Child Development and Learning (CDL)

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Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

Module Overview

Handouts

1. CDL Pre-Training Reflection 2. Early Brain Development

3. Talking with Families About Why Play is Important

4. Creative Activity Reflection 5. Individual Child Planning Board 6. Infant/Toddler Foundations Cutouts 7. Infant/Toddler Foundations

Postcard

8. CDL Post-Training Reflection

Sections

• Knowledge About Child

Development and Learning

• Facilitating Child Development

and Learning

Activities

• CDL Pre-Training Reflection • Domains and Milestones Trivia

Game

• Child Brain Development – Tweet

Takeaways

• Creative Play Party

• Creating an Individual Child

Planning Board

• Infant/Toddler Foundations Pen

Pals

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Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

Family Child Care providers will:

• Recognize that children learn and develop in the following areas, which are linked together: social-emotional, language, cognitive, perceptual and motor.

• Recognize that children learn and develop at individual rates, in different ways, and usually in a predictable order.

• Become familiar with the ways experience shapes brain development including the importance of reciprocal interactions and the effects of toxic stress.

• Learn how to track developmental milestones.

• Learn how to use the California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations to plan valuable play experiences for the youngest children in their Family Child Care (FCC) homes.

• Understand that young children develop and learn through play, through relationships, by interacting with others, and with their environment.

• Understand that physical and emotional security are essential to supporting children’s optimal development and learning.

Learning Objectives

• Recognizes and supports the primary role of families in children's development and learning

• Values play as essential to a young child's development and learning

• Nurtures the individual development and learning of all children through warm, responsive interactions and enriching experiences

• Uses their unique role to note children's developmental progress and communicate what they see with families

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Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

• Early childhood is a distinct period of life that has value, and it also creates the

foundation for later development.

• During the infant/toddler years, all children depend on responsive, secure

relationships to develop and learn.

• FCC professionals need to develop partnerships with children’s families to

connect children’s experiences at home with their experiences in the FCC program. These partnerships with families are at the core of sensitive care.

• Play is learning and contributes to child development in all domains, beginning

at birth.

• Learning experiences across all developmental domains helps young children

gain fundamental skills and capacities that they will need later in life.

• It is critical that FCC providers support the development and learning of each

child, meeting them where they are. This includes designing individual learning experiences, communicating with families about children’s interests, as well as tracking developmental progress and taking part in intervention when needed.

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Resources

Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

Knowledge About Child Development and Learning

The Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Program Guidelines contains recommendations for setting up environments, providing infants with a secure base for learning and exploration, selecting appropriate materials, and planning and implementing learning opportunities.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/itguidelines.pdf.

Guidelines for Early Learning in Child Care Home Settings addresses the specific concerns that home-based providers face every day as they strive to nurture and teach the children in their care.

English version: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/elguidelineshome.pdf

Spanish version: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/elguidelineshomespa.pdf

The Infant/Toddler Desired Results Developmental Profile is an instrument that allows educators to document individual children’s developmental progress.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/documents/drdp2015infanttoddler.pdf

The Program for Infant/Toddler Care is a comprehensive approach to professional development that provides infant/toddler professionals with opportunities to become informed about the infant/toddler learning and development foundations and other components of California’s infant/toddler system. For more information visit: https://www.pitc.org/pub/pitc_docs/home.csp

The Integrated Nature of Learning examines how play, learning, and curriculum work together in early education, and describes the relationship context for early learning and the role of the teacher/caregiver in supporting children’s active engagement in learning.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/intnatureoflearning2016.pdf

The Brain Architecture Game is a tabletop game experience that builds understanding of the powerful role of experiences on early brain. You can order pre-made versions of the game or a license for a Do-it-Yourself version here: https://dev.thebrainarchitecturegame.com/

The California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations outlines the following domains: social-emotional, language, cognitive, and perceptual and motor development, and expectations for the way most infants and toddler make progress through these domains.

