RESPONSIBLE ADULT COURSE

PACIFIC COAST WORKSHOPS

Once you have completed the course you would be able to work in:

1. In a school age Group Child Care (Licensed)

2. In an Occasional Child care (Licensed)

3. As a replacement (Substitute/casual on call) for ECE Assistants (for less than 30 days) in
a licensed group child care center or preschool. This does not include replacing a qualified
early Childhood Educator.

This course may be suitable for courses required to open a Family Child Care Centre, but
check with your Licensing Officer first.

PLEASE NOTE:
Read the course Sessions 1 to 15 and answer all the questions in
Session 16 and send back to us at e mail provided.

This course is a 20-hour course and it should take at least 20

hours to complete if all the information is read thoroughly, and
the questions in Session 16 answered in detail.

We will ask you at the end of the course how many hours it took
you to complete, and we rely on your honesty to tell us.

If you do not complete the full 20 hours, we will send you

a certificate for the hours completed which would not be
a full 20-hour Responsible Adult Course. It will then be
up to you to take other courses to make up the 20 hours
necessary for licensing.
As we are constantly upgrading the course you have up
to 6 months from date of purchase to complete your
course

PAGE 1
CHILD GUIDANCE

SESSION 1

PAGE 2
As caregivers, whether parent or teacher, we are sometimes quick to
judge the behavior of a child without first thinking of the underlying
cause of the behavior.
We should consider that a young child could be woken out of a sound
sleep in the morning, forced to dress and have breakfast, loaded into a
car or bus and trundled off to daycare.

There he spends his time basically doing what the caregiver wants him
to do.

He has no choice in the fact that he has to go to daycare.

If someone did this to us, I wonder how we would feel. Personally, I’m
not a morning person to start with, so if someone woke me up early I
think I’d be pretty cranky.

So, let’s take a look at some of the behavior a child may exhibit and
why.

The first thing to look at is development. How old is the child, and
how much can he handle?

A toddler for example may bite another child…obviously he’s not doing
it because he’s hungry. Much of the time it’s because he cannot
communicate verbally, and so it’s easier to grab a chunk of flesh in his
mouth than try to verbally communicate.

So, we need to relate to developmentally appropriate behavior.

The next thing we need to find out about is the child himself.

What is he allowed to do at home…is he allowed to walk around with

food in his hand? In the childcare he is expected to sit at the table.

Does he have limits set for him at home, or is he free to do what he

wants when he chooses and now in the childcare he finds it difficult to
relate to the limits set by the staff.

PAGE 3
RESPECTING CHILDREN IN OUR CARE

I SHOW RESPECT FOR CHILDREN WHEN:

I make eye contact with each child

I listen to what a child has to say and respond to their questions.

I talk to them as people and give each child a chance to communicate.

I take time for each child when I am busy

I play with them

I recognize their accomplishments.

I allow them to settle disputes between themselves.

I listen to a special song with them

I show interest in a child’s project

I encourage them to express different viewpoints and value their

opinions

I am flexible and allow them to make choices

I let them have privacy

I consider each child a unique individual

I call them by their names

I encourage independence and let them disagree

I do not interrupt a child who is talking

I respect a child’s choice of friends and play equipment

I allow them to make mistakes

I take care of their property

PAGE 4
I allow reasonable transition time

I listen to a child’s problem and realize how upsetting the situation can
be for him/her

I ask a child for his/her solution to a problem

I remember that play is of great importance in each child’s life

I AM DISRESPECTFUL OF CHILDREN WHEN:

I do not take a child’s opinion seriously

I avoid dealing with an issue that a child feels need immediate

attention

I walk away from a child when he/she is crying

I do not stop and listen

I respond with “uh-Huh”

I use a baby talk tone with a child

I use angry words when I am under stress

I cut a child’s conversation short

I finish tasks for the children in order to “get finished”

I forget to follow through on something I promised.

I answer a question for a child instead of waiting for her to answer it

herself

I behave impatiently or rush them.

I respond sarcastically

I force a child into a situation that he/she is uncomfortable with

I set my expectations too high

PAGE 5
I call them rude names e.g., stupid

I become frustrated because their needs interfere with my daily

schedule

I focus on their negative behaviours

I belittle the child’s feelings

I sneak up on a child to catch him doing something wrong

I ignore them

I stop a child who is really interested in competing a project

I don’t allow a child to explain why or how a friend got hurt, or how an
accident occurred.

So why do children misbehave?

Is it sometimes our expectations are not realistic?

Take for example the story of the mom that had just finished cleaning
her living room to shiny perfection.

Along comes her three-year-old son, who had been playing in the
garden, and proceeds to dump a jar of soil and worms on her sparkling
coffee table.

Well of course mom freaks out, and gives him heck.

It turns out he was so excited with his worms he wanted to share them
with his mom.

So…how do you think mom felt afterwards?

I mean some misbehavior is definitely not misbehavior in the eyes of

the child.

PAGE 6
Some children demand attention. They feel that your full attention
should be directed to them. If you are talking on the phone chances
are that the child who demands attention will be constantly
interrupting you. The child will also demand that you do things for
them that they are quite capable of doing themselves, such as putting
on shoes, clothes etc.

Other children want to be in complete control, meaning that no-one

should boss them around, as they have the power.

Some examples are children that will not go back inside when you
want them to, or refuse to clean up the toys, insist that they have ice
cream before lunch, will not get their shoes on when asked to do it,
and the child that tells you that you are not the boss of them, and
many others.

This is where we get into a power struggle, as you and the child are
determined to win.

Then there is the child that feels inadequate, and just gives up. If a
child is given a puzzle and she cannot do it or has things done for her
that she cannot do herself, or is criticized for not doing it right, then
the child feels she might as well give just give up.

PAGE 7
Sometimes the environment itself can cause misbehavior. In a child
care setting a child care that has too few toys, or too little to do, can
cause a child to be bored and misbehave. Transitions from one activity
to another in a child care setting can also cause stress and
misbehavior. Toys and equipment that is developmentally
inappropriate can also cause concern.

Children are unique, and all develop at a different pace. One child may
be advanced in speech, and behind in cognitive skills. Another child
may be an over achiever in physical development, but have a language
impairment. It is important therefore to make sure that a misbehaving
child has no other underlying cause to their misbehavior.

So, some basic tools for avoiding misbehavior are important.

1. Explain to the children what is expected of them, and set limits. If

you don’t want the children to run inside, then tell them that they
need to use their walking feet inside. Tell them why…if you run you
could fall and hurt yourself, or knock down one of your friends and
hurt them.

2. Sometimes you may need to remind them what will happen if they
don’t respect the limits. “Deb, if you don’t put your toys away, I’ll have
to do it for you, and you won’t be able to play with them again today”

3. If the child is old enough ask them to come up with a solution for
the problem, or if he is frustrated help him think of a solution. Always
remember to encourage and praise the positive.

4. Make sure the child is developmentally able to cope, before you set a
limit.

Let’s go back to our misbehavior.

Let’s think of a child we may have in childcare that demands extra

attention.

PAGE 8
Dayton goes to the teacher and asks for help in writing his name, a few
minutes after this he is back again asking you to help him tie his shoe.
Then five minutes later he knocks down another child’s block
structure, and then he wants you to read him a book.

This child is constantly seeking attention, whether it is in a positive or

negative way is irrelevant. He feels that the only way he will gain
attention is by constantly demanding it.

So even though we know that Dayton is crying out for attention, it is

not always an appropriate time to offer it. Time can be given to teach
Dayton to write his name or tie his shoe, when it is more convenient
for the teacher. Praising him at these times, will give him the attention
he is seeking, but not in the ways that reinforce the constant
expectation of demands for inappropriate attention.

Now what about the child that engages you in a power struggle?

The thing we have to remember here is that it takes two to make a

power struggle.

You must have had situations where a child absolutely refuses to do as

you ask and tells you “you can’t make me” This makes you angrier, and
more determined that this little child is not going to tell you what to
do.

These children put a lot of energy in trying not to cooperate.

Let’s take an example of a power struggle.

All the children are playing outside, and it is time for lunch. Robbie
decides he is not going to go inside and tells you “You can’t make me”.
First reaction is to pick Robbie up and carry him inside screaming and
kicking. This will allow one person to “win” and get what they want,
but what about the next time it happens will the behavior get worse?

The teacher could have given Robbie a choice. She could have said
“Robbie you have the choice of helping me pick up some toys and

PAGE 9
coming inside with me, or you can go inside now with Rachel.” If
Robbie still insists on staying outside, he is told “that is not one of the
choices”

Another thing could have been to tell Robbie that she needs his help,
and would he like to go and tell Andrea that it is time to come
in…thereby distracting him from the power struggle.

As long as both people in the power struggle want to be “winner” then

the struggle escalates, so it is much better to think it through, because
when you are “winner” it inevitably means the child is the loser.

What about the child that feels he can’t do it.

Ryan won’t join in circle time, but stands back watching the other
children enjoy themselves. When encouraged to join in he just shakes
his head and keeps watching.

The other children were playing with musical instruments, but Ryan
again refuses.

After a while the teacher takes two maracas over to him and holds one
close to his hand and helps him shake it. She tells him that it took a lot
of courage for him to take the maraca, and that she is proud of him for
trying.

If we can focus on small positive things that the child does, and
encourage him, then step by step he will gain confidence to try other
things.

Let’s talk about environmental factors.

Areas should be childproofed whether it is at home or in the childcare.

This way you don’t constantly have to be telling your child not to
touch for his own safety.

PAGE 10
When toys are not developmentally appropriate for children, they may
become frustrated and misbehavior may occur.

Try to keep the child “wait” times as few as possible.

Children sometimes need to be alone, so make sure you have a

comfortable area for them to rest or calm down.

In a childcare center, sometimes providing duplicates of popular toys

can alleviate misbehavior.

In a well-disciplined child care each child is able to pursue his

activities in a calm, secure learning environment.

Discipline problems can and do occur. In most cases, two children or a

small group of children may be involved in a simple dispute which
often boiled down to a conflict of wills.

PAGE 11
*Two children want the same item

*One child pushes the other deliberately or by accident

*An unwelcome child wants to join in an activity

*One child encroaches on another child’s space

Good discipline is based on mutual respect and liking

Good discipline is possible when the rules are simple, kept to a

minimum, and understood by everyone.

Good discipline is fair and consistent.

Parenting plays a large role in the behavior of a child.

There are different styles of parenting and child rearing. When we

have children, we never really think about this, but maybe we should
think of the way our parents treated us when we were children, and
how this could affect your parenting style.

PAGE 12
My parents had to have full control, and had the idea of “spare the rod
and spoil the child”, so I got smacked frequently. In my school days if
you misbehaved at school you were sent to the headmaster’s office to
get caned. Today if a teacher were to lift a hand to a child it would be
considered child abuse. The philosophy today is that children could
learn that aggression is OK…if we spank, we are telling him that it is
OK to hit. Was I aggressive because I was spanked…no, I don’t think
so, but it did make me take a totally different approach to bringing up
my own children, as I did not believe in spanking.

Spanking may have stopped me from doing something naughty for

that period in time, but it didn’t solve the problem, and I probably
misbehaved by doing the same thing all over again.

Parents in my day did not explain things to their children…at least

mine didn’t…it was you do as you are told, and don’t ask questions.

So, I guess my parents in today’s standards would have been

considered “autocratic” parents…they decided what acceptable
behavior was, and if I didn’t comply with it then I was punished. I
never had a choice, and I did fear my father more than my mother as
he smacked harder. So, I think I behaved more from fear not from
choice.

The “permissive” parent places enormous value on denying the

existence of the generation gap, consequently children of all ages,
including very young ones, are encouraged to make decisions that
more traditionally fall within the domain of the parents.

Neither enabling nor constraining behaviors are encouraged by the

permissive parent. Children are often immature and display a lot of
regressive behaviors, or they engage in adult like behavior which is not
acted out with adult maturity.

PAGE 13
Children as young as two or three years of age are consulted about
menus…what they want to eat, when they want to sleep, when and if
they want to take a bath, toilet training, choice of caregiver, and so on.
It’s not unusual with the permissive parent to ask a three-year-old
child whether she would like to go out for lunch or eat at home, and
then which restaurant she would like to go to, and when she is there
what she would like to eat…where we might hear a child ordering a
vast amount of food, which the parent orders for her, only to have her
show no interest in eating it. We also notice that the parent will do her
best to accommodate any demand made by her child and be apologetic
if unable to meet the demand no matter how unrealistic it may be.

The parent does not know how to say “no” to her child. We know from
the work of Rene Spitz that the appearance of “no” marks that a new
level has been obtained marking the beginning of abstract thinking,
autonomy and inner regulation in the child. When these
developmental milestones fail to take place

we see a dramatic increase in separation anxiety, various adjustment

disorders sleep disturbances, eating problems, and much delayed toilet
training.

The permissive parent is sometimes sleep deprived, overworked, and

overwhelmed, but still unwilling to take charge and institute changes
to reduce the disorganized home. For instance, if the sleep deprivation
is caused by a young child sleeping in the parental bed and demanding
drinks, videos, stories etc. during the night, and the parent behaves as
if this is a natural part of being a parent by yielding to these demands,
then it’s time to change.

Democratic parents on the other hand, help children become

responsible for their actions, and think about the consequences of
their actions and behavior. This style of parenting will give choices
based on the child’s ability. For a small child, as

PAGE 14
an example, the choice may be to wear a blue or red shirt, or choose
between an apple, orange or banana.

Parents’ guide children’s behavior by teaching not punishing.

So, some of the things we need to look at is that each child is unique so
there is really no one way to discipline, also different children respond
in different ways to discipline.

Children need a consistent routine so they know what is going to

happen next. This is especially important in cases of broken families
where parents share custody, and the child is at mom’s house a few
days of the week and at dads the rest. The more consistency you can
provide for the child the better.

Set Limits

Make these limits that you can live with, and are age appropriate to the
child. Also, be consistent if you are setting limits. How many times
have I seen a parent tell her child not to climb on the furniture, and
five minutes later when he is again climbing on the furniture, she
totally ignores it. If you are not going to carry it through then don’t set
the limit in the first place. The whole idea is to help children develop
self-control and self-direction. Also remember as your child ages so
should your limits. An appropriate limit for a three-year-old child may
not be appropriate for a five-year-old child. Another thing we need to
do is to set a good example for our children and that means things like
washing our hands after we go to the toilet or before eating. Telling the
truth is a big issue with me, as how many times do we hear parents
giving their child heck for not telling the truth, and five minutes earlier
mom was telling Aunt Ethel that she had to go somewhere, that’s why
she couldn’t meet her, and of course the child knows that mom was
home all the time and didn’t actually have to go anywhere and is
fibbing to Aunt Ethel. So, it’s important if we want our children to
learn good habits, we don’t use the old saying “Don’t do as I do, do as I
say”

PAGE 15
Sometimes children learn from a natural consequence. A natural
consequence of a child not putting his bicycle away at night and
leaving it out on the street could be that the bike gets stolen.

A logical consequence on the other hand is when a parent thinks of a

consequence because a natural consequence may be too dangerous. If
your child is playing outside and runs on the road the logical
consequence would be that he loses the right to play outside…the
natural consequence may be that he gets hit by a vehicle. Even if it’s
not because of danger, logical consequences can be used in other
instances. For instance if your child is not eating her food but playing
with it, a logical consequence might be that mom calmly picks it up
and puts it away, and tells her child when she is ready to eat it she can
try again. If the consequence is pertaining to something like a child not
eating food, then the secret is not to let them snack after, and return
the food to them at the next meal.

With small children sometimes, redirection helps. For instance, if he is

throwing blocks around the room you could remove the blocks and
offer him a ball instead. If he is playing with other children and
spoiling their game he could be redirected to another activity.

Sometimes ignoring negative behavior is successful. This works

particularly well if a child uses an unacceptable word. The more they
get a reaction from someone the more they seem to use it. If we ignore
what they are saying, and they don’t get the desired result of using the
word then sometimes it goes away quickly.

When nothing seems to work you could use the- who, what, where,
when, why and how method.

Ask yourself first WHO owns the problem? Many times, as we

mentioned earlier it’s not a problem for your child but it is for you.

WHAT is the problem?

PAGE 16
WHERE is it happening…outside where people are watching and
commenting, or in the privacy of your own home? Would you handle
the problem differently if you were at home, or maybe it wouldn’t
happen if you were at home?

WHEN is it happening? At what time of day, maybe your child is tired

or cold, or maybe some other problem is contributing to the behavior.

WHY is it happening now? Is there something that triggers the

behavior at this point and why does it happen?

HOW can I prevent the behavior, what other approaches could I use?

Many times, I also hear parents consistently saying “no” and “don’t”. If
we could only use these words if our child is getting into danger so we
could shout “NO” or “DON” T” and he would actually listen would be
wonderful. Children hear these two words so frequently that many
times they shut them out, and when we really need to use them then
they don’t hear us.

Let’s try rewording some don’ts.

Don’t run…instead use “Use your walking feet”

Don’t touch anything…instead use “Hold my hand”

Don’t climb on the chair…instead use “Keep your feet on the floor”

Don’t shout…instead use “Use your quiet voice.

What about the aggressive child how should we discipline him?

A child who physically hurts another child either physically or verbally

is described as aggressive.

PAGE 17
The aggressive child may not have the vocabulary to express the
intense emotions which he feels and thus he often resorts to physical
actions.

The aggressive child is unable to control his anger when he feels

thwarted or when he is frustrated.

Aggressive behavior should be very carefully handled.

*Watch for signs of tension if he is playing with other children.

*Try and establish the root cause for the aggressive behavior.

*Realize that the cause of aggression may not be the present situation-
it may be fatigue, excitement, or feelings brought from home, school
or playground.

*Help the aggressive child to understand that anger is natural and

everyone feels angry at times.

*Teach the aggressive child that it is not acceptable to hurt other

children

*Suggest alternative behavior rather that saying “Don’t”

*Give positive attention and divert attention.

*Provide a release from tension and aggression-outdoor play, physical

play, music, singing, painting or drama often help to defuse aggressive
feelings and behavior.

PAGE 18
*Help the child verbalize his feelings.

Teachers, who shout and scold a great deal, often have a higher-than-
average number of aggressive children in their classes.

What about a child that is aggressive toward his playmates or siblings?

A caregiver was complaining about a child that kicked down a block

tower that another child was building. She wonders why he is so
hurtful and what she can do to help him. The aggressive behavior can
begin innocently enough in pretend play but too often results in
children hurting themselves or others.

Many parents and caregivers worry that society in general has grown
more violent and fear the effects of violence in the media and the
marketing of toys relevant to aggression.

Kids have always played with toy guns and as kids we watched cowboy
and Indian movies and played with toy guns, and we didn’t grow up to
be killers.

It’s true that children have been watching violent cartoons and movies
for years, but children today live in a dramatically different World
from that of past generations. Years ago neighborhoods were free of

PAGE 19
drive by shootings, and no one brought illegal weapons or drugs to
school. Our grandparents played cops and robbers when they were
children. They used plastic cap pistols. Everyone knew the cops were
the “good guys” and the robbers were the “bad guys”. Those days have
long passed. Children do not necessarily perceive cops as “good guys”
and they regard an assortment of disreputable, aggressive characters as
heroes. Even worse, many children witness violent acts in their homes
and communities

Some are the victims-or perpetrators of violent crimes. All children are
affected, regardless of their race, religion, income, age or gender.

Play is an important part of a child’s development…through play they

learn. Play allows a child to practice skills they need when they need as
they grow and learn. For example, block play allows them to compare
sizes, shapes and experiment. Since play is important to learning,
consider how aggressive play prepares children for living. What does it
teach the child about solving problems? How does it affect social
interactions? How might it impact their physical safety and survival?
It’s natural for children to occasionally exhibit aggressive behavior in
response to certain situations. Children may hit or kick when they are
feeling frustrated or angry, and things can happen every day to confuse
and anger children. A child for instance that wants a toy from another
child may revert to pushing, hitting or biting to get what she wants if
she doesn’t have the social skills, language or patience to get what she
wants.

