Fundamentals of early childhood education Ages and Stages Week 1 - 2

Just the Basics Since the early childhood age group is typically focused from age 3 to grade 3, those ages will be specifically targeted in this course.

Two-four years Motor SkillsCommunicationSocial Skills Jumps in place and from low objects. Walks on tiptoes. Stands on one foot. Throws objects overhand. Uses scissors. Learns to copy different shapes. Tries to draw human body. Strings beads Pours liquids from a pitcher. Undresses self with supervision. Can put on shoes (attempts to tie). 2-3 years old: 50%-75% intelligible speech Can make 3-4 word sentences. Begins to use plurals and pronouns. Vocabulary increased to nearly 1000 words. Follows two step commands Able to determine big/little Increased cognition: able to answer where and what questions. Relates experiences from the past regularly. Begins understanding long, complex sentences. Begins to understand prepositions (on, under, behind). Temper tantrums may continue, but should decrease at each age. Routine behavior is established. Has limited knowledge of time Begins to questions difference in sexes. Tangible fears increase. Begins to separate from parents more easily. Begins to learn rules and by age 4 can begin to conform well to them

Two-Four Years CommunicationPlaySafety 3-4 years old: Speech is 75%-100% intelligible. Can make sentences of 4 to 6 word combinations. Knows first and last name. Begins to read pictures and is able to tell stories based on pictures. Answers questions how much and how many? Can understand prepositions (on, under, front and back). Uses past tense. Can identify people in pictures. Can answer more abstract questions. Comprehends sleepy and hungry. Learns through play. Uses play to express self. Can engage in cooperative play. Learns sharing by age 3- 4 y ears. Enjoys dramatic play, stories being read, showing accomplishments, making up stories, and relaying fantasies. Riding toys and tricycles; enjoys outside activities. Building with blocks. Enjoys water play. Enjoys coloring, cutting, scribbling, painting, and finger painting. Requires a car seat installed properly (check with state and local law enforcement). Puts object in mouth. Loves to explore without fear. Experiments with independence. Cannot always differentiate harmful substances. Cannot always differentiate actions that could be dangerous.

Two-four years Eating PatternSelf-HelpSleep Pattern Eats three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) plus snacks. Should be able to feed self well using a fork or spoon. Three-four years old can serve self at table. These children should being seeing the dentist. By 2 ½-3 years ( months) begins to take responsibility of potty training. Will have occasional accidents. By age 4 will begin to be more independent in toileting. Begins to establish night control. Can undress self and may need supervision. Can put on shoes and may attempt to tie. Should sleep hours per night. Generally takes one nap during the day.

Motor Skills At this age children should be able to jump and they should be able to jump from low objects including a stool, balance beam, or step. These children should be able to walk on tiptoes, stand on one foot and can throw overhand. These be observed through outside play. During art these children will show their ability to use scissors. They should show they can hold them properly at 3 and 4. At 2, they may need more assistance with holding scissors initially. Also during art these children will sow their ability to copy and create circles, squares, triangles and crosses. These different shapes show different cognitive skills. It will also show writing preparation. Tries to draw a human body. These children will start drawing people.

Motor Skills At this age children increase their fine motor skills. They will become increasingly better with hand-eye coordination as well. With such skills they will be able to string beads. They may need to start with large items and become increasingly smaller. Undressing, zipping, tying, buttoning and unbuttoning requires fine motor skills. As children develop these skills, along with gross motor skills needed for dressing and undressing, they become more independent and are able to dress and undress themselves. Periodically they may need supervision.

Motor Skills Drawing and Writing Drawing shapes and writing letters is directly connected. Circle- O, G, C, Q, U, S, J Square- E, R, T, I, P, D, F, H, K, L, Z, B Triangle- A, V, M, W, Y, X, N Some letters cross the hemispheres of the brain and may be more difficult for children to write. As children mature they become proficient with this as their cognitive development improves.

Motor Skills Art and Development Children at this age will start to draw the human body. They will start to draw from the head outward. They will draw arms and legs from the head. As they get older they will draw the head and the body and the appendages will come from the body. They will longer see people from the head outward, but as they truly appear. They will start to draw more details and add flourish to their pictures as they continue to develop.

Social Skills At 2 temper tantrums are more frequent. As the children get older these should become less frequent. Children should be learning more appropriate behaviors and more appropriate ways to express themselves. Children at this age begin to show better and more social skills at home, in school and through play. Inappropriate social skills should be addressed and minimized as they get older to help them create a base of knowledge to measure good, bad, right and wrong.

