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There are certain needs that an infant and toddler will have that need to be committed to in the long term. Learn about the seven irreducible needs of infants and toddlers with help from a former family case worker for CPS in this free video clip.
Safe stairs are specially important when your kids are still infants or even toddlers. Learn about safe stairs for infants and toddlers with help from a former family case worker for CPS in this free video clip.
Transitioning a bedroom from an infant to a toddler is something you'll have to do as your child's personality starts to develop. Transition a bedroom from an infant to a toddler with help from a former family case worker for CPS in this free video clip.
Even infants and toddlers can get in on the fun of singing and performing. Learn about songs and musical activities for infants and toddlers with help from a professional singer in this free video clip.
Parents use enrichment activities and tools with infants and toddlers to stimulate the child’s brain. Your enrichment activities don’t need to be complex in order to get your child’s attention and engage him. Enrichments may stimulate your child’s vision, hearing, taste, smell or touch. You can purchase many items to stimulate your infant or toddler, but you also can make various items that work just as well as anything you can purchase.
Most children have developed a small vocabulary by the age of 18 months. You can nurture your infant or toddler's verbal development by doing language activities with him. You can make many of these simple and low-cost activities yourself and do them in the comfort of your home.
According to Dr. Clark, a professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland, motor-skill competence should be promoted at an early age to ensure healthy development. She adds that children will learn to move more skillfully when they adopt physical activity early in life. Teachers, therefore, can develop daily activities for toddlers and infants that will enhance development of motor skills in classrooms.
It is important for parents and caretakers to know the five basic needs of infants and toddlers, as they are vital for their overall physical and mental growth. When all of their needs are met, they will grow into well-rounded, confident children that are able to handle the challenges life has to offer.
Caregivers of infants and toddlers are expected to provide children with appropriate developmental practices. These practices include maintaining a clean and safe environment, providing nutritious meals and offering education stimulation to small children. To ensure you are complying with the standards for appropriate developmental practices, make sure you are meeting all of the requirements for a developmentally appropriate caregiving facility to enrich the lives of infants and toddlers.
Toddlers are busy exploring their environment with all their senses. According to the National Institutes of Health, children between the ages of 1 and 3 are developing their gross motor skills, fine motor skills, language and social skills. To encourage their normal development in each of these critical areas, introduce creative games to toddlers.
Capitalize on an infant's natural curiosity and intrinsic love of animals for memorable, entertaining and educational activities. Most people have fond memories of trips to the zoo when they were children. Animals and babies seem to go hand-in-hand. Combine both infants and zoo animals, such as giraffes, bears and zebras, into activities for a recipe for something adorable.
As toddlers grow physically, their cognitive growth is progressing just as quickly. Parents can provide activities to promote this intellectual development in ways that are enjoyable for the toddler as well as other members of the family as they interact together. Toys, games, and activities will get everyone having a good time as well as learning.
Toddlers are naturally curious about the world around them. Their curiosity can be guided by structured lesson plans that help develop their creativity. Creativity is an important part of being a toddler, and being human. It allows us to express our feelings and thoughts in new ways. Toddlers should be encouraged to express their imaginations on paper and should be given positive reinforcement for their accomplishments.
Infants and toddlers rely on the adults in their lives for both present and future needs. At an immediate level, young children need to have trusting, secure relationships with adults in order to maintain healthy, safe lives. On a long term basis, children rely on the stability and lessons learned from infancy to develop social and mental skills needed later in life.
Begging and whining is one of the most annoying and embarrassing habits a child can develop. For example, a child who repeatedly demands food in a supermarket and cries or screams when he doesn't get it can embarrass both you and him. If you find yourself overwhelmed and unsure of what to do about this behavior, there are a few simple steps you can take to stop your child from begging and make your life easier.
The infant and toddler periods are miraculous times of development. With fast-paced growth and changes that seem to happen on a daily basis, parents and care givers who work with babies and very young children can help promote positive development by understanding the abilities of this age group.
The toddler years, between the ages of approximately 1 to 4, are extremely formative for a child. During this time you can expect your toddler to develop tremendously. This is the period that bridges the gap between infancy and childhood, says the University of Illinois Extension, whereby your child will learn some of the most essential human skills for the rest of his life. The evolution of your toddler will not happen according to a specific time line, but by the age of 4 years old you can expect he will be capable of doing a number of things.
Children are hard work and require dedication by caregivers to ensure child safety and overall good health. The issue is more difficult when a baby or toddler has special needs. Whatever the degree of need, whether physical or emotional, a little extra help from usable and helpful equipment can make taking care of special-needs children a little easier.