Some people would point out that there are potential benefits to
aggressive play. They suggest that it offers children the opportunity to
feel strong, confident and in control. (Is this where our bully comes
from?) It also allows them to express feelings of hostility and
frustration, and to experiment with behaviors that may not be
appropriate in most social situations. While this may be true, others
believe that such play reinforces many negative behaviors and social
skills.

PAGE 20
What about the toys, games and shows that use violent material
created specifically for children…Superheroes, toy weapons, movies,
TV shows, software, games and clothing, all related to violence? This
material also teaches children that violence is entertaining, guiltless
and rewarding. In addition these toys can be dangerous in misleading a
child to think that aggressive behavior, mainly guns and weapons are
harmless and do not really hurt or kill people.

We have heard of children accidentally wounding or killing someone

with loaded guns they mistook for toys. We’ve also heard stories of
children being shot by police who mistook the toy gun for an actual
weapon. If adults can’t tell the difference, how can we expect children
to do it?

In a national survey 91% of teachers responding indicated that the

increase of violence in their classroom was due to TV shows, videos, or
toys that contain or suggest violence. Children tend to re-enact what
they have seen or TV rather that creating their own imaginative play.

Some parents and caregivers do not allow aggressive play, others

permit some but have rules of what children can and cannot include in
such play, such as a no gun’s rule. Some parents will allow their
children to be aggressive in the belief that it will help children stand
up for themselves and not be bullied and let anyone push them
around.

While we want our children to feel strong and independent, this

approach may not be effective in the long run as when they grow up
they will have to respond to conflicts with words, and hopefully not
fights.

What does aggressive play teach children?

*To solve arguments by fighting.

PAGE 21
*To equate violence and aggression with fun and entertainment.

*That aggression is rewarded.

*To admire and emulate characters who use aggression to get what
they want.

*That the strongest and biggest wins.

*That people don’t really get hurt as a consequence of violence and

aggression.

*That aggression gives a (false) sense of strength, confidence and

control.

What does empowering teach children?

*To solve conflicts in effective non violent ways

*To develop useful positive social and physical skills.

*To express feelings in appropriate ways

*To share and take turns

*To appreciate and respect others

*To admire and emulate positive, helpful, healthy role models

*That hurting others in never OK

*That real strength, confidence and control come from learning new
things

Suggestions for redirecting aggressive play- to empowering play.

1. Show children that they are admired for being themselves and doing
the things children do naturally.

PAGE 22
*Have reasonable expectations for children. They are not little adults,
they need time and practice in everything from learning to talk to
throwing a ball.

*Help children mark their progress as individuals and learners. Use

simple statements to recognize small accomplishments such as “You
seem to be jumping higher that you were before”

*Help children discover something in which they have a special

interest. By pointing out their ability to paint, or their love of animals
etc you help them build confidence and self esteem.

Allow children to feel important and involved. For instance, allow

them to help you with simple chores such as cleaning the table etc

2. Help children express their feelings in a variety of ways

* Remind children to use words. For example, if he starts pushing or

hitting to get something you could say “Derek, it seems you want to
play with the car. Ask Drake if you can have a turn too”

*Model appropriate language for children. Remember to speak in the

way you want them to speak. Avoid harsh, humiliating or intimidating
language.

*Take children’s feelings seriously. Listen and respond to their

questions and concerns with kindness. Treat them with the same
respect and dignity with which you would treat everyone else. Be there
when they ask for help.

3. Encourage children to express their feelings by drawing pictures or

telling stories

*Suggest safe appropriate physical activities such as hammering nails,

working with clay, or digging to express aggressive feelings

*Encourage cooperative play and behavior. Decide which games, toys,

TV shows and videos are appropriate for the child. Ask yourself what

PAGE 23
does the child learn from this? Does it promote cooperation, or does it
promote aggression?

*Set simple rules such as “We don’t hurt ourselves or other people” Be
consistent in enforcing the rules. If the child states that another adult
allows him to play something that you do not allow you can respond
“you play by her rules when you are with her and you play by my rules
when you are with me” It’s not just good enough to say “No” or that
certain kinds of play are “not allowed”, as children do not always know
a different way to behave. We are responsible for teaching them other
ways by modeling, creating and consistently reinforcing positive,
appropriate play and behavior.

*Turn potentially dangerous negative play into safe, positive play. For
example, suggest that if Derek is going to be a superhero, he has to
find ways to help others. Have him help his friends to clean up toys off
the floor.

*Help children understand that they do not always need to fight for
what they want, to win at the expense of someone else, or to win all
the time. Show them that by working together they can frequently
accomplish much more.

*Avoid resorting to the old saying “Boys will be boys”. There is more to
being a boy than being aggressive, despite what the toy companies and
media often lead us to believe. Little girls also play aggressively. Help
children choose appropriate non-aggressive characters to emulate.

Redirect the physical energy involved in aggressive play

*Encourage a variety of active challenging safe, cooperative physical

activities. Have children kick a soccer ball at a target or hit a golf ball.
Play music and encourage creative movement and dance

Children face challenges that we could not have imagined a decade

ago, and we as adults also face challenges. Although we may not be

PAGE 24
able to control what happens in the World as a whole, we can often
control what happens with the children in our care if we pay attention.

PAGE 25
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
SESSION 2

PAGE 26
 PLAY
Play is the natural way that children learn. It should be fun, because
play is how they acquire, practice and master skills.

Children should feel success when they play, as success promotes a

child’s self confidence.

THE VALUE OF PLAY.

Helps the child’s fitness level by exercising, and helps him develop a
strong and healthy body

Helps get rid of excess energy

Aids in language development

Through play the child learns to communicate with others and share
his ideas

Learns cognitive, intellectual skills

Helps children reason and organize their thinking, and helps them to
concentrate

Aids children in future problem-solving skills

Social and emotional

Helps the child develop a positive self-image

He learns to take turns and share and cooperate

Provides a way to express his emotions and relieve tension.

PAGE 27
CREATING THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE FOR LEARNING

From the child’s point of view, play is something you don’t have to do
well, it is just fun (Caldwell 1985) Children at an early age are more
interested in what they are doing, rather than how it turns out.

As adults we rarely allow ourselves the luxury of engaging in real play.

We tend to limit our pursuits to the things we do well, afraid to take
the risk of trying something new and failing. Adults tend to view play
as a means to an end, whereas children ignore the end in order to
explore. (Fagan 1984)

Effective learning can only take place in a relaxed, nurturing

atmosphere. There needs to be a warm, loving relationship between
the teacher and the child which is based on mutual acceptance and
respect. Within such an atmosphere the child will experience a feeling
of personal security and worth.

A child that feels safe and secure both at home and at school will be
able to develop a positive self-image and begin to feel good about his
self.

A child whose home circumstances do not mirror the atmosphere of

the school will find it hard to adjust. If the atmosphere in the home is
stressful, a relaxed atmosphere in the school may make the child feel
insecure and even threatened. He may mistrust the situation and find
it difficult to make friends. He may appear withdrawn or even negative
in his behavior. Such children need extra support, encouragement and
love from the teacher

PAGE 28
Value of Play
Intellectual
Playing helps children
concentrate, to reason and
organize their thinking. In
doing so they learn to
problem solve
Social
The child learns to give and
take, to take turns, to share
and co-operate. During
social play the child reveals
his personality strengths
and weaknesses.
Emotional
Play helps the child to
develop a positive self
image.
It provides a way for him to
express his emotions. Play
should be a pleasurable
experience which helps to
relieve tension.
Physical
Play helps to get rid of
excess energy. It enables the
child to relieve tension and
express himself through
movement. It helps him
exercise his muscles, and
develop a strong and
healthy body
Language
Through play, the child
learns to share his ideas and
communicate with others.
How Children Play
Exploring
Children learn by exploring
and discovering new things.
In the beginning they learn
by touching, tasting, seeing,
feeling and hearing.
Later they learn by taking
things apart and looking at
the component parts.
Learning Skills
Playing enables children to
practice skills and to learn
to master them.
A child may spend hours
coloring in a picture, kicking
a football or skating on
roller skates before he
becomes proficient at these
activities.
Building and
Constructing
Stacking blocks leads to the
development of much
language, spatial,
perceptual and
mathematical concepts.
Fantasy Play
Fantasy play gives the child
the opportunity to exercise
his imagination in a creative
way.
Through fantasy play the
child is able to control
situations in which he would
normally be powerless.
Fantasy play helps children
explore problems and act
out solutions. Some children
simply need a word, a
picture or some other
“spark” to help them go on a
trip to the moon, explore a
Stages of Play
Solitary Play
Very young children play on
their own. They do not
relate to other children
when playing. It takes time
and a certain amount of
maturity to learn to share
toys and to understand that
there may be rules which
must be followed while
playing. There are certain
times when older children
want and need to play on
their own. These times
should be respected. If
however, the child
continually chooses to play
alone, professional help
should be sought
Parallel Play
In Parallel play, two or
more children play together
but without any social
interaction.
They are usually doing the
same thing but each on is
playing on his own.
Social Play
Social Play is play where
children interact with one
another in a game.
In playing together,
children learn such social
skills as co-operation,
taking turns, waiting for a
turn, following rules,
winning and losing.
PAGE 29
jungle, or discover an
undersea cavern.
The imagination of the child
is as limitless as we allow it
to be.

PAGE 30
THE TEACHER AS THE INVOLVED FACILITATOR

The days when the teacher, as the purveyor of knowledge and learning
stood, chalk in hand, in front of the class and imparted of knowledge
to a passive group of children is long gone.

Today’s teacher has a very different and more difficult role to play. She
should be seen as the involved facilitator of learning. Her function is to
structure the learning material in such a way that it captures and holds
the interest and attention of each child, making learning a pleasurable
and lasting experience. The child is encouraged to participate in a
variety of “hands on” learning activities which lend themselves to
interaction and exploration and which lead to the acquisition of
knowledge

STRUCTURE

In our society we are often in a big hurry to impose the rules of the
game, or a goal on young children, insisting that they do it the

PAGE 31
“correct” way before they have had a chance to explore and enjoy the
means to the end.

We give children coloring books to color in between the lines, instead

of giving them paper and crayons to explore the possibilities of what
might be done. A

Adults can keep the play light by suspending “rules” patterns giving
children opportunity for flexibility and spontaneity.

Basically, we need to encourage play and not direct it.

Most children go through a sequence of developmental skills as they

learn to play, and play is the primary way to develop these skills.

Competition can be destructive if losers experience a loss of self

esteem; children need to feel good about themselves and their
capabilities. Emphasize the fun of playing. Children who feel good
about themselves and others are less likely to be aggressive.

CREATIVITY

Every child has creative potential…creativity shows each child’s

uniqueness. It is the ability to see things in a new and unusual light. To
nurture this creativity, teachers should allow children the flexibility to
experiment and create. Encourage perseverance in the child and
suppress the urge to finish the task for them. Let the child know that it
even though the “correct” answer to the problem hasn’t been reached
then unique approaches are also valued. Creative play materials should
be provided such as books, DVD’s drawing and art supplies, musical
instruments, clay, blocks etc. Provide toys that can become a variety of
things. Allow the child time alone to develop the creativity that is
innate in us all.
A great method of allowing children to express themselves is through
dramatic play. Here they can express their inner feelings and act out
situations that may be bothering them at home or school.

PAGE 32
A great way to encourage creativity is to start a story and let children
finish the story and then maybe act it out.
A quantity of puppets could help them express feelings. Start asking
them open ended questions such as what is your puppet doing, what is
he saying, what would happen if……?

Ask children to act out movements such as a plane landing, a rabbit

hopping, a truck going down the road, a snake etc.
A child shakes, mouths, bangs, tastes, looks at, listens to toys, also
moves them, and feels them. He is exploring and we must be sure the
toys are non toxic, colorful and interesting.
We encourage his hearing skills by talking about the toys and the
sounds they make, pointing out how different objects make different
sounds.
Be sure the child is looking and seeing the object, and talk about the
colors.

Help the child feel the texture of the toy, whether it is rough or
smooth, warm or cold.
Let him throw, hit, push, pull, move, bang toys (Safe ones of course) to
aid in his motor development.
Let him smell certain things.
Many people feel that with all the high-tech toys and structured
activities that children are losing their natural creativity.
Many children have problems functioning without the use of
television, computer or video games. Regimented play activities can
have negative consequences on the social and emotional development
of the child because it is too structured and takes away the child’s
initiative to think and choose.
Children learn by doing as opposed to being told.

PAGE 33
A child that is allowed to make his own choices learns to demonstrate
individual preferences, make decisions, and discovers and learns about
his own body.
Traditional building blocks and play dough are far better for children
than high tech educational toys and videos…psychologists are warning
that expensive games may actually restrict children’s progress by
stifling their creativity and hindering their social skills.

FINE MOTOR

Several arts and play activities involve fine motor skills. To encourage
fine motor development in infants, have available busy boxes, mobiles,
nesting containers, rattles, dangling objects. For toddler’s blocks,
crayons and paper, cutting and pasting shapes, nesting containers,
hammer toys, pegs and pegboards, shape sorters, simple puzzles, and
books, for preschoolers the list is much larger but some items could be
beads, books, lacing cards, lotto cards, paper, pencils, puzzles, games,
scissors etc.
Some other items could be puppets, paints, play dough, water, tinker
toys and construction toys, musical instruments, housekeeping toys,
puzzles.

TOYS

So, what sort of toys should we give our children?

A list put out by “Baby and Toddler gear, Nov/Dec 2005” gives us a
good example of age-appropriate toys and equipment, but it is
obviously not a full list.
0-3 months-Wind chimes, unbreakable mirrors (babies tend to look
right 80% of the time, so make sure you put any objects in their line of
vision) High contrasting mobiles, cloth books

PAGE 34
3-6 months-Baby play gyms, rattles, squeaky rubber toys, colorful
teethers, socks with bells,
6-9 months-Textured books, soft blocks to knock down, activity
boards, toys that pop up when baby pushes the button, balls(Throw
the ball and encourage baby to crawl after it)
9-12 months-Walker, rocker, toy telephone, shape sorter, books,
bucket and spade for natural sand play (baby will love the texture…just
make sure he doesn’t eat it)
12-18 months-Simple puzzles such as cut out circles and squares,
stacking toys, pull toys for confident walkers, washable non toxic
crayons; ride on vehicle, toy buggy.
18-24 months-Musical instruments such as keyboards, drum, plastic
tea set, play house, shopping buggy, plastic gardening tools, building
blocks
23-36 months-Illustrated books, dress up clothes, child sized
household equipment, construction toys, e.g. Duplo, wooden puzzles,
dolls
36 months+-Memory games, jigsaw puzzles, clay, bats and balls etc
Of course, all children love puppets.

When we select toys for children, we have to keep certain things in

mind:

1. Is it sturdy with no pieces that can break off?

2. Does it have sharp edges, and with all the foreign made toys, is it
made in an acceptable way with no lead paint etc.
3. Does it help the child be creative and use his imagination or does it
do everything for the child while he just pushes the buttons. The child
needs to use his/her imagination while playing with the toy.

PAGE 35
4. Is it large enough and easily manipulated. Toys can be a source of
frustration for a child if they are too small, as their muscle co-
ordination may not be developed enough to handle the smaller shapes.
5. Is the toy within the developmental level of the child? A three-year-
old child given a 100-piece puzzle in most cases would suffer a lot of
frustration trying to complete it. If a child repeatedly fails to complete
something because the level of difficulty is too much for him, then he
may lose his self confidence and not want to play with the toy again.

So, make sure toys are safe and appropriate for the developmental level
of the child.

PLAY AREAS

In a set environment such as a childcare centre then play areas should

be set up.
Reading Corner, Music Centre, Block Building, Art Centre, water and
Sand Play, Play and Learn Centre’s, Science Centre, Dress Up and
Housekeeping Corner.
The reading centre should obviously be in a quiet are and set up with
comfortable chairs and cushions, and maybe a listening area with tapes
and earphones.
The Science centre should be close to light…a window…so plants can
grow, and could include such things as a weigh station, magnets and
even a pet.
The Block Building Centre is one of the noisiest areas, and could
maybe be on a carpeted floor to cut down on noise. It should have
shelves to stack the blocks and could include vehicles, block houses
and farm animals.
The area should allow the children to play safely without undue verbal
and physical restrictions. An easy way to make sure children’s play

PAGE 36
areas are safe is to get down on your hands and knees and see the area
from the child’s viewpoint, noticing everything that children may get
into, and then make it safe.
Make sure your centers are flexible enough to accommodate children’s
varying interests and abilities, also make sure they can be used with
the minimal adult guidance.

VIOLENT PLAY
Years ago, children could go out into the street or parks and play
unattended.
How often now days do we remember our play when we were young.
I grew up in the Welsh Valleys and was allowed the freedom to climb
the mountains, go pick bluebells, and blueberries, play on the street
with my friends and have the freedom to roam, play whip and top,
hopscotch, ball against the wall, giant steps (One child would turn his
back and call out orders…you take one giant step or three baby steps
etc.…the first child to reach the wall was the winner) piggy in the
middle, follow the leader. Now we unfortunately are unable to allow
our children the freedom that we had. Also, with the intervention of
TV, and computer, and video games, a lot of the old games and
physically exhausting games are gone. We even have organized sports.
In many cultures their daily routine is in a war zone, and guns and
violence are a normal part of life.
Even in our own culture there is violence on TV, and many video
games are violence orientated.
In childcare centre’s we tend not to allow guns or violent toys. Then
children build guns with Lego, and when questioned by the teacher if
it is a gun, tend to describe it as a fire house instead. Should we be
surprised however, that children are focused on playing with guns
when the violence is all around them. Go into a toy store and see how
many toy guns are on display. We use dramatic play for children to act
out, sometimes scenarios which have bothered them…even violence.
Typically, the children that are obsessed with war play have been

PAGE 37
exposed to the most violence and have the greatest need to work it
out. The children that user play to feel powerful and safe are the
children who feel powerless and vulnerable.
Play with violence usually tends to end up with children out of control,
scared and hurt. Managing aggressive play and keeping everyone safe
can feel like a never-ending struggle. Many veteran teachers say that
the bans they impose on war play no longer work. Children deny the
play is really war play (they learn to lie) or they sneak around
conducting guerilla wars that the teacher does not detect (they learn to
deceive)

At the same time children do not think of the violence they bring into
play in the same way adults do. They focus on one thing at a time and
see the bad guy as one dimensional without thinking about what
makes him bad. Children think that good guys or superheroes can do
whatever hurtful things they want because they are good.
The “bad guys” are after control and power. Who will win the good
guys or the bad guys? Preschoolers sometimes have difficulty figuring
out what is real and what is pretend. Are super heroes’ real people and
are they indestructible?
Do we feel that in dramatic play the child playing the super hero can
experience a sense of control? If we do allow the power play children
should be closely monitored, especially if they are totally immersed in
their pretend role.
Sometimes the same child could get to be the “bad guy” over and over
again. Is this because he or she is not as sociable as the children
playing the “good guy”? So, you may want to step in and tell the
children that the bad guys can be imaginary and all of them can be
good guys.
There is no perfect approach for dealing with children’s violence. The
best strategy is to reduce the amount of violence children see…which
means adults vastly reducing the amount of violence children see. This
is of course impossible in war torn countries, but given the state of the

PAGE 38
World children now more than ever need to find ways to work out the
violence they see.

LEARNING STYLE
Everyone seems to have a learning style. As an adult have you
considered what your learning style is?
Are you the type of student who learns more from visual images, or are
you more prone to learn from auditory learning such as lectures and
speeches, or maybe you learn more from kinesthetic hands on where
you learn more by doing.
Have you observed the children you work with to see what style of
learning they have?
What about many years ago. How did a child learn?
In archeological exploration dating back many centuries’ toys, rattles,
balls, dolls and miniature animals have been recovered from ruins.
Many of the toys reflect the nature of the time. During the French
revolution children played with toy guillotines, much the same way as
children play with guns and planes. What are children learning from
them? Are they learning to fight a war or rob a bank? By allowing our
children to play with pretend weapons are we giving them the message
that this is an OK part of our culture and everyday life?
Years ago, in Wales for Christmas if you were lucky you received a
stocking full of little treats, nuts, candy, and usually if you were really
lucky one toy. I remember getting a bride doll for Christmas one year,
another year a doll house, and another a doll pram…of course you only
got one toy a year, but you played with them for hours on end. Not like
children today who have so much that they usually don’t play with the
toy but right away want to open up the next.
In our modern generation should we be providing our daughters with
trucks, cars tools, super heroes and weapons to play with, and our sons
with dolls, dishes and “girl toys”
Would this not teach our sons to be good fathers, and allow them to
overcome any awkwardness of not knowing any home skills, especially

PAGE 39
if they are bachelors Also it would teach our daughters how to fix a
bicycle chain or toilet, or go to war, and allow them to grow up feeling
confident about their abilities.

