1. Lecture 5 Early childhood

2. Objectives 2. Describe the characteristics common to toddlers.
upon complication of this lecture, the student will be able to :
1. Define early childhood.
2. Describe the characteristics common to toddlers.
3. Describe characteristics common to preschool child.
4. Discuss the developmental tasks of early childhood .
5. List three factors that help develop language skills.
6. List at least three guidelines in selecting a preschool or day care center
7. Describe the characteristics play and appropriate toys for a toddler and preschool child.
8. List three safety risks common to the early childhood years.
9. Discuss the principles of guidance and discipline for children during the early childhood years.

3. Definition
The early childhood period includes children from 1 to 6 years of age.
Early childhood is typically separated into two phases 1 to 2 years of age is the toddler phase, and 2 to 6 years is the preschool phase .
During early childhood , physical growth slows and stabilizes.

4. Developmental tasks of early childhood
Tasks to be mastered include understanding and speaking words, developing social interaction skills; mastery of self-control in feeding and toilet training and beginning to develop a self-image and sense of autonomy.
The toddler between 1 and 4 years of age is in Eriksons stage of autonomy versus shame or doubt.
The preschooler, between 4 to 6 years of age, is Eriksons stage of initiative versus guilt.

5. Physiological changes
Most children learn to walk steadily between 12 and 15 months of age .
By age 2.5 the child can climb stairs gracefully.
by age 3 the child can alteranate feet when climbing stairs and can ride a tricycle.
By age 4 the child can hop and by age 5 can skip.
Twenty primary teeth erupt by age 2years.
The anterior fontanel of the skull closes at 18 months.

6. The preschooler gains about 5 to 7 pounds( 2.7 to 3.2 kg )
Grows about cm per year.
Half of the adult height is achieved by age 2, and the birth weight is quadrupled.
The toddler has a well-developed pincer grasp (the ability to pick up small objects with the thumb and forefinger) by age 1.
A 2 year old can copy a straight line.
A 3 year old can copy a circle and use scissors.
A 4 year old can draw a person with three body parts
Most 5 years olds can print their name.
The eye muscles strengthen, depth perception increases during the preschool period and 20/20vision is usually achieved by age 4.

7. During early childhood fine motor skills develop, which include
self-feeding, undressing , and then dressing themselves.
Toddlers are able to eat with a fork and spoon but often prefer finger foods. At age 2 the appetite decreases.
Toilet training occurs as sphincter control develops and the child masters some from of communication to indicate the need to use the toilet.
Complete bowel and bladder control is typically complete by age
2.5 to 3years
Bowel control occurs before full bladder control, and nighttime or stress time accidents are common. Accidents should not be scolded or punished because mastering sphincter control is related to the development of the self-concept.

8. Nutrition Good nutrition starts before conception.
Adequate nutrition is essential for optimum physical and mental development of young children.
The food pyramid includes suggestions for portion servings appropriate for young children.
Food is fun and learning about food is fun, too. Eating foods from food guide pyramid and being physically active will help the child grow healthy and strong.

10. Psychosocial development Language development and communication skills
The toddler
By 18 months the toddler speaks about 15 words.
By age 2 the child has a vocabulary exceeding 100 words and can follow two-step commands such as “pick up the toy and put it away.
A 2 year-old child exhibits negativistic behavior and tantrums due to frustration and struggles for independence
The preschooler
Language development occurs rapidly during the preschool years.
5 year old has a vocabulary exceeding 2000 words.

11. Cognitive development
The sensorimotor stage of cognition ends when the toddler begins to use words to express ideas and solve problems. This marks the beginning of symbolic thought.
Preschool thinking involves Piaget’s preoperational or prelogical characteristics ,such as magical thinking and egocentrism.
They feel their point of view must be the same as everyone else’s point of view.
Having one object represent another , such as a box representing a train, evidences symbolism and fantasy play .

