Teach Preschool » Infant and Toddler

Reading spaces for a toddler

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:00:28 +0000

A great way to create a toddler’s interest in children’s books is to integrate books into their play environment. Often times, we get stuck with the idea that books belong on shelves or in a basket on the floor. We want to keep them organized and clean but for toddlers, the best place for a book is where the toddler likes to play….

Little red reading wagon

My niece, Clara, loves to go for wagon rides around the house and her parents discovered that while riding around in her wagon, Clara will sit and look through her books…

Clara’s mom and dad eventually plan to move the wagon outside but Clara is enjoying it so much inside that they have decided to wait. So, for now this is Clara’s special reading wagon…

Creating reading spaces

Take a look at your toddler’s play space and keep books close by. Don’t worry so much about keeping the books organized on a shelf or in a basket. Besides, have you ever noticed that if you put a book on a shelf or in a basket that the first and often the only thing a toddler will do is take all of the books off the shelf or out of the basket? Perhaps integrating books in other ways throughout your toddler’s play space will invite the toddler to take a look at the book rather than just toss the books aside.

Safety tip…

Clara likes to stand up in the wagon too and her mom and dad have to remind her that she has to sit down to play in the wagon. So remember – Don’t leave a toddler unattended in a wagon!

Literacy Beginnings

We are on to chapter four of our book blog party. Prekinders will discuss chapter 4 – An Organized, Engaging Environment for Learning so be sure to stop by!

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At play with baby: I can kick my feet!

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:00:23 +0000

Kai is just over two months old now and he is really starting to discover his feet. So we have been playing lots of “kicking-Feet” games…

Playing footsies with mommy!

When I feel mommy’s foot – I go kick, kick, kick!

Kick the Pan!

The cookie sheet feels cool on my feet…

And it makes sounds each time I tap it with my toes…

While mommy holds the pan – I go kick, kick, kick!

Kick the cups!

These plastic cups are light weight, bright and colorful…

Grandma stacks the cups up so I can reach them with my feet…

And I go kick, kick, kick, and knock them all down!

PS. The cookie sheet kicking game was an idea I learned way back in my college days. Who would have thought that I would now be using it with my grandbaby! So fun!

Here are a few more infant ideas you can check out…

Brain benefits from bonding with baby from Early Childhood Brain Insights

Baby Learning: What to do with your newborn, Music and Singing, Mirrors, and Visual from Pocket Full of Posies

Infant paper study part one and part two from Make it Amazing

Baby fabric bucket from Tinkerlab

And for more insights on infants and toddlers see the Elevating Childcare blog by Janet Lansbury

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Making a baby footprint painting

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:30:38 +0000

I finally had a chance to make a little footprint painting with my grandson! Let me say right out of gate that this was no easy task to do all by myself…

I wanted to try and make a footprint painting while Kai was still just a few weeks old so I could have it to hang in my studio. The first thing I had to figure out was how to set Kai up so I could pull this off without a hitch. I didn’t want Kai getting mad at grandma…

I tried to think of everything I would need…

a wet wash cloth for clean up – check
a towel for drying – check
paint all ready to go – check
canvas set close by – check
baby secured in his seat – check
camera on, lens cap off, and facing the right way – check

All ready to go…

Painting the foot comes first. I just dipped Kai’s whole foot in the paint. Holding that little foot up with paint on it and manipulating the camera to take a picture was a challenge all by itself…

Then I gently pressed his foot on the canvas. The first time didn’t turn out so great. I had way too much orange paint on his little foot…

I got better by the time I got to the yellow paint…

Once all the flowers were on the canvas, I washed Kai’s feet the best I could but he was getting a little tired of grandma messing with his feet by this time…

So I took Kai out of his seat and while he took a little nap, I finished my work of art…

A little blue for the sky and a little green for the grass and flower stems…

My very first grand baby painting! I now have a new appreciation for infant teachers when they have to make hand prints or footprints for a parent gift from every baby in their classroom. Whew!

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Summer bucket list for a toddler

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 06:22:07 +0000

My niece sent me over her summer bucket list of things she plans to do with her daughter Clara. What is a summer bucket list? It is a list of ideas that a parent puts together of activities the parent plans to do with his or her child over the summer…

As you can see from the photo, Clara is going to be busy over the summer! Clara’s summer bucket list actually turned into more of a summer bucket of goodies…

According to Clara’s mom – Clara’s summer fun bucket includes…

Big Crayons

Big Paintbrushes

Clothespins

Pasta

ABC Magnets

Old Purse

Wallet

Cards

Pictures

Beads (big)

Yarn

Glue Sticks

Felt Shapes (stickers)

Contact Paper

Old Keychains hooked together

Tissue paper

Gift Bags

Old Computer Keyboard

Pom Poms

Paper bags

Shaving Cream

Bath Paint

Construction Paper

Magazines

News Papers

Watercolors

Plastic hammer/tool set

Wood Blocks

Plastic Bowling sets

Plastic Balls (to go in the pool on rainy days)

Bubbles

Lots and Lots of books

Included in the box is a binder of developmental milestones and activities printed from various sites[ American Academy of Pediatrics book “The Wonder Years”, and a Baby Sign Language Book. A binder is also included for the babysitter. The binder includes Clara’s schedule, some reminders (wear sunscreen, watch around water, no peanut-butter yet, etc. and “permission” to try new things.

Clara’s mom put this summer bucket of activities together for her baby sitter to use as well. Although this summer fun bucket is ready to go, it won’t be all that Clara will be doing this summer. She will also be taking little trips like this recent trip to the zoo…

And playing outside in the yard…

And playing in the water table…

It looks like a busy and fun summer for Clara!

See more ideas for creating a Summer Bucket List from Little Wonders’ Days!

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At play with baby: look at me

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. — Sat, 21 May 2011 03:17:37 +0000

For those of you who have not graduated into the grandma club, then you may not appreciate this as much when I say… There is nothing more amazing than watching your own child be a parent! I love watching my daughter be a mom – she is so natural and nurturing and smart! Shall I go on:)

During a recent grandma visit, I enjoyed watching my daughter play this little visual tracking game with baby K. The first thing she would do is get him to look directly at her. Then she would slowly move to one side and call his name or make little clicking sounds….

Then slowly back to the middle, waiting each time and gently encouraging baby K to catch up to her with his eyes…

Then slowly to the other side and again, wait for baby K to catch up to her with his eyes…

Keeping in mind that baby K is only about 4 weeks old, she held him close and supported him as they played. I am not sure where my daughter gets her playful ideas from but watching her play with baby K is wonderful…

For those of you who are on the look out for infant lesson plans or just some quality playtime with baby add this to your list of to dos!

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