1. The Infant and Toddler Years
Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs
Serving Children from Birth through Age 8
Third Edition
By Carol Copple and
Sue Bredekamp, editors
CLDDV 101
Professor Pam Guerra-Schmidt

2. Chapter 2 Development in the First Three Years of Life
Scientists studying:
Listen to language
Understand number concepts
Learn from changing perspectives
Rolling over
Sitting
Standing
Other trusted adults

3. Chapter 2 Development in the First Three Years of Life
Important:
Relationships
Temperament
Developmental Challenges
Cultural Beliefs
Early experiences & the brain

4. Chapter 2 Development in the First Three Years of Life
Group Care:
Supports relationships
Supports learning
Critical:
Sensitive, affectionate care
Needs met predictably & consistently
Trust & emotional security develop

5. Chapter 2 Development in the First Three Years of Life
Young infants (birth to 9 months) seek security
Mobile infants (8 to 18 months) engage in exploration
Toddlers (16 to 36 months) continue to form identity

6. Young Infants (birth to 9 months)
Newborns unique
Need security
Ready for relationships
Interested in people
Able to attract & hold other’s attention
Smile, laugh, cuddle, coo, reach out
Read gestures, facial expressions, & tone of voice

7. Young infants Trust vs. Mistrust (Erik Erikson)
Harlow Monkey Experiment

8. The infant care teacher Young Infant
Teachers help:
world is safe and interesting place.
Teacher’s task
is to learn each baby’s individual eating and sleeping rhythms,
how he approaches new objects and people
how he prefers to be held for feeding, sleeping or comforting.

9. The infant care teacher-family alliance
Build solid relationships
Observe and learn from the experiences
Gain knowledge of culture, and childrearing beliefs of family members.
Establish and maintain the alliance with family – communicating!

10. Mobile infants (8 to 18 months)
Mobile – exploration
Move, scoot, use their hands, bounce forward and commando-crawling with stomach on the ground.
Large muscles are developed - creep, crawl, cruise, walk holding on to furniture or push toys, climb up and descend stairs.
New discoveries and fears.

11. The Infant Care Teacher Mobile Infant
Role in language development
Interpret a child’s actions and babbling and translate them into words
Support dual-language learners

12. The infant care teacher-family alliance
Discuss feelings about separation and attachment
Infants placed group care - become mobile; stage of stranger wariness is at its height
Open and frequent communication

13. Toddlers (16 to 36 months)
Concerned developing an understanding of who they are
Around 18 months, identity dominant theme
Most frequent statements “No,” “Mine,” “Why,” and “Me do it”

14. Toddlers (16 to 36 months)
Once walking, motor skills grow by leaps & bounds- jump, tiptoe, march, throw and kick a ball
Experimentation with objects, language, and social interactions - enter new phase of cognitive growth

15. The toddler care teacher
Comforter, referee, diaper changer, playmate, and storyteller
Skilled teachers allow for autonomy
Create predictable routine
Activities-mix physical activities

16. The toddler care teacher-family alliance
Typical-conflicting feelings independence, dependence, pride and shame, confidence and doubt
Look at behavior as having meaning
Sense of identity rooted in family and community. (Teacher’s support)
Need to hear primary language

17. Teaching Empathy
When I laugh, he laughs; when I cry well, the whole world cries