the later years. Babies who are attached, secure, comfortable, become good exploratory learners. And so, it's about a feeling of security. And that all comes from a whole lot of responsive interaction.

Amanda: Again, there's such an important foundation. Janet, thank you so much for your expertise today. To close us out, let's listen to Sarah Merrill and Eileen Wasow.

Sarah Merrill: Well, I think responsive interactions are the heart and soul of teaching and learning for any age, but particularly for the youngest who come into our programs. It's a way that you get to know them as individuals. We want these kids to know that they are special. They're certainly the heart of their parents, and we want that to carry through in group settings.

Eileen: If you're talking with an infant or a toddler, there may not be verbal responses, but you're actively engaged in reaching out to the child. And in turn, you really see the child interacting with you. And it's - I think prior to a lot of the work that we've learned in brain development, we wouldn't have had such expectations that the child was actively engaged in learning. But I think what we know now is that there really is a lot of hard work that the child is doing, that they're doing that all the time. And if we slack off on our side, then we're really missing opportunities to be a part of that relationship.

Amanda: As our experts tell us, the importance of your work is not just in the experiences you provide children. Making those experiences responsive, learning about the children and families you serve, and using that information to meet their needs, offer a sense of security and confidence, and design individualized services is essential.

[Music]

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Early Essentials Webisode 8: Responsive Interactions | ECLKC

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Music] Amanda Perez: Hey. I'm Amanda Perez with the Early Head Start National Resource Center, and welcome again to "Early Essentials." We're here at the offices of the home-based Early Head Start program at the Reginald Lourie Center.

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[Music and Titles]

Amanda Perez: Hey, I'm Amanda Perez, with the Early Head Start National Resource Center. Welcome back to "Early Essentials."

So, tell me the truth. Does it surprise you how much we talk about relationships? In work with the very youngest children -- including babies in utero -- and their families, there is no more important tool for your work than the relationships that you build. But don't take my word for it. We asked some veteran staff what their biggest lessons were when they first started this work, and they talked about relationships too. Let's hear what they had to say.

Tamara Corbin: So, I've learned how to observe the child and ask the parents a couple of questions onhow I can, like, bond with the child a little bit more in the classroom, so the child feel comfort. So, that's what I've done here, myself, learning how to bond with the family and the new child that -- that's in my program.

Rediet Kidane: I didn't know I was gonna get attached with the kids like -- or with their family -- the whole family -- really attached. I -- I was -- I just thought that it was just a job -- just to come work and go, but not just a job. You really attach with the family and with the babies individually.

Amanda: So, we heard a couple of answers there, right, focused on relationships and not just relationships with babies, but also relationships with families. Right now, I'm standing inside the Campagna Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Campagna has an Early Head Start program, and at the heart, you guessed it -- relationships. I wanted to talk with someone here who could help us understand something about that heart. Let's go upstairs and meet her.

I am thrilled to introduce Tammy Mann, who's the president and CEO of the Campagna Center here.

Tammy, thank you so much for welcoming us.

Tammy Mann: Thank you, for being here.

Amanda: Well -- and it's such a thrill for me, as you know. Tammy was my first supervisor at the Early Head Start National Resource Center. And one of the things that you taught me, Tammy was how incredibly important relationships are to this work with the very youngest children and their families.

And I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about that.

Tammy: Absolutely, and fortunately the science makes it very clear for us, right? Relationships really provide the foundation for children developing security and trust and everything that's needed to really provide the foundation for them to grow and learn. So, it all begins with the connection with adults in their environment.

Amanda: There are a ton of relationships in programs, but in Head Start programs we really talk about that family role as critically important. And we have a question here from a teacher in Oklahoma.

Tiffani Miller: My questions is: Why is working with families so important?

Amanda: So, we know that that's a huge question for teachers in particular. And I wonder what your response is to that.

Tammy: Truthfully, relationships provide the pathway for children to grow and develop. Parents are their child's first and most important teacher. And so, to the extent that in our programs, we really set a foundation of expectation where parents really do understand the critical importance of the role they play in helping to foster their children's learning and development through responding to cues and providing support as they are learning to explore the world around them, it makes a tremendous difference in children's ability to develop confidence, curiosity, and all of the things that really make for a really great start in life.