Computers

When should children start using computers? Many early childhood

educators believe that children at an early age should be “allowed to
smell the roses”, others believe that in this age of technology children
need an early start.
Kelly and Schonger (2001) questioned whether playing with computers
influenced the development of preschool children, especially in
language, as it could cause social isolation. They videotaped 30
preschool children playing at the computer and other traditional play
centers and by using the Brown and Rothschild (1973) mean length of
utterance test (MLU) measured each child’s language skills. They
found that preschool children used similar or more expressive
language during their interaction at the computer.
Three and four-year-old children are developmentally ready to use the
computer. They need plenty of time to experiment and explore.
Teachers may want to intervene if they see them getting frustrated or if
nothing is happening. By providing them with minimal help and

PAGE 40
allowing them to explore, teaches them they can operate the computer
successfully. If you are allowing the children access to the web, then
they should be monitored as to what sites they are allowed to access.
Software should be selected to emphasize thinking and problem
solving. The computers should be placed to foster shared learning and
interaction, where children can talk about what they are doing and
cooperate in solving problems and helping one and other.
Child care regulations in their active play document state:
“All licensed child care programs must limit screen time (TV,
computers, electronic games) to 30 minutes or less a day.
Programs where children are in attendance for 3 hours or less
should not include screen time activities into the daily routine.
Screen time is not offered to children under 2 years of age.”

CURRICULUM

Curriculum is a teaching plan. It should include the method of

teaching, the materials that are used for the teaching and learning, the
goal, the expectations of the skills to be addressed and the reason for,
and methods used, for measuring students progress.

An Early Learning and child care curriculum is different from a

traditional curriculum.

In Early Childhood curriculum is focused on holistic goals rather than

specific outcomes for each subject area. These frameworks embrace
children’s everyday experiences as the sources of curriculum making.
In Early Childhood curriculum content is integrated emerging from
children’s fascination with the World and being responsive to the
children’s interests to create meaningful learning experiences. Lesson
plans are open ended and decided by the interests and activities of
both student and teacher.

When educators notice children’s interest in exploring nature, people,

places, and objects, as well as print, stories, numbers, shapes, and

PAGE 41
patterns, and when they name the connections between these
experiences and early literacy, mathematics, science, social studies,
music and art, they are constructing early learning curriculum with
young children and making the curriculum visible to others.

The term “Curriculum” is used to describe everything children do, see,

hear, or feel in their setting, both planned and unplanned.

Children are unique individuals with their own social and personal
skills and their own attitudes and likes and dislikes. Some children are
quiet and some outgoing. Some are followers and some leaders. Many
children will have already learnt a great deal by the time they are three
years old. Many have already attended pre-school programmes or child
care. Many have already learned a great deal from their families.
Children of this age are constantly encountering new experiences and
seeking to understand them in order to extend their skills, develop
confidence, and build on what they already know. They deepen their
understanding by playing, talking, observing, planning, questioning,
experimenting, testing, repeating, reflecting, and responding to adults
and to each other.

The curriculum may include using the thematic approach for planning,
for example for stories, poems and songs.

A good curriculum also needs both a relevant curriculum and

practitioners who understand and are able to implement the
curriculum requirements.

The practitioner should ensure that all children feel included, secure
and valued. They must build positive relationships with parents in
order to work with them and their children. The Early Years should
build on what children already know and can do. It also encourages a
positive attitude and disposition to learn and aim to prevent failure.
No child should be excluded because of culture, ethnicity or religion,
home language, family background, special education needs, disability,
gender, or ability.

PAGE 42
There should be opportunities for children to engage in activities
planned both by adults and those they initiate themselves. Children do
not distinguish between “play” and “work” and neither should
practitioners. For the children to have rich and stimulating experiences
the environment should be well planned and organized. It provides the
structure for teaching within which children explore, experiment, plan
and make decisions for themselves, which enables them to learn and
develop.

Good Curriculum planning is incorporating activities and play levels

for all relevant ages. This includes having appropriate toys and
designated areas for different types of play (Blocks, quiet area, sand
box, lightbox, carpet area, etc.) that are arranged in a way that
facilitates the particular activity. (Quiet area further away from louder
toys, block building over a carpet, science area near a window etc.)

Good curriculum planning also involves routine for the children that
both fosters learning and engagement through repetitive and
predictability, but also is flexible depending on what actually engages
the children on a day to day basis

PAGE 43
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER.

Staff should be interested and concerned about the overall

development of each child.

They need to be flexible and to acknowledge different developmental

levels of the children.

It is important that staff work together to plan and organise children’s

learning in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. they should
work as a team supporting and extending the children’s’ learning. They
need to be flexible during activities to allow for the individual needs of
the children. Adults should listen to the children and give them time
to respond. It is important that they observe the children before
choosing the appropriate time to be involved in their play.

adults may become involved in the children’s play:

*by interacting with them

*by playing alongside the children and becoming a participant in their

activity.

*by commenting on their play

*By invitation from them

*if the children seek advice and assistance

*If the play becomes unproductive or inappropriately repetitive

*If there is a lack of interest in some activities.

*If the child is not becoming actively engaged in play.

*If there is need to support children during a disagreement

*If children are in danger.

PAGE 44
OUTDOOR PLAY
SESSION 3

PAGE 45
Play is the children’s first method of engaging with the World and
other people. Increasingly studies on child development are
demonstrating that open-ended, self directed play is vitally important
for children’s wellbeing and development.

Before the start of companies making playground equipment, outdoor

toys or gadgets, children creatively made their own fun with simple,
cheap everyday materials, repurposed for play, such as sticks, stones,
water, leaves, soil, sand etc. or recycled materials like cardboard boxes,
ropes, fabric, lengths of pipe or milk crates etc..It could even include
conceptual inspiration for play such as stories and ideas.

The great thing about using the cheap recycled “stuff” is that it doesn’t
come with instructions or a set of directions, or a “right way” to use it.
It is all up to the child’s imagination. The playground becomes rich
with possibilities for play as children can decide to transform a
cardboard box into a castle, or a lion’s cage, all in one afternoon.

Gross motor play (Running, jumping, climbing, spinning) and the

equipment is used in a specific way. It can become boring overtime
and it is inflexible to the children’s ideas.

SIMPLE, CHEAP, RECYCLED.

It can be cheap or free to create and is designed by children. It allows

children to build, dismantle, bang together, repurpose and more to
make their ideas real in the World. It can become more engaging over
time as children’s skills increase. It also encourages peer play and
social cohesion.

You can introduce bamboo poles that can be tied with thin strips of
cycle inner tubes or pieces of rope or fabric, and children can set up
bamboo houses. Give them old saucepans, spoons and mixing bowls
and provide some soil and water that they can make a feast for
everyone in the mud kitchen.

PAGE 46
One school had an old climbing frame that the children had got bored
with. The children also spoke many languages at this school and were
not playing together.

Teachers provided sheets, ropes, pulleys, sand and buckets. The

children used the sheets to cover parts of the frame, and others used
the ropes and pulleys to raise buckets of sand to the top of the climber
and poured it down the slide. Any child could find a role that did not
need a shared language to experience.

This kind of play is so important for numerous reasons

*Cognitive-It dramatically increases brain development and helps

children concentrate better, and it reduces stress which hinders
learning.

*Social-Children are able to practice skills of teamwork and

socialization, and it helps them make new friends.

*Therapeutic-Play is an intuitive method for children to process

trauma, and reconnect to the World.

*Intellectual-Play involves understanding that one thing can represent

another, and the use of narratives, both of which are essential for
literacy.

*Physical-It is essential for children’s physical development by

encouraging children to move, stretch, run, and climb.

*Emotional-Through play, children learn emotional self-regulation and

resiliency, which is critical throughout life.

*Creative-By allowing children to translate their ideas into reality, play

encourages a rich and flexible creativity.

PAGE 47
PROVIDE LOOSE PARTS

What are loose parts and where can they be found?

It is important to think in terms of both natural and recycled materials

such as

Natural

Pebbles, Sand, Water, Branches and bushes, large stones, Leaves,

Bamboo, Seeds, Flowers, Sticks.
Recycled

Crates, plastic bottles and caps, Cardboard boxes and tubes, Pieces of
rope or string, Clothespins, Tires, Wooden spoons, Mixing bowls, Old
Cooking pots, Old sacks, old pieces of wood.

Once you start looking for “Stuff” you’ll start seeing it everywhere. Ask
friends and community members for what they don’t need any more.
Ask local business especially lumber yards that have cut offs. These are
especially nice to paint on. A restaurant may have empty pails or
bottles, or a garage has old tires they can donate. Ask parents for
things that they don’t use anymore. Ask yourself when providing
material if it is flexible can it be re-used without breaking or becoming
a hazard. Is it something that you can give children to do whatever
they want with, even if that means using it and destroying it? Is it
something that you can gather up afterwards relatively easily, or
something you can leave out all the time? If your setting will have
limited supervision, think carefully about the materials you supply and
whether that will be safe for the children to use.

MAINTENANCE

However you store the material set up a regular time for maintenance.
See what is popular and what is ignored. Does anything need

PAGE 48
replacing? What forms of play are the children particularly interested
in? If children are building houses with cardboard, what could you
provide to help them expand or decorate them further? Are there
materials that have been all used up, or which the children clearly
don’t use? Are there items that have been broken? Remove anything
that does not seem to be working and replace it with something else.
In one school with mixed ages the adults bought a shipping container
and filled it with tires, crates, buckets, rope etc. At the end of play
children quickly gather the materials and place them back into the
container which is locked.

PAGE 49
SAFETY

Every action includes some degree of risk, whether we are driving,

eating, or starting a new job. Some of the risks are frightening to think
about, while we take others completely for granted. We regularly
consider risks, weighing the likelihood of dangers against potential
benefits. Children want to take risks. They climb trees and balance in
high places. Taking risks is how we learn what we are capable of, what
we can achieve and how to survive failure. Opportunities for risk in
play are vitally important if children are to be brave, confident,
competent and resilient.

Risk is the actual chance of injury (whether physical, emotional, or

social) Risks may be high or low depending on how likely that injury
seems to be.

Hazards on the other hand are potential sources for harm which offer
no benefits to children’s play, and which they may not notice and so do
not consider. For example children may decide to risk climbing on a
piece of old wooden equipment. If they are unaware the wood is

PAGE 50
rotten, that is a hazard. We work to increase opportunities for risk
taking by removing hazards. This creates an environment in which
children are safe to take risks.

Commonly setting with very young children would not set out
containers of water which could be a drowning hazard. In areas where
children have had little experience playing with recycled material thin
ropes may present strangulation risks. Children who are not usually
allowed to play with sticks will struggle at first to know how hard is
“too hard” and so play fights may turn real at first. So if you are
uncomfortable with the thought of the children plays fighting then
don’t provide them with sticks. The material that might be considered
appropriate depends greatly on the age and the children you work
with, and their previous experiences.

Playing with recycles and natural “stuff” can look messy. Playing this
way often suits a child’s aesthetics but not an adult. As well as small
parts themselves, dirt and water and paint have a tendency to go
everywhere. It’s important to emphasize the freedom and joy children
experience in these places and say “yes it might be messy but aren’t
they having a wonderful time” The children can also get dirty. Hands
may become black from rolling tires, and clothes may get covered in
dirt from digging. In some cases encouraging parents to send the
children in old clothes is very helpful. In some settings maybe an old
shirt can be placed over the child’s clothes to help keep them clean.

When you start providing recycled material to an environment,

children who have been free play deprived may struggle with skills of
negotiation or self regulation. You can select parts to let them get the
practice they need also think of the quantity of materials you bring, as
bringing only one of something can encourage unhelpful competition.

Many third World countries do not have the resources and money to
provide playgrounds for their children. So over the years they have

PAGE 51
developed simple outdoor games that can be played with no monetary
outlay.

For example:

In Bosnia….Snail

In Mexico…Little Plane

In Hungary…Chapel

In US, Canada and UK …Hop scotch

Players begin by drawing a series of boxes on the ground in a row or

curled like a spiral. Players throw a pebble and jump on one leg
through the boxes, often singing a rhyme and picking up the pebble as
they return down the same path.

In Somalia…Gris/grille

In Korea…..Gongghi

In US, Canada and UK…Jacks

This game is played with pebbles and either a shallow hole in the earth
or a chalk circle. Its goal is to throw one pebble in the air and gather
more pebbles quickly before it hits the ground.

In Italy…Queen, beautiful Queen

In UK…Grandmother’s footsteps

In US, Canada…. Red Light Green Light

In this game one person stand at the front with their back turned and
everyone else lined up at a distance. In some versions the person at the
front calls out the name of an animal and number of steps that the
children can take towards them, while pretending to be that animal. In
other versions, the one at the front looks away while the other children
try to “steal” steps forward before they are seen.

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In Somalia…. Fah

In Philippines…Tapatan

In UK…Nought and Crosses

In Ghana….Achi

In Us, Canada…. Tic Tac Toe.

Two players have counters or pebbles and draw a grid. The grid may be
many different sizes but players either place or move pieces across the
board. Some versions of this game can be played alone.

SOME OTHER IDEAS FOR OUTDOOR PLAY:

Sound Safari

Make up a chart with drawings or pictures of a fire engine, a car, a

bird, a dog, a cat, rain, a bulldozer and anything else you can think of.
Take the children on a safari walk and let them mark off each sound
they hear.

Nature Colour Hunt

Take an egg carton of Ice cube tray and place different colours in the
bottom either with construction paper or paint. Let children search for
things in nature with that colour. It can be used as a race to see who
fills up their tray first.

Dinosaur Dig

Bury some plastic dinosaur bones in the sand and let the children dig
for them.

PAGE 53
Mud soup making

Give children a bucket of soil and a bucket of water with some

measuring cups, spoons etc. Let them make mud soup.

Circle Toss

Cut out colored circles about 12 inches in diameter from construction

paper. Cut the same number of smaller circles about 4 inches in
diameter. Have the child stand in a hula hoop with the large circles
spread around it.

They pick a colored circle from the bag and have to throw a bean bag
or ball into that color circle. Helps them with color recognition.

Backyard Silly Race

Have children quack like a duck, hop like bunny, or jump on one foot,
walk like an elephant.

Hopscotch

PAGE 54
Sponge Darts.

Draw a large dartboard on the floor. Wet some kitchen sponges and
have children try to hit the target from a distance.

Laundry Basket basketball

Line up baskets, some further away than others. See who can throw
the most balls into the baskets.

Balloon Tennis

Attach a Popsicle stick to a paper plate. Blow up the balloons and see
who can keep them in the air the longest by using the paddles.

Relay Race

Create teams and mark distances for relay switch off.

Skip, run backwards, hop, Dance while walking, bounce a ball, March,
frog hop, crab walk, run/walk sideways, toss ball in the air while
walking.

Pumpkin Pine Cone Toss.

Cut a hole in the side of a pumpkin. At least 4 to 5’’ in diameter. Make

holes of varying shapes. Gather pine cones or pebbles and toss them
into the holes at different distances.

Play Badminton

Play Frisbee

Build Sand Structures

Blocks on the Move

PAGE 55
Use 2 tubs and fill one with blocks. Let children use a spoon to ladle
blocks from one tub to the other. Time them to see who moves all the
blocks the fastest.

Sensory Bin

Fill a large tub with water. Put in measuring cups, bowls, blocks, ladles
or anything with a shape. Blindfold child. Let them reach in and find a
shape. Then put the shape back in the water and take off the blindfold
and see if they can find the shape.

Scavenger hunt for Pirate Treasure

Hide the treasure, maybe chocolate coins, and lay a trail and let
children look for the treasure.

Camp Out

Put up a tent and let children camp out.

Bean Bags

Bean Bag socks.

Take a pair of knee high socks and cut them in half around the ankles.
Turn inside out and tie the one end tightly. Turn back to the right side.
Place 1 cup of beans in each sock. Tie the top off and trim. Use them to
play toss.

Make a Cardboard Box House

Paint a fence with Water

Make a bird feeder

Attach string to a pine cone. Cover it with peanut butter and roll it in
bird seed.

PAGE 56
Make a mobile

Attach pine cones, acorns, pieces of drift wood with string to make
your mobile.

The studies of outdoor play relating to “greenness” are overwhelming,

proving that children really do benefit from playing in nature, not only
physically but emotionally and mentally.

PAGE 57
CHILDREN AND DIVERSITY
SESSION 4

PAGE 58
We are different, we are the same:
Teaching young children about diversity

Diversity activities teach young children to respect and celebrate the

differences in all people. Learning about different cultural aspects offers
new experiences for children. It also helps them realize that we’re all
humans, despite differences in how we look or dress, or what we eat or
celebrate. Games and activities offer a fun way for young children to learn
about differences and similarities among people and to introduce the
concept of diversity. All types of differences such as race, religion,
language, traditions, and gender can be introduced this way.

When do children notice differences between people?

At about age 2 years, children begin to notice gender and racial differences.

PAGE 59
At 2 ½ or so, children learn gender labels (boy/girl) and the name of colors
– which they begin to apply to skin color.

Around 3 years of age, children notice physical disabilities.

At about 4-5 years, they start to display gender appropriate behavior and
become fearful of differences.

Diversity programming is much more than exposing children to the

traditional dress, food, music, and customs of minority ethnic groups.
Rather it incorporates the anti-bias goals of diversity education into all
aspects of the program, and provides the framework for understanding and
celebrating the many dimensions of human diversity including:

Ability

Appearance

Culture

Gender/Gender identity

Race

Spirituality/ Religion

Age

Class

Family Grouping

Language

Sexual Orientation

Newcomer status

We include diversity as diversity education highlights the ways human

beings are similar, and supports the ways they are different. Diversity

PAGE 60
education prepares children to live effectively within the complexity of our
communities and helps them:

Develop a positive sense of self

Feel they are part of a caring group

Accept differences in others

Feel empathy towards others

Think critically and take action when they witness unfairness.

Diversity and anti bias programming teach children NOT to:

Discriminate against any individual or group of people on the basis of:

Ability

Appearance

Culture

Gender

Race

Spirituality/Religion

Age

Class

Family grouping

Language

Sexual Orientation

Newcomer status

Diversity education recognizes:

Equality between boys and girls

PAGE 61
The importance of the extended family

Differing economic realities of families

The contributions of people with limited abilities

Diversity is not a concept that is promoted occasionally during a

celebration or cooking activity. Issues of diversity should be reflected
daily in the play environment, every day activities and the
conversations with children.

Quality programming:

Avoids superficial studies of countries and concentrating on the exotic

elements of cultures. Avoid the “tourism approach” to curriculum with
themes such as a “Week in Greece” or “Fun in Hawaii” Ensure information
is relevant to the age of the children

Uses books that show people from different ethnic groups and different
ways of living in their every day experiences.

Share information with the children about various types of families, houses,
foods and clothing. Always address similarities.

Include topics such as kindness, respect, empathy and peace. Read books
that address these topics and use puppets to role play these concepts.

Recognize and celebrate people’s differences and similarities. Children are

not colour blind. They form opinions at a very early age about what looks
unfamiliar. When children make comments about skin colour and other
physical traits, have open conversations about it. Compare each other skin
tones and read children’s books about the subject.

Provide daily opportunities for children to learn attitudes, knowledge and

skills so that they learn to appreciate diversity and develop respect for
others.

PAGE 62
Diversity concepts children can understand

Build your diversity curriculum around activities that focus on these

concepts:

Everyone is lovable

Everyone can do something

Everyone is equal

Everyone deserves respect

Everyone has feelings

Everyone is important

People are similar

People are different

There are various kinds of families

Families live in many ways

Many kinds of people live in the community.

Some things are fair-some things are unfair

People can work together and help each other

People have various points of view.

It is important to try new experiences.