Helping young children to develop their five senses - taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound - will result in overall increased learning and retention capabilities. Sensory activities should be playful and fully engrossing in order to have maximum effect on the young minds you are attempting to shape. Jungle-themed sensory activities are ideal, as they lend themselves to getting wild and messy, all in the name of education.
Cognitive development is crucial during an infant's first year of life. The skills and patterns they learn during this time can affect them for the rest of their lives. However, parents don't have to feel pressured as they help their child develop. Babies learn best through play. All play helps babies learn about the world, but structured activities can also be strategic in fostering cognitive development in your infant.
Babies and toddlers are like sponges, as they absorb information about the world around them at a rapid rate. It's important to guide and direct what information babies and children are exposed to and what activities they participate in to assure they're exposed to positive inputs. Use stimulating activities and interactive games to help babies and toddlers learn, grow and develop.
Infants don't have the capability of understanding your words or the concept of books. Toddlers have only just begun to understand how to express themselves using their native language and that printed words on a page are one way to do this. Still, reading out loud to your infant and later as a toddler provides essential benefits that help his cognitive development, among other things.
Keeping infants and toddlers entertained isn't an easy task, especially when you want to provide your child with something educational ad stimulating to do. There are lots of creative games and activities suitable for young children, which will not only be fun and exciting for them but also beneficial to their development. Try to play lots of different games with your infant or toddler on a daily basis that will encourage him to develop his arts and crafts abilities, communication skills, mobility and positive attitude toward food.
Your toddler is growing both emotionally and physically. He may test your patience as he strives for independence. As he learns more words, he may even start to beg. He may believe that begging will get him what he wants if you give in. You need to focus on ways to reduce his begging and encourage him to behave properly.
School age refers to those years between the preschool years and the teen years. Children of this age are developing rapidly and becoming more independent. Their thinking skills are exploding as well as their gross and fine motor skills. Remembering that each child is unique and will develop at his own pace; activities that encourage a child's specific abilities and interests are crucial. Reinforce new skills with developmentally appropriate activities for each stage of development.
Early childhood is a time of excitement and learning for children and parents alike. Infants enter the world completely helpless and almost unaware of their surroundings. Gradually, through play and socialization, babies grow into talking, walking toddlers. Many activities are designed to encourage and promote different aspects of development for infants and toddlers, as well as provide enjoyable interactions between child and caregiver.
Derived from the Middle English word toteren, meaning "to walk unsteadily," the word toddler aptly fits the little people that cling to their parents' knees and fingertips as they take their first steps. Increased mobility gives these 12 to 36 month old children the ability to explore and learn from their environment in new and challenging ways. Toddler development is marked by an increased desire for independence as the child learns new skills, develops speech and interacts socially within a structured environment.
A baby becomes a toddler when walking occurs. It is a stage that occurs between infancy and childhood, and is characterized by growth. In this stage, toddlers learn about the world and how they relate to it. From solving problems to screaming, toddlers are always performing experiments to add to their knowledge base. Although screaming and screeching may be embarrassing for parents, it is a normal part of this development stage and can be stopped, if given the right knowledge.
Cognitive development is a term used to describe the intellectual growth that begins at birth and continues throughout an individual's life. The systems and learning structures in the brain start developing the moment a new baby starts looking around and interacting with his surroundings. To foster cognitive development in your infant or toddler, you can incorporate a variety of activities into your daily routine.
The birth of a newborn baby is a time filled with joy and wonder. Each child is filled with a great potential to grow and learn. A parent is the child's first teacher. Spend time bonding with your baby as he grows into toddlerhood, opening doors to the world around him through meaningful games.
Identifying learning styles helps in developing a strategy to best help your toddler learn. From toy selections to activities, the type of learner your toddler is will influence what they take away from the toys they play with and the activities they engage in. Toddlers are thought to fit into a main type of learning style. The most recognized styles are "listeners," "lookers" and "movers."
Infants change in the first two years and develop from cooing newborns to toddlers who can express their wishes by putting two or three words together. Children's mobility has increased and they can move around independently by the time they are two years old. Watching an infant change and grow into a toddler is fascinating. Pinpointing exactly when an infant changes and move from one milestone to another can be challenging.
