In child care programs, relationships with families are critical. Caring teachers and caregivers learn from the experiences, knowledge, culture, and childrearing beliefs of family members.

Partnerships grow when teachers value the family as the primary source of information about the child and as the constant in the baby’s life, and when families value the knowledge and personal characteristics of their child’s teachers. Good communication is essential.

Working with Infants and Toddlers

Good teachers understand typical development from birth through age 3. Knowing how the youngest children learn and develop helps professionals closely attune to individual children and their families—in all their variety.

Here’s what DAP looks like in an infant/toddler room:

Lisa selects materials for Haylee with her specific interests and developmental progress in mind. Countless small actions like this make up best practice for infants and toddlers.

The classroom example on this page is taken from Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction for Teachers of Infants & Toddlers.

We need to do better and stop just surviving.  We need to be thriving and exceeding expectations.  We are trying to hire at least one additional staff person for the afternoons.  We don’t want to just hire anyone and be stuck with someone who adds to the crazy instead of being helpful and self-sufficient. 

With regard to details, we all really need to pay attention to details.  Things like classroom allergies, special milks and food substitutes are important.  This goes beyond just forgetting to bring out milk or snack subs.  It is about double checking before we serve and making sure we get it right the first time.  Details like checking diapers at the end of the day and not sending kids home poopy or with filthy faces and hands.  Put yourself in the position of the parent and how would you feel if you arrived and found your child in a dirty diaper with a filthy face and hands?  Would you wonder if they had been walking around like that all day and why?  Also, paying attention to timing details and making sure you initiate specific transitions, tasks and activities at the appropriate times.  Take the kids outside at the designated outside time not just when you feel like it and come in when it is time to.  If you want to stay out longer have a plan, take areas outside and take your children to a designated area of the grounds for that.  DO NOT interfere with another classes outside time and mix age groups.  You are in the same classrooms every day, don’t stand around waiting for someone else to initiate what you should already know needs to happen.  We have no time for hand holding or micromanaging.  

With regard to tone of voice, life is stressful and everyone has their own struggles and concerns.  It is understandable that you may carry some of that into work with you and have rough days from time to time.  That being said, it is not the children’s fault so please don’t take it out on them.  Remember they are children and they are going to make mistakes.  Your job is to help them to learn to be kind, responsible and self-controlled.  That does not happen by being yelled at, embarrassed in front of the class, threatened or brought to the office.  It is one thing to take a firm tone when a child bites or hits, it is another to tell them you are mad at them or disappointed in them, berate them in front of the class, threaten to call their parents or Miss Jessica, dismiss them from your sight and/or refuse to accept their apology and move on.  If you are frustrated, walk away and let your co-teacher tag in.  Ask yourself, Is it better to be right or happy?  You may be right that it makes you look more competent to outsiders but do the children really need to be standing in a straight line to go outside. The answer is NO!  We are not looking for perfection, after all we as adults are not perfect.  What we are looking for is an environment that promotes learning from play and learning from mistakes.  

How do you lessen your own stress in the room and create an environment that is calm? 

·         I keep coming back to the idea of routine.  Create a routine and stick to it.  Your day needs to be predictable for you and the kids.  

·         Start with relationships.  When we get frustrated with children it is instinct to want to push them away.   This however is the opposite of what really needs to happen.  We need to pull that child in and build a relationship with them.  Let the child know you love them, they are more likely to care and not want to disappoint you if they have a relationship with you.  

·         Take time to guide children through using their words.  Kids don’t know what it means when you say “use your words!”  Ask them open ended questions like “what can you say when he takes your toy to let him know you want it back?”  If they can’t come up with an answer then tell then what their options are.  Encourage them to use a loud voice to let the other child know they don’t like something, or give it back.  Pay attention when you hear the kids use a big voice and offer them support that they might need.  Sometimes it is just looking in the direction so the other child knows you are paying attention and they will give the toy back or stop what they are doing.  Sometimes you may have to stop what you are doing walk over to the child and offer immediate intervention.  