Diversity in the Child Care Environment

A quality child care programme includes:

Books representing various cultures

Dress up items made of ethnic fabrics and various types of shoes, hats
and accessories.

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Various cooking and eating utensils such as chopsticks, tortilla press
and baskets

Ethnic dolls and dolls with visible disabilities

Ethnic musical instruments

Artifacts such as masks, totem poles and nesting dolls

Natural materials such as rocks, sticks and shell to broaden play

experiences

Puzzles showing faces and scenes from around the World

Photos of children and their families displayed around the room

Food from various cultures.

Music from around the World so the children can dance to a variety of
tunes and learn simple songs in other language

Art supplies from various cultures such as origami paper, rice paper,
and various kinds of paint brushes.

The use of natural materials common to so many cultures. Include

rocks, sticks, flowers, sand, stone and shells.

Use puppets to demonstrate the concept of kindness, respect for

boundaries, and other relationship issues.

PAGE 64
Celebrating Holidays

Childcare providers need to be aware of the following when planning

celebrations:

Holidays have no lasting meaning to children when they are the

program’s only expression of diversity education.

It is important to learn all you can about the holidays the families in
your program celebrate and how they celebrate them.

Invite family involvement in planning and implementing holiday

activities. Find out what kinds of activities are acceptable to families
who don’t celebrate some of the holidays.

Be clear about your goals for each holiday activity, keeping children’s
interests and developmental abilities in mind.

Be prepared for strong emotions related to holiday celebrations,

especially those involving religious beliefs.

Make sure all children’s holidays are reflected equally.

Involve children in creating decorations or displays, and don’t

overwhelm the room with holiday-related items and abandon regular
routines and curriculum.

PAGE 65
ANSWER ING QU EST IONS AB OUT DIFF EREN CE
AND DIVER SITY
Young children love to ask questions. “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do
I have to have a bath?” or just responding with “Why?” to
EVERYTHING you say.
As annoying as it can be, especially at this “Why?” stage, it is
perfectly natural for children to question the world around them.
Curiosity and this constant observation help young children to learn,
and as parents and caregivers, we should try our best to answer most
questions in a sensible and practical way.
Remember that your little learner is not posing questions to
embarrass you or to offend anyone. It is human nature for young
children to notice differences and to compare others to themselves
and their own family members. Young children are not born with the
ability to be prejudiced towards others. In fact, now is the perfect
time to teach them a healthy respect for our wonderfully diverse
world

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?

Always try to answer questions when possible. Ignoring or avoiding
your child’s questions often makes them all the more frustrated and
persistent.
Answer in a friendly and calm tone, and with a response that will
explain diversity in simple terms that the child can understand. Some
examples for the answer bank might be as follows, and following with
another question will provide a dis shapes and sizes. It’s wonderful that
people are all different. What colour are my eyes compared to yours?
Every person is unique. We look different, sound different and like different
things. The world is full of lots of different and interesting people. What do
you think makes you interesting?

PAGE 66
You look different to them too. We all look different to one another and
that’s a good thing. The world would be very boring if we were all the
same. Animals are all different too. What different animals can you think
of?
People are very interesting; I like that everyone is different. We must
always be polite to other people too. What makes me different to you? My
hair, my eyes?
This sort of response is very unlikely to offend anyone in earshot, and
gently direct your child away from any pointing or giggling, while not
making it into a big deal. If your child has questions about someone
with a disability, you can focus on the positive aspects of what they
have seen:
Yes, that lady uses her stick to help her walk. That’s a good idea, isn’t it?
That’s a wheelchair, they are very helpful for people who have trouble
walking.
It is important for our little ones to know that they will not be “told-
off” for asking these questions, and that they can come to us for
guidance at any time. Sometimes your child’s questions might need
extra or more detailed explanation, and this can be done in private i f
you wish. Just let the little one know that you are very happy to talk
about it later. Make a note of it so neither of you forget.
Remember, you don’t have to wait for the child to ask questions
about diversity. Why not just make it a part of your daily learning
experiences together?
Talk about the differences and diversity in plants and animals,
colours and languages, or even in your own family, and read
together. There are many opportunities in children’s books for
learning and discussing diversity. Childcare can also be a very
valuable experience for meeting new people and learning about our
wonderful differences.

PAGE 67
CHILDREN AND THE WORLD
SESSION 5

PAGE 68
Introduction

Knowledge and Understanding of the World relates to children’s

everyday lives, their homes, families, other people, the local
environment and community, and the wider world. Through different
types of play, active, and experiential learning opportunities as well as
practical activities, children will be provided with meaningful
experiences. These will stimulate their senses as well as encourage
them to ask questions, explore and wonder at their environment. They
will undertake investigations that engage their interests, and develop
awareness of the beliefs and views of others.

The spiral curriculum advocated by Jerome Bruner reflects a belief in

children’s learning as a process of revisiting and building on previous
experiences, skills, knowledge and understanding as children develop.
This model is particularly appropriate to children’s learning and
development between the ages of 3 and 7 years. Some topics or themes
may be pursued by children across the age range at their own level; for
example, the cross-curricular theme of ‘Where I live’ could be

PAGE 69
undertaken by any age group and would involve different learning
activities depending on prior knowledge.

Children will learn in the following ways

• through the process of experiential learning, which:

– is central to good practice in education for young children

– starts with the children’s present or past experience

– encourages curiosity and exploratory play

– provides an opportunity for children to recall and draw upon their

experiences – requires children to question their learning experiences

– enables children to explore and investigate their learning

environments

– enables children to communicate, interact and talk about what they

want to do

– enables children to feel they are valued

– relates learning to themselves, their own lives and the real world

– allows for new learning

– allows practise of skills

– allows opportunities to record their findings in a number of ways

– incorporates opportunities to evaluate learning

• by imitating others, for example in role play and imaginative play

• by being taught specific skills directly, for example how to use

specialist tools or measuring equipment.

PAGE 70
Development of skills

The following skills are essential to this Area of Learning and can also
be developed across the curriculum.

• Observing

• Sorting and grouping

• Comparing

• Sequencing

• Classifying

• Asking/answering questions

• Enquiring

• Investigating

• Exploring and experimenting

• Thinking

• Listening

• Solving problems

• Making decisions

Places and people

To support the development of children’s skills and knowledge of

‘Places and people’ the following are key areas and experiences that
could be planned for.

• Starting with knowledge of their own home children might talk

about where they live, make a model with construction equipment or
draw their house, progressing to different types of transport,
describing and recording their journey to school pictorially.

PAGE 71
• A walk in the local area can be followed by sequencing the
journey using photographs, expressing preferences for particular
features of the environment and drawing a plan of the local area with
symbols to represent particular features. • Children should start
with knowledge and understanding gained from visits in their locality
when comparing and contrasting places such as the beach, town or
country.

• Visits to contrasting places should allow children to develop

their skills of enquiry, become competent in identifying and discussing
geographical features, and have first-hand experiences of a range of
different environments.

• Children could create small world scenarios or record their

experiences by drawing, painting, or model making.

• Programmable floor toys and remote-controlled equipment can

be used to enable children to learn to follow directions and routes, as
well as promoting skills at using technology.

.• Through listening to stories, examining photographs, and asking

and answering questions, children can learn about places that are
further away, the people who live there, the types of food produced,
the different types of travel and transport and how to use atlases and
globes to locate places.

Regular observations and discussions about the weather will enable

children to appreciate the effects of the weather on daily life in
different environments. As they progress children will be able to set up
experiments and carry out investigations, for example to gather data
about wind and rainfall

• Through observing the work people do, discovering the different

types of transport used locally, and how buildings are used, children
will begin to understand how a locality changes and the way in which
people’s actions lead to a change in the environment.

PAGE 72
• As children develop knowledge about workplaces and roles of
people in their locality, they will act out roles, be able to listen to
visitors and question them about their roles, record what they find out,
and progress to carrying out a survey enquiring about the occupations
other children would like when they grow up

Time and people

To support the development of children’s skills and knowledge of

‘Time and people’ the following are key areas and experiences that
could be planned for.

• Children can learn to sequence events in their day by using

evidence from photographs, and by recording their ideas in pictures
and booklets. Through stories, songs and rhymes children’s sequencing
skills of the passing of time will be reinforced.

• Using photographs, they take themselves (both indoors and

outdoors) children can progress to sequencing events in the week and
for longer periods. When appropriate, the events can be recorded
using a time line. Children should become familiar with vocabulary
that describes the passage of time, starting with events in their own
lives.

• Photographs of earlier generations can provide a good stimulus

for children to explore and ask questions about past times and events,
as well as also engaging parents’/caregivers’ interest in the curriculum.
Photographs might also contribute to a class museum of old/new
household items or toys that children can handle and compare, while
at the same time learning relevant vocabulary to describe the
characteristics that identify artefacts from different periods of time.

PAGE 73
• Visitors might be asked to talk about their own childhood or
school days with the children. This will enable children to develop
their knowledge and understanding of ways of life in different times, to
engage in two-way conversations as well as examine photographs and
artefacts and listen to stories. This will help children to interpret
evidence and understand why people did things, why events happened
and some of the consequences.

• Stories can also help children to understand the concept of old

and new, and the influence of past events and characters

• Visits to local museums and historic sites can help children to

gain a greater understanding of the buildings and ways of life in past
times.

Myself and other living things

To support the development of children’s skills and knowledge of

‘Myself and other living things’, the following are key areas and
experiences that could be planned for.

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• Starting with themselves, action rhymes and songs will allow
children to build their understanding and vocabulary for describing
the main parts of their bodies.

• Children should learn about their features by observing their

reflections in mirrors, making comparisons and talking about the
visible similarities and differences between themselves and other
children.

• As they progress children should observe and make comparisons

between humans and other animals. They should discover that
animals, including humans, move, need food and water, as well as
grow and reproduce.

• Through experimenting in a range of structured activities

children should learn to use their senses to discriminate between
different sounds, tastes, smells and textures, as well as to recognise
differences visually.

• Practical activities such as digging, planting, and looking after

seeds and observing their growth, will lead to knowledge of parts of a
plant as well as understanding that plants are living things that need
water to grow.

• Children could explore a sensory area or display (a sensory

garden might be set up outdoors for them to investigate). Outdoor
learning should also provide children with knowledge of conservation
and sustainability.

• Observations,investigations and topic work linked to growth should

enable children to learn about the process of change in animals and
plants over a period as well as the effects of the weather and seasons

PAGE 75
Myself and non-living things

To support the development of children’s skills and knowledge of

‘Myself and non-living things’ the following are key areas and
experiences that could be planned for.

• In exploratory play and through problem solving children should

discover the different properties of the natural materials sand, water,
wood and clay.

• When engaged in creative play with malleable materials children

should discover, by stretching, squashing, bending or twisting, that
some materials can be moulded into different shapes.

• There should be many opportunities to explore and investigate

the properties of materials from which everyday objects such as toys or
clothing are made, and to acquire relevant vocabulary to describe them
and begin to link the materials with their uses.

• Children will learn from first-hand experiences (such as cooking

activities) to observe and describe the changes that occur in some
everyday materials when heated or cooled, or when materials are
mixed.

• In physical play with large- and small-wheeled toys, children

experiment and begin to learn that a push or a pull can make
something speed up, slow down or change direction. Children begin to
use appropriate vocabulary that relates to forces.

• From an early age child learn to use switches to control electrical

devices and they will need to be taught directly about the dangers of
electricity.

.• By observing the effects of sunlight and investigating the effects

of light using torches and lamps in darkened spaces, children will
develop understanding of light, darkness and shadows, and will begin
to predict about the possible effects of different conditions.

PAGE 76
Games and experiments with sound will enable children to begin to
understand how sound travels. They will enjoy creating their own
‘telephones’ with recycled materials, making decisions and solving
problems together.

• Children of all ages can experiment at an appropriate level with

sound-making objects or equipment, recording their discoveries in an
appropriate form. • Children should be encouraged to use a variety
of different information sources (such as books) to increase their
knowledge and understanding of the world around

Planning

A theme or topic provides children with a context and helps them to

develop understanding through meaningful interrelated experiences
which they can talk about and relate to their previous knowledge and
understanding. A topic such as the weather is one that all children can
identify with and provides plenty of scope for first-hand observations,
learning new vocabulary and talking about experiences. Making
cards/objects for special occasions enables children to become aware
of the uses of a range of materials.

Progress in learning

Provision for children’s Knowledge and Understanding of the World

should be planned as an integrated whole, and take account of, and
build upon, skills, knowledge and understanding developed in other
Areas of Learning. As well as planning for this Area of Learning across
the curriculum there should also be planned activities on the
development of specific skills. Children will progress along the
learning continuum when they are developmentally ready. Children
should be encouraged to be curious and find out by:

• exploring and experimenting

• thinking about questions and then asking them and listening to

the answers • listening to others’ ideas

PAGE 77
• identifying what they want to find out and how to do it

• thinking about what might happen if…

• becoming aware of human achievements and the ‘big ideas’ that

have shaped the world

• investigating sources and issues

• thinking about how they will know if something has worked

• making comparisons and identifying similarities and differences

• making links within the different elements of Knowledge and

Understanding of the World

• thinking creatively and imaginatively

• communicating observations and measurements

• recognising simple patterns in their findings

• describing what they have found out and offering simple

explanations

• expressing their own opinions and feelings, and making

decisions while considering the viewpoints of others

• using and becoming familiar with common words and phrases

for their world

• reflecting on and evaluating their own and others’ work.

Places and people

Children should be given opportunities to:

• learn about where their locality is

• learn about distance and how to follow directions and routes

PAGE 78
• use and make simple maps, to find where places are and how
places relate to other places

• identify natural features, e.g. rivers, hills, beaches, and the

human features, e.g. buildings, roads, bridges, of their own locality

• begin to recognize differences between their own locality,

localities in other parts and in different parts of the world

• learn about how and why people and places are linked, e.g.
where they work and where they go on holiday, where family and
friends live

• use atlases and globes • investigate how places change, e.g., the
weather, the seasons, buildings, people’s jobs

• recognize how people’s actions can improve or damage the

environment.

Time and people

Children should be given opportunities to:

• sequence events, routines and changes, e.g. in a journey to

school, in a story

• measure time, using simple measuring devices, clocks, watches

and calendars • recognise the changes caused by time, e.g. to
themselves and to people and places familiar to them

• recognise that there are reasons for, and consequences of, some
actions

• begin to identify differences between ways of life at different

times, e.g. by comparing a familiar place at different times in the past

• use a range of historical sources, including artefacts and

buildings, adults recalling their own past, and visual sources

PAGE 79
Myself and other living things

Children should be given opportunities to:

• learn the names and uses of the main external parts of the
human body and plants • observe differences between animals and
plants, different animals, and different plants in order to group them

• identify the similarities and differences between themselves and

other children

• learn about the senses that humans and other animals have and
use to enable them to be aware of the world around them

• identify some animals and plants that live in the outdoor

environment

• identify the effects the different seasons have on some animals

and plants.

Myself and non-living things

Children should be given opportunities to:

• experiment with different everyday objects and use their senses

to sort them into groups according to simple features

• experiment with different everyday materials and use their

senses to sort them into groups according to simple properties

• develop an awareness of, and be able to distinguish between,

made and natural materials

• understand how some everyday materials change in shape when

stretched, squashed, bent and twisted, and when heated or cooled

• understand that light comes from a variety of sources, such as

the Sun, and that darkness is the absence of light

PAGE 80
• understand that there are many kinds and sources of sound, that
sounds travel away from sources and that they are heard when they
enter the ear.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World across the

curriculum

Effective provision for Knowledge and Understanding of the World

needs careful planning across all Areas of Learning to ensure that
children have opportunities to develop, apply and extend their skills of
observation, enquiry, investigation, communication and decision
making through a variety of media. There are many opportunities to
develop skills, knowledge and understanding within the other Areas of
Learning and within the different teaching areas in the setting/ school.

Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural

Diversity

• initially discussing and investigating different types of food from

a variety of cultures and identifying those that are healthy, progressing
to recording their findings in different ways

• understanding that there are different ways of showing the same

people/events

Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

• looking at and referring to books and other sources to find

information about animals, the environment and people of the present
and past, initially locating and discussing their findings, progressing to
being able to transfer and use the information to extend their learning

• through initially listening to and asking questions of people/

visitors with different roles in the community.

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Mathematical Development

• using the immediate outdoor environment and the local

environment to provide opportunities to observe patterns (and
repeating patterns) – initially recording simple patterns, progressing to
more detailed/intricate patterns

• devising plans and maps of the setting/school environment and

the local environment

Physical Development

• using magnifying glasses and a simple microscope to observe

plants and insects then recording these by using a variety of media; the
diagrams and drawings should become more sophisticated as the
children’s fine manipulative skills develop

• record their own physical development and change over time

Creative Development

• using different musical instruments (handmade and commercial)

children can devise and represent sounds heard in the indoor and
outdoor learning environments

• through designing historical costume, acting out roles in a story.

Some children learn best if they have a visual stimulus, others an

auditory one or a kinaesthetic (practical) task. Research into brain
development has shown that individual learning styles are affected by
the environment, the type of learning activity and whether the child is
working independently or in a group.

Places and people

Children should be given opportunities to:

• learn about where their locality is

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• learn about distance and how to follow directions and routes

• use and make simple maps, to find where places are and how
places relate to other places

• identify natural features, e.g., rivers, hills, beaches, and the

human features, e.g. buildings, roads, bridges, of their own locality

• begin to recognise differences between their own locality,

localities in other parts and in different parts of the world

• learn about how and why people and places are linked, e.g.,
where they work and where they go on holiday, where family and
friends live

• use atlases and globes • investigate how places change, e.g., the
weather, the seasons, buildings, people’s jobs

• recognize how people’s actions can improve or damage the

environment

PAGE 83
HELPING CHILDREN EXPRESS ANGER
SESSION 6

PAGE 84
HELPING CHILDREN EXPRESS ANGER

What provokes children to get angry?

How can parents or Educators help children cope with their anger, and
help them express it appropriately?

Everyone loses his temper once in a while. Something makes you so

mad that you cannot control your anger. You lash out physically and
verbally at the person or situation that is opposing you.

1. What makes you angry?

2. What do you do when you get angry?

3. Do you have different forms of anger for different situations? Sulk,

throw, hit and lash out verbally.

4. Why do you think this is?

5. How do you cope with your anger (if you do) …Lock yourself in your
room, yell, tear wallpaper, throw dishes?

6. How did your parents handle your anger when you were small?

Inability to stand frustration leads to hostile, angry responses in

everyone. Parents and teachers must learn to recognize a fight reaction
in children. A temper tantrum or destructiveness in a child is obviously
an indication that something is wrong.

Either too much is expected of him, or he needs help in handling his

frustration in a more constructive way. If he’s not helped he could
develop habitual nagging, defiant, belligerent attitudes.

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In the case of a toddler and a temper tantrum it could be lack of
communication skill.

An infant has no capacity to accept frustration. As he grows he learns

he cannot have everything he wants. He learns that he must wait for
some things.

An eight month old baby that picks up an open safety pin, and is about
to “taste it” will howl with anger when the nearest adult takes it away.
He only thinks of it as being prevented from having his own way.

In observing young children at play, frustration build up can be

recognized.

FEAR VERSUS ANGER

Have you ever been scared, maybe the time your child wandered away
at the mall, and when you found him you were so relieved, and then
the fear turns to anger at him for wandering away. Maybe your
husband was late arriving home from work and you were scared he
could have had an accident. Then he arrives home three hours later
and mumbles he went for a few drinks with the guys, and can’t figure
out why you are mad.

Hurt can also change into anger. Your child comes home with a bad
report card, and at first you are disappointed, and then you feel angry
because your child could have been “goofing off”

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REBELLION

When standards are too severe or narrow at home or school a child

may rebel and try new behavior away from home…at school or on the
street.

Rebellion most often takes place in adolescence, when children in their

wish to be independent go further that their consciousness allows.
They do what the “crowd” approves of, and then are unhappy and
uneasy. The child rebels to prove his own independence, but when he
does he feels badly about it. He would like to be at harmony with his
family and independent at the same time.

Parents and teachers cannot prevent unruliness and rebellion in a

teenager altogether, but we can still some of the inner turmoil and
distress and anger by approving his efforts toward independence and
allowing him more freedom to “try his wings”. We also have to avoid
the other extreme, and not leave important decisions to our children
in an effort to show them that we want them to stand alone.