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Resources

Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

Facilitating Child Development and Learning

Play in the Lives of Children, Growing Learning Caring Training Module 3: Playing is Learning

https://rrnetwork.org/members/child-care-initiative-project/training-resources/child-development-learning

Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children, and Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers by Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky

Part 1: https://www.redleafpress.org/Loose-Parts-Inspiring-Play-in-Young-Children-P1128.aspx

Part 2: https://www.redleafpress.org/Loose-Parts-2-Inspiring-Play-with-Infants-and-Toddlers-P1429.aspx

The Genius of Play website offers easy to understand resources on play and is available in English and Spanish.

http://www.thegeniusofplay.org/tgop/benefits/genius/benefits-of-play/benefits-of-play-home.aspx?h-key=75c664db-cb16-4004-8756-03ba00ba381e

10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/10-things-every-parent-play

Top 10 No-Cost Toys for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers

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Resources

Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

CDL Workshop Overview for Trainer (example)

Activity Time

Welcome

CDL Pre-Training Reflection sheet 10 mins

Review Agenda 5 mins

Topic 1: Knowledge About Child Development and Learning

• CDL Domains and Milestones Trivia Game (with PowerPoint) • Tour resources on CDC Learn the Signs/Act Early website • Child Brain Development - Tweet Takeaways

• Early Brain Development

• Videos - Three Core Concepts in Early Development » Experiences Build Brain Development (1:56)

» Serve & Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry (1:42) » Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development (1:51) • Creative Play Party

• Talking with Families About Why Play is Important • Creative Activity Reflection

30-45 mins 45-60 mins

60-90 mins

Topic 2: Facilitating Child Development and Learning • Creating an Individual Child Planning Board • Infant/Toddler Foundations Pen Pals

• Infant/Toddler Foundations Cut-outs • Infant/Toddler Foundations Postcard

20-25 mins 30-40 mins CDL Post-Training Reflection sheet

Closing thoughts 10 mins

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

CDL Pre-Training Reflection

Learning Outcome

Participants will reflect on their current knowledge and understanding of child development and learning.

Format

Individual written reflection

Instructions

1. Distribute Handout 1 - CDL Pre-Training Reflection along with pencils or pens and give the participants enough time to complete the reflection individually.

2. Collect the reflections after they have been completed and review the responses. Consider asking participants who have experience/ knowledge/comfort with the subject to help explain concepts during the workshop.

Materials Pencils or pens Handout 1. CDL Pre-Training Reflection Time Estimate 10 minutes Key to Reflection Know Yourself

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Domains and Milestones Trivia Game

Participants will be able to list at least four domains and milestones for typically developing children according to age.

Format

Game played in small teams Large group discussion

Instructions

1. Short lecture for the large group:

• A milestone is a behavior that most children demonstrate by a

certain age that marks typical development.

• Children experience milestones at different times within a range

of ages. For example, a typically developing child can take up to 6 months to roll from front to back, but may be able to roll from front to back earlier.

• If a child is not reaching a milestone this is not something

to worry about, but it is a good reason to observe the child and talk with the child’s family about what you have noticed. Resources for talking with families and what to do if children are not reaching milestones will be discussed after the game.

• Domains refer to specific areas of growth and change. In this

game, we will be focusing on how children develop in four areas; social-emotional, language, cognitive, and perceptual and motor. Domains help us to pay attention to certain areas of development, but children develop across all domains at the same time.

• This game was developed as a fun way for participants to

explore domains and milestones, and to introduce resources that can help with tracking milestones in family child care. If anyone is not sure about an answer, it’s just fine to guess. The answers will be shared with everyone after each round so that participants become more knowledgeable.

2. Game instructions:

• Participants need to be in teams of 2-4 people. Each team needs

to choose a recorder/reporter.

• Distribute markers and several blank sheets of paper or small

dry erase boards to each team to write down their answers.

Materials

• Each team of 2-4 people

will need either 7 sheets of blank paper or 1 small dry erase board

• Each team will need 1

regular marker or 1 dry-erase marker

• Each team will need 1 dry

erase board eraser, rag, or paper towel (if dry erase boards are used)

• Computer • Projector

• Internet connection • Speakers

• CDL Milestones & Domains

Trivia Game PowerPoint

https://rrnetwork.org/ assets/general-files/CDL_ MilestonesDomains_Trivia_ Game.final.pptx

Handout

CDC Learn the Signs/Act Early, free materials available in multiple languages: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ actearly/index.html Time Estimate 30-45 minutes Key to Reflection

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Domains and Milestones Trivia Game

• The trainer, or “gameshow host,” will display and read the questions one at a time from the

PowerPoint presentation.

