Adult-to-Child Ratio is based on state standards Emotional Development: developing foundations for trust and attachment. Need: eye contact, to be held, loved, and talked to Social Development: developing communication skills Need: eye contact, respond to sounds, mimic noises Intellectual Development: Rapid Brain Development Need: to be talked to, colorful objects, picture books Physical Development: alertness is getting longer and muscles are developing Need: exercise, tummy time, different positions, lots of touch. Outdoor time is critical and will soon be REQUIRED by Licensing standards. Curriculum Focus: Baby Signs, Milestone Development activities and LOTS of conversation!

Infants have their own individual eating and sleeping schedules. Feeding: Babies should be held to drink their bottles. When eating solid foods, babies need to be strapped into a highchair. Food must be served in a bowl or on a plate. Babies may not be fed directly from the jar NOR with food placed directly on the high chair’s tray. Caregiver must be seated in a chair to feed a baby in a high chair; be social with baby! Sleeping Babies should always be on their backs to sleep to avoid SIDS. Babies are to sleep only in their cribs. Should they fall asleep somewhere else, they must immediately be moved to the crib! Diapers Checked every 2 hours and changed when necessary. Diapering is a social time; talking and interacting with baby is a must! Caregiver and baby must both wash their hands when they are finished. Infants must go outside daily unless weather conditions are extreme.

Adult-to-Child Ratio and Group Size is Determined by State Standards  Emotional Development: Developing independence and becoming aware of emotions. ◦ Need: activities that allow for independence, words to describe what they’re feeling, and sensitive and responsive interactions.  Social Development: Speech is rapidly developing ◦ Need: to be listened to carefully and with interest, adults who repeat and extend what they’re talking about  Intellectual Development: They learn by doing so they need: ◦ Hands-on experiences ◦ Water and Sand opportunities (at least three times per week!) ◦ To be read to and sung with joyfully—alone and as a part of the group  Physical Development: Rapidly developing large and small motor skills so they need: o Dancing, marching, twirling activities o Climbing and running opportunities o Stacking and knocking down activities; filling and spilling activities o Painting; Making marks with crayons on paper; tearing paper Curriculum Focus: Baby Signs, Sensory, Art, Fine Motor, Large Motor, Language, and Literature

The Critical Importance of Tummy Time Develops both the infant’s brain and body; Providing for this creates important long-term gains for all babies. Place baby on a soft matted surface with a caregiver at the same level. Interest baby with sensory responsive toys like brightly colored scarves and musical instruments. Place babies on their tummies in close proximity to one another. Stay with them and support them with reassuring touches and supportive words. If infants fight tummy time, engage them with songs, rhymes and movement. Your goal is to increase the time spent on their tummy every day. Place enticing toys and/or instruments in front of them and tap the rhythm of the music on their bottom, toes and back. Record the time baby spends on his/her tummy on the daily sheet.

 Toddlers eat lunch and snacks in childcare each day. They should be provided with water throughout the day. ◦ Teachers need to sit at the table with the children modeling appropriate table manners and social skills.  Toddlers take a nap each day after lunch. ◦ Each child has their own assigned cot, sheet, and blanket. Children need to be in both visual and auditory range during nap time. Teacher should help child fall asleep by sitting beside them, rubbing backs. Soft music can be played but only for first 20 minutes.  Toddlers play outside each day. ◦ Children should have a coat and shoes everyday to play outside. ◦ Teachers should provide learning activities outside for the children.  Toddler’s diapers are checked every 2 hours and changed when necessary. Teacher & child wash afterwards.  Around 2 years old some children are ready for potty training; ◦ This must be started only after conversations with parents. Children must not be FORCED to sit on the “potty.” Potty training needs to be a positive and exciting milestone for the child.  Toys and equipment are sanitized daily and after a child has a toy in their mouth. Sanitation is done with a bleach solution sprayed on the toys and left to air dry.

Adult-to-Child Ratio’s and Group Size are Based Upon State Standards Emotional Development: Learning about feelings Need: Responsive, loving providers who help them express feelings positively. Social Development: Beginning to play with each other so they need: Lots of Dramatic Play Opportunities to work together (block-building; helping with classroom) Intellectual Development: Learning about the world through their five senses so they need: Written labels, stories, chances to tell stories, open-ended questions Opportunities to discover things on their own and in their own time; Teachers who ask “What do you think will happen?” Lots of messy play; sand, water, play-dough, fingerpainting Physical Development: Growing rapidly so they need: Active play; drawing, painting, writing, gluing, etc. Curriculum Focus: Math, Literature, Phonics, Kindness (Fall 2011), Fine Motor, Spanish, Art, Fitness, Science

Preschoolers eat lunches and snack at childcare each day. They should be provided with water whenever they ask for it throughout the day. Teachers sit with the children for all meals; modeling healthy eating and good social skills. Teachers may not eat while standing up. Children should assist setting /cleaning up and participate in serving themselves: pouring their own drink and passing food to classmates Preschoolers should have a quiet rest time each day after lunch. ◦ Cots are assigned to each child. Parents provide blanket and sheet. ◦ Children should not be forced to sleep. ◦ After no more than 30 minutes of resting, a quiet activity needs to be provided for any children not sleeping. Non-sleepers do not need to remain on their cots. ◦ Soft music should be played for the first 20 minutes but then should be turned off. Preschoolers play outside each day unless weather conditions are extreme. Curriculum should be taken outside for the children to participate in. Teachers should interact and play with the children outside.  Preschoolers have access to the bathrooms whenever it is needed. ◦ Teachers should remind children to use the bathroom before and after outside time, meal time, and rest time.

Adult-to-Child Ratios and Group Size is Based Upon State Standards Emotional Development : More independent; look to peers for acceptance so they need: Input on classroom rules, encouragement, privacy Social Development : Developing close relationships with others and a sense of belonging so they need: Activities that pair with different members of the group Unstructured time throughout the day Intellectual Development : Are better able to think, reason, and problem solve so they need: Drawing, writing, speaking, drama, reading, opportunities to learn basic science and math concepts Physical Development : Growing rapidly so they need: SPACE to run, shout, and practice large motor skills Curriculum Focus: Creative Arts, Indoor Activities, Outdoor Activities, Table Activities, Special Celebrations  School-agers typically eat snack in childcare. On no school days they will also eat lunch. ◦ Teachers should sit and eat with the children. School age children should set up for lunch, serve themselves, and clean up. They should be given as much independence as possible during meals and snacks.  School age children should be provided with an area for quiet time. This area can be used to read quietly, do homework, or rest. School age children should not take naps!  School age kids should be able to use the bathrooms when needed.