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Welcome to this month's issue of the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter - A newsletter for those caring for children.
Notable Quote: “A good learning environment empowers children to become confident learners.” – Jim Greenman
Enjoy the following tip from Heather Kimble. Heather works at the Bennett Family Center at Penn State University.
We have created a list serve that includes all of the parents in our room. As well as using a daily communication board, which lists special activities we did for the day, we send out a weekly reflection to each parent via email. We include pictures and write up a brief (six or seven sentences) summary of the week. The weekly reflection also helps with lesson planning. *For parents who do not have e-mail access, reflections can be written and copied to paper.
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From child care providers, of course! Do you have a great tip or good thing? Send us your best tips in writing and your tip may end up in our newsletter! If your tip is chosen for the newsletter, you will receive a little something from the Better Kid Care Program. Mail tips with your return address, place of work, and the number and ages of those you care for to:
Better Kid Care Program
c/o Christine Belinda
Tips from Child Care Providers
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
E-mail to: crb16@psu.edu
by Christine Belinda
The goal of an infant program is to offer optimal opportunity for growth and development, as well as a safe and nurturing environment. How can we provide a quality environment for infants? What do we need to know? How do we go about planning for the environment?
As early educators, we need to develop a vision or philosophy for our program before we can design our environment. Our visions and philosophies represent what we believe to be the best for infant care. The environment we create will play many roles and will itself become part of the vision of caring and enriching children's lives.
Each program will have its own unique vision, depending on its children, families, and staff. Visions may include these ideas: having adults knowledgeable in child development; providing developmentally appropriate materials and practices; encouraging loving interactions with eating, sleeping, exploring, and guiding; respect for infants/families; and providing beautiful, comfortable environments that portray home-like settings in positive, safe, encouraging ways.
The most important element in an infant environment is the adult. Infants need adults who are responsive, caring, knowledgeable, and loving. Resarch shows that infants need personal bonding relationships with their caregivers in order to thrive and grow.
It is important that the environment match each infant's needs and support their individual development. Therefore, the adult needs to know each child well; what they like or don't like, how they can be soothed, what developmental milestones they have mastered and those they are working on, home routines, and family background information. It's important to review infant development and discover what infants can do, what they need, and experiences that will support both.
Health and safety needs are critical in caring for very young children. Spaces for proper toileting, diapering, and assisting personal needs (feeding, bonding, resting, hand washing) are necessary and are a part of daily experiences. Make these spaces comfortable, clean, and well prepared.
Infants learn about their world by manipulating materials, exploring their environment, and interacting with others. Therefore, developmentally appropriate materials and experiences (those which encourage and also meet the child at her level of understanding) are critical.
Have materials that can be used in a variety of ways, are easy to handle, stimulating, and safe. Offer equipment to climb on, crawl into, or that children can pull themselves up on, that are sturdy and safe. Provide sensory experiences, such as water play, textured materials, clay, play dough, and paint. Mount shatterproof mirrors at child levels, for children to explore themselves as well as others.
Materials that are enticing, interesting, and easily accessible will encourage children's interactions and learning environments. Provide low shelves and easy-to-see baskets/containers to hold materials. Also provide spaces to reach these materials, such as pathways, nooks, and built-in spaces. The material, movement to the material, and interaction with the material are all intertwined.
Infants need to form connections in their environments. One important connection is for the child to have a sense of belonging. Consistent, loving adults will assist this as well as provide items that portray a sense of home. Consider soft lighting, like a table lamp, comfortable chairs for both adult and child to sit and cuddle in, and soft, cozy carpets and pillows to lean on or be propped up with.
Adding family photos at low levels for children to see adds the sense of family. We can also make displays using photographs of the children's experiences, highlighting their play, friends, and relationships.
Infants need to know there are spaces to call their own. It is helpful to have a "cubby" or basket to place personal belongings and gather family mail. Adult-sized chairs or benches are nice for families. You can support families by adding a communication board (bulletin board or white board) listing events, happenings, and reflections.
Infants need cozy areas to feel comfortable and safe. A box with a pillow or a piece of fabric draped over top is an instant cozy area. Container toys, such as play pens and infant swings, should be used minimally (or not at all), as they inhibit natural movement and can be confining.
Staff members also need areas to place personal belongings and store materials. Recognizing this adds value to the role that staff members play. Staff members also need space to post communication and schedules, and to organize, prepare, and store materials.
Imagine you are the infant. What would it feel like in the environment you have prepared? Try lying down on the floor in your environment and looking around to achieve an infant's view.
Think of what the space feels like, smells like, and looks like. Is it beautiful, engaging, and interesting? When looking around the environment, what do you like? What don't you like? What could be added or taken out? Are all needs met with what is provided? Both adult and child need to feel comfortable, welcome, and cared for.
Reviewing the ideas above shows us that environment is part actual "material," such as toys, furniture, and people, but is also made up of things we cannot touch, such as thought, intention, and theory. We need "materials" to represent many of our ideas, but we also need "thought" in preparing and providing quality infant environments. Taking a closer look at infant environments allows everyone involved to grow and be well cared for.
*All infant environments require constant adult supervision
Better Kid Care resources are available for child care providers by contacting your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office.
