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Infants and Toddlers
Infants
6 weeks to 1 year
Goals for Infants:
• Regulation of internal schedule--napping, eating, and elimination
• Development of gross motor (large muscle) control
• Sense of self as a separate identity
• Sense of competence and control over environment, to feel that the world is a good place to live in
• Ability to communicate needs through eye contact and verbalizations
• Ability to trust people
• Sense of responsibility for actions, understanding of cause and effect
Program:
An infant's time at BlueSkies is spent in individualized activities, in a homelike age-appropriate environment. Beyond the nurturing needs, sleeping, eating, diapering, etc., which is done on each baby's own schedule, there are toys, areas to move in, interesting things to hold and look at, and laps to sit on. There are 3 infants to 1 adult.
DAILY SCHEDULE:
7:30 - 8:30
Most babies arrive
8:00
Morning feeding offered
7:30 - 6:00
Babies sleep, play, and eat according to each one's individual needs
6:00
All children have gone home
- Wobbly Walkers Group
Walking to 24 months
Younger "Wobblies" begin to shift from their totally individualized Infant program to more of a group routine, but with room for variations as needed. For example, most Wobblies take only one nap but have cribs available in case a second is needed. The environment is different, supporting increased physical ability, with more advanced toys, more space to move in, challenging places to explore or to watch other children from. The drive to manage the movement of their bodies is paramount, so the environment offers many opportunities for walking and climbing in the playroom, on the porches, or in their play yard. "Clinging and following" is a recognized developmental need, and modeling adults is an important learning tool. Wobblies begin to sit together for meals, with snacks or meals offered about every 90 minutes.
Older Wobblies begin to enjoy some activities needing more focus, such as cornmeal play, puzzles, etc. With increased physical skill, longer attention span, and interest in problem solving, a new world has opened up as they experience their budding autonomy. Wobblies are also learning to trust new adults, master their school routines, and listen and remember.
There are 3 Wobblies to 1 adult.
DAILY SCHEDULE:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast and Free Play
8:15-9:00 Free Play
9:00 Free Play Inside or Outside
9:15-9:45 Snack
9:30 Outside Play
10:40-11:15 Lunch
11:00 Free Play Inside or Outside
11:30 Bottles and Nap
1:15 Children Begin Waking up
2:00 Snack
2:30 Free Play
3:30 Bottles
4:00 Free Play
5:00 Snack
5:15 Free Play
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Todds Group
24 to 30 Months
The Toddler group is a distinct stage of development — no longer infants and not yet preschoolers. Starting at about 22 months toddlers achieve a new autonomy which brings them into conflict, and "no" is the password. This coupled with immature language skills brings many frustrations. They are learning about feelings and working on impulse control. Play situations are structured so they can play near (rather than with) each other. Dramatic play emerges, and they spend much time acting out the behavior they observe in their confusing bigger world of school, home, and family.
Toddlers, like the Wobbly Walkers, are physically driven and need an environment that encourages the use of their bodies. They learn best by doing. Concepts that are important at this age are:
• Routines which give some control over their lives and build security.
• Ownership which needs to be firmly established before they are ready to take turns or share.
• Self-help skills such as washing hands, using eating utensils, hanging up jackets, etc. Routines are designed so each child can "do it myself!"
Play activities which promote development in the toddler months are:
• Manipulative toys (puzzles, sorting and categorizing, clay, painting, etc.) to help them learn to control their motions and make things happen.
• Stories, which are very special at this age, when there is a rapid development of vocabulary and abstract thinking.
• Music, whether to listen to, to dance to, or to use simple rhythm instruments with.
There are 4 toddlers to 1 adult. Their daily schedules include enrichment activities in the morning and afternoon, family grouping with older and younger children in the early morning and late afternoon, and opportunities to develop self-help skills all day. Snacks, lunch, and nap times are geared to the individual needs of children in this group.
The Hedco Infant Toddler Program is licensed by California Community Care Licensing, #010213219.
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