• Team members will discuss together which answer makes the most sense

• The recorder/reporter from each team will write on their paper or dry erase board:

» The age most children have reached the milestone by. The options for age to choose from are: 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 months and 2, 3, 4, 5 years.

AND

» The domain that the milestone falls under. The options for the domains are: Socio-emotional, Cognitive, Language, Perceptual, and Motor.

» The list of ages and domains should be displayed on chart paper where everyone can see it in the room, as the groups will need to refer to both sets of options during the game.

• A representative from each team will hold up their paper or paddle to display their answers after

each round so the large group can see them.

• After the teams have all held up their paper or paddle, the trainer will reveal the correct answer by

showing the video on the next slide. 3. Resource Sharing:

• After you have completed the game, use the link on the Milestones and Domains Trivia Game

PowerPoint slide 19 to tour the resources on the CDC Learn the Signs/Act Early website,

particularly the Milestones Tracker App. Discuss how these resources can be used. Leave time for questions.

• If you have printed or ordered any of the CDC resources, distribute them to participants. Trainer Notes

1. Prepare in advance by reviewing Milestones and Domains Trivia PowerPoint and becoming familiar with resources on the CDC Learn the Signs/Act Early website (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/ index.html). Print materials that you think will be useful for the participants; there are many available in multiple languages.

2. You may feel it’s helpful to identify your county’s resources (https://www.ceitan-earlystart.org/ central-directory/) to share with family child care providers when developmental delays may be a concern.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Materials • Computer • Projector • Internet connection • Speakers

• Videos - Three Core

Concepts in Early Development: https:// developingchild.harvard. edu/resources/three- core-concepts-in-early-development/

• Large dry erase board or

chart paper

• Markers • Note paper • Large sticky notes • Pens or pencils Handout

2. Early Brain Development

Time Estimate

45-60 minutes

Keys to Inquiry Examine the Environments

Turn Questions Into Action

Child Brain Development – Tweet Takeaways

Participants will be able to identify and document three early brain development concepts; building brain architecture, the significance of reciprocal interactions, and the influence of stress on the brain.

Format

Small groups

Large group discussion

Instructions

1. Preparations:

a. Set up AV equipment needed to play the videos from this webpage: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/ three-core-concepts-in-early-development/

b. Set out note paper, sticky notes, and pens or pencils for each participant.

c. Write the following individually at the top of five sheets of chart paper or well-spaced on a large dry erase board:

» Group 1 - Brain Architecture

» Group 2 - Serve and Return Interaction » Group 3 - Toxic Stress

2. Distribute Handout 2 - Early Brain Development. Give the participants time to read the handout and discuss:

» What do you think are the most important things for people outside this room to know about child brain development? » What would be especially helpful for parents to know? 3. Show the videos in the Three Core Concepts in Early Development

(Experiences Build Brain Architecture, Serve and Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry, Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development) series. As the participants watch the videos, encourage them to take notes about any important information presented.

4. Have the large group report back and chart responses on the dry erase board or chart paper.

5. Next, divide the participants into three small groups, who should each choose a reporter. Each group will be gaining expertise about the following concepts to share with the large group:

» Group 1 - Brain Architecture

» Group 2 - Serve and Return Interaction » Group 3 - Toxic Stress

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Child Brain Development – Tweet Takeaways

6. Based on the handouts and the video pertaining to their topic, each group will decide together on 2-3 takeaways, or “Tweets” to write down, one per sticky note. Be sure to write very brief statements (one to three sentences, maximum) about what is most important to know regarding the concept. 7. When the Tweets are ready, they should be placed on the chart paper or area of the dry erase board

that corresponds to the group’s assigned topic.

