Developmentally Appropriate Practice for Toddlers

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Developmentally Appropriate Practice for Toddlers

• Candy Green and Chiquita Wilburn
• ECE 561
• Summer II 2007

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Definition of Developmental Appropriateness

• Age Appropriateness
• Human Development research indicates that there
  are universal, predictable sequences of growth
  and change that occurs during the first 9 years
  of life. These predictable changes occurs in all
  domains of development- physical, emotional,
  social, and cognitive. Knowledge of typical
  development of children within the age span
  served by the program provides framework from
  which teachers prepare learning environment and
  plan appropriate experiences.

• Individual Appropriateness
• Each child is an unique person with an individual
  pattern and timing of growth, as well as
  individual personality, learning style, and
  family background. Both the curriculum and
  adults interactions with children should be
  responsive to individual differences.

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Toddlers

• Toddlers learn by experiencing the environment
  through their senses (seeing, hearing, tasting,
  smelling, and feeling), by physically moving
  around, and through social interaction. Adults
  play a vital socialization role with infants and
  toddlers. These interactions are critical for the
  development of the childrens healthy
  self-esteem.
• The most appropriate teaching technique for this
  age group is to give ample opportunities for the
  children to use self- initiated repetition to
  practice newly acquired skills and to experience
  feelings of autonomy and success.

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Competencies

• Toddlers and 2-year-olds thrive on exploration
  and creativity. They enjoy fantasy, when props
  are selected to encourage productive play. When
  their needs have been met appropriately as
  infants, toddlers are experienced in making
  choices and implementing their own ideas.

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Social Behaviors

• The social awareness of toddlers and 2-year-olds
  is vastly more complex than that of younger
  infants. Their past experiences in communicating
  with others enable them to refine their ability
  to read childrens and adults signals. Their
  feeling of empathy bloom as they continue to see
  that other people have feelings too.

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Developmental Milestones

• Interest in others
• Shows increased awareness of being seen and
  evaluated by others.
• Sees others as a barrier to immediate
  gratification.
• Begins to realize others have rights and
  privileges.
• Gains greater enjoyment from peer play and joint
  exploration.
• Begins to see benefits of cooperation.
• Identifies self with children of same age or sex.
  
• Is more aware of the feelings of others.
• Exhibits more impulse control and self-regulation
  in relation to others.
• Enjoy some group activities.

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Developmental Milestones cont.

• Self- awareness
• Shows strong sense of self as an individual, as
  evidenced by NO to adults request.
• Experience self as a powerful, potent, creative
  doer. Explores everything.
• Becomes capable of self-evaluation and has
  beginning notion of self.
• Makes attempts at self-regulation.
• Uses names of self and others.
• Identifies 6 or more body parts.
• Motor Milestones and eye-hand skills
• Scribbles with marker or crayon.
• Walks up and down stairs. Can jump off one step.
• Kicks a ball.
• Stands and walks on tiptoes.
• Handles scissors

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Developmental Milestones cont

• Language development/ communication
• Combines words.
• Listens to stories for a short while.
• Speaking vocabulary may reach 200 words.
• Develops fantasy in language. Begins to play
  pretend games.
• Defines use of many household items.
• Uses compound sentences.
• Uses adjectives and adverbs. Recounts events of
  the day.
• Physical, Spatial, and temporal awareness
• Identifies a familiar object by touch when placed
  in a bag with 2 other objects.
• Uses tomorrow. yesterday.
• Figures out which child is missing by looking at
  children who are present.
• Asserts independence Me do it.

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Developmental Milestones cont

• Purposeful action and use of tools
• When playing with a ring-stacking toy, ignores
  any forms that have no holes.
• Classifies, labels, and sorts objects by group.
• Helps dress and undress self.
• Expression of feelings
• Frequently displays aggressive feelings and
  behaviors.
• Exhibits contrasting states and mood shifts.
• Shows increased fearfulness.
• Expresses emotions with increasing control.
• Aware of own feelings and those of others.
• Shows pride in creation and production.
• Verbalizes feelings more often. Expresses
  feelings in symbolic play.
• Shows emphatic concern for others.

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Reference

• Bredekamp, Sue. Developmentally Appropriate
  Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving
  Children From Birth Through Age 8. National
  Association for the Education of Young
  Children.1987