CE114 Unit Five: Physical and Motor Development of the Toddler Patti Pelletier

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you… Okay this week I want to know your favorite candy (if you have one). I think mine would have to be Toblerone. I just love that stuff. The taste of honey and almonds mixed in chocolate just makes my day!

Unit Five Course Outcomes CE114-1: Discuss age appropriate behavioral expectations and intervention strategies for the early childhood care professional educator. CE114-2: Identify milestones in infants, toddlers, and early childhood development. CE114-4: Describe developmental and environmental factors associated with the safety and health of young children.

Thought for the Day Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau

The Toddler Years “The range of toddler development is from 1 to 3 years of age. Toddler safety is very important during this time since more accidents occur during toddler years than at any other stage of childhood. Consistent discipline is also important at this age, where temper tantrums may be daily occurrences. It is important for the child to learn from experience and be able to rely upon solid, consistent boundaries defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors” (Medline, 2009, ¶ 1).

Topic One Field Trip What kinds of opportunities can we provide for toddlers to interact with and explore their world?

Topic Two In what ways can we encourage exploration, discovery, and independence?

Expectations Our expectations for them may not be realistic. –Why do we have higher expectations for them? –What might we think that they can do by themselves that they really cannot? Toddlers still need our constant supervision, as they can not predict the outcomes of their behaviors.

Facilitating Independence Emerging self-concept - “Look what I can do!” Need encouragement and time and room to explore –How can we facilitate this? –What could happen if we do not encourage independence?

Topic Three Physical and Motor Development: Share strategies that enhance and encourage the physical and motor development of the toddler. Consider both large and small muscle skills.

Ten things we can do…. 1.Create and maintain a safe, hygienic, and healthy environment 2.Provide for proper nutrition and for ongoing health oversight 3.Know and use developmentally appropriate activities and expectations 4.Provide positive, supportive, and protective guidance 5.Encourage positive body and gender awareness 6.Provide a variety of materials to encourage both large and small motor development 7.Provide toys and experiences that facilitate perceptual-motor development 8.Observe children for signs or symptoms of special needs or illness 9.Model good health and hygienic behaviors 10.Encourage exploration, discovery, and independence

Expected Growth Patterns Locomotion Large Motor Development (They enlist the use and coordination of the large muscles of the trunk, arms &legs) Small Motor Development (They enlist the use and coordination of the small muscles of the wrist, hands & fingers) Small is dependent on the large!

Vision Growth and development are influenced by the integrity and functioning of the sensory mechanisms. It is not until 5 years old that children reach 20/20 visual acuity! Eye Abnormalities can sometimes be seen in: Children who received oxygen at birth, were premature, had low birth weight or had congenital anomalies Common eye problems in infants: Strabismus, nystagmus Perceptual Development in relationship to physical and motor development

Hearing It is difficult to detect hearing problems in infants through observation only! Without screenings a hearing loss may go undetected until unit a child is 1 to 2 years old! Q#1 What are some signs of possible hearing problem?

Field Trip We will wrap up our learning with a video provided by The Health Science Channel. ijvZDs&feature=more_related

Reference Medline Plus (2009) The toddler years. Retrieved March 28, 2011 from