The danger lies in letting a child feel only anger and punishment in
authority(The child only becomes to fear such authority, but not to

PAGE 87
respect it, and it’s hard to accept authority you fear) As soon as he is
able he will free himself from it, and will instead seek an authority that
promises him respect(Peers)

Everyone gets angry. Some methods of acknowledging anger will

produce problems, others won’t.

You can think of it as an anger balloon. Each time something happens

that we don’t like we add air to the balloon, and it starts to expand.
The balloon keeps getting bigger and bigger, and if some of the air is
not let out. Eventually it bursts.

Some people let the air (their anger) build up until the balloon pops.
When this happens there could be an explosive outburst, or a great
deal of anger for a minor reason (The straw that broke the camel’s
back)

After this burst of anger, there is usually a period of control until the
balloon blows up again.

Some people let the air out of the balloon every time it starts to blow
up. These are people that express their feelings at the time they occur.

When we deal with anger in children, we consider three things>

1. How to help the child express and deal with it (Release air from the
balloon)

2. How to reduce the accumulation of anger. (Air in balloon)

3. How to deal with aggressiveness and oppositional behavior when

they occur.

DISPLACING AGGRESSIVE FEELINGS

A son once said to his mother “Every time something goes wrong, like
you burn the supper, you yell at me” It was true, every time she burned

PAGE 88
the pie crust or roast, she would snap at him, as if he were personally
responsible. She “displaced” her feelings of frustration and failure on
him. Husbands and wives can sometimes take out the resentment they
feel towards each other on their children. You may do something to
make your child angry. She may not say anything to you; instead she
displaces these emotions to a less threatening person or inanimate
object…like a sister, friend or toy. If she is sent to her room she may
break or kick something to release some of the anger. We are more
likely to displace our feelings of resentment and disappointment than
any other emotions. That’s because they are the most difficult
emotions to express directly. It’s hard to let out the anger you feel to a
teacher, or a person in authority, instead you use someone else who
doesn’t dare express open resentment to you. This method of dealing
with anger is likely to cause the child problems with other children or
siblings.

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE

You go to work and your boss gives you a hard time and tells you what
a lousy job you are doing and you should smarten up.

You feel anger towards your boss, but you know if you show that anger
you will probably be out of a job.

What do you do?

Slow down your work, take a longer coffee break, “forget” to do a few
things he told you to do!

You are showing your anger passively as a way to retaliate.

PAGE 89
Now let’s take a look at a child:

You send her to her room and she is angry…but you are the boss…what
can she do.

She can’t slow down or take a coffee break, but she could “forget: to do
a few things you asked her to do. She may say something like “I’m
going to live at grandmas, and you’re unfair, you’re always picking on
me. She could be negative and stubborn. (You say it’s black she says it’s
white) or she could be sassy and mumble intentionally just to
aggravate and have the last word. You get angry and start yelling-the
child has achieved her goal and “gotten back” at you indirectly. This
method of dealing with anger is likely to get the child in trouble with
teachers or parents.

DIRECT ACTING OUT

Another child will not give your child a toy, football etc that he wants,
so your child will threaten to hit him or start a fight.

This is where the child lashes out physically at the source of his anger.

This method of dealing with anger is likely to cause problems with

peers and authority.

PAGE 90
The way we handle conflicts and problems is apt to be imitated by our
children. i.e. if we punch walls, and oppose people , there is a good
chance our children will do the same.

Therefore, if you are seeing aggressive, rebellious behavior in your

child, are you doing the same thing?

If you are doing a lot of shouting chances are that your child will do
the same thing.

A child whose primary problem is fighting, are usually disciplined

through physical punishment…when we deal with our children
through physical means we are teaching them to handle conflicts with
people by physical force or aggressive behavior.

We must be sure we do not model the behavior we are trying to

eliminate in our children.

Boys tend to express anger by venting or by mildly aggressive methods.

Girls on the other hand use active resistance more frequently. (Fabes
and Eisenberg 1992. Zeman and Gaber 1996, Zeman and Shipman 1996)
these differences result because boys and girls are socialized differently
(Davis 1995)

It is good to convey four important messages to children.

1. It is perfectly normal and natural to feel angry at times.

2. It is not acceptable to express anger in a way that hurts other people,

animals or objects.

3. We will not ignore, laugh or get upset with children that are angry.

4. We will help you figure out how to tell others you are angry without
hurting them.

We can also teach children how to use words to express anger.

PAGE 91
E.g., If John is angry with Sarah we could help him express himself by
saying “Sarah, I’m angry because you pushed me out of the way”

Teach children there are different levels of anger, a little angry or very
very angry.

Encourage children to talk about situations that make them angry. We

could help them come up with a plan to move from anger to a more
rational state.

Encourage the use of puppets to help children express themselves and

use books to tell stories of anger.

Serving as an appropriate role model is a good way to teach our

children how to deal with and express their anger.

RANDOM DISCIPLINE

A parent sometimes waits for a child to break a rule before they decide
on a consequence.

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When a parent disciplines at random a child feels insecure. He knows
something is going to happen but he doesn’t know what.

Many times, a child can feel his parents are being unfair and gets
angry.

If you told your child not to ride his bike in a certain area, and later
found out that he disobeyed you, and as a consequence took his bike
away for a week…he could say “If you told me, you would take my bike
away for a week, I wouldn’t have gone on that street” Your child could
feel that you are responsible for him being angry as you did not tell
him what the consequences of his actions would be.

You could also develop guilt feelings if you use this discipline with
your child.

You send your child to his room for misbehavior, and then you think
you were hard on him as you made him miss his favorite TV program.
After some thinking you feel like the bad guy and you go to his room, a
few minutes later he is watching TV, and you’ve eliminated your guilt
feelings, but nothing constructive has been accomplished.

Sit with your child and discuss any conflicts you have. If you have a
reason for not letting him do something in particular, discuss this with
him and give him your reasons. This applies to preschool teachers also.

By setting guidelines in agreement with the child, and avoiding

random discipline a lot of anger can be avoided..

Also be consistent, and if you are going to set limits carry them
through. How many times have you heard a parent or even a teacher
tell a child not to do something, and five minutes later the same
behavior is ignored?

If you are not going to carry through with limits then don’t set them in
the first place.

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AVOID NEGATIVE-ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Emphasize the child’s successes, accomplishments, and good behavior.

Eliminate verbal punishment (Shouting, putting the child down,
excessive criticism) Calling a child “stupid” can lead to anger and lack
of self esteem.

Pay more attention to positive behavior over negative. How often do

we tell a child that is behaving well, that we like the way he is. Not as
often as we tell a child that is not behaving appropriately that we are
not pleased with the behavior.

Avoid punishment as a main method of control.

USE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES

Avoid using violence to deal with violence.

A child hits her sister and gets spanked by her parent for doing it.

By using positive consequences emphasis is placed on not fighting. “If

you and you sister play with each other without fighting this
afternoon, we’ll play that game you love to play”

IGNORE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR

Not only do children use passive aggressive maneuvers to acknowledge

anger, but they employ these behaviors to get a reaction from their
parents.

Therefore, ignoring is often an effective way to reduce opposition.

Stubbornness, resistance, and similar behaviors.

In addition the way parents often deal with passive aggressive behavior
results in a buildup of anger in the child. E.g., a child asks if his friend

PAGE 94
can stay overnight and mother says “no’. The child could become sassy,
making faces, or becoming defiant.

If a shouting match develops then anger builds up…more air goes into
the balloon. By ignoring the sassiness, the additional build up of anger
can be avoided.

PAGE 95
I HATE YOU TEMPER TANTRUM

A common phrase for an angry child. When adults say “I hate you” it is
usually a deep revulsion for somebody, but when a five-year-old says
the same thing, it just means you’ve done something to make him
angry. When people get angry it’s hard to talk to them because they
have little or no interest in cooperating. They’re busy putting the
energy into getting what they want. This is where we back out of the
power contest and save our words for a quieter time…ignore the
temper tantrum.

Are temper tantrums a way of dealing with anger?

Babies cry but don’t really have temper tantrums until they become
toddlers, and then look out.

Toddler get frustrated easily especially when they are hungry, tired or
over excited. Some tantrums are caused by lack of communication
when they are unable to get their demands met verbally.

PAGE 96
Preschoolers on the other hand have better coping skills but can still
become frustrated. Some find that by throwing a temper tantrum
parents may give in to their demands to make it stop.

So how do we handle tantrums?

Getting angry yourself is not going to solve anything, so keep calm. If

you have to walk away until the child calms down then do it. You can’t
reason with a screaming child.

You could try distracting him and get his attention focused on
something else.

You could try moving him to a safe location for a calming down
session.

If your child is older try ignoring the tantrum, if necessary leave the
room so that he realizes he is not going to get his own way. And that
the tantrum is not working.

You could try holding him if he is totally out of control, and tell him
that you will hold him until he calms down. Once he has calmed down
discuss the situation and reassure him, but he also needs to know that
you do not approve of the behavior.

SET FIRM CLEAR LIMITS

Nagging, scolding, chastising, blaming and punishment are not only

ineffective they are detrimental.

REVISE ROUTINE

Try to change times when children become frustrated and angry. E.g.,
Morning rush or in childcare a transition.

PAGE 97
If its morning get up earlier and be prepared the evening before, and if
it’s a transition then try to change the transition to be less stressful.

RESPECT

Ask children what they think will help. This works well especially with
children 5-8 years old. Be open to the child’s suggestions, and use them
even if it’s simple.

BELIEVE CHILDREN HAVE REASONS

Why did they get angry?

Sometimes children won’t tell why they are angry-but relate that there
has to be a reason. E.g., another child hitting him and telling him not
to tell!

AVOID CONFUSING MESSAGES

“I am angry” basically means “I am angry at you”

ANALYSE YOUR ANGER

If you are frequently angry hold a mirror in front of your face and ask
“What’s going on inside me”?

One mother admitted that she had been angry at her children because
she had been deeply disappointed that having children had prevented
her from going to college. She discovered her angry feelings were

PAGE 98
actually resentment because she was disappointed at having her own
career plans interrupted.

WORK OFF FRUSTRATION.

Pillow fights with rules not to hit above the shoulder, or stronger
children hold with two fingers only.

Supply old papers and magazines to tear up.

Pound play dough

Swat flies

Beat the armchair with a wooden spoon.

Scribble angry feelings on paper.

Fill a shopping bag with paper and kick it.

*********Some parents may discourage youngsters from punching for

fear of loss of control, and actual physical harm to a person could
follow. In fact, imaginatively blowing off steam teaches the means of
limiting expressions of anger, and therefore decreases the likelihood of
actual violence. (Letting air out of the balloon)

If you break up two children fighting and send the children involved
off to separate activities, or punish them both…this will solve the
immediate problem, but will not teach them much about solving their
own problems.

1. Have children involved work out issues together, have them

separate and cool down for a few minutes before attempting
discussion.

PAGE 99
 2. You can provide a solution that is acceptable to both parties.
This doesn’t solve the problem, but is sometimes the best
approach when there is little time and the situation is serious
enough to warrant it.
3. Act as a mediator. Allow each child to tell his side of the story,
and suggest a solution. Set up ground rules i.e. when one person
talks the other person listens, and that each person will get an
uninterrupted time to speak. Use “I” messages to clarify. You can
ask each person what they feel would be a fair way to solve the
problem, and help them agree on a mutually acceptable solution.
4. Have family meetings to solve problems and anger.

Questions to ask yourself-

How much time is there to solve the problem?

Who are the children involved…are they normally friends with each
other and play together, or are they enemies?

How old are they?

What is the basis for the conflict?

Should it be settled by just those involved or can others be involved

in problem solving without embarrassment.

Encourage children to work out solutions

-Acknowledge the anger “I can see you’re angry”

-Allow children to “save face”

-Listen and follow through

PAGE 100
-Removal of privileges

-Warnings

-Time Out

-Model problem solving skills

Dianne Baumrind through surveys found;

That generally parents who CONSISTENTLY maintain control in a

DEMOCRATIC manner have children who are:

Competent, non-aggressive, self-reliant and high on self-esteem.

Parents who have high expectations for their children and make
MATURITY DEMANDS on them have children who are:

Competent, non-aggressive and sociable

Parents’ who are WARM and NUTURING have children who are:

Considerate, friendly with peers, compliant with parents, and high

on self-esteem.

On the other hand

Parents that are AUTHORITARIAN, COLD or OVERLY

PERMISSIVE have children who are:

Socially and intellectually ineffective, lack empathy and self-

confidence, are aggressive, cruel and disobedient, and demonstrate
negative moods and difficulties in self-control. (William Damon-
Social and Personality development)

Damon found that children of all ages generally believe that

obeying one’s parents is important, but their reason for obedience
and their understanding of parent’s leadership changes radically as
they get older.

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1. At the earliest age the child obeys you because he wants to.
Parents are obeyed because they tell you what YOU want to do.

2. At the next level the reality of punishment is grasped. You obey

to avoid unpleasant circumstances.

3. The next level infuses parental authority figures with attributes

like physical strength and all encompassing power-you obey mother
because she is bigger and stronger.

4. At the next level parent command is legitimized by superior

virtues like being smarter and obedience is considered an exchange.
The parent has done so much for the child in the past and therefore
deserves respect.

5. Toward this progression you consider it in the best interest to

listen to parents. This is because parents have experience and know
what is best for you.

6. Finally, obedience becomes a choice based on a deferral to

someone who cares about your welfare.

The support and encouragement you received as you were growing

up, or the restraints and frustrations, have made it easier or more
difficult for you to compromise now. Similarly, the type of guidance
that you give your child will influence their ability to meet the
demand of later life.

AT PRESCHOOL

Dealing with a child that is throwing things, yelling, or hitting

others is a preschool teacher’s nightmare.

Children that are angry take a lot of time and effort, and many
teachers feel that the time it takes to deal with an angry child is
time taken away from th other children.

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The first thing is to let the child know that you understand what he
is feeling. However, he has to know that you will not let him hurt
his friends.

With angry children pick your battles and try not to sweat the small
stuff, as long as he is not physically hurting anyone.

Problem solve with the child, and try and work out what the trigger
is that is causing the anger. If you can find the trigger then try to
avoid it in the future, or discuss with the child how he feels you can
handle it. If you keep dealing with it as soon as it arises hopefully
the child will eventually learn the correct behavior.

Every day you find that children encounter frustrating situations in

which they become angry. Although each child will express his
anger in unique ways, our challenge is to help children understand
their anger and to guide them with helpful, non-aggressive
strategies for managing it.

Leslie Oest Oesterreich. Extension Family Life Specialist

PAGE 103
THE CHALLENGING CHILD
SESSION 7

PAGE 104
 THE CHALLENGING CHILD IN CHILD CARE PROGRAMS

Where to start? What to do? These were questions frequently asked

when I was working in Supported Child Care.

As an infant development consultant, I worked directly with the family

in the home. I also worked as a Supported child care consultant,
instructor and coordinator of programs in group and school settings.

Based on my experience I found Early Childhood courses alone cannot

truly prepare you for the many different challenges facing caregivers in
today’s multicultural and ever-changing family dynamics. The most
reliable tool I could always rely on was my own ability to observe the
individual child or children then to record the information.

Three vital questions:

What the behavior is?

When did it happen?

Why did it happen?

I remember being encouraged to write pages of data when I took my

ECE training, which was helpful in some aspects, but was not helpful
or practical working in child care facilities, especially when dealing
with high needs children.

PAGE 105
The Behavior Profile was developed to
simplify the procedure:

PAGE 106
PAGE 107
Your Observation

It is important to observe the child over several days to establish the

frequency with which the challenging behaviour occurs.

Accuracy is Important

Observe in short 15-minute segments during the times when

inappropriate behavior is most likely to happen. This is challenging if
you are working alone. Initially you may need another person to assist
you in collecting data.

It is important not to make judgements until all observational data

has been collected (At least 5 sessions)

To record information, use a letter code.

Examples of most frequent unacceptable behaviour

A-Aggression to a child.

B-Aggression to an adult.

PAGE 108
C-Throwing objects

D-Inappropriate Language

E-Biting another child.

If these examples do not reflect the child’s behaviour use the letters F
through H to identify your concerns.

Some may be –To pinch and tease/shouting/extreme

hyperactivity/racing around the room.

The Behaviour Profile has been used for many years. Including
observations for medical purposes...for seizures, falls related to poor
balance etc. The profile will assist you to determine what the behavior
is and when it is more likely to happen.

How to fill in the Behavior Profile

Start by recording the Month of the Observation (Top of page)

Then add the Name of the Child and the name of the Program.

To ensure accuracy use exact day of the month even if the observation
starts close to the end of the month.

The left column shows the time of day. In the column under the date
and across from the time record the letter describing the behavior.

Example A: -Aggression to the child at 11.30a.m. And 12.15a.m. And

4p.m.

When you have determined the times and frequency of the behavior
for 5 days, try to identify the “trigger” or what happened prior to the
child’s inappropriate behavior. You need to ensure that the behavior is
not triggered by the actions of another child or activity within the
program. If the same behavior happens daily on the child’s arrival you
need to talk with the person delivering the child to the program to
pinpoint the cause of this behaviour.

PAGE 109
Examples of high-risk situations would be at:

1. Snack Times

2. Circle Times

3. Changing Activities.

4. Taking off or putting on clothing.

5. Going outside

6. Toileting

7. Washing hands.

8. Using equipment

And in group play areas.

These activities frequently involve waiting, lining up, or close

proximity to other children.

These are all HIGH-RISK social situations which can be challenging for
many young children especially if they have not been exposed to group
situations.

PAGE 110
Inappropriate behavior in group settings often falls in the following
categories:

1. Verbal-Screaming, yelling, name calling, swearing and

threatening.
2. Destructive-Grab items, purposely break objects, not follow
program rules, knock down another child’s creation, and destroy
another child’s art work.
3. Physical-Kick, bite, push, hit, pull hair, spitting.

If you identify one or more interactions as trigger/s to

inappropriate behavior the caregiver’s role becomes one of
designing intervention by modifying the environment referred to
as MTE. The goal is to prevent inappropriate behavior by
assisting the child learn new skills.
Snack and Lunch Times

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If you have identified problems at Snack or Lunch times you will
need to observe and review what happens. If all the children eat
together suggestions for MTE would be to have activities
available at the table for children who are waiting for other
children to join them. If an additional staff person is available
this would be a good time to use visual aids, pictures or flannel
board, with a theme related to expectation of behaviour at meal
times.

Circle Times
At Circle time look at the length of the session. Guide lines
should be based on the child’s experience in groups, taking into
account his and her temperament and response to following
directions. Adjust the time accordingly. With young children
participation should start by staying in a sitting position,
learning how to move hands, arms, then legs, and to learn
control of the individual parts of the body.
When they can demonstrate the use of the upper and lower
limbs, hands, arms, legs and feet in a fun time activity, it is time
to progress to activities that involve following directions.

PAGE 112
 If space is restricted have children take turns two or three at a
time in moving around the room. Choose at least one child who
has the ability to follow directions.
Ensure there is adequate space between the children when
sitting in groups. For children who lack social skills close
proximity to other children may trigger inappropriate reactions.
All activities are based on ways of improving skills to encourage
appropriate behavior.

Circle times using Visual Aids

Use visual materials that are based on social scenarios that assist
children to learn to interact with others. Recognize emotions
and how others feel. Start with facial expressions, and then let
the children mimic the expressions on each other. Many fun
activities can be purchased or handmade that assists children in
learning about positive and negative feelings. Make sure all the
children can see clearly when using visual aids. The use of
puppets can be very helpful, if the group is too noisy you can use
a puppet or toy animal that you can pretend is very scared of the
noise, and will not come out until the group is quiet.

Changing Activities.(Transition)

Observe what happens when the children are changing activities.

Can children make their own choices to move from one activity
to the other? The use of visual props can be handy for children
having difficulty. Use picture cards in different parts of the room
that identify the number of children you feel will interact well in
a given area. E.g. the blocks play area, dress up play house, or
book corner. As skills increase and children demonstrate the

PAGE 113
ability to participate in turn taking social play, then the numbers
could change.
You could have the child choose a card from a bag that shows
the activity he should go to. This is a good starting point if you
want to have children choose different or new people to play
with. A combination of verbal will assist in the development of
making independent choices.

