Infant & Toddler Care: Course Code: EC4033-G1 Instructor: Alan Roaring Week 1
Infant & Toddler Care: Course Code: EC4033-G1 Instructor: Alan Roaring Week 1
Infant & Toddler Care: Course Code: EC4033-G1 Instructor: Alan Roaring Week 1
CARE
Course Code: EC4033-G1
Instructor: Alan Roaring
Week 1
Infants: Birth-12 months
◦ The word ‘infant’ is derived from a Latin term, ‘infans’, which means unable
to speak.
◦ This highlights the change from the infant stage. After about a year, a baby begins to learn to move on
its own, communicate and feed itself.
◦ Although each child develops differently, a year is set as a guideline for when a helpless infant transitions
into a more independent toddler.
◦ The toddler stage last for about two years until the child matures into being able to completely walk,
talk, feed and do simple tasks for themselves. At this point, the youngster is no longer considered a
‘toddler’, but a ‘child’.
How do Infants and Toddlers
learn?
How do Infants & Toddlers learn?
❖ Infants and toddlers follow patterns in how they develop and learn.
❖ They learn through listening to language, hugging, trying out new sounds,
rolling on the floor, tasting food and exploring their environments in many
ways.
❖ The first three years of a child’s life they under go through amazing changes
from learning through simple sensory motor experiences and then move
towards figuring things out in their head.
How do Infants learn?
❖ Infants start to learn when they see or hear what is happening around them.
They can communicate their needs and what they want to others. Infants can
see objects and see faces and colors.
❖ Infants start to develop language skills as they are exposed to the dialect
spoken at home
❖ Building relationships and familiarity
❖ Environment
How do Infants learn? (continued…)
❖ Visually- When they see someone that is present in their environment they
smile also known as the “social smile”. Infants tend to cry when they are not
familiar with people
❖ Touch- Feeling different textures of things (blanket, sensory book, plastic
bottle etc.)
❖ Taste- tasting different foods by licking, eating, drinking
❖ Hear- Babies “coo” or babble when they hear a familiar voice
❖ Smell-When a baby smells something they don’t like or not familiar with they
turn their heads
How do Toddlers learn?
❖ As Infants begin to move from crawling to walking, they enter what’s known
as the toddler stage. Toddlers start to be active learners in their own
environment when they experience more growing and developing. They have
no time limit when they’ll learn things. Toddler growth and development
progresses at the child’s own pace
❖At the age of 2 also known as “Terrible Twos” they become more independent.
Toddlers at this stage develop mood swings and being impatient.
❖Routine plays a strong role in a toddlers schedule because they can now slowly
predict when things happen (playtime, lunch time etc.)
How do Toddlers learn? (continued…)
Toddlers will learn key skills such as problem solving, physical skills, reading,
number skills and social skills through play such as:
❖ Playing with other children
❖ Imaginative play.
❖ Outdoor Play
❖ Playing with dolls
❖ Doing puzzles.
❖ Turning pages of books
❖ Sensory table
Adult roles in learning
Thank you!