Sensory processing is crucial to all other areas of a child's development. It affects how the child perceives sound, movement, taste, smells and touch. If a child has difficulties or aversions to sensory input in any of these areas, he or she will naturally avoid stimulation, which may affect learning. As a parent or educator, you can assist a child in developing sensory experiences. One way to make sensory learning fun is by incorporating a jungle theme. Below is a list of several sensory activities with jungle themes.
The average adult may not even realize how frequently he uses his five senses, but infants and toddlers are just starting to learn how useful these senses can be. Sensory activities help young children learn how to process and understand the world. Completing sensory activities with your child can also help you bond as you introduce him to new sensations.
Your toddler's ability to learn new things and apply what the child learns to the world around him or her will have a big impact on both school and an eventual career. Many parents look for ways to give their children a leg up, either through expensive private day-care centers or through a wide range of products intended to hasten development. You can make your toddler smarter simply by means of everyday activities and interaction.
The stages of development in the life cycle begin in the womb, and physiological, mental and emotional maturity continues throughout life. Early childhood is a time filled with wonder for the growing babies and the parents, alike. The stages of development for infants and toddlers include specific, universal characteristics that are identifiable in every child as they grow from 6 to 36 months in age. However, some kids reach milestones earlier or later than others.
Babies and young toddlers need attention all of the time, and it can be difficult to think of new and interesting activities. Fortunately, you do not need too much creativity because both babies and toddlers learn through repetition. Mostly what young children need is your time and attention. If you are interacting with and talking to them, they will be learning from and responding to you.
Cognitive activities help with a child's ability to learn and process information. Cognitive development involves a series of activities that help infants and toddlers with problem solving, reasoning, thinking and memory skills. Biologist Jean Piaget, who has become a prominent figure in child development, produced a theory outlining how structured stages of thinking change from infants to teenagers.
Life with twin infants and a toddler can be hectic. This is especially true when you have errands to run. When many parents discover they are having twins, they prepare their toddler for life outside of the stroller. Just because you have twins on the way, you don't have to kick your toddler out of the stroller to make room for his siblings. Make your life easier by purchasing a durable stroller that has room for your toddler and twin infants.
Babies grow and develop at an astounding rate during the first years of life. Newborns soak up the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of their environment from day one. As babies become toddlers, their world gradually expands. Parents can begin to nurture the development of creativity by providing babies with a variety of sensory experiences and toddlers with varied life experiences.
If your minor child receives a check for a birthday gift, Christmas gift or as a reward for making good grades, you will need to be able to endorse and cash it. Endorsing a check for a minor child is similar to endorsing a check for yourself. You need to make sure the bank or financial institution will honor the check and follow any procedures recommended by the bank to cash the check.
Infants and toddlers require almost constant observation, as they grow up very rapidly. However, there are also tools and systems that have been developed to help observe and evaluate children to ensure their safety, as well as to mark progress as the children grow and develop.
A sensory activity is any activity focused on incorporating and engaging the senses. Sensory activities are an essential part of infant and toddler development as they help young children to discover and develop a knowledge of their bodies and how they relate to and retain knowledge of their world. While on some level any activity requires use of the senses, a good sensory activity should engage your child's mind as well as his senses.
When you become a parent, you want to make sure you do everything you can to help your child grow and develop to his highest potential. It may be difficult to know what kind of activities to do with your infant or toddler to stimulate his mind. Young children are easily entertained and with a little effort on your part, you can help your child grow and establish a more secure bond through activities.
Developmental stages for infants and toddlers are generally understood in terms of physical developmental, social-emotional development and cognitive development. Each of these areas develops at its own rate, and children frequently make great strides in one area while briefly neglecting another during development. Over time developmental focus usually shifts so that typically developing children meet the expected milestones in each area.
New parents have much to consider when planning for their new baby. One of the most important decisions you will make is what infant or toddler equipment to purchase. Safety, design, convenience and cost are some things to take into consideration when making your selections. Fortunately there are many products on the market that can convert from one piece of equipment to another, making the whole process even easier.
The first time your adorable toddler's shrieks pierce the air, you may be amused or even laugh. However, as her screeching becomes a regular habit, you may be bemoaning her noise and popping aspirin to manage the resulting headache. Toddler shrieks can happen at inopportune times, disrupting phone calls, television shows or social situations. While often annoying, your toddler is not trying to upset you or pierce your eardrums. He is learning the range of his vocal cords and attempting early manipulation of his voice. But before you resort to ear plugs, there are strategies to help resolve your infant…
Language skills can be developed early in children with some simple activities. Most language activities involve making sounds for your child to hear and try to imitate. Even if your infant or toddler cannot speak yet, it is still important to develop the sounds she will use for future language use. Repeating a few activities daily will help reinforce language development.