8. In the large group: reporters from each group should read their Tweets and discuss how they apply to their work with children.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Materials

• Dry erase board or chart

paper

• Markers

• Pens or pencils

• Arts and crafts materials

that adults might enjoy (e.g. beading supplies, found objects, fabric scraps, items from nature, paint, glue guns and glue sticks, small canvases, frames, jars or gift boxes to decorate)

Handout

3. Talking with Families About Why Play is Important 4. Creative Activity Reflection

Time Estimate

60 - 90 minutes

Keys to Inquiry

Pause for Inspiration

Creative Play Party

Participants will be able to write specific examples of how they can communicate the importance of play for young children to the children’s families. Format Individual work Large group Instructions 1. Preparations:

a. Set out arts and crafts materials for participants.

b. Write the domains listed below on a dry erase board or chart paper, leaving space beneath each domain to post sticky notes later:

» Social-emotional » Language

» Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) » Perceptual and Motor development

2. Distribute pens or pencils and Handout 3 – Talking with Families About Why Play is Important. Then review the prompts on the handout, and ask the participants to reflect and write responses individually. Allow 5-10 mins for this part of the activity, observing the group to see when they seem to be finished. Bring the group back together and ask who would like to share their ideas about how to communicate the importance of play to parents.

3. Refer to the chart in Handout 3 – Talking with Families About Why Play is Important, to talk about the ways that different kinds of play can help children learn and grow. Explain that many types of play activate development in multiple domains at once. For example, when a child is finger painting, they use their cognitive skills to choose colors and make patterns, their motor skills to apply paint to paper, their social and emotional skills to express themselves and share materials, and their language skills to talk about what they are doing.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Creative Play Party

4. Explain to participants that they will be engaged in a “Creative Play Party,” and that they’ll have a chance to experience the following:

• all of the domains are engaged at the same time (the domains don’t exist in isolation) • providing opportunities for play and creativity supports development in all domains

5. Show participants the arts and crafts materials that are available for them to use. Invite participants to make an item for another person to give as a gift.

6. Then distribute Handout 4 - Creative Activity Reflection. Go over the handout so that the participants understand that they’ll need to focus and reflect on their experience of the different domains during the Creative Play Party.

7. Encourage the participants to have fun and converse freely while they are creating.

8. After the participants have finished, ask them to fill out Handout 4 - Creative Activity Reflection. 9. Discussion:

• Invite any participants who are willing, to share with the whole group what they noticed regarding

their creative process. If nothing comes up at first, emphasize the idea that these processes are integrated, and that one domain informs the expression of another.

• Ask participants how they use, or plan to use, creative materials to encourage development across

domains with the children in their FCC homes. For example, ask: How can creative materials be used to encourage gross motor (big muscle) development? Some ideas: Larger materials mean bigger movement--painting big cardboard boxes, tracing bodies on large pieces of paper, or making a chalk mural, where children will squat, reach, and crawl to draw.

• Finally, ask participants if there is anything they would add to their responses on Handout 3 –

Talking with Families About Why Play is Important, regarding how they will now talk with parents regarding the importance of play.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Materials

• Dry-erase board or chart

paper

• Markers • Sticky notes • Pencils Handout

5. Individual Child Planning Board

Time Estimate

20-25 minutes

Keys to Inquiry

Seek Multiple Perspectives

Consider the Child’s Point of View

Creating an Individual Child Planning Board

Participants will be able to list four specific ways that they can incorporate individualization in their FCC program.

Format

Individual work

Instructions

1. Preparations:

a. Set out pencils and sticky notes for the participants. b. Re-create the chart on page 1 of Handout 5 - Individual

Child Planning Board on a dry erase board or a piece of chart paper. Then, write the word “Individualization” as a header on another dry erase board or piece of chart paper.

c. Print extra copies of Handout 5 - Individual Child Planning Board that participants can take back to use in their FCC programs.

2. Ask participants what comes to mind when they hear the word “Individualization”. Share that “individualizing” means planning activities with each child in mind. It means offering experiences and interactions that will allow each child to progress developmentally and increase their skills. Individualization is important because each child learns and develops in a unique way. Good questions to ask are, “What does this child enjoy?” and “How can I build on this child’s strengths?”

