Toddlers

By their first birthday, children have developed a clear understanding that they are an important person. They explore the world around them by getting into everything and spending a short amount of time on each activity. In order to keep these young children busy and happy, caregivers for this age group must have lots of good activity ideas. Learning to get along with others, care for themselves, think for themselves, and express themselves are important skills that one year olds are beginning to learn. We use the activities in Active Learning to guide us as we provide developmental care for these children. In our planning process, we aim to help these children develop both their minds and bodies. We provide the following key experiences in our Toddler classrooms…

Listening and Talking
Books & Pictures: Children are read to frequently every day and play simple picture games.
Conversation: Children are encouraged to use or show understanding of words. Adults point to, name and talk about pictures or real items, and role model appropriate conversation skills (eye contact, close proximity, and allowing time for someone to answer

Physical Development
Large Muscles: walk, run, climb, balance, throw, kick, jump
Small Muscles: puzzles, stringing spools, pull-apart toys, using washable crayons & markers, filling & dumping toys into a container, zipping, and feeding self

Creative Activities
Art: Creating with crayons, colored chalk, washable markers and paint, molding with play dough, and designing with paper, collage materials and glue
Blocks: Cloth, plastic, wooden or cardboard blocks along with toy people, animals, and vehicles used daily to create scenes for make believe.
Dramatic Play: Pocketbooks, bags, baskets, playhouse furniture, dolls, telephones, toy shopping carts, and other dress up items are available daily for children to pretend about things they know and see around them.
Music & Movement: Musical Instruments & toys, Songs, Finger plays, recorded music (Classical, Multicultural, Lullabies, Rhythm, and Dance)

Learning from the World Around Them
Nature: Daily outdoor time, Natural things (flowers, birds, insects, plants animals) are displayed, pointed out and talked about, and sand water play is available regularly.
Numbers: Introduction to number ideas and words through number rhymes songs, hearing quantity size words, and hearing adults counting items.
Five Senses: This is the most natural way for toddlers to learn. Children will still be given opportunities to taste and feel things in their mouths, but their other senses will be used more.
Shape, Size and Color: While exploring toys, pictures, and familiar items, children will discover these attributes.