Waiting.
Lining up for the bathroom, or putting on clothes to go outside.
Try to reduce the numbers of children in line to three or four.
Try to encourage at least one child who has the ability to take
turns and good self care skills to be part of the line. As you
observe children lacking in the appropriate skills, it is important
to provide a range of program activities that assist children learn
appropriate skills. See if the child can complete the task on his
own. See if the child can have positive interactions with other
children while completing the task (Turn taking)

Break down the activity in small steps.

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If the child demonstrates the ability to use the bathroom
independently the steps, she would use would be a) Take down
pants b) Use toilet paper c) Pull up pants d) Wash hands by
putting soap on hands e) Turn on tap f) rinse hands g) turn off
tap h) Dry hands i) paper towel in the garbage
j) Leave bathroom.
Did the child successfully complete the task? If not identify
where assistance is needed and then guide her through the
activity. The use of “Task analysis “can be a positive tool in
working with children, especially children who have special or
high needs. If inappropriate behaviour continues after
modifications to the environment, and assessment of skills, have
been made then it is important to again review the type of
behaviour needing modification to allow the child to develop
positive social interactions in a group setting.

Unacceptable Behaviors
1. Verbal- Screaming, Yelling, Name calling, Swearing,
Threatening.
2. Physical- Throwing, kicking, biting, punching, pushing,
hitting, pulling hair, spitting.
3. Destructive- Grabbing, not following play rules, scattering
others toys, breaking objects.
Possible Reasons for Inappropriate Behaviour

1. Developmental- Learned from others, crowded space, Limited

materials, over stimulated.

2. Effective Outcome-Child gets what he wants.... to be left alone,

or attention.

3. Communication Skills. -The child’s lack of ability to verbalize.

Frustration, fear, provoked, irritated defensive, tired or a
neurological disorder.

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You should have enough factual information in order to
determine if you are able to work through the behavior
challenges or need to meet with the parents to ask for their
assistance in order to modify and understand the child’s
behavior. This can be a challenge explaining to parents the
importance for all children to learn socially acceptable behavior
in group settings with children of similar ages.

Review your parent application form to ensure you have

pertinent and up to date information.

Number of children in the family and their ages.

Cultural background ...parenting style may reflect how behavior

challenges are handled away from the child care center.

Who disciplines the children?

Number of caregivers? Working parents? Split family?

Encourage parents to provide opportunities at home for the child

to practice social skills, and to understand social competence
with peers. This is a vital part of learning in future years.

Make up a handout with suggestions of how to introduce desired

activities in social settings.

Review before determining outcomes.

Other aspect to consider -is it the child’s temperament or is it

behavior?

It could be temperament if the child appears restless, very active,

shy, not wanting to change activity, short attention span or
negative moods.

Studies of many children for infants through school years found

that the child temperament did not change a great amount

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during the years. Therefore, it becomes very important to assist
the child exhibiting challenges as early as possible. When you
observe children or adults you will see patterns of behaviour ad
start to identify personal temperaments (The way and individual
responds to situations)

It could be Behavior or Adjustment difficulty if child is hitting,

never participates, throws items, frequent temper tantrums,
demands attention, cries and seems unhappy most of the time.

Create a child care environment that supports children’s

exploration and modification for the challenging child.

Arrange the Space wisely.

Often the way you organize the child care space can make a
difference in how children behave. If a space is too open you may
find children running wildly. Long narrow spaces...including
open hallways and long aisles in the playroom encourage
running Pay attention to where the behavior problems occur. Set
up shelves and other furniture to divide the room into separate
learning and play areas. Place seating areas or small tables down
the hallway. This will cut down on running and help children
find activities easier. You will have fewer problems if children
can find toys and supplies. Place toys on low shelves and label
the shelves with pictures and words so the child will know where
to put them back.

Make sure there are enough toys as problems arise when

children do not have enough toys or materials to play with, and
make sure the toys match the ages and abilities of the children.
Infants need toys that they can shake, drop, mouth, and roll and
otherwise explore. Toddlers need toys they can push, pull, grab,
fill, dump, or yank without causing major damage. Toddlers have
not yet learned to share well, so purchasing several favourite toys
can help prevent a lot of behaviour problems. Preschoolers need

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 more complex equipment that challenges their learning skills
and keeps them interested for longer periods of time.

The important thing is to set up an environment that you don’t

have to spend all day saying “Don’t touch this” or “Stay away
from that” Instead of spending your time redirecting the children
give them the chance to explore freely in a well organized and
child safe space.

If challenging behavior continues after you have made

modifications you will need to assess the child’s level of social
competence.

For this use a simple check list which would relate to his
response to other children, a) taking turns with others b) the
ability to share toys and equipment, c) adjust to new situations,
and d) shows empathy when a child is hurt.

Recording your observations can be as simple as keeping a small

notepad in your pocket and transfer it to the Behavior Checklist
when you have time.

You will need observations over several days to ensure accuracy.

Do not mix up play skills with social skills as they are two very
different skills. If a child lacks the ability to play on his own then
he will not have the social skills to play with others.

Play skills are a) the ability to engage with materials. b) Maintain

focus in play c) To stay with and extend activity d) Initiate play
choices e) Use variety of play materials and activities.

Specific examples of Strategies use by mental Health Consultants for

children at risk were:

1. Arrange the room to make a large number of interactive

centers available. By adding more smaller group activities
children have more opportunities at the same time instead of

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 waiting for the teacher to interact one on one Not every
activity can be teacher directed and children need to learn to
work together.
2. Add pro-social materials such as board books titles “Hands
are not for hitting” and “Feet are not for kicking” and engage
the children in group conversations about keeping their
hands to themselves.
3. Often teachers find themselves saying “No” to a lot of
children. This can create some confusion about just what it is
that are supposed to be doing. So instead try saying “Don’t
run inside” or “Use your walking feet indoors”.
4. Apply different sensory techniques such as allowing a child to
play with play dough if he was having trouble keeping his
hands to himself. Other ideas include small hand-held objects
to hold during circle time or giving him a “wiggle” cushion to
sit on.
5. Provide a nap bag of activities so that if a child has trouble
sleeping he has some specialized activities to occupy his time.
A visual timer is also helpful so that the child can see when
his time on the mat is going to be over.
6. During transition times it is important to give children a
heads up that change is about to occur. A 5-minute warning
and then a 1-minute warning are good opportunities for
children to prepare themselves for change.
7. When helping children build strong social-emotional skills,
use feathers to show the difference between gentle and rough
touch, and show cards with children expressing different
emotions to help him with empathy building.

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REVIEW.

Observe....who, what, when using Behavior Profile.

Record information from parents and caregivers

Modify the environment

Develop a comprehensive assessment by consolidating all child’s

information.

Review your social skills materials and add new materials

Ensure that you have a good selection of individual and group

visual, auditory and tactile activities.

Develop and plan new activities that assist all children to

develop social behavior. Select simple activities initially and then
move to complex as skills progress.

Expectations of child’s behavior...are they realistic?

How progress is to be monitored.

Who will monitor?

Design method of intervention

Keep parents informed

Ongoing...observe: changes and frequency.

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PAGE 121
STRESS IN CHILDREN
SESSION 8

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What is Stress?
Stress is the way our bodies respond to the demands that are
placed upon us by our environment, relationships,
perceptions and interpretations of events and issues in our
lives. When stress occurs, the brain signals the body to get
ready to meet the challenge by stimulating the autonomic
nervous system. This system is the control centre for many
bodily functions including muscle tension, breathing, blood
pressure, heart rate, pupil dilation and temperature control.
The stress response instantly activates the body either to gear
up to flee from danger or stand and fight it. Researchers
believe that humans developed the “flight of fight response”
in prehistoric times, when the main threats to survival were
physical and involved dealing with predators and hostile
environments. Today the threats and challenges we face are
often social and emotional rather than physical, but our
bodies are still equipped with the flight or fight reaction.
Teaching is a stressful and sometimes exhausting occupation.
It is no surprise that even teachers who typically thrive in face
of daily challenges can sometimes be negatively affected by
them. Teachers could become sharp and impatient with
children or co-workers.
They may even take personally things that children, parents
or others say or do, rather than try to understand what is truly
behind their words and behaviors. In the classroom the signs
of excessive stress may appear in the form of present-eeism

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(Being physically present but not performing well due to a
loss of interest in teaching, an inability to concentrate or stay
organized, or feeling depressed or ill) Teachers may also
express their stress through absenteeism (Calling in sick more
often and for longer periods of time). They may even consider
leaving the profession altogether.
Most parents would agree that their child’s teacher or
caregiver plays a significant role in the child’s life. Indeed
some children spend more hours of the week in the care of
their teacher than with a parent. It is important for teachers
to recognize that this can be hard on both the child and the
parent, especially if there is nothing immediate the parent can
do to relieve the situation. For example if a parent is
struggling with a serious illness or an economic problem,
there may not be much they can do to engage with their child
the way they would like. Add this to a language barrier,
learning disability or behaviour issue and some parents may
feel “under qualified” or even helpless and react in unhelpful
or inconsistent ways. Keep in mind that parents and teachers
are on the same team. It may not seem like it, but the vast
majority of parents and teachers have the same goal-the well
being of the child.

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Toddlers starting child care after being at home since birth
experience high levels of stress in the first weeks after
separating from their mothers, and are still showing “chronic
mild stress” as long as five months after their first day in the
new environment, according to a study measuring hormone
levels in young children. The levels fell, but were still
significantly higher, than for the same infants at home five
months later, even though the children (aged between 11 and
20 months when they started childcare) by then appeared to
have settled and no longer showed outward signs of stress.
Even the most nurturing school and home environment can’t
completely protect children from a range of everyday stressors
that can be both challenging and motivating. While stress is a
necessary part of development and learning, experts say that
students now face more stress than ever before due to the fast
pace of modern life, school demands and busy family
schedules. These findings do not mean that childcare is bad
for children, and there is no evidence yet of long term effects

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of raised cortisol levels. However, the conclusions can help
provide pointers to show how parents, care givers and policy
makers can minimise the stress toddlers experience when
they make the transition from home.
One way of controlling the buildup of stress, according to a
paper written by Professor Michael Lamb of Cambridge
University is to minimize the time children spend in care each
day. However, while some parents may wish to do this, the
long working hours militate against parents, who may also
face financial pressures to spend extra time at work.
Children can also pick up anxious behaviour from being
around anxious people. Some children may develop anxiety
after a series of stressful events. They may be able to cope
with one of these events but several difficult events together
may be too much for them to cope with.
Examples are:
*Frequently moving house and school-It can be hard to settle
when you are always expecting change
*Divorce or separation of parents-Especially when there are
new step parents and siblings (Although many children will
adapt to this and settle in time)
*Parents fighting or arguing
*Death of a close friend
*Becoming seriously ill or injured in an accident
*Having someone in the family who is ill or disabled.

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*School related issues such as homework or exams, or
bullying or friendship problems.
*Becoming involved in crime
*Being abused or neglected.
It’s normal for children to feel worried and anxious from time
to time. Anxiety is a feeling of unease such as worry or fear-
it’s an understandable reaction in children to change or a
stressful event. For some children anxiety affects their
behaviour. So how do you know when the child’s anxiety has
reached this level?

What stresses people out is different from one person to the

next but some of the signs of anxiety in children are:
Some of the signs to look for:

• Finding it hard to concentrate

• Not sleeping, or waking in the night with bad dreams
• Not eating properly
• Quickly getting angry or irritable and being out of
control during outbursts
• Constantly worrying and having negative thoughts
• Feeling tense and fidgety, or using the toilet often,
• Always crying or whining

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 • Being clingy all the time (when other children are OK)
• Complaining of tummy aches and being unwell.

The child may not be old enough to recognise why they’re

feeling this way.
The reason for anxiety will differ depending on the age of the
child. Separation anxiety is common in younger children,
whereas older children may tend to worry about school,
relationships and health.
It is important to talk to the child about their anxiety or
stress. Reassure them and show them you understand how
they feel. Students who can recognize, identify and talk about
their emotions are less likely to reach the point where they act
out their strong emotions with disruptive behaviours and are
able to develop in healthy ways and build good relationships
with parents, peers and teachers.
Teach the child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves
and ask for help. Children of all ages find consistency in daily
routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines
where possible. If the child is anxious because of a distressing
event, such as a bereavement or separation, see if you can find
books or videos that will help them understand their feelings.
If you know the child is going to be experiencing a change,
such as a house move, prepare him in advance by talking
about what is going to happen and why. Distraction can be
helpful for young children. If they are anxious about going to
child care try distracting them with an activity. Turn a box
into a ‘worry’ box. Let the child draw their worries and post

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them into the box. Sort through the box together at the end of
the day or week.

Separation Anxiety
This is common in young children. It means a child is
worrying about not being with his parent or regular caregiver.
If a baby was normally calm when the caregiver left the room
and they were happy to be held by people who care for them,
it may not make sense when they start crying whenever you
are not there or strangers are close, but this is a sign that the
baby now realises how dependent they are on the people who
care for them. As they get more aware of their surroundings

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the baby’s strong relationship with this small group means
they don’t feel safe without you. Their growing awareness of
the World around them also makes them feel unsafe or upset
in new situations or with new people. A parent may feel
distressed when leaving their child at child care because of
their tears. It is only natural for the child to feel anxious,
instead focus on helping the child understand and deal with
their feelings. They will learn if you leave them you will come
back.

To help the transition you can start to leave your child for
shorter periods of time so that they relate to your returning
for them. The caregiver can talk to the child about what they
are going to do when their parent sees them again so that
they have something to look forward to. For example, you
could say “When mommy comes to pick you up you will go
home and have supper”. Have the parent leave something
with the child that they identify with, such as a favourite toy.
Also, however sad the parent is making sure that they smile
and wave “goodbye” confidently and happily, otherwise the
child will pick up on the tension. By giving the child the
experience of saying “goodbye” then having a happy reunion,
you are teaching them an important life lesson. As children
get older, they are more able to understand that people and
things still exist even when they can’t see them.
Children can also experience phobias. This is an
overwhelming fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or

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animal. Phobias are more pronounced than fears. Symptoms
may include
*Unsteadiness, dizziness and light-headedness.
*Nausea
*Sweating
*Increased heart rate or palpitations
*Shortness of breath
*Trembling or shaking
*An upset stomach
There are a wide variety of objects or situations that someone
could develop a phobia about. Phobias can be divided into
two main categories:
*Specific or simple phobias
*Complex phobias.
Some examples of specific or simple phobias:
*Animal phobias-such as dogs, spiders, snakes or rodents
*Environmental phobias -such as heights, deep water, and
germs.
*Situational phobias-such as Dentist, doctor, flying.
*Bodily phobias-such as blood, vomit, or having injections.
The two most common Complex phobias are agoraphobia or
social phobia

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Agoraphobia is often thought of the fear of open spaces, but
someone with agoraphobia will feel anxious about being in a
situation where escaping may be difficult if they have a panic
attack. The anxiety usually results in the person avoiding
situations such as being alone, being in a crowded place such
as a busy restaurant or store, or party, or travelling in public
transport.
Some children become anxious about going to child care or
school, especially if they are nervous about bullying.
Phobias don’t have a single cause. For example, a phobia may
be associated with a single incident or trauma, or it may be a
learned response that a child develops from a parent or
sibling, or even genetics may play a role as there is evidence
to suggest that some children are born with a tendency to be
more anxious than others.
Keep in mind that difficult or annoying behaviour is what we
notice in children as it is visible and often requires a response.
Some children get labeled as “a pain in the neck” or a “bad
kid” but a child’s behaviour is simply their language for
expressing how they are feeling.
Sometimes children are upset by situations and playing the
“what if” game is a fun way to think about certain situations.
You can give children time to think about what they would do
in a “What if” situation. For:
Children under 5

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What if someone is playing with a toy you want?
What if someone takes a toy away from you?
What if your sister changes the TV channel when you are
watching your favourite program?
What if your friend pushes over the tower you have been
building?
What if you break someone’s toy?
What if your friend hits you?
Children 6-9
What if you forget your lunch at home?
What if you are home and someone gets sick or hurt?
What if you are shopping with mom and get lost?
What if someone hits you?
There is lots of other “what ifs” you can use.

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Parents and caregivers are the children’s best teachers. Most
of what children know they have learned from their parents.
To begin to teach the child how to problem solve you need to
set the stage for learning. A child with a problem may be
upset or angry so this is not the right time to try to solve the
problem. A child needs to be calm to think clearly. If he is
unable to calm down leave problem solving for a better time.
Your job is to help the child articulate the problem and come
up with some solutions that might work. The best thing you
can do is ask questions and let the child do the thinking.
Listen to his ideas and give encouragement.
*Do not solve the problem for the child
*Ask questions to help the child think about the problem and
the solution
*Allow the child to come up with a possible solution. Some
might be reasonable and some might be silly.
*Encourage the child to find as many solutions as possible
*Do not criticize the child’s solution
*Listen very carefully to what he says and observe how he
feels
*Offer suggestions if he is stuck and can’t think of any
solutions
*Let the child choose a solution to try.
*Help the child think ahead to see if the solution he chooses
might work.

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When you model healthy coping strategies, children learn by
example. Figure out what the problem is and make it
manageable. If we teach children to identify people who
frustrate them, places where stress usually rises and things
that provoke the intensity of stress, they can learn how to
avoid these stressors.
Some stressors in a child’s life may take the form of daily
hassles that are typically short lived. One example may be
transition times in a childcare center where a child has to stop
the activity he is working at and move to another. If teachers
learn to streamline transition times it would be a lot less
stressful.
A program of the psychology foundations of Canada has some
great ideas for stress reduction in children.
It’s important to know what bothers and upsets your children.
Don’t wait until you think the child is stressed. Ask them
when things are calm, what they worry about. Then listen
very carefully. Try not to finish their sentences or interrupt.
Stop, look and listen.
STOP
Some parents and teachers find that the best time to talk to
the children is when they are doing some everyday activity
together. Any quiet time during the day might work. It is
important to choose the moment. Find a time when you are
relaxed and not feeling rushed and can be together without
interruption. Set the climate...you might say “I know there are
things that upset you sometimes. Can you talk about

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them...give the child time to finish what they are
saying...don’t interrupt? Encourage them to continue by
nodding, and listen to their words and the feeling in the
words.
LOOK
Once a day check the child’s face from the child level or
holding him on your lap. When you look into his eyes does,
he look back at you or do his eyes dart around? Does her jaw
seem tense and tight? Is she smiling and happy? Does she
seem relaxed?
LISTEN
To show you are interested in what he is saying, sit facing him
and look at his face. Listen with speaking. Nod your head and
give other nonverbal encouragement. Remember the tongue
works slower than the mind and it sometimes takes forever
for young children to say something. It can take even longer if
the child is trying to express something difficult, confusing or
upsetting. Don’t finish his sentence, even if you think you
know what he is trying to say, give him time to put it into his
own words
Ways to Solve Problems
It is important to relax before trying to solve problems, so
taking a few deep breaths encourages creative thinking.
Step 1....Ask what is the problem...What are you doing about
it...Is it working?

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Step2...Trace a hand, numbering the thumb and fingers...on a
scale of 1-5, with 1 not much of a problem and 5 a big
problem...how does it make you feel.
Step 3...What could you do to solve the problem? What else
could you do...what other ideas might work.
Step4...Which ideas will you choose? What might happen if
you choose to do it? Will it make things better or worse?
Step5...What happened...Was the problem solved.... If not
what else can you do.
Children learn by example. When adults use their own
positive voice out loud this encourages children to do the
same.
Imagine you have two little people on each shoulder. One is a
friendly buddy who cheers for you, says good things about
you and sticks up for you. The other is a mean, critical bully
who points out all your mistakes and calls you nasty names.
When you hear your buddy, listen carefully and repeat the
words out loud. When you hear the mean bully say things like
“you’re stupid” or you’re lazy” don’t agree with what you hear.
Say. “No that’s not right”
Remember to be your own best friend. Best friends are kind.
Best friends understand. Best friends encourage us when we
have disappointments. Best friends help us celebrate our
successes.