3. Ask participants to share examples of how they work with children as individuals in their FCC homes. Record their responses on the dry erase board or chart paper with the header: “Individualization”. 4. Discuss the challenges in working with individual children in a

group setting of multiple ages. Emphasize the importance of individualizing, and strategize ways to set aside time to plan and observe. Some strategies include taking short notes about what each child did on a particular day, what their preferences are, taking photos of children playing, and having conversations with families to learn about the child’s abilities, developmental level, temperament, family context, and culture.

5. Distribute Handout 5 - Individual Child Planning Board to each participant.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Creating an Individual Child Planning Board

6. Talk about, and record an example for each section of the chart that you drew on the dry erase board or chart paper before the workshop. You can describe a particular child and use that description to guide individualization choices. For example: “You’ve noticed that 18-month-old Khalea loves to carry around small kitty toys and that she is starting to enjoy sorting things. When her mom brought her to your FCC program this morning, she said Khalea is starting to name a lot of animals.” Then ask the participants, “What could you use to combine her interest in the kitty toys and the info her mom gave you, to help her advance her sorting and language skills?” Using this example, in the favorites box you would write “kitty toys,” in the I’m ready for box write “sorting,” in the family input box write, “naming animals”, in the new experiences box write: put out some new toy animals and sit with child and help her to name and sort them.

7. Give participants 10-15 minutes to reflect on a child they know and use sticky notes to write down responses for the four sections on page 2 of Handout 5 – Individual Child Planning Board. (Sticky notes allow the participants to move their ideas around.) Ask the participants to use the questions on the reverse side of the planning board handout to guide their choices. Provide extra copies of the handouts for participants to take back and use to plan individualizing for the children in their FCC program.

8. Invite participants to share some of their plans. How did they combine information they had to decide on a new experience to offer the child they were thinking about? Encourage providers to describe how this experience will encourage each child’s developmental progress or skills.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Materials

• A basket or other container

to hold the Infant/Toddler Foundation cut-out squares

• Scissors (one pair per

participant)

• Glue sticks (one per

participant)

• One set of the following

pages of the California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations for each table:

º Social-Emotional (pp. 14-34)

º Language (pp. 47-54) º Cognitive (pp. 65-82) º Perceptual and Motor

(pp. 94-99) Handout 6. Infant/Toddler Foundations Cut-outs 7. Infant/Toddler Foundations Postcard Time Estimate 30-40 minutes Keys to Inquiry

Examine the Environments Seek Multiple Perspectives

Consider the Child’s Point of View

Infant/Toddler Foundations Pen Pals

After an introduction to the California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, participants will be able to share four specific ways to support the social-emotional, language, cognitive, and/or percep-tual and motor development of an infant or toddler in the FCC setting.

Format

Individual work Pair share

Instructions

1. Preparations:

a. Print Handout 6 - Infant/Toddler Foundations Cutouts (each participant should receive two squares from the handout). Cut out the squares and put them in a basket or other container.

b. Print double-sided copies of Handout 7 - Infant Toddler Foundations Postcard (one for each participant).

c. Read the Introduction to the California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations:

» English, pp. ix-xvi, here: https://www.cde.ca.gov/SP/CD/RE/ documents/itfoundations2009.pdf

» Chinese (traditional), Hmong, Korean, Pilipino (Tagalog), Spanish, Vietnamese here: http://inet2.cde.ca.gov/cmd/ translatedparentaldoc.aspx?docid=8968-8973.

d. Review and print the following pages of the California Infant/ Toddler Learning and Development Foundations (one set of copies for each table): (https://www.cde.ca.gov/SP/CD/RE/ documents/itfoundations2009.pdf)

» Social-Emotional (pp. 14-34) » Language (pp. 47-54)

» Cognitive (pp. 65-82)

» Perceptual and Motor (pp. 94-99)

e. On each table, place one set of the Foundations copies you printed

f. Use the list of participants attending the training to pair them off, so that each person has a “Pen Pal.” You will save time by doing this before the workshop begins.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

Infant/Toddler Foundations Pen Pals

2. Explain that the purpose of the activity is to explore the I/T Foundations, learn how to use it to get ideas for supporting child development, and to learn from each other by working with a “pen pal.” 3. Let participants know who their pen pals are.

