Infants and Toddlers Building the Foundation for Moving and Learning:

1. Infants and ToddlersBuilding the Foundation for Moving and Learning: Sensory Actions, Control Skills and Exploratory Actions

2. Best Practices for Infant-Toddler Movement • Infants need several, short, supervised planned periods of tummy time daily. • Infants need space to explore – free of confining devices that limit their ability to move freely and learn to control their bodies in space. • Toddlers experience 60-90 minutes or more of daily active play, indoors and outdoors. • Screen time is not used with infants or toddlers more than 3-4 times a year. • Let’s look for ways to support these practices in our planning!

3. Sensory Motor Stage of Development • Let’s think about infants and toddlers • Infants and toddlers learn through their physical senses and their movement • What does this mean for us? • Crawlers and toddlers can move around, so we need to provide infants an enriched environment without containers! • Infants need caregivers to provide sensory and movement experiences, so plan intentionally for tummy time daily. • Eliminate screen time for infants and toddlers

4. Sensory Actions for Infants • Role of adult is to maximize sensory actions: • Through responsive interactions • By providing enriched, sensory experiences in many ways • Remember: Development depends…on YOU!!! • Visual (Seeing) • Infants prefer people and faces more than objects! • Faces, photographs and bold patterns interest young infants • Mobiles or mirrors should be within 12 inches of infants’ eyes • Vary visual experiences by repositioning the infant

5. Sensory Actions for Infants(continued) • Auditory (Hearing) • Infants recognize and respond to sounds and familiar voices • Infants love sounds they make: noises, coos, babbling • Adults should talk about what infants are doing • Adults should talk, read to, sing and hum to provide a rich auditory sensory environment for infants • Try these activities during daily routines: diaper changing, bathing, or tummy time.

6. Sensory Actions for Infants (continued) • Tactile (Touch): • Essential form of communication, can build security and trust • Body awareness grows through touch • Vestibular (Motion) • Comforting sensation of rocking or swaying • Use gentle, slow motions with young infants • As an infant grows more comfortable with movement, try gentle swaying, rocking or circular motions • Suggested equipment, toys and props in handout

7. Control Skills for Babies: 6–12 months • Intentional movement supports learning! • Crawling allows exploration of the environment and learning! • Maturation supports control. We encourage learning! • During this time, babies typically: • Gain control of their bodies against gravity: from head down and center out • Inspect and manipulate small objects • How can adults help? • Support development of trust through responsive interaction • Encourage early exploration and learning: free the babies from containers like exersaucers, walkers, jumpers! • Ensure no screen time for infants • Support sensory experiences and provide appropriate challenges

8. Control Skills for Babies: 6 – 12 months(continued) • Manipulation • Control of muscles in arms, hands and fingers • Reaching, grasping and releasing • Will lead to self-feeding, pouring, and release of objects • Spaces • Babies gain control of bodies, then objects, then body in space • Provide big spaces for infants to crawl through, over or around: hoops, arches, tunnels, mats, boxes, traffic cones, etc.

9. Control Skills for Babies: 6-12 months (continued) • Obstacles • Challenge and strengthen postural control • Increase development of stability and mobility • Stimulate curiosity • Provide options for going under, over, up, down or through • Maintaining control is easier crawling up a wedge than down. • Equipment for obstacles: • Can you think of some ideas? • See more ideas in the handout in your binder.

10. Exploratory Actions for Toddlers • Transition from infancy to childhood • No longer dependent • Not yet totally independent • “Adolescence” of early childhood between baby and child • Seeking independence and autonomy • Needing safety and security • Toddlers: Curious explorers! Seekers of knowledge! • Learn by exploring environment and manipulating objects • Need a variety of active play experiences • Equipment suggestions are in your handouts in the binder

11. Exploratory Actions for Toddlers (continued) • Ball Handling • Exploration is more important than skill at this point. • Opportunities to collect, handle, toss, kick, explore and manipulate a wide variety of sizes and textures • Balance • Impact on posture control, stability and travel abilities • Opportunities to step up, turn corners, change directions • Practice walking on different surfaces, up and down ramps, and on low beams or tape on the floor

12. Exploratory Actions for Toddlers (continued) • Manipulation and Increasing Fine Motor Skill • Opportunities to stack, string, twist, turn, pound, build with small blocks and fit puzzle pieces in place • Object handling: lift and carry, fill and empty, messy play • Space exploration • Space awareness and exploration builds learning • Awareness of relationship of body to space and objects • Obstacles • Explore body in relation to play spaces, structures and gravity • Support exploration, problem solving, motor skills, language

13. Exploratory Actions for Toddlers (continued) • Wheeled Toys • Develop strength and stability by pushing and pulling • Develop coordination and opportunities for cooperation • Pretend Play or Dramatic Play • Thoughtful props stimulate “pretend” movements • Impact across multiple domains of development • Rhythm • Opportunities to listen to and respond to music • Singing, changing, dancing, playing instruments

14. Let’s Move! Child Care Resource Page Fabulous resources for infants and toddlers. Share them with your staff, children and families:http://www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org/resources.html Games for Toddlers KidsHealth site linked via LMCC. Your toddlers (and their families) will love Walking, Walking; Over the Water; and Umbrella. These games are inclusive, fun and easy! http://www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org/content/dam/hkhf/filebox/naccrra/newnaccrra/noncomgames.pdf Head Start Body Start: Website full of developmentally appropriate experiences especially for children birth to 3 years, resources like Little Voices for Healthy Choices, family night kits, and healthy activities for families. These activities are fun, helpful, and many are in English and Spanish: http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/activityresources/

15. Infants and Toddlers: • You help build the foundation for moving and learning! • Intentional planning makes a big difference! • As we explore the Infant Toddler Toolkit, think about these early skills and how they are supported. • Thank you for your work to support children. And remember, development depends…on YOU!