Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers During the toddler years, children develop new skills that help them move toward independence. 1
Jan 18, 2016
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
During the toddler years, children develop new skills that help them move toward independence.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• resort
• consistent
• toddler
• self-help skills
• attention span
• symbolic thinking
• preoperational period
• concept
• assimilation
• accommodation
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• autonomy
• solitary play
• parallel play
• receptive language
• productive language
• separation anxiety
• temper tantrum
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Development and Care
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
toddler
A child between the ages of 12 and 36 months.
No longer an infant, a child in the toddler stage is eager to absorb all the information she can as she gains independence.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Physical Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Balance improves by 18 months.
• Appetites decrease.
• Teeth come in rapidly between 18 and 24 months.
• Body proportions change.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Physical Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Large- and small-motor development and coordination advance quickly.
• Learning to walk means more independence.
• Children begin to climb between 12 and 18 months.
• Running, hopping, jumping, and pedaling skills improve.
Motor Development
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Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Average Heights and Weights of Toddlers
Age Height Weight
One Year 30 in. 22 lbs.
Two Years 34 in. 28 lbs.
Three Years 38 in. 32 lbs.
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers 6
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
self-help skills
Skills that allow children to help take care of their personal needs.
As children gain greater physical control, they develop self-help skills, such as getting dressed and using utensils.
Physical Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Physical Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Self-help skills help toddlers feel competent and proud.
• Self-help skills include
• getting dressed.
• washing hands.
• eating with utensils.
• brushing teeth.
• putting away toys.
Self-Help Skills
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Physical Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers recognize the bodily sensations that precede elimination and understand the use and purpose of a toilet or a potty chair.
• The learning process may take a few weeks or days.
• Caregivers should treat accidents in a calm, matter-of-fact way.
Independent Toileting
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Toddlers:
• learn by doing and by using their senses.
• continue to grow intellectually through sensorimotor development.
• need freedom and time to explore a safe environment to satisfy their curiosity.
• use trial and error, repetition, and imitation.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
attention span
The time spent focused on one activity.
A child’s attention span increases as he gets older and gains more skills and experience.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Children tend to continue activities that are challenging, not boring or frustrating.
• Interest in an activity and the activity’s developmental level can affect attention span.
• Memory begins to develop in infancy and grows rapidly during the first two years.
• Increased memory helps intellectual development.
Attention and Memory
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
symbolic thinking
Understanding that one thing can stand for something else.
Because toddlers are developing symbolic thinking, they enjoy make-believe play and playing dress up.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
preoperational period
Piaget’s second period of intellectual development, between the ages of two and seven years, in which symbolic thinking occurs.
During the preoperational period, child care professionals can provide props such as boxes, blankets, or blocks to encourage imaginative play.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Children learn to use images, art, and language as symbols to represent objects, events, and concepts.
• Between ages two and seven years, children start to think symbolically and imaginatively.
• Imagination and creativity are natural products of symbolic thought.
Symbolic Thinking
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Vocabulary and language skills advance from ages one to three.
• 18-month-olds can respond “yes” or “no” to questions, identify body parts, and follow simple commands.
• 2- to 3-year-olds know 50–300 words and can follow more complex directions.
Language Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
concept
A general idea formed from other information.
A child’s first concept may be that all dogs are called Max because that is the name of the family pet.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
assimilation
Taking in new information and trying to make it fit with what is already known and understood.
Piaget used the term assimilation to describe how children absorb and process information.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
accommodation
Changing one’s thinking to make new information fit.
Through accommodation, children alter their concepts to make better sense of new information.
Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• The ability to understand concepts increases rapidly with emerging language skills.
• Children use broad generalities when first labeling concepts.
• Children absorb and make sense of information through assimilation and accommodation.
Conceptual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
resort
To use or turn to somebody or something for help in dealing with a problem.
As language improves, toddlers are less likely to resort to whining and crying to get what they want or need.
Emotional Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers are still beginning to develop emotional control and are prone to impulsiveness and mood swings.
• Frustrations arise because toddlers’ abilities do not yet match their desire to learn and do more.
• Language advances help children gain greater control over their behavior.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
autonomy
Independence.
Toddlers show their developing sense of autonomy when they see themselves as separate from their parents.
Emotional Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers assert their independence and make their own decisions.
• Toddlers often resist cooperating in routines.
• Toddlers are sensitive about being shown, helped, or directed.
Independence and Autonomy
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers often fear storms, birds, and being alone.
• Healthy fear contributes to children’s safety.
• Fears can develop from:
• lack of experience.
• misconceptions.
• other children.
• adults.
Emerging Fears
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
When fears arise,
•stay close to calm the child.
•use simple language to explain the experience.
•be patient.
•talk about the child’s fears.
•do not push children to overcome fears all at once.
Emerging Fears
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• A toddler’s sense of security is a primary emotional need.
• Toddlers need reliable and predictable schedules.
• Attachments to and secure relationships with specific people set the foundation for emotional and social development.
Importance of Security
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Social Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Social development progresses slowly for toddlers.
• Toddlers are most at ease sharing time with a caregiver or two or three children.
• Children develop stronger friendships after the age of three.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
solitary play
Playing alone rather than with other children.
From 18 to 24 months, children are curious about other children, but they engage mostly in solitary play.