Communication Children from 18 months to 36 months should be experiencing a language explosion. They should be learning so many new words and having so many new experiences. This is the time where children explore most, they also explore with language. Correcting improper language is important at this age, but not the most critical. Teaching these children new ways to say the same concept and helping them have new experiences.

Four-Six Years Old Motor ControlCommunicationSocial Skills Four: Can jump and climb Can walk stairs without using railing. Can throw a ball overhand. Copies shapes. Five-Six: Skips alternating feet. Can walk on heels or toes. Able to hop well. Form most letters correctly. Draws pictures recognizably. Can catch a bounced ball. Four: Vocabulary words. Names colors. Names objects in succession (at least three). Selects longest of three lines. Counts to five. Begins to learn number concepts. Understands opposites. Understands simple explanations. Negativism decreases. Recognizes parts of the body. Knows their age. May have private speech, imaginary friends, more imaginative play. Exaggerates, boasts, and tattles! May tend to be selfish, aggressive, and impatient. Able to accept directions from adult other than a parent. Views death as reversible.

Four-six years old CommunicationPlaySafety Five-Six: Vocabulary 2100 words. Repeats sentence of 10+ syllables. More talkative. Knows the days of the week. Can count 10+ objects. Begins to learn names of coins. Communicates in properly sequenced sentences. Uses play to learn, express self and work out fears. Plays with peers. Enjoys doing outdoor activities. Plays simple board games. Marches and sings. Enjoys rhymes and riddles. Enjoys pretending and imaginative play. Enjoys doing simple arts and crafts activities. Books and stories are enjoyable. Devises new games with rules. Still requires car seat or booster seat with shoulder restraints. (For more information please check with local and state law enforcement). Has trouble differentiating between reality ad fantasy. Begins to determine actions that are dangerous. Explores independence. Cannot be left alone near water. Needs to wear properly fitted helmet during bicycle and scooter riding or skateboarding and skating. Safety education begins: fire, stranger, water.

Four-Six Years Old Physical Needs/Eating Pattern Self-Help/HygieneSleep Pattern These children should have a full set of primary teeth (20). These children should be going to the dentist regularly. Should be eating three meals a days plus snacks. Toileting needs should be completely independent at this point. Children should also be able to control nighttime bathroom needs. Can brush their own teeth. An button and zip their own clothes. Can dress with very little supervision. Should be sleeping hours per night.

Study Moment Six different charts have been provided. Please take a few extra moments to become more familiar with what’s being presented. You have see this again!

Toileting/Hygiene Toileting is a major issue that is addressed more adamantly at this age. Parents should be prepared to assist these young children with night time toileting issues. Children grow at different rates and while most may be completely and fully independent at night, there will be others that need additional assistance with this. There are several methods that medical professionals and educators have developed to assist parents with this issue. Night control issues with children between 2-6 years old is very important and very common. Parents may be increasingly more concerned and compare children, whether it is their or with others in their class or age group. The most overwhelming concern of parents is that their child is not developing typically and similar to their children in their class. Reassurance to these parents/knowledge of techniques that may help is helpful for these parents.

Communication At this age it is important to correct inappropriate language, improper grammar, and to continue to build language through experiences. These children are still learning to read and environmental print will still be important for this age group. It helps to develop language and build concepts for these children with language.

Social Skills This age group definitely is more social and able to divide off in groups. This is when cliques and close friends will develop among girls and boys. Children may differentiate more between the children they like and don’t like. Children may begin to tease one another and judge what they look and what others look like. Children will be very involved with fitting into certain groups (where they believe that they fit). Exclusion is also common this age. It is very important to help every child know that they are wonderful made and they each have a purpose and call. As children develop socially it is important to guide their development spiritually, teaching them biblical concepts that will help them love God and others.

QSG 1.At what age are young children developing language and going through a language explosion (4 points)? 2.For children ages two-four, what is the major social skill issue that they have (4 points)? 3.What is the age group focus of early childhood education (5 points)? 4.What scripture can be used to reassure children that they are create by God and that they are wonderfully made (10 points)? 5.At what age is cooperative play beginning and very important for development (5 points)? 6.What is a major issue with cooperative play and young children (7 points)? 7.Explain the communication and socialization skills that a children two-four years old should be engaging in (20 points). 8.What are some of the differences in play for children two-four age group and four-six age group (20 points)?

Assignment Write a 2-3 page paper on the development of children ages 3-6 on nighttime control. This can be found in medical, educational, or psychological resources. Please be certain to cite any resources used. This paper, like with all papers written in this class, should be double spaced, with 12-pt font of New Times Roman or similar. Likewise, you may use any writing style you choose (e.g., MLA; APA; Turabian). However, you must stick to the rules of that style. You may not interchange between different styles.