Enjoy the following highlights from one of the many Better Kid Care Distance Education Lessons. Participate in Distance Education training in the convenience of your home.
One thing brain research tells us is that talking with babies is important! Don't be shy about talking with babies. You many think that they won't understand what you are saying. Talking with babies helps them to learn a great deal about language and communication. Make these conversations warm and pleasant. You're teaching the baby the pleasure of interacting with others. Here are some ways that high quality infant caregivers talk with infants:
Talk about actions as children are doing them. Use words to describe what the baby is doing, such as climbing, crawling, pushing, sliding, filling, dumping, throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing, sliding. "You are pushing the wagon. It's hard. The wagon is heavy."
Put feelings into words. When children cry, fight, become frustrated, or jump with joy, these are great times to teach children. By describing their feelings with words, you help children to make sense of their feelings and to learn how to talk about their feelings.
Help babies do what they want to do safely. Watch what a baby wants to do. Help the baby to do it for herself if it is safe. You can say, "You want the ball that is under the crib, you can get it yourself."
Build secure relationships with each child in your care. The best way to do this is to respond to the child's cures. Even though they can't talk yet, babies have many ways of telling you what they need. Children become securely attached when caregivers learn to read these signals and respond quickly to the messages sent by the children.
February is National Children's Dental Health MonthThe annual observance of children's dental health began as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 3, 1941. Since 1941, the observance has grown from a one-day event into a nationwide program.
This year's slogan is “A Healthy Smile is Something to Cheer!” If you are interested in activity ideas, materials, and more information on National Children's Dental Health Month, contact the American Dental Association at www.ada.org (search National Children's Dental Month) or call 800-947-4746.
The Penn State Better Kid Care Program has developed a new and exciting season of interesting, helpful satellite topics for 2005-2006. Join with many other caregivers in experiencing live satellite training workshops, offered through the Penn State Better Kid Care Program, in Pennsylvania and across the United States . To participate in these workshops, visit the Satellite Workshop link.
Reading aloud with children is a wonderful activity. Children of all ages love to be read to. Support the love of reading for children in your care by trying the following books:
Winter Days in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, published by Harper Trophy, ISBN 0664433730. A family celebrates winter, family, and coziness in their log cabin.
The Jacket I Wear in the Snow, by Shirley Nwitzel, published by Harper Trophy, ISBN 0688045871. A winter story in poem form, sharing a little boy's experience of winter and all the many clothes he must wear.
Snow on Snow on Snow, by Cheryl Chapman, published by Dial Books, ISBN 080371456. A story sharing predictable, repeated verse of winter happenings and fun in the snow. Finding the dog is fun!
Winter Friends, by Carl Sams, published by Carl R. Sams II, ISBN 0967174856. Nature photos sharing the joys and surprises of winter.
Contact your local children's library or your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office to find out about more books on making friends and child care. Reading with children creates lifelong readers. Enjoy your time reading with children!
Do you have questions about caring for other people's children, such as:
Call the Better Kid Care Mentoring Line at 800-859-8340 or e-mail your questions to betterkidcare@psu.edu for information about child care and children's issues.
The New Staff Orientation curriculum is now available to child care centers in Pennsylvania. This curriculum is specifically designed for new staff members in child care centers. Included are a thirty-page workbook and thirty units on seven videotapes. The easy-to-understand information is reinforced with activities and assignments. Units are designed to be used during naptime or other small blocks of time as staff/child ratios permit. Meets the Keystone STARS Performance Standards.
Meets the Keystone STARS Core Series Training Requirements - This three part series shows how to establish, run and maintain a successful child care business and presents important information about understanding and supporting the developmental needs of each child.
- Part 1 - Family Child Care...It's a Business
- Part 2 - Understanding and Supporting
Children's Physical and Cognitive Development- Part 3 - Understanding and Supporting
Children's Language and Social/Emotional Development
Receive the videos and workbooks in the mail. Complete the entire series and return assignments to the Better Kid Care office for review to earn six Department of Public Welfare training hours.
To order: 1-800-452-9108 or betterkidcare@psu.edu
Do you provide care for children in your home? The kit, which is free for Pennsylvania residents, includes booklets with activities, child care ideas, information about distance education training, a children's development chart, and much more. Complete our on-line registration form or call 800-452-9108 to order.
The monthly issue of Family Time / Work Time contains short articles and tips for busy working parents. Parents Count has information for parents on children's issues that are featured in training workshops for child care providers. Both publications are available online to print and share with your friends, family, and other childcare providers. Select issues are also available in Spanish.
Attention Child Care Staff -- New Program! Be a participant in the Pilot Group, receive college credit, and obtain your CDA all at the same time! Visit the Northampton Community College Web site for more information.
In response to recent events, the Disaster Resource page is available for information to assist children and providers affected by Hurricane Katrina.
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View archived Better Kid Care E-Newsletters
Upcoming March E-Newsletter:
Rediscovering joy in our work with children
We would love to hear from you! We want the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter to be informative, useful, and inspiring to you! Please contact the Better Kid Care Program with your ideas. Is there something you want to see more or less of? What information is most important to you? What topics are you interested in? How is the newsletter helpful to you? E-mail your ideas to crb16@psu.edu or call 814-865-7894.