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So, when you are feeling stressed use your good buddy for
instance
*When you do something you are not happy with say “That
wasn’t my best work I can do better, Next time I can try
harder...I can learn from this.”
*If you are not invited to a birthday party, say “Lots of people
like me. I can do something else that is fun even if I can’t go
to the party.”
*If you want a toy your friend has and you can’t afford it say “I
really want a toy like Gareth’s, but I don’t have enough money
to buy one. I’ll ask Lee if we can play with it together.”
You could think of many situations where you can practice
being positive instead of stressed.

Working in a childcare or school is a demanding and poorly

paid occupation. The fact is that a huge part of the
compensation is the knowledge that what you are doing is
meaningful to others. Early care and education make a
difference in the lives of many children and their families.
Talking about it with peers and those who are less informed is
good for you and good for the child care.

PAGE 138
The Lawson Foundation
Denise Marek
Catherine Willinsky
The Psychology foundation of Canada

PAGE 139
HEALTH AND SAFETY
SESSION 9

PAGE 140
Children can injure themselves in a variety of ways both indoors and
outdoors.

Some injuries result from children’s natural curiosity but more often
injuries are caused by simple accidents that could have been avoided.
From slipping on a wet floor to having a hand caught in a door.

Whether in the centre or home, safety is a major issue in the care of

children. It may be boring to go over, but many times in our day to day
lives we get negligent when it comes to making sure they are safe.
Adults who have lived in an environment without children can find it
difficult to relate to the fact that a baby or crawling child can find so
many safety hazards that you would not have thought existed.

We have to ensure that we have all our safety issues covered. We have
to remember that children are at a different eye level than we are and
see things we do not see.

Hopefully this workshop will guide you where typical accidents occur
and what you can do to prevent them.

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• Safety plugs in electrical sockets
• Safety latches on cupboards and drawers.
• Safety latches on fridge and freezer.
• Toilet lid lock.
• Safety gates on stairs. (Check fire regulations)
• Although you have safety latches on cupboards, move all harmful
products such as bleach etc out of reach to a locked cupboard.
• Medicines also out of reach.
• In a childcare centre ensure medications are placed in a locked
box. A permission form for administration of prescription
medication should be signed by the parent, stating how much
and when to administer. The caregiver should sign when the
medicine has been administered
• Baby cribs should be kept away from blind cords that could
choke a baby.
• Keep beds away from windows or glass.
• Never leave a baby bottle propped in a baby’s mouth.

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• Ensure baby cribs are to Canadian government standards. Slats
should be no more than 2 3/8th” The mattress should fit snugly.
The rails should be at least 26” above the mattress, and the sides
should be no less than ¾ height of the child. Do not use plastic
in the crib, and no snugglies, cushions or mobiles that could
suffocate a child.
• To help prevent SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome) place
infant on his back.
• Ensure toys have no sharp edges and no small chokable parts. No
string attachment longer than 7 inches. Machine washable. No
loud toys that can damage tender ears. Read labels on toys for
safety and age appropriateness.
• Food should be choking free. Some choking foods are popcorn,
hotdogs, and chunks of meat, nuts, and whole grapes. Anything
you think could get stuck in a small throat cut into small pieces.
• Keep pot handles on a stove turned inwards. Better still keep a
small child out of the kitchen when preparing and cooking food.
• Keep electric cords away from tiny hands as they could pull
lamps, electric kettles, toasters, or anything attached to a cord
on top of themselves.
• Matches and barbecue lighters out of reach.
• Hot water can burn, so make sure your hot water heater is no
hotter than 47 degrees Celsius. Fill tub first and test for hot
spots.
• Install special mixers on taps.
• Make sure fire alarms are working
• Practice fire drills
• Never leave a child alone in a tub, paddling or swimming pool.
• If you have swimming pools then fence it in, or a paddling pool
empty when not in use. Treat ponds the same as pools.

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• Hot water tanks, furnaces, and any other type of heater should
be out of reach of a child.
• When changing a baby make sure your change table has a safety
strap and use it. Baby could roll over and fall off even if you are
just reaching for something.
• Keep plastic bags and dry cleaning plastic covers out of reach.
• Keep hot drinks out of reach.
• Never use a barbeque in the house.
• Don’t store gasoline.
• Never run a car inside the garage.
• Have emergency phone numbers next to phone.
• Store knives, scissors and sharp objects.
• Doors can cause pinched fingers, severed fingers. Doors can hit
people. Children can run into the glass in doors. Teach children
to close doors and open slowly.
• Gross motor equipment in front of a window.
• An electric fan to close to children that could be knocked over or
little fingers get to the blades.
• Blocked exits.
• Poison plants. Many plants even edible ones could have some
poisonous parts to them.
Some toxic plants: Apple(seed), azalea, Bone berry, Bittersweet,
Buckeye, Caster Bean, Columbine, Crown of thorns, daisy, devils
Ivy, daffodil, Elder, English Ivy, Hydrangea, Mother in Law plant,
Jerusalem cherry, Peach (seed) Sumac, various mushrooms, Four
o clock, Mexican jumping bean, Philodendron, Tobacco, wild
cheer, Foxglove, Jonquil, Mistletoe, Pokeweed, Tulip, Wild
onion, Holly, Lily of the valley, Mountain laurel, Potato(all green
parts) Wisteria, Morning Glory. This is just a partial list, check
with your poison control for a more detailed list.

PAGE 144
 • Ensure ground under outdoor climbers has 9-12 inches of mulch,
wood chips or other soft material.
• Ensure plenty of room between play equipment. A fall zone of at
least 6 foot should be around all.
• Check for slivers, cracks, rust or broken equipment.
• Ensure large equipment is secured to the ground.
• Check any openings to ensure a child cannot get his head or
hands stuck.
• Keep outdoor area free of cigarette butts, rocks, branches,
needles etc.
• Take drawstrings out of children’s clothing outside to ensure
they do not get caught or choked.
• Put locks on the outside of gates so that the child cannot open
them.
• If you have a slide make sure the child slides down the slide and
does not climb up it, as another child sliding down can kick him
in the head.
• If you have swings teach children to keep their distance to avoid
getting kicked.
• If you live in an apartment make sure the windows and balcony
are child safe.
• Have safe shoes when climbing.
• Cover sandboxes when not in use.
• Do not use power tools or lawn mowers around children

Fire Drills

Every home should have a fire escape plan, and every childcare has to
have a fire escape plan. Fire drills should be practiced on a regular
basis; if children are familiar with something it can avoid panic in an
actual emergency.

PAGE 145
A plan of the home or centre should be drawn showing all the exits
and windows.

On the plan show exits from every room. For example, if fire breaks
out in the kitchen follow the exit plan away from the kitchen.

Teach the children what they should do when they hear the fire alarm
or smoke detector alarm. In a childcare situation every staff should be
designated a specific job. One of those jobs should be for one staff to
take the sign in sheet, emergency backpack and cell phone outside
with her to ensure all the children are accounted for.

An outside safe spot should be chosen where everyone will meet when
they evacuate the building.

Earthquake Drill

As we are in an earthquake zone it is important to have an earthquake

drill. You should have an earthquake kit stored and also each child
should have an individual earthquake kit. This can be placed in a
Ziploc bag, and contain things such as an emergency blanket, water,
granola bar, picture of family, etc.

This should be kept preferably in an outdoor shed where it would be

easier to reach if the building suffers damage.

At the first sign of an earthquake tell the children to Duck cover and
hold.

Count to 60 and wait until the shaking has stopped. Instruct the
children to line up and exit the building, Ensure the staff member
designated takes the sign in sheets, cell phone and emergency back
pack

PAGE 146
Follow the evacuation procedure meeting at a safe place in the
playground or parking lot.

You should have an out of town contact to notify parents where their
children will be, and also have arranged in case of earthquake where
the closest emergency shelter is located.

Wait with the children until parents have collected them.

Any free-standing shelves or cupboards should be attached to the wall

to prevent them falling.

If you are on low ground and in danger of a tsunami, make sure you
have an evacuation route planned to reach high ground.

Health issues make up a critical part of the Early Childhood Educators

job.

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An infectious disease is spread person to person. 3 Factors contribute
to infections

• Germs in the environment.

• People are susceptible
• Infectious contact and transmission.

Infectious diseases are spread by what doctors and scientists call

pathogens, but we call them germs.

There are four types of germs

• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Parasites and
• Fungi

Viruses such as colds, chicken pox, and hepatitis cannot be killed with
medication.

Only symptoms can be treated, the body must fight the virus itself.

Bacteria

Are single cell organisms that can only be seen under a microscope.
Most bacteria are harmless, but some cause infectious diseases.
Bacterial infections such as strep throat, impetigo and TB can be
treated with antibiotics. Bacteria grows in rotting matter (such as food)
and in water, air, soil and living bodies. To grow and multiply bacteria
needs three things

a) Oxygen b) Moisture c) the right temperature.

This differs depending on bacteria but may thrive at about human

body temperature Caregivers may be required at times to administer
medication and it is important for legal and health reasons the

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caregiver follow the doctors instructions when administering
medication.

Parasites

Are living organisms that live off a host. Common parasites in children
include pediculosis (Head lice) scabies (body lice) giardia’s (digestive)
and pinworms (digestive) most parasites can be treated and killed with
medication. Some spread easily from person to person such as head
lice, but others are spread only through contact with a contaminated
source (such as in water)

Fungi

Are rapidly growing organisms that live off a host. The most common
is ringworm. Many people think ringworm is a parasite, but it is
actually a fungus that causes athlete’s foot and jock itch. Most fungal
diseases can be treated with medications and ointments.

The spread of infectious disease is transmission through contact. There

are two ways to become infected, by direct contact and indirect
contact.

Direct contact occurs when the body receives germs from the air The
germs can enter into the body through a mucus membrane (eye, nose,
throat etc) or through an open wound. When someone sneezes or
coughs they send thousands of droplets into the air that can go directly
to someone’s eyes, nose, throat or mouth. These droplets may contain
infectious germs.

Indirect contact occurs when germs stick to a surface such as door

knobs and then enters a mucous membrane or open wound.

There are three factors needed for disease to spread

• Germs present in the environment

• Susceptible people

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 • Infectious contact and transmission

The spread of germs can be reduced through

• Effective hand washing

• Proper diapering
• Cleaning and Disinfecting
• Sanitizing bathrooms
• Safe and proper handling of toilet training equipment
• Safe food preparation and handling
• Teaching the children good hygiene habits

The best way to reduce the spread of germs is effective hand washing.

To wash hands turn on the water, use warm running water and liquid
soap. Wet hands and apply a small amount of soap. Rub and lather,
continue for 15 seconds. Remember go between fingers and top of your
hands and under fingernails. Rinse hands under warm running water.
With water still running dry hands with paper towel. Don’t touch
towel dispenser or faucet, Use towel to turn off tap. If necessary open
door with paper towel before exiting. Dispose of paper towel.

Diapering

Gather everything needed like diaper, clean clothes, towelettes,

ointment, disposable bag etc. put on disposable gloves. Pick up child
and place him on change table. Remove soiled clothes and diaper.
Dispose of soiled diaper in plastic trash can. Put soiled clothes in
plastic bag; do not rinse the clothes, as this spreads germs in the sink.
Clean bottom with wipes and if necessary use soap water and paper
towel.

Dispose of wipes and gloves. Diaper and dress child and wash his
hands. Always maintain contact with the child, and if possible, use a
safety strap. Once diapering is finished place child in play area. Clean
and disinfect diaper surface and wash hands again.

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Cleaning Toys and Equipment.

When applying disinfectant, it should be allowed to air dry. If you wipe

it off disinfecting will not take place. All surfaces require a contact
time of 5-10 minutes.

Prepare chlorine solution daily. Use ¼ cup of bleach in 1 gallon of

water for bathroom and diaper areas. For toys and equipment use 1
tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water. Discard left over
solution at end of day.

Bathrooms should be cleaned and disinfected at least once a day, also

when soiled. Wash and disinfect faucet handles, toilet seats, floors,
door knobs, and any other surfaces touched by children. If you are
toilet training with potty chairs, empty potty chair in toilet bowl being
careful not to splash and spill. Rinse with water from janitors sink. Do
not use food preparation sink. Dump rinse water in toilet and flush.
Wash and disinfect chair. Wash sink. Wash hands.

Food borne Illnesses

Use three essential of food safety.

1. Clean. Use clean equipment and surfaces. Always wash hands

before and after you touch or serve food.
2. Cold. Keep cold foods cold. Germs grow best in danger zone
from 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Cooked. Make sure food reaches sufficient temperature to kill
germs when cooked.

Food can become contaminated through contact with contaminated

food, contact with contaminated surface, improper cooling time,
unsafe or unsanitary storage procedures, improper personal hygiene.

Children should be taught proper hand washing and follow regular

routines

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 • Before sitting or entering food service area (Snacks and Meals)
• After using restrooms and diapering.
• After outside play, or activities inviting hand contact.
• Before leaving for the day.
• Children should be taught to cover their mouths with inside of
elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Make up a hand washing song:

Tune: Gently down the stream.

Wash, wash, wash your hands,

Play our handy game,

Rub and scrub, rub and scrub, Germs go down the drain. HEY

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Play our handy game,

Rub and scrub, rub and scrub,

Dirt goes down the drain HEY.

Areas to be given close attention should be water tub play, infant/

toddler toys , wading pools, water play table, dress up clothes, bath

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tubs and showers, water fountains and cups, kids personal items,
garbage and soiled clothing.

Children should be reminded to wash their hands after each time they
use the water play table. Empty and change water daily, and do not
allow sick children to use water table.

Dress up clothing should be disinfected and cleaned at least weekly

and small toys used daily. Infant/toddler toys should be disinfected
after each use, as babies put everything in their mouths.

Wading pools should be empties daily, and children with diapers

should not be allowed to use the wading pool.

Empty all receptacles daily.

Recognizing Infectious Diseases in the Early Childhood Setting.

An infectious disease is an organism that can be transmitted and

spread from one organism to another. Many can be spread from

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person to person and these are known as communicable and
contagious diseases.

Every center should have a disease prevention policy. Again, hand

washing is the single most important means for preventing the spread
of disease.

• After using restroom and blowing nose.

• Before meals and snacks
• When returning from outside

Hand sanitizer should not be used as a substitute for hand washing.

Also focus on:

Proper food handling and preparation, proper diapering and disposal,

proper sanitizing of toys and surfaces, exclusion of sick children.

Immunization

It is a parent’s choice whether to immunize their child or not. If a

parent chooses not to immunize her child then you should get a letter
stating this from the parent.

Children with the following symptoms should be excluded from child

care.

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Severe Coughing
• Eye discharge

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A fever is a symptom and it is actually part of the body’s defence
mechanism. Body temperatures rise when white blood cells attempt
to fight off infection.

A temperature of 100degrees or higher taken under the arm, 101

taken orally, or 102 taken rectally. A rectal temperature of 101 in
infants is considered a fever if they are 4 months old or younger.

A fever alone is not necessarily a sign of infectious disease, but if it

is combined with diarrhea, earache, rash, confusion, the child
should be removed from the childcare. It is important to remember
that body temperature can go up depending on the activity. E.g. a
child coming in from the playground will feel warm and may
register a fever that is why it’s important to check for symptoms

• Diarrhea is usually frequent. Loose or watery stools and/ or

bloody stools
• Vomiting is a sign of illness if it occurs 2 or more times in 24
hours.

Sever coughing is a sign of illness if the child’s face turns color( red
or blue) or if the child’s cough makes a high pitched whooping
sound.

Eye Discharge- thick mucus or draining from the eye is a sign of an

infectious disease.

Yellowish skin or eyes could be a sign of gastro intestinal infection

such as hepatitis.

Do daily health checks…Visual observation, touch, smell, listen?

Look for difficulty in breathing, pale or flushed skin, rashes,

swelling or bruising, red eyes, runny nose, mouth sores, child
pulling his ear.

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 Touch. Gently touch cheek, forehead or neck. If skin is bumpy,
moist or unusually warm or cold, then the child may be sick.

Smell. An unusual odour in the child’s breath or skin may be a sign

of sickness.

Listen. Listen for hoarse voice, wheezing, and severe coughing.

Every centre should have a sickness policy of expectations when

child gets sick.

Emergencies.

In rare cases it may be necessary to get immediate attention for a

sick child. You should have in your policies one relating to
emergency medical care.

This should include emergency contact information and emergency

medical release forms for each child.

Procedure should include

• Caring for child

• Contacting parents
• Preparing documentation
• Contacting the community
• Re entering the child care setting.

Until the parent comes to pick up a sick child it is a good idea to

prevent contact with other children and give sick child a chance to
rest.

Some communicable diseases have to be reported. Ensure you have a

list of reportable diseases from licensing or your public health
department. Pregnant women or people with weakened immune
systems face serious complications from certain infectious diseases, so
it is important to report any outbreaks.

PAGE 156
 If a child has prescribed antibiotics, it is important he takes all of
them, even if he feels better. Although the symptoms may have
cleared the germs that caused the disease may still be present.

Febrile Convulsions

Also known as fever fits occur most commonly in children between

the ages of 3 months and 5 years, and they are most common in
boys. The exact cause is not known but they are generally
associated with certain types of infections. Approximately 1 in 20
children will experience a febrile convulsion.

The first sign is a sudden rise in body temperature (e.g. from

normal 98.6 to 102 in a matter of minutes) If a convulsion sets in the
arms will stiffen and legs may twitch. Vomiting or foaming at the
mouth and loss of consciousness are also possible.

Contact a doctor and the child’s parents immediately. Febrile

Convulsions usually pass after less than 5 minutes, but the doctor
will need to evaluate the child to rule out certain dangerous
infections, and an overnight stay in hospital may be necessary.

Some of the more common diseases are:

Chicken Pox.

A highly contagious virus which is spread when a person breathes in

contaminated droplets from an infected person after coughing. It is
also spread through contact with the open sores on an infected person.

Symptoms

People usually develop an itchy rash of red bumps on the scalp which
spreads to the stomach and then the back.

Duration

The infection lasts from 7-10 days

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Exclusion from Child Care

Should not be allowed in the child care centre until 6 days after the
rash appears, or until all chicken pox blisters have formed scabs.

Common Cold

Roughly 200 viruses can cause a cold.

Transmission is usually spread when a person inhales germs that an

infected person has breathed, sneezed, or coughed in the air. The virus
can also spread from contaminated surfaces that contain secretions
from an infected person.

Symptoms.

Aches, runny nose, and watering eyes.

Duration

Can last up to 2 weeks.

Exclusion from Child Care

Is not necessary because the illness usually spreads before symptoms

appear.

Croup

Is a swelling and infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by a

virus

It develops 2-6 days after breathing in contaminated droplets from an

infected person.

Symptoms

A loud barking like cough, fever, wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Duration

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5-6 days

Exclusion from child care

May return after breathing has improved, and there has been no fever
for 24 hours

Fifth Disease (Slap Cheek)

It is caught by inhaling droplets.

Symptoms

Fever and fatigue. Infected people develop a red rash on their cheeks a
few days after fever goes away.

Duration

Rash lasts 1-3 weeks

Exclusion from Child Care

A person who has the rash can no longer spread the disease, so
children do not have to be excluded from centre.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

This is a body infection caused by a virus. It is transmitted when a

person has contact with infected person’s blisters.

Symptoms

Some people have none. When symptoms do develop, they include a

fever and painful blisters on the palm and fingers of the hands and
bottom of feet and inside the mouth.

Duration

7—10 days

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Exclusion from Child Care

24 hours after fever has gone away. Also the child care should consider
excluding children that have mouth blisters, drool, or have open
blisters on their hands.

Hepatitis A

This is a virus that attacks the liver.

It is caught through fecal-oral contact. It is also spread if someone eats

food and drink that have been handled by an infected person.

Symptoms

Young children may not show any, but still have the disease.
Symptoms in older children include fever, loss of appetite, dark urine,
and nausea.

2 An infected person’s skin and whites of eyes usually have a yellowish

tinge.

Duration

Varies, Symptoms may last 6 months.

Exclusion from childcare.

For a week after symptoms appear.

Outbreak should be reported.

Infectious Mononucleosis.

This is transmitted through an infected persons saliva.