Amanda: Absolutely, and we actually -- we actually have a caregiver, a seasoned caregiver, who had a response to this as well. So, let's listen to what Myneka had to say.

Myneka Martin: Relationships with families are very important. You must form a relationship so that there's trust between the parent, teacher, and the child. If you don't form a bond with the family, it makes it hard to care for the child. Building a relationship allows the teacher to ask some of the more difficult questions regarding the child. The parent is more open with the teacher when there is a bond, and it makes for a higher-quality experience.

Amanda: That's interesting, the way that she talks about, you have to talk about the difficult stuff as well as the fun stuff.

Tammy: Right. You know, one of the things that listening to that makes me think about is: We're very intentional about how we start off with families; because when you do that, you invite parents into a relationship in a way that really sets the stage for them to be able to engage. It really does make it easier for families to raise difficult questions or for staff members to raise difficult questions, in the context of learning about a child and their development. So, it is about the foundation of trust, but we have to be very intentional as we talk to families about the importance of why we approach our work from that perspective at the outset if we're going to build the right expectation.

Amanda: Absolutely, and, as you say that, we know that that's easier to say sometimes than it is to do.

Tammy: It is. It is.

Amanda: So, we actually talked with Donna, who's a home visitor. And she gave us some tips, some really lovely tips, for starting a relationship with a family. So, let's listen to those.

Donna Lenear: Relationships with families are important, because it helps to make families open up, being easier to trust you, and be willing to participate within the program. Making yourself transparent. People love it when you can relate to a situation. To be able to give your opinion and realize that they are not alone in a situation or experience. Building a bond of trust. Making yourself accountable in your families. Push them enough to make things happen that are realistic in their lives, and be a support, but not a crutch. Finally, acknowledge your families' efforts to be successful in the program Let them know the change that you see in them, from when they first started until now. Encourage and motivate them to keep going and improving and to make strides to continue.

Amanda: Tammy, when you're touring your centers or your programs, what is it that you're looking for in relationships as you -- as you're in those sites? We have some pictures here. We know that pictures tell a thousand words, right? So, we wanted to look at these and sort of see what kind of comes at you as you're looking at these.

Tammy: Sure.

Amanda: Here's the first picture of this family childcare provider just with this baby nestled against her chest.

Tammy: And the baby looks incredibly comfortable, relaxed, enjoying. And caregiver's smiling, which says that she's really pleased to be holding this baby, right?

Amanda: What do you see here? They're looking at each other.

Tammy: Wow. Look at her eyes. While you can't see the caregiver's eyes, you look at the baby's eyes, and it's clear that she's locked on to something that she sees in her face that's very attractive to her. And the expression is definitely one of mutual joy and engagement, which is lovely. It's exactly what you want to see.

Amanda: Oh, this baby has come back to her shoulder again.

Tammy: Comforted. Secure. Exactly what you want to see with infants. You want to see adults holding them in ways that communicate, "I'm safe."

Amanda: We also have a video here from a home visiting program.

[Video begins]

Amanda: So, the home visitor brought this painting experience for the family. And that toddler is sitting in her mama's lap.

Tammy: Mm-hmm. And I notice that the home visitor is really sort of at a comfortable -- she's close, but she's clearly allowing the mom and the baby to experience the activity together.

[Video ends]

Tammy: Clearly, the mother was connected with her daughter as she was exploring the different colors and paints, and the home visitor had sort of a supportive stance in the context of that interaction. And that's what we want to see. Right? Parents are allowing us into the privacy of their homes and giving us access to their everyday experiences. And I think as a home visitor coming in and really being able to allow the parent to be in the driver's seat as they're interacting and supporting their child's learning is exactly what we hope for.

Amanda: This is one of the things that Tammy, again, talked to me about when we first started together. Jeree Pawl -- lovely Jeree Pawl has a wonderful platinum rule of work with the very youngest children and families. And what she says is "Do unto others as you would have others do unto others" Tammy, as you think about that, what does that mean to you? And what does it mean in particular to folks who are new to this work?

Tammy: Yes. Well, I mean, at the heart of it, how we are is important as what we do. And, if we really want to inspire our staff to work with parents in ways that invite them to build relationships that are founded on trust, we need to make sure they have models for what that looks like, right? So, we want parents to be responsive. We want parents to be able to read cues. We need to demonstrate that in our work as we support families, so this idea of really doing unto others as we want to see others doing unto others is about sort of living the work in action and providing a way for people to really see and experience that, so they can then deliver those kinds of experiences.