4. Talk a little about the reason for learning about the I/T Foundations. Provide an example of how to use the foundations to generate ideas for supporting development. For example, on page 73 of the I/T Foundations, for Memory, under 18 Months, one of the examples says that a child “may watch the infant care teacher place a toy inside three lids and correctly reach for the lid when the teacher asks where the toy is.” Using this example, one way a family child care provider can support the development of memory, is by playing hide and find games using toys or other objects with the babies in their FCC program.

5. Distribute Handout 7 - Infant/Toddler Foundations Postcard

6. Invite participants to pick two cutouts from the basket or other container that was prepared in advance.

7. Ask participants to cut their Handout 7 - Infant Toddler Foundations Postcard sheets in half, creating two “postcards.”

8. Participants should glue the Foundation cutouts over the squares on the top of the postcards, and then use the examples from the I/T Foundations copies to give them ideas for filling in their postcards.

9. While participants are looking up the foundations they chose, and working on their postcards, make yourself available to answer questions and help generate ideas to support children in the various foundations.

10. Ask participants to share their completed postcards with their pen pal.

11. Ask the pen pals to share some examples from the postcards of the foundations/supporting children with the large group.

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CDL

A C T I V I T Y

CDL Post-Training Reflection

Participants will identify their current knowledge and understanding of Child Development and Learning.

Format

Individual written reflection, group discussion

Instructions

1. Distribute Handout 9 - CDL Post-Training Reflection and give participants time to complete it on their own.

2. Ask if there are any outstanding questions about child development and learning.

3. If time allows, discuss how participant’s ideas about child development and learning have changed as a result of this training. Take notes so you can reference areas of growth and areas participants would like to learn more to help you plan future trainings and/or technical assistance.

Materials Pencils or pens Handouts 8. CDL Post-Training Reflection Time Estimate 10 minutes Key to Inquiry Know Yourself

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Child Development and Learning (CDL)

CDL

References

California Department of Education. 2011. California Early Childhood Educator Competencies. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ececompetencies2011.pdf

California Department of Education. 2009. California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/itfoundations2009.pdf

California Department of Education. 2012. California Infant/Toddler Curriculum Frameworks. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/Cd/re/documents/itcurriculumframework.pdf

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. 2007. The Science of Early Childhood Development (InBrief).

www.developingchild.harvard.edu (accessed December 13, 2018). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn the Signs, Act Early.

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CDL Pre-Training Reflection

Child Development & Learning | Handout 1

Name____________________________________________________ Date_________________

Use an X to mark the box that answers each statement best for you

Strongly

Disagree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Agree Strongly Agree I know what the child development domains are

I am familiar with the CDC’s, “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” tool for tracking child development milestones

I can communicate clearly about early brain development with others

I understand that creative play can help children make progress in multiple child development domains

I can talk about the importance of play for young children with parents

I know that individual children have their own unique ways of learning

I know how to find information that can help me plan for individual learning experiences in my FCC home

I am aware of the content in the California Infant/ Toddler Learning and Development Foundations publication

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Early Brain Development

Child Development & Learning | Handout 2 | Page 1 of 2

Brain Architecture

The brain is one organ, but it does a lot of different things. Here are some of them:

º The brain helps us survive by controlling breathing, telling our organs to work, and giving the signal when we feel our safety is threatened so we can fight, run, or freeze.

º The brain is where emotions come from (even though emotions are felt in the rest of the body).

º Brains are responsible for awareness, thinking, planning, and making decisions.

Like a house wired with electricity, in order for strong connections to be in place, the brain needs good wiring from the foundation to the first floor and then on up to the second story. The way the brain gets wired is by having experiences. When you experience something, brain cells called neurons fire off and connect the different parts of the brain. These connections build pathways that can be used again. The more experiences a child has, the stronger the pathways in the brain will be. When the pathways don’t get used, they become weak and the brain stops using them (a process called “neural pruning”). During the first three years of life, children’s brains create billions of neural connections. As children grow older, the number of new connections being made slows down. Since brains are being built in the first few years of life it is very important for children to have good experiences early on. It is possible to build new connections later in life, but it can be harder to do.

