Caregivers that are able to create an environment that meets the developmental needs of infants are better able to support and guide children in a loving and nurturing way.
2. Learning Objectives
• Just a bit of Theory
• Learn about the types of Environments
• Understand the Infants Job
• Learn how these environments contribute to the Infants Job
• Determine how to apply this to your own environment
5. What is an Infants Job?
• Make sense of the world
• Learn to communicate
• Understand how things work
• Discover and develop bodily powers
• Deeply connect with people
7. Make sense of the world
• Varied lightscapes and colorscapes
• Aromascapes
• Soundscapes
• Texturescapes
• Time outdoors in the natural world
• Planned sensory-rich learning environment
8.
9. Learn to Communicate Fully
• Places and opportunities for:
• Conversations and word games
• Singing
• Reading
• Ample books, reading and dramatic play
• Language Rich Environment
10.
11. Understand how things work
• Opportunities for:
• Building
• Taking apart & putting together
• Investigations
• Materials such as:
• Cause and effect toys
• Objects from the real
world
12.
13. Discover and Develop Bodily Powers
• Well designed places that build autonomy and competence
• Time outdoors with challenges to move
• Object-rich environment to build, push, pull, handle, explore, take
apart, haul, etc.
14.
15. Deeply Connect with People
• Support close attachments and parent involvement
• Provide consistent routines and engaging rituals
• Be responsive to individual needs including ample touch, physical and
eye contact
• Support friendships, social interactions, and conversations
16.
17. Human Environment
• Leave your baggage at the door
• Use Respectful language and soft tone of voice
• Verbally label objects in the environment
• Read books and SING songs
• Always let the infant know you are there and ask permission
18. Human Environment
• Use Rituals and routines to provide consistency
• Always think about the environment from the
child’s perspective.
• Respect the child’s ability
• Be PRESENT!
19. Accountability
Write down on a piece of paper
1. One thing you will change in your physical environment
2. One thing you will change in your human environment
3. Information you would like to share with your co-workers
regarding Infant care
20. Process for making change
1. Prioritize your list
2. Tackle one change at a time
3. Gather needed materials and resources
4. Implement
5. Evaluate
6. Celebrate!
Editor's Notes
Montessori: Multiage grouping, human tendencies (language, movement), observation, indirect preparation, preparation of the environment, uninterrupted work time
Piaget: infants sensorimotor stage of development, schemas, assimilation,
Erikson: Stages of psychosocial development. Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliabilty, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust.
Vygotsky: Zone of Proximal Development (known info skills too difficult to master alone but with guidance and encouragement can be learned unknown info) scaffolding
Gardner: multiple intelligences (visual/spatial, body/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, logic/math, nature)
Maslow: hierarchy of needs (basic human needs physiological, safety, belonging, self esteem, self actualization)
Physical Environment
What materials do I have access to? Playscape
Am I allowed to engage with the environment daily? The great outdoors
How does it sound in my immediate surroundings? Soundscape
What is that smell?! Aromascape
Can I see the materials? Is the light too bright? Lightscape
Human environment
Are my needs met in a timely manner? Trust v Mistrust (Erik eriksons psychosocial stage of development)
How am I spoken to? “Cute words” or “Respectful language“
How am I handled? Abrupt movement or gentle and respectful movement
Places where light is different (low lighting, Natural lighting) places where light hits something of color and creates color
Essential oils, sensory bottles, dirty bibs, trash, diapers
Loud adult voices, obnoxious music, use calm soothing sounds (ie, heartbeat, single instrument) adults singing at a respectful level
Textured rugs, cement, grass, smooth stones, linoleum, sensory boards, fabric swatches
Take a rug outside and lay it in the grass for young infants to explore on (nature does wonders for a screaming baby!!!
Variety in all areas of the room but not too drastic
Talk with infants not to/at infants
Label items in a soft tone of voice
Rhythmic finger plays
Over in the meadow is what I use for sleep time or to calm a baby or humming
Books with REAL pictures are important
LOTS of talking but not about your weekend plans with your co teachers or buddies
Foam blocks, wood blocks, anything with a flat surface take into consideration the flooring in this area
Not taking apart complicated puzzles but an open and close basket
Allow them to investigate without interruption (ie. Water on the playground after a good rain)
Ball in a box
Old telephones, bracelets, scarves, pots and pans, Branches, leaves, sand, water etc…
Items and structures that they can climb onto and not get hurt falling from
Tires are FREE
The parent is the first environment for the child. In most cases the attachment between the parent and child is the most secure one they have. It is our job to support the child and parent as if they were one being.
Don’t interrupt an altercation between peers of similar age and ability unless it becomes an unsafe situation. Believe it or not most children will resolve it on their own. Take aminute to sit back and observe but keep your body in close proximity to the situation.