Amanda: There is a parallel process, what we refer to as the parallel process there.

Tammy: Without question.

Amanda: Yeah, and I think that that gets us to what can be so important, that we are really joining with other folks to hold this baby and support this baby as he or she grows, yeah?

Tammy: Absolutely. Absolutely.

Amanda: Yeah. So, we have a question -- another question from a new staff member.

Ally Meese: I have eight children in my classroom, and I am the primary caregiver for four of them. What does that mean to be a primary caregiver?

Amanda: Tammy, what is a primary caregiver, and why is that important?

Tammy: The idea of being able to really learn about a child's individual temperament, having one adult who is able to actually zero in and sort of learn that baby; it doesn't mean that they're not going to be able to interact with others but that there is one special adult who that child can count on to understand and be there to really respond to them as they're interacting in the environment.

Amanda: Well, and as you're saying that, it makes me wonder, because you are running a program that has all three program options, right?

Tammy: That's right.

Amanda: So, you have family childcare; you have home visiting, you have center-based care. You also have services to expectant families. And some of the things that you describe are really relevant to all of those program options. Can you talk about how some of those concepts might apply over those three?

Tammy: Absolutely. I mean, I think it goes back to this notion of relationships. Regardless of the option through which you're delivering service, if you think about the primacy of adults being more comfortable responding to someone that knows them, that understands them, that has established a certain level of trust with them, you're going to be better positioned to be able to support that family, especially if things come up that are very difficult, that are very unexpected. So, it doesn't matter what the option. The idea of really wanting to have an individual that that family knows they can count on becomes really important.

Amanda: You know, things don't always go smoothly. But there's an opportunity in those relationships to have some repair that can really be instructive for folks moving forward.

Tammy: Yes, when there's trust -- I mean, I think that's what makes that possible, right? If you think about a child that might be frustrated, because maybe there's a toy they want to get access to, and they're not able to do it, because somebody else has that toy, and you think about what it takes -- how that child's likely to respond to an individual that they know understands their ways and comes over and helps to support them such that they can move on. And I just -- I think this whole idea of trust, establishing a foundation for being able to deal with tough spots, is really very relevant, whether we're talking children or adults.

Amanda: We have more questions from the field. We have a question here from a family support worker.

Kellie Miller: What are some ways to encourage participation during a home visit?

Tammy: Wow.

Amanda: What would you say?

Tammy: Well, you know, it sort of reminds me of the importance of meeting families where they are; that's at the heart of it. You know, you may come in with an agenda; but if you're not able to really pause, observe, take stock of where is this family and what's going to make best sense as a place to begin, sometimes we unintentionally can push families away.

Amanda: Well, and that was a question about families and relationships with families. We also have a question about relationships with children; so, let's listen to that one.

Debra Kelly: How do I start to build a relationship with a really shy child?

Tammy: Sometimes there can be biases towards children that may not be as apt to reach out and engage with the world immediately, right? And so, in the same way we want to meet adults where they are, we want to be able to meet children where they are. And if we're attentive, if we're observant, children will give us feedback in ways that helps us know we can move closer or we should take a step back and pause, because maybe the child needs a little bit of time to adjust -- whether we're trying to introduce a toy or draw their attention to something that maybe in the environment, just being able to really read the cues of the child and use that as our guide. We all have our individual temperaments that sort of influence how we interact with the world.

Amanda: Yeah. Absolutely. We have a teacher in Florida who has some other things to share too.

Barbara Bell: I start building a relationship with a child who's very shy, by making them feel welcome and by offering a calming support. I observe what interests the child, then I create opportunities to build on emerging skills. I make sure my classroom is warm and inviting.

Amanda: So, that really gets to a lot of the pieces that you were saying, really observing that child and cue-reading.

Tammy: Absolutely. It's critical.

Amanda: So, I want to thank everyone for those fantastic questions today, and absolutely the staff, the veteran staff who wrote in with those strategies that I think will be really helpful to folks. Tammy, I am so sorry we are out of time together. It has been such a pleasure; thank you so much for letting us come and spend this time with you and learn from you.