Here is an example of how a caregiver can take part in forming a neural pathway for an infant:

When a baby cries, they are sending a message to get their needs met. This signal comes from the survival part of the brain. When a caregiver responds to the baby’s needs by holding, feeding, and talking to them, the baby feels good and this soothes the emotional part of the brain. When the caregiver responds to the baby consistently, the infant learns they are safe, their needs will be met, and they can

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Early Brain Development

Serve and Return

The concept of Serve and Return comes from the sport of tennis in which players hit a ball back and forth to each other across a court. The reason Serve and Return is used to describe brain development is because it is important that adults and children interact by

communicating back and forth with each other. Adults can help brain development by reflecting back sounds and facial expressions, offering care and comfort, encouraging movement, laughter, talking, reading and so much more. Every time a child signals a desire to interact, and an adult responds, neurons fire from different parts of the brain. This helps to build pathways that the child will need for all future learning.

Toxic Stress

Experiences help the brain to grow. Just as the brain can be wired with positive connections, it can also be negatively affected by stress. Not all stress is bad. In fact, we need stressful experiences to develop healthy coping mechanisms, the ability to adapt, and become resilient. However, the younger we are, the more we need a reliable adult to provide safety and consistency. We now know that stressful experiences fall along a continuum: at one end there is positive stress and tolerable stress. At the other end is toxic stress. An example of positive stress is starting a new job where there is a learning curve. This kind of experience can be both stressful and positive, because it provides challenges that help us grow. Another kind of stress is called tolerable stress. Tolerable stress occurs when something very difficult happens, like breaking a leg or the death of a loved one, but there is support from others to help us get through the experience. In addition, with tolerable stress, there is a clear beginning and end. Toxic stress occurs when a person goes through strong or frequent adversity, or the difficulty lasts for a long time, but meaningful support is not provided.

Here’s how toxic stress can harm a child’s brain: when a child tries repeatedly to get their needs met, but the adults in their life do not respond in a supportive way, the survival part of the brain goes into overdrive. Once the survival part of the brain is on alert, it produces stress hormones that can damage the child’s mental and physical health in the long term. In addition to problems with an overactive stress system, children who have been severely neglected have not had the chance to build pathways between different parts of the brain, so they may have trouble with learning, health, relationships, and other issues.

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Talking with Families About Why Play is Important

Think of a child in your care, or a child that you know. In the chart below, circle the types of play you have noticed this child engaging in. What could you say to the child’s family to explain how this play supports their development? Jot down your ideas below.

Examples:

“Leo has been playing with Chantalle almost every day! They’ve invented a frog game and pretend to jump into a pond. Their legs are getting so strong, and it seems like Leo made a connection with the book we have been reading about amphibians. It’s amazing how playing helps them grow!”

“Holly has been holding the squishy ball and hitting it on the floor, saying “ba ba ba ba” out loud. I’ve been noticing how coordinated she is when she grabs the ball. And she is really practicing those “b” sounds; I can tell she recognizes that “ba” goes with the word “ball” when I talk with her about it.

Type of Play Examples Connection with Development

Creative Dancing, drawing, painting, playdough, collage, playing with found objects and natural materials

Allows children to think, plan, explore, practice language and communication, strengthen their muscles, express emotions Games Peek-a-boo, turn-taking games, play activities

where children make up rules Helps children learn cooperation and self-control, strengthens relationships, explores social boundaries, practice negotiating and conflict resolution

Language Babbling, repeating sounds, singing, joking,

telling stories Communicate feelings and needs, learn from others, form ideas about how the world works, foundation for literacy

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Creative Activity Reflection

Cognitive

What was your thought process as you were making the gift?

How how did you plan what to do during this activity?

Social and Emotional

What kinds of feelings came up while you made the gift?

How did social interactions impact your experience?

Perceptual Motor

How was your body involved in making the item (hands, eyes, ears, fingers, posture)?

How could the creative process be adapted to accommodate for an injury or difference in the way your body works?

Language and Communication

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Individual Child Planning Board

Child’s Name: Age:

Questions to guide individualization choices • What does the child enjoy doing? (i.e.

what makes the child smile and laugh, or hold's the child's interest)

• How does the child respond to new

experiences? (i.e. does the child engage immediately or observe first and then participate)

• What have you observed this child

playing with often?