12. Moral Development
According to kohlberg, learning self-control and learning to share with others are moral tasks of early childhood.
Preschoolers look carefully at parents as models of moral behavior , and this is often acted out in their play .
A child of 3 becomes ritualistic and aware of rules that he or she feels must be obeyed and will feel guilty if scolded.
By age 5 the child extends blame for only the intentional act and easily excuses the accident.
A child Will learn socially acceptable behavior through consistent, positive reinforcement and descipline

13. Discipline
Discipline must have as its basic purpose , the guiding , teaching , or correcting of behavior , not punishment, to help them develop self-control while maintaining a positive self-esteem .
Preschoolers are naturally egocentric and may not understand the rights and needs of others.
limit setting should include praise for good behavior. A time-out response to unacceptable behavior is effective for children between the ages of 1 and 6 years.
It places the child in a safe place with time for self-regulation. Timing for time out is usually 1 minute per year of age.
With consistent use, the child will learn to anticipate that response to certain behaviors and learn to control those behaviors.

14. The operant theory of effective discipline techniques
Example
Type of discipline
Increases the “helping mommy’ behavior.
Child gets a lollipop for helping mommy.
Positive reinforcement
Increases likelihood of desired behavior occurring again.
(useful in older children as well).
Restrict privileges for bad behavior .
Remove restrictions for good behavior.
Negative reinforcement
Decreases or stops unwanted behavior.
Take away fun and interaction with others.
Ignore behavior.
Negative punishment

15. Play
In the toddler period , play is a reflection of the child’s experiences.
The 2 year old exhibits parallel play, in which he or she plays next to a friend but does not interact with the friend.
The 3 to 4 year old exhibits cooperative play, in which a group of children can cooperate by playing out a scene together or building blocks together .
By age 5 there is organized group play with assigned roles.
Age-appropriate toys are toys that are safe and promote the cognitive and motor development of the specific age group.

16. Day care
The experience of spending time in day care for preschool is a big step toward developing independence.
Day care canters offer structured play and rest activities for group of children supervised by professional staff.
Preschool centers offer structured activities that foster growth and development and teaching coping skills.
A good preschool program can help a child gain self-confidence and positive self-esteem.

17. Teaching techniques
Parents should not demand correct speech of a 2 year old, and pronunciation should not be a focus.
Parents can be taught how to help the preschooler express feeling through words.
Teaching preschooler how to express feelings verbally rather than acting out.
Parents need to be counseled concerning the normal development and behavior of the toddler and preschool

18. Safety and accident prevention
Accidents are a major threat during the early childhood years.
Young children play hard and have little understanding of the potential dangers around them.
Parents need guidance concerning the need to childproof the house , keep stairways safe, and avoid clutter.
Toys should be sturdy, age appropriate , and not have sharp edges.
Preschoolers should not be allowed to carry breakable items or sharp objects. The appropriate use of car seats is essential. Children should not be left inside a car to play alone.

19. Hazard and prevention strategies
How to prevent hazards caused by the behavioral characteristics of toddlers
Hazard and prevention strategies
Type of accidents
Teach child street safety rules.
Teach child the meaning of red, yellow, and green traffic lights.
Automobile
Teach child the meaning of ‘hot’.
Put matches, cigarettes, candles , and incense out of reach and sight.
Burns
Teach children how to go up and come down stairs when they show a readiness for this task.
Fasten crib sides securely and leave them up when child is in crib.
Use side rails on a large bed when child graduates from crib.
Falls
Do not allow small children to play with deflated balloons, as these can be sucked into windpipe.
Inspect toys for small or loose parts.
Suffocation and choking
Store household detergents and cleaning supplies out of reach and in a locked cabinet.
Poisoning

20. Hazard and prevention strategies
How to prevent hazards caused by the behavioral characteristics of toddlers
Hazard and prevention strategies
Type of accidents
Watch child continuously while at a beach or near a pool
Begin teaching water safety and swimming skills early
Drowning
Cover electric outlet
Keep electrical appliance out of reach
Electric shock
Teach child to avoid stray animals.
Do not allow toddler to abuse household pets
Supervise closely.
Animal bits
Teach toddler stranger safety.
Do not allow toddler to eat or suck lollipops while running or playing.
Keep sharp-edge object out of reach.
Keep sharp-edge furniture out of play area.
Safety

21. THANK YOU