Games entertain and mentally stimulate children through a variety of methods. Fisher-Price has free games for infants and toddlers on its website. It is recommended that parents play the learning games themselves prior to sitting down at the computer with children; previewing helps determine activities most appropriate for children of different ages and their unique developmental stages. For its part, Family Education provides an extensive list of activities for infants and toddlers.
For most couples, the advent of young children make them look at their home with new eyes. "Charming" now seems cluttered. Special features--stone floors, balconies, old coal fireplaces--now look downright dangerous. No wonder there is some debate over which flooring--wood or carpet--is most child-friendly.
Activities and games are an important part of an infant or toddler's development. It helps to keep them healthy and their brains active. It is also important for parents to participate in activities with children so they can contribute to their physical, emotional and social development. A new parent may not be familiar with the type of games or activities suitable for infant and toddlers, so it is important for them to research and inquire about the practices.
Infants and toddlers do not attend school, but they learn from the time they wake up until they go back to sleep. Young children develop in two ways: physically and mentally. Children form strong muscles and fine motor control, first learning to walk and then learning to run. Less obviously, maturing infant and toddler minds need exercise just as much as their bodies do. The first opportunities to teach your child belong to you.
Between the ages of 3 and 6 months is a special time in your baby's life. Prior to this age, basic necessities like food, sleep and warmth will determine her actions and behavior. But, beginning around 3 months of age, your baby will become increasingly alert and interested in her environment and caregivers. By the time she's 6 months old, your baby will attempt to go beyond observation to participation and engagement.
From infancy until the first days of school, children make their first steps, both literal and figurative, into the world around them. An incredible amount of growth and development goes into those first few years of their lives. During that time they learn to do things such as walk, run, feed themselves, talk, listen to others, and interact with the people in their lives.
As adults, we may recall our first encounter with math as unfolding under a teacher's watchful eye in school. In reality, humans begin developing math skills in infancy. Babies and toddlers solve rudimentary geometry problems, negotiate numbers and use deductive reasoning in their daily play. With parental guidance, young children can strengthen these innate skills. By the time a child approaches that first classroom, her geometry might be in pretty good shape.
Outdoor activities for infants and toddlers are important for a variety of reasons. They include receiving vitamin D supplied by the sun, learning about their environment, interacting with others, and mental and physical development. One of the wonderful aspects of outdoor play activities is how it stimulates all of your toddler's or infant's the senses, from smelling, touching, hearing to sometimes tasting. Outdoor activities also help enhance their motor skills.
As your baby grows, her eyesight and reflexes will improve, and her muscles will strengthen as she moves her body. Soon, she will be able to control her head, sit up straight, and crawl. When your child becomes a toddler, it will be exciting and challenging to see her learn new information and skills. To support your child's development, implement a variety of activities that benefit both the mind and body.
Engaging a child in interactive activities helps build motor and cognitive thinking skills. Infants and toddlers engage in sensorimotor play that teaches their brain to process and synchronize interrelated muscle function. During this period, children begin to understand an object's function, and start interacting with the object through dramatic and fantasy play. Helping to further a child's development through playful activities requires engaging the child in ways that strengthen their cognitive and motor development.
Babies and toddlers are drawn to anything that is brightly colored, and fish are not scary to children the way larger animals might be. Hang pictures of fish low on the walls where children can see them, or hang a fish mobile over a crib. Read books about sea creatures and find stuffed animal fish for the child to hold. All of these can stimulate a child's senses.
Infants and toddlers grasp language skills early through listening to their parents, siblings and friends. They also learn the skills by watching or participating in various activities. Just because they aren't able to pronounce many words in their speech doesn't mean they don't understand what you are saying. Using the correct language-building tools during playtime is an effective way to increase their verbal skills and vocabulary.
Infants and toddlers thrive on playful activity. Playing games with infants and toddlers is a crucial part of their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. Just as importantly, play brings you and the child closer and makes your time together both more memorable and more enjoyable. As a new parent or novice childcare provider, however, you may not be sure how to play properly with an infant or toddler, so it's important to take the time to familiarize yourself with some proven activities.
Infants and toddlers are constantly developing their senses. Sensory activities foster healthy development of a child's senses. In addition to the five basic senses -- sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste -- there are two other sensory-related skills that infants and toddlers develop in the early years: the awareness of their own body, hands, and feet, and the ability to maintain balance.