Tammy: Oh, it's my pleasure. You know I love this work. It really is sort of what keeps me going, so I appreciate you coming by to spend some time; thank you so much.

Amanda: So glad you were here with us today. The bottom line is that this work requires those relationships. They're not just the heart here at Campagna -- they're the heart for all of us.

[Music and end titles]

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Early Essentials Webisode 2: Building Relationships | ECLKC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Music and Titles] Amanda Perez: Hey, I'm Amanda Perez, with the Early Head Start National Resource Center. Welcome back to "Early Essentials." So, tell me the truth. Does it surprise you how much we talk about relationships?

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Rock a bye baby (Song) & I Love You Ritual (On Your Face)

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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Conscious Discipline Version)

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Baby Doll Circle Time--Great for Toddlers!!! 

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Baby Doll Circle Time--Great for Toddlers!!! 

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Baby Doll Circle Time - Meeting The Needs Of All Infants And Toddlers

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Webinar: The 4 Components Infants Need for Healthy Brain Development

The needs of infants and toddlers go beyond just food, sleep, and countless diaper changes. For healthy brain development, infants must be seen, soothed, safe, and stimulated. And to provide these essential components effectively, we must be present. By being present in combination with these elements, you will wire your infant's brain for healthy development.

For healthy brain development, infants must be seen, soothed, safe, and stimulated.

In this webinar, Conscious Discipline Master Instructor Angela Fraley outlines the four essential components for healthy brain development in infants. She explains the importance of presence and provides tips for interpreting nonverbal cues. Nicknamed "The Baby Whisperer" by Dr. Becky Bailey, Angela shares helpful video examples along with her expert advice.

Webinar Outline

00:35 Importance of infant caregiver in infant's brain development

01:29 Tips for being present

03:32 Video Clip: Example of presence with Angela's granddaughter

05:11 Vital Element #1- Being seen/attunement

07:07 Vital Element #2- Being soothed/co-regulation

08:36 Vital Element #3- Feeling safe

10:16 Vital Element #4- Being stimulated with face-to-face interaction

11:47 Why presence is essential for all four components

14:12 Video Clip: Diaper change with attunement

15:33 Video Clip: Diaper change with a disconnect

16:20 How to respond when an infant/toddler doesn't want a playful interaction or needs a break

17:30 Video Clip: Co-regulating

19:24 Video Clip: Interaction with Angela's granddaughter

21:45 Video Clip: Cue that child is almost done with interaction

Resource Mentions

Helpful Next Steps

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 4 Components Infants Need for Healthy Brain Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The needs of infants and toddlers go beyond just food, sleep, and countless diaper changes. For healthy brain development, infants must be seen, soothed, safe, and stimulated. And to provide these essential components effectively, we must be present. By being present in combination with these elements, you will wire your infant's brain for healthy development.

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Dr. Bailey designed I Love You Rituals as a playful means to promote optimal brain development, increase attention span, reduce hyperactivity, build self-esteem, amplify cooperation and facilitate language development. These transformative rituals can be enjoyed in an adult-child setting or between…

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Cultivating Self-Awareness in Our Work with Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families _ NAEYC

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“You’re Okay” May Not be Okay_ Using Emotion Language to Promote Toddlers’ Social and Emotional Development _ NAEYC

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Respect: The Heart of Serving Infants and Toddlers

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Respect: The Heart of Serving Infants and Toddlers

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Respect_ The Heart of Serving Infants and Toddlers _ NAEYC

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Caring Relationships: The Heart of Early Childhood Development

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Caring Relationships: The Heart of Early Childhood Development

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Caring Relationships_ The Heart of Early Brain Development _ NAEYC

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Open-Ended Experiences are the BEST Experiences

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Open-Ended Experiences are the BEST Experiences

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REAL EXPERIENCES FOR LEARNING & RELATIONSHIPS

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REAL EXPERIENCES FOR LEARNING & RELATIONSHIPS

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What does it mean to offer real, relevant experiences for learning?

Why is this important in a child's life?

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List the routines (and any rituals) you do as you move through the day. Remember, rituals are consistent experiences that connect the heart--and are inclusive of everyone (including adults).

How do you support relationships within the routines?

If there is time, come up with rituals that you might incorporate into your day.