Social Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
parallel play
Children play near each other, but not with each other.
Two toddlers who are investigating a toy at the same time are engaging in parallel play.
Social Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Social Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Play is the best method of learning throughout the early childhood years.
• From 18 to 24 months, children engage mostly in solitary play.
• From 24 to 36 months, children engage in parallel play.
Play and Social Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Social Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Caregivers can foster independence and responsibility by
•promoting the use of self-help skills.
•setting simple limits and rules.
•modeling social skills.
Independence and Responsibility
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Childhood educators should obtain information from parents about
•extent of vocabulary and the primary language spoken at home.
•small-motor, large-motor, and toilet skills.
•napping habits.
•typical behavior and recent experiences that might affect behavior.
•experiences with other children.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Physical Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Large-motor skill development activities include
• push and pull toys.
• wagons and wheeled toys.
• opportunities to run, to jump, and to climb.
• balls for kicking and tossing.
• Small-motor skill development activities include
• manipulatives.
• art supplies.
• sensory tables.
• items with zippers, buttons, and snaps.34
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Because toddlers learn best by using their senses, encourage intellectual development by using
•matching games.
•blocks.
•nature experiences.
•sensory experiences.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
receptive language
The ability to understand spoken words.
Having receptive language means that toddlers understand much more language than they can speak.
Nurturing Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
productive language
The ability to use words to express oneself.
Toddlers can understand many words, but they have a relatively low level of productive language.
Nurturing Intellectual Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Intellectual Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers have more receptive language than productive language.
• Caregivers should use short and simple sentences, but not “baby talk.”
• Caregivers should encourage children in bilingual families to speak and practice words in both languages.
Language Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers experience new feelings, fears, and struggles.
• Caregivers should help toddlers deal with positive and negative emotions.
• Building self-esteem optimizes emotional development.
• Caregivers need to be warm, loving, and comforting.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
separation anxiety
A child’s fear of separation from familiar people.
Separation anxiety often occurs when a child transitions from the home to a child care facility.
Nurturing Emotional Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Separation anxiety is a sign of positive emotional development.
• It shows development of a strong emotional bond to parents or early educators.
• Caregivers need to be patient and to help children cope.
Separation Anxiety
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Negativism is a tendency to refuse to do something or to do the opposite of what is asked.
• Negativism is a healthy sign of independence.
• To reduce negativism, toddlers need chances to make choices and to practice self-help skills.
Negativism
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
temper tantrum
An episode in which a child shows anger or frustration in an aggressive or destructive way.
During a temper tantrum, a child may scream, kick, throw toys, or lash out in other hostile ways.
Nurturing Emotional Development
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Toddlers do not yet have the coping skills to handle frustration.
• A tantrum may occur when a want or a privilege is denied.
• Offer age-appropriate activities so toddlers can experience success with minimal frustration.
Temper Tantrums
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Emotional Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
If a tantrum occurs,
•react calmly.
•keep an eye on the child at all times.
•provide a place to rest.
•communicate with parents.
Temper Tantrums
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Nurturing Social Development
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Children begin cooperative play around age three.
• Toddlers can understand simple rules for behavior.
• Toddlers are just beginning to learn to share.
• Disputes and conflicts occur among toddlers.
• Caregivers encourage cooperation, set examples, take steps to minimize conflict, and maintain careful observation of the children.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Managing Toddler Programs
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Successful toddler programs work with parents to ensure that toddlers have the spaces and routines needed for development in all areas.
• The leadership of the child care professional and collaborative teamwork by all care providers are essential to a program’s success.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Classroom Spaces
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Toddler spaces require
• age-appropriate furniture and toys.
• a secure and comfortable environment.
• learning centers appropriate for the age, size, and development of toddlers.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
consistent
Continually the same.
Toddlers feel more secure when their routines, whether at home or in a child care setting, are consistent from day to day.
Daily Routines
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Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Daily Routines
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
Routines provide structure and a consistent schedule. A typical routine includes
• arrival.
• playtime in learning centers and outdoors.
• diapering, toileting, and hand washing.
• meals and snacks.
• napping.
• story time and music.
• departure.
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Summarize the signs of physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development in toddlers.
Review Key Concepts
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Physical: learning to walk, decreased appetite, teeth come in, large- and small-motor skills improve, toileting begins.
• Intellectual: learn by doing and using senses, attention span increases, memory improves, symbolic thinking occurs, language skills increase, concepts develop.
• Emotional: mood shifts, autonomy increases, fears emerge.
• Social: slow progress, solitary play followed by parallel play, independence and responsibility increase.
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
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Identify the information toddler programs need from parents to develop individualized care and activities.
Review Key Concepts
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• extent of vocabulary and the primary language spoken at home
• small-motor, large-motor, and toileting skills
• napping habits
• typical behavior and recent experiences that might affect behavior
• experiences with other children
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
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Describe the key features of successful toddler programs.
Review Key Concepts
Child Care Today, Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
• Successful toddler programs work with parents to ensure that toddlers have the spaces and routines needed for development in all areas.
• Toddler spaces need age-appropriate furniture and toys; a secure and comfortable environment; learning centers appropriate for the age, size, and development of toddlers; and a consistent daily routine.
Chapter 15: Nurturing Toddlers
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