·         DO NOT yell across the room.  Just like you don’t appreciate someone getting in your face or yelling at you or yelling at you across the room letting everyone know your business the kids don’t like it.  Before you think I don’t care if they like it they are in trouble, it is about showing respect for another human being.  The only time you should be yelling across a room at a child is if they are about to stick their finger in a light socket or something similar.  Before you think respect is earned, kids have to learn what respect is before they can give it to someone and they learn it from the example you show them.  

·         Take time for yourself in your personal life to blow off steam and refresh yourself, mentally and spiritually.  It is not healthy to only work and never play.  Take time to do the things you enjoy and when you go home at the end of the day enjoy your family and let go of work.  It is awesome that you love the kids as your own, your hearts are big and full, but when you go home you need to allow yourself to relax, decompress and have a personal life that does not revolve around your job.  This doesn’t mean you can’t ever talk about your kiddos outside of work or look for fun ideas outside of work but keep it in moderation and remember to take care of you.

·         Finally, if you don’t laugh you will cry.  🤬 happens and sometimes the moon is full and the kids are psycho.  Learn to laugh at the little things.  When the drama subsides, the moment has passed and everyone is safe, smile and remember you survived and now you have a story to share that involves poop, vomit, snot, and/or any number of other gross and awkward things that no other adult ever gets to talk about at work because HR would deem it inappropriate.   Your job is unique and you are tougher than most!  If you have made it this far come into the office and say “the cow goes quack” and you will receive 30 minutes of training and we won’t make you stay after work for a staff meeting that could have been an email.

Blue sparkles

Measure the hair conditioner into a bowl and then mix in the essential oil and cornstarch. You will most likely need more than 1 cup of cornstarch, but 1 cup is a good measurement to start with.

You are looking for a smooth and soft texture, one that does not break away or crumble when you knead it like bread.

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Cover surfaces with newspaper or plastic tablecloths. Provide old shirts, aprons, or smocks to cover clothes. Have water, paper towels, soap, or rags at the ready. Discuss any guidelines to keep paint, glue, and markers away from furniture or walls. Ensure small items are not accessible to very young children and supervision is used as needed.

Set up space. If you can, find a designated space for creating. If space is limited, consider a small rolling storage container that can be wheeled outside or stored in a closet.

Compile a selection of safe materials to offer. Keep in mind the age of your child when planning activities and stockpiling supplies. Materials can include: paper in a variety of colors, textures and sizes, pencils, markers, crayons, watercolors, multiple colors of tape, glue, stickers, and collage materials. You do not need to offer all of the options at once. Remember, sometimes less is more.

Organize your materials. Organizational systems keep things neat and appealing, and inspire children's creativity. Use tackle boxes, small metal flowerpots, containers with lids, boxes, small baskets, small bowls, and muffin tins to corral like items and make clean-up easy.

Try making a collage. Cut or rip construction or tissue paper in a variety of colors into small pieces. Provide your child with a small amount of glue in a disposable cup, a thin paint brush, and paper. You can vary what you offer. Think about three-dimensional materials, such as paper towel tubes or cardboard boxes, and other collage materials, such as leaves, flowers, sequins, small tiles, or pieces of fabric.

Encourage creative independence. Process art is about your child forging his or her own path. If you feel tempted to give your child instructions on what to make, try stating, "Here are some art materials I collected for you. Let’s see how you use them."
Discuss your child’s creations and creative process. Engaging in a conversation about your child’s art helps him or her to become more cognizant of choices and actions, allows for verbal expression, and boosts vocabulary.

Try saying, "Tell me more about this," rather than, "What a beautiful house you drew." You may just learn that what you thought was a house, is actually, "a friendly monster ready to play with his friends."

Ask questions to encourage reflection on the process. "Why did you decide to use purple over here?" Or, "How did you figure out how to attach those pieces to the paper?" You can also share observations on what you see. "I see that you used multiple strips of tape." Or, "I noticed that you mix very thin lines, with large wide ones."

Remember, there is no right or wrong way when it comes to process art projects for kids.

We hope to see you Wednesdays, April 8 - May 13, 2020 from 1 - 2 p.m. EST.

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Meeting ID: 195 167 124

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