Infants and toddlers learn during playtime. Play stimulates their physical, emotional and mental growth. Whether you want to interact with your children to help them develop to their full potential or simply to entertain them on rainy days or during car trips, preschool activities will maximize the enjoyment of the time you spend together.
Infants and toddlers are easily entertained at home through basic activities that utilize their toys and environment. Rather than doing the same things every day, children should have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. Parents and other caregivers should take the child's current developmental abilities into account when facilitating activities for infants and toddlers.
Sensory activities involving snow encourage young infants and toddlers to explore new tactile experiences as they experiment with different textures and temperatures. Projects can take place outdoors or indoors, utilizing real or fake snow. Toddlers will enjoy snow-themed activities in the kitchen, at the craft table or in the backyard. For infants, cotton balls and fleece blankets are great materials for a setting a playful snow scene for sensory play.
Get wet and wild with some water play activities designed to stimulate your little one while having fun. Water play helps encourage discovery and stimulates a young child with different materials. Before playing with water, be sure that the surface is safe and not too slippery. Clean up wipes with a towel as you go along. In addition, never leave your infant or toddler alone with water.
Working on fine and gross motor activities with your young child helps her develop new skills and feel a sense of accomplishment and increasing independence as she learns new activities. As your child grows and develops her motor skills, she will be able to complete more complex tasks with less assistance.
A neoprene float jacket is a swimming and buoyancy aid, designed to be worn by children to keep their heads above water when learning to swim. The vest is constructed of neoprene and is filled with removable foam floats. As the child's swimming becomes stronger, the floats can be removed to adjust the buoyancy. After the float is removed, check to ensure the child is comfortable with the buoyancy. Although it looks similar to a life jacket, it is not and should never be used in place of a life jacket.
Parents and caregivers lay the foundation for literacy in the first few years of a child's life. Leaders of infant/toddler literacy programs must provide a sensitive, responsive relationship with children and foster positive experiences with books.
The sense of self, or the sense of personal identity, begins to develop from birth and continues throughout life, a theory that began with the psychologist Erik Erikson in the early 20th century. Parents and teachers can encourage infants and toddlers to develop sense of self through simple, everyday activities. These activities are simple yet effective in laying the foundations for future development.
Learning doesn't have to begin with preschool or kindergarten. Your infant will need guidance into the world and activities to help improve his self-awareness and motor coordination early on. Also, as he grows into his toddler years, you can engage him in activities to help him develop an understanding of colors, sorting, matching and responsibility.
The first years of your child's life are the most important in his or her development. A few key creative lesson plans will help your little one progress into a caring, intelligent and productive adult.
Providing your infant or toddler with a variety of activities is an important part of parenting. This will help to ensure that your child develops at a steady pace on both a mental and physical level.
The are a variety of gift options for infants and toddlers that fit all needs and budgets. Some gifts are simple and practical. Other types of baby gifts may be less functional and more meaningful. Considerations for choosing a baby or toddler gift are budget, the needs of the family and the relationship with the family. For example, acquaintances or co-workers may give a small and practical item such as clothing while a close friend or family member may give a personalized or special gift, such as engraved baby jewelry.
New parents may not realize it, but many ordinary activities in and around the home can teach toddlers and infants concepts that form the foundation for learning about science. Whatever activity you choose, remember that infants and toddlers learn a great deal about their world by putting things into their mouth--so use edible or nontoxic materials, and always monitor their activities closely.
Infants and toddlers are typically children up to 3 years old. Summer activities for very young children can be done outdoors, or even indoors with an outdoor focus. Experiencing summer-specific crafts, play, food and sensory activities will help children enjoy the season while discovering and learning.
You don't have to be a mathematician to give your child a head start on school. Simply playing and talking with your child can build pre-math skills in infants and toddlers. Using toys and other household items, you can help your child learn numeracy, geometry and algebra skills in ways appropriate for your child's age and development.
The first years of a child's life are an amazing time of growth, not only physically but also intellectually. Parents can take advantage of this period by engaging their child in activities that will promote cognitive growth.
It is the job of infants and toddlers to learn about the world around them, and they do this primarily by observation, listening and imitation. Therefore, making everyday activities stimulating is the best way to help your child learn.
When a new baby enters your life, there are major changes on the horizon for your toddler. If your toddler is still nursing when you become pregnant, there is no need to wean. Nursing both children (known as tandem nursing) is safe and provides important nurturing and nutrition. It may also ease sibling rivalry and the adjustment period for your nursing toddler.