• What skills have you observed the

child practicing (motor, language, thinking, social, emotional skills)?

• Do you have documentation on this

child’s skills (i.e. writing, painting, drawing, photos of play)?

• Do you have any info from

assessments (for example, ASQ)?

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Infant/Toddler Foundations Cut-outs

Social-Emotional Development Foundations Cut-Outs

Interactions with Adults

Children learn how to play with, talk to, and get care and

attention from adults

Relationships with Adults

Children form close bonds with adults who provide warm,

reliable care

Interactions with Peers

Children learn how to play with, talk to, and get attention from

other children

Relationships with Peers

Children become interested in other children and making

friends

Identity of Self in Relation to Others

Children learn about who they are and how to relate to others

Recognition of Ability

Children learn about what they can do in their world

Expression of Emotion

Children show how they feel through facial expressions, sounds, movement and words

Empathy

Children learn about understanding others and how

to respond to the feelings of other people

Emotion Regulation

Children learn how to manage their feelings with the help of

others and by themselves

Impulse Control

Children learn how to wait, act safely, and follow social rules

Social Understanding

Children learn about the emotions and actions of other

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Language Development Foundations Cut-Outs

Receptive Language

Children learn words, sounds and sign language made by others

Expressive Language

Children practice using sounds, words and sign-language

Communication Skills & Knowledge

Children learn how to communicate

Interest in Print

Children pay attention to pictures, books, art, patterns in

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Cognitive Development Foundations Cut-outs

Cause-and-Effect

Children learn that when something happens it can cause

another thing to happen

Spatial Relationships

Children learn how things move and fit in different spaces

Problem Solving

Children learn how to reach a goal or figure out how

something works

Imitation

Children copy the actions of others

Memory

Children’s ability to remember past events and experiences

grows

Number Sense

Children learn about how many and how much

Classification

Children use what they know to group, sort and categorize

objects and people

Symbolic Play

Children pretend with objects, actions and ideas

Attention Maintenance

Children learn how to focus on people, objects, and actions

Understanding of Personal Care Routines

Children practice taking care of their bodies

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Perceptual and Motor Development Foundations Cut-outs

Perceptual Development

Children use their senses to understand what is happening

and how things work

Gross Motor

Children move the large muscles in their bodies

Fine Motor

Children move the small muscles in their bodies

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Infant/Toddler Foundations Postcard

Postcard Instructions:

1. Take two squares from the Infant/Toddler Foundations basket.

2. Glue one square on top of each of the designated boxes on the two postcards. 3. For each postcard, think of a child (real or imaginary) between ages 0-36 months.

4. Use the examples from the California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations* to help you come up with two ideas for supporting the foundations on your squares for that child 5. Write about your ideas in the blank spaces on your postcard

6. Deliver the postcards to your pen-pal and discuss *Examples are found on these pages:

Social-Emotional pp. 14-34 Language pp. 47-54 Cognitive pp. 65-82

Perceptual and Motor pp. 94-99

Guiding questions:

In order to support a child in this foundation:

• What toys or materials would you need, if any? • What kind of activities could you do?

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Infant/Toddler Foundations Postcard

Glue Foundation Cutout Here

Age of child in months: Your Name:

Domain: Foundation:

Dear ___________________________________,

I found out about this foundation and I read up on some examples. What do you think about my ideas to support this foundation?

Glue Foundation Cutout Here

Age of child in months: Your Name:

Domain: Foundation:

Dear ___________________________________,

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CDL Post-Training Reflection

Name____________________________________________________ Date_________________

Use an X to mark the box that answers each statement best for you

Strongly

Disagree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Agree Strongly Agree I know what the child development domains are

I am familiar with services that are available to children and families with disabilities.

I can communicate clearly about early brain development with others

I understand that creative play can help children make progress in multiple domains of development I can talk about the importance of play for young children with parents

I know that individual children have their own unique ways of learning

I know how to find information that can help me plan for individual learning experiences in my FCC home

I am aware of the content in the California Infant/ Toddler Learning and Development Foundations publication

What is the main thing you got out of this training?