Symptoms

May not show signs of illness. Older children may experience fever,
swollen throat and tonsils, and enlarged lymph nodes in neck.

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Duration

Symptoms usually disappear after a 2 weeks.

Exclusion from Childcare

Until at least two weeks after the fever has gone away.

Influenza (The flu)

A respiratory illness caused by a virus. It is transmitted when a person

breathes in droplets containing the virus after an infected person
sneezes or coughs.

Symptoms

Fever, muscle aches, cough, chills, sore throat.

Duration

Usually lasts only a few days.

Exclusion from Child Care

For at least 24 hours after the fever goes away.

Measles

This is caused by a virus transmitted by an infected person sneezing or

coughing.

Symptoms

Fever, runny nose, cough and some reddened eyes. Next a rash of
reddish-brown patches begins on the face and covers rest of body.

Duration

Fever lasts a few days and rash usually three days.

Exclusion from Child Care

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Until 5 days after rash becomes evident.

Mumps

This is a virus caused by contact with urine, saliva, or respiratory

secretions of infected person.

Symptoms

Severe and painful swelling of salivary glands under the jawbone.

Duration

2 Weeks

Exclusion from Childcare

Until 9 days after swelling is evident or until swelling completely

disappears.

Report to Health Department

Roseola

Transmitted through direct contact with infected person. Most likely it

is spread via airborne droplets or contact with fecal matter

Symptoms

High fever, swelling of eyelids, fatigue, after the fever breaks the rash
appears on face and body.

Duration

3-5 days. Rash 1-2 days.

Exclusion from childcare

Until after fever is gone at least 2 weeks.

PAGE 162
Rotavirus

Ingested germs through feces, or feces contaminated objects.

Symptoms

Watery diarrhea, severe vomiting, some people may have cough and
runny nose.

Duration

4-6 days

Exclusion from Childcare

Until diarrhea, vomiting and fever are gone

Rubella (German measles)

Transmission is through a person inhaling contaminated droplets

exhaled by infected person. It can also be transmitted when a person
has contact with infectious body fluids and then touched his nose or
mouth.

Symptoms

Fever, swollen lymph nodes by the ears and a rash.

Rash appears first on the face and then spreads to chest and limbs

Duration

Rash lasts 1-5 days

Exclusion from Child Care

At least 6 days after rash develops

Notify Health Department

PAGE 163
Viral Meningitis

It is a swelling of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.

More than 1 virus may cause it. It is transmitted through contact with
an infected persons saliva, mucus or feces.

Symptoms

Fever, stiff neck, severe headaches, drowsiness and vomiting.

Infected babies may be cranky, difficult to awaken and may refuse to

eat.

Duration

7-10 days

Exclusion from Child Care

At least 24 hours after fever has gone away.

Report to Health Department

Bacterial Meningitis

Meningitis is a swelling around the brain and spinal cord. Three

different bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis. Transmission is from
inhaling contaminated droplets from infected person.

Symptoms

Fever, neck pain, vomiting. It progresses quickly and infected person

may experience unconsciousness, convulsions and then death.

Duration

1 day to several weeks

PAGE 164
Exclusion from Child Care

Until cleared by medical personnel to return.

Report to Health Department

Escherichia Coli

It lives in the digestive tracts of humans and many animals.

Most are harmless but 1 strain may lead to illness. E coli infection is
usually a result of eating meat (Especially hamburger) that has not
been cooked thoroughly. The bacteria can be spread by drinking
unpasteurized milk or by contact with infected person’s feces.

Symptoms

Mild stomach ache to severe bloody diarrhoea

Duration

5-10 says.

Exclusion from childcare

Until diarrhea has gone away and a doctor has released child to return
to center.

Report to Health Department.

Impetigo

An infection caused by two different bacteria. Which is transmitted

when exposed to fluid from open blisters.

Symptoms.

A blistery rash. The blisters first develop on the face especially on the
nose and mouth, and spread to the rest of the body.

PAGE 165
In most impetigo infections the blisters open and release a thick yellow
liquid that forms a crust on the skin.

Duration

Blisters usually heal three days after treatment.

Exclusion from Childcare

24 hours after treatment begins and the blisters no longer release fluid.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

A respiratory infection caused by bacteria. It is transmitted when a

person inhales infected droplets.

Symptoms

A runny nose and cough which eventually becomes more severe and
may end in vomiting.

Duration

May last several weeks.

Exclusion from Child Care

At least 5 days after beginning treatment or for 4 weeks after severe

coughing.

Report to Health Department

Salmonellosis

The bacteria live in the digestive tract of animals such as birds,

chickens and turtles. Transmission is through eating contaminated
food. However, can be spread through contact with the feces of ill or
recovering patients.

Symptoms

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Diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Duration

1 week or longer.

Exclusion from Child care

Until symptoms disappear.

Strep Throat

Bacteria caused by breathing droplets or touching contaminated

surfaces.

Symptoms

Fever, headache, sore throat, and swollen glands.

Duration

Fever may last up to 3 days and sore throat goes away after that.

Exclusion from child care

24 Hours after receiving treatment and 24 hours after fever goes away.

Conjunctivitis (Pink eye)

A virus or bacteria involving redness and itching of the eye. It is

transmitted when a person touches the pus and mucus of an infected
person and rubs their eyes.

Symptoms

When a bacterial infection, white or yellow pus is released from the

eyes. The pus may stick to the eyes making them hard to open in the
morning.

PAGE 167
Duration

1-2 weeks

Exclusion from Child Care

Infected person with a white or yellow discharge should not be allowed

until 24 hours after receiving treatment.

Head Lice

Small parasitic insects that live on human head and scalp and suck
blood. Can be caught from head to head contact with an infected
person or indirect objects such as brushes, combs and hats

Symptoms

Itchy scalp or visually seeing nits or lice

Duration

Varies

Exclusion from Child care

24 Hours after treatment.

Non contagious diseases

Ear Infection

Tick borne infection

Scarlet fever

PAGE 168
Coronavirus

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/caring-
for-young-children/child-care-response-covid-19/child-care-response-
covid-19-provider/child-care-response-covid-19-health-safety

Since things change in government rules for coronavirus, go to the link

above for up-to-date information

PAGE 169
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

SESSION 10

PAGE 170
Physical development
This Area of Learning relates to the development of children’s body
control and coordination of large movements,

1.Fine manipulative skills,

2.Spatial awareness and balance.

It also focuses on children’s knowledge and understanding of a healthy

lifestyle upon which physical well-being depends.

Physical development focuses on increasing the skill and performance

of the body.

Physical and cognitive development are closely linked, especially

during the early years.

Problems with a child’s physical development can be an indication that

the child may have some learning difficulties.

Physical development can be divided into gross motor skills and fine
manipulative skills.

Physical development involves the increasing skill and functioning of

the body whereas growth relates to a child’s increasing height, weight
and general size. Both growth and development depend on suitable
nourishment, including a balance of the right foods and sufficient
water to drink. Increasing control and coordination is enabled by the
maturing brain and nervous system, growing bones and muscles,
exercise and physical activity.

The sequence of physical development involves firstly gross motor

skills that require control of large muscles in the body, arms and legs.
This is followed by development of fine manipulative skills, which
depend on small muscle coordination. As children progress and
become more confident, improvement in coordination of gross and

PAGE 171
fine movements will continue to develop and new skills will be
learned.

Children cannot learn a new skill until the muscles are sufficiently
developed, and the activities and resources provided should be suitable
for their developmental needs.

The ages at which children accomplish particular physical skills can

vary considerably. Most children will progress through the same stages
of development at their own rate. The timing of this development can
depend on different influencing factors such as eating habits,
emotional development and confidence in tackling new activities.

During play children engage in learning experiences that require them

to use a range of physical skills whether playing indoors or outdoors.

Physical skills, body and spatial awareness contribute to a child’s

personal and social development by enhancing confidence and self-
esteem. Young children are active learners who enjoy learning through
play and physical activities. During play children engage in learning
experiences that require them to use a range of physical skills whether
playing indoors or outdoors. Physical activities can be incorporated
into every Area of Learning, from simple action rhymes and games in
Mathematical Development to large movements in response to

PAGE 172
creative music. The development of children’s physical skills should be
developed holistically across all Areas of Learning.

Appropriate space is essential for physical movement both indoors and

outdoors in order that children can use their bodies actively to gain
spatial awareness and experiment with movement without restrictions.
Children need access to large and small equipment that they can get
out and put away themselves, for use independently or with an
educator. All forms of physical activity also require time for children to
develop and practice skills.

Children need opportunities to:

a. work alone or collaboratively

b. work at their own pace to practice and consolidate their skills
c. extend their skills and move on in their development
d. make connections between skills acquired indoors and outdoors.

The role of the educator

In addition to providing for active, experiential learning through

careful planning, organising, facilitating, challenging, observing,
interacting, intervening and evaluating, the role of the teacher includes
provision of the following in order to give children the best
opportunities for physical development:

a. Physical activities that offer developmentally appropriate

learning opportunities and elements of risk taking
b. Frequent opportunities for physical activities through all Areas
of Learning
c. A learning programme that includes a range of physical and
restful activities each day
d. Opportunities for gross motor activities in order to develop
coordination skills and strengthen muscles

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e. Opportunities to develop gross and fine motor skills indoors and
outdoors, through activities that challenge and motivate children
f. Creative use of the indoor and outdoor learning environments to
support physical development in all Areas of Learning
g. Sensory areas to develop inner rest and calm through relaxation,
and creative visualization
h. Relevant vocabulary related to movement, and clear use of
positional language when giving instructions in everyday
activities.
i. A range of equipment and resources that promote gross and fine
motor skills in all Areas of Learning and that support children’s
individual interests and development
j. Help and support for the child to move on and develop new
skills
k. Resources that are developmentally appropriate and encourage
progression
l. Sufficient time to develop and practise physical skills
m. Books and posters illustrating parts of the body, explaining how
to perform specific movements, and giving information on
health issue
n. Opportunities and accessible resources to provide for
spontaneous physical play
o. Multi-sensory experiences that can provide a stimulus for
activity or stillness.

PAGE 174
ROLE OF THE PARENT

Educators in the setting should share their observations of children’s

physical skills with parents and encourage them to:

a. Support children’s physical development by providing suitable

opportunities for physical play, skills development and practise at
home

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b. Be aware of the importance of physical skills to children’s self-
esteem, health and well-being, and for developing positive, healthy
attitudes

c. Share physical activities with their children

d. Celebrate their successes

e. Provide opportunities for children to join out-of-school clubs and

holiday schemes that extend their interest in physical activities and
sports

f. Participate in home tasks that promote physical skills

g. Be aware of the importance of healthy eating.

PAGE 176
Physical play

Children are motivated by play opportunities and games that involve

them in physical activity. Through physical play activities children
should:

a. Progress steadily as they develop

b. Learn to move safely and confidently
c. Develop increasing control over their bodies
d. Develop awareness of the space around them
e. Understand and use appropriate vocabulary to name relevant
body parts
f. Describe movements such as walking, running, jumping,
stopping, turning, climbing, bending, stretching
g. Recognize positions in relation to others, for example behind, in
front, over, under, above, below
h. Gradually become more skilful at actions that involve different
parts of the body, for example hand–eye coordination to catch a
ball.

As they become more skillful children should progress to:

a. Developing games skills such as running, chasing and dodging

b. Developing skills such as throwing, striking, kicking, rolling,
bouncing and catching, using appropriate equipment
c. Developing and playing simple cooperative and competitive
games with a partner or small group of children
d. Developing understanding of rules and fair play, taking
responsibility for their own actions and being alert to the safety
of themselves and others.

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The development of physical skills

Gross motor skills

Children’s control and coordination of their gross motor skills

develops through movement that involves the use of muscles in the
body, legs and arms. As they develop most children will acquire the
following skills:

a. Walking b. running c. stopping d. jumping e. climbing f. pushing

and pulling wheeled toys g. pedaling a bike h. rolling a ball i.
throwing/catching a beanbag or ball j. balancing.
As they progress children will continue to refine their movements and
apply their skills in new situations, for example: a. hopping and
skipping, following games marked on the ground or the wall b. gaining
awareness of space, height and distance as they move around, using
climbing equipment or riding wheeled toys building large
constructions c. rolling, striking, throwing/catching balls (of different
sizes), hoops and other developmentally appropriate resources.

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As they become more skillful children should have opportunities to
participate in gymnastics and dance activities in order to:

a. develop skill at travelling, including jumping, stepping and

landing, turning, changing direction
b. learn to balance on different parts of the body, rolling,
transferring weight from feet to hands
c. use the floor and apparatus for climbing and swinging
d. learn to lift, carry, place and use apparatus safely
e. respond with gesture and stillness as appropriate
f. improve their control, use different shapes, levels and directions
of travel
g. create their own patterns of movements that combine some of
the above actions
h. collaborate in pairs and small groups to produce a sequence of
movements following instructions and applying new skills
i. use mime and gesture to respond creatively to a stimulus
j. use their body movements expressively to reflect rhythms,
moods or feelings conveyed by music
k. perform movements
l. create sequences of movements in response to music, and to
perform their own sequences and traditional dances from
various cultures

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Fine motor skills

Skill at manipulating a range of malleable materials and small items of

equipment depends on the development of small muscles. Fine motor
control is needed, for example, to build a tower of blocks, complete a
jigsaw puzzle, or tie shoe laces.

Physical skills are also linked with perceptual development, visual

skills, cognitive skills and understanding of specific vocabulary related
to spatial relationships. These are enhanced through a visually
stimulating environment and opportunities to explore and talk about a
wide range of resources and materials.

As children’s small muscles (including eye muscles) mature, hand–eye

coordination will develop. Hand–eye coordination is a prerequisite for
being able to hold a pencil properly to make marks on paper and later
produce precise writing patterns, letters and numbers.

Children will develop fine manipulative skills and hand–eye

coordination by handling a wide range of resources, including:

* dough, clay

* Painting – first with large brushes and then with finer ones

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* Jigsaw puzzles, peg patterns, a range of equipment for threading and
weaving

* Small world figures, animals and vehicles

* construction equipment of different sizes for large constructions and

tabletop activities

* Sand- and water-play equipment

* clothes for role and imaginative play

* Scissors, cooking equipment, sewing equipment

* a range of mark-making equipment for use in and on different types

of medium * computers and other programmable devices.

As children progress most should be able to:

* Handle increasingly small equipment skillfully, for example

construction toys

* use crayons, pencils, pens and paintbrushes of varying sizes to

support their individual development when mark-making, writing and
making pictures

* Use hammers, saws and nails to create their own models

*Make intricate models from modelling dough/clay

* Pour and measure liquids

* cut accurately with a knife or scissors

* Handle items such as sequins, paper fasteners and a large needle and
thread when decorating or joining items they design and make

* Handle the computer mouse with increasing control

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Health and safety including healthy eating and well-being

Physical well-being is essential to personal and social development.

Children need to learn how to keep themselves physically safe and
healthy.

Safety issues

Children need to become aware of potentially dangerous situations

and how to avoid them. They also need to know how to move
equipment safely without hurting themselves, or causing hazards for
others.

Healthy living

Children should learn to:

*Respect their bodies

* take reasonable risks

* understand the importance of fresh air, exercise, rest and sleep

* Take responsibility for keeping their bodies healthy

* Identify the dangers of medicines and drugs, smoking, alcohol and

other dangerous substances.

As their understanding increases children will be able to:

* Observe the effects of exercise on the body (for example raised

temperature, increased heart rate, deeper breathing)

* Recognize that regular exercise makes them feel good and helps the
body to work well

* Develop positive attitudes towards healthy living.

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Healthy eating

Children should be introduced to the importance of the right foods to

keep their bodies healthy:

* To understand why we need food and water – how our bodies work

* To develop awareness of what constitutes a balanced combination of

foods – all food groups are needed in appropriate quantities (the terms
‘diet’ and ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods should be avoided)

* To be able to opt for healthy food choices, for example for breakfast,
lunch boxes and snacks.

Planning

As some children will be physically skillful before others it is important

to observe children’s skills, consider individual needs and take into
account the range of physical development when planning activities.

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Relevant learning experiences will enable children to make steady
progress appropriate to their stage of development.

Progression in physical skills and physical play can be supported by

opportunities for:

* Play s experimentation

* practice

*Application

* refinement

* Evaluation.

Progress in learning

Participating in practical activities helps children develop gross motor

and fine manipulative skills. Games and gymnastics activities that
require children to move, work with others to solve problems, apply
rules and think creatively will enable them to make progress in their
ability to:

*Improvecoordination and have increasing control over their bodies

when undertaking different activities

* become more competent in hand–eye coordination, artistic and

writing skills as well as in their ability to handle materials

* Understand how their bodies move, bend and stretch, make a variety
of shapes such as rounded or tucked, piked or straddled, twist and
turn, swing and climb

* Balance in an upright or an inverted way; rock and roll their bodies;

move safely with increasing control and coordination and be able to
avoid others s understand the differences between crawling and
creeping, running, walking, skipping, hopping, jumping in a variety of
different ways, balancing, travelling and climbing

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* use space that is around them, behind, underneath, below, over and
under, on top of and away from them and adjust their speed and
direction; show fast/slow, high/low or strong/light movements and be
able to stop suddenly

* become aware of space and others around them when using

apparatus or when moving s present their work in sequence form,
using floor and apparatus

* Understand and apply rules and elements of games play; create and
develop simple cooperative and competitive games and play these
fairly; work out how to win a game; solve problems of dodging others

* practise different ways of sending, receiving and travelling with a

ball; handle different pieces of equipment such as hoops, beanbags and
rings s understand and recognize the changes that happen to their
bodies as they exercise and describe the changes to their breathing,
heart rate, appearance and feelings . know that exercise and hygiene
and the right types of food and drink are important for healthy bodies
and that to keep their bodies safe they will need to prepare for and
recover from activity appropriately

* Ask for assistance when needed, to know about the dangers in the
home and outside environment and understand that medicines are
taken to make them feel better (and that some drugs are dangerous

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Physical Development across the curriculum

Effective provision for Physical Development needs careful planning

across all Areas of Learning to ensure that children have opportunities
to develop, apply and extend their gross motor and fine manipulative
skills, as well as opportunities to develop their understanding of health
and safety issues. There are many opportunities for children to develop
skills, knowledge and understanding within the other Areas of
Learning and within the different teaching areas in the setting/ school.
For example, children could:

Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural

Diversity

* use movement to express themselves – happy skips or slow stomping

movements to express anger, progressing to using their whole bodies
in an expressive way

* play and work together in imaginary and structured games activities

to promote cooperative working

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Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

*have opportunities, through pictorial and written form, to devise

games and rules to adhere to

*respond to instructions in physical games, starting with verbal and

pictorial then moving on to written instructions

Mathematical Development

*Develop fine manipulative skills through cutting out shapes/

recyclable materials to make 3-D and 2-D shapes, pictures and models

*Develop gross motor skills by using large climbing equipment to

develop the language of position, for example ‘below’ and ‘above’

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

*(through using a variety of equipment) develop fine manipulative

skills by learning to grow and care for plants/vegetables – indoors and
outdoors

*(through planned structured activities) develop an awareness of

dangers in their immediate environment, indoors and outdoors, such
as by following routes on large and small scales using a variety of
resources

Creative Development

*develop fine manipulative skills through expressing ideas using a

variety of media – charcoal, chalk, paints, etc.

*develop coordination skills by moving and dancing to music from

different cultures.

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SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS
SESSION 11

PAGE 188
Personal skills consist of six sections of skills which are:

• SELF CARE
• DRESSING
• EATING
• TOILETING
• ATTENTION SPAN
• BEHAVIOUR.
These skills are innate to each child and will vary in each child
depending on the opportunity the child has to learn skills of
independence. With the exception of the physical
examination...measurement crown to heel, head circumference,
weight, reflexes, tone, this happens within the first moments of birth.
Also the Apgar test...sensory or muscular, deficits, allergies,
medication.

After the birth of each child information will be sent to the local health
unit post-partum, and Community Health Records. This will include
information if concerns or a handicap has been identified. This will be
followed up by the district health nurse. Encouragement will be given
to mother and child to attend post-natal and wellbeing baby clinic. If
major concerns have been identified a referral may be made to the
Infant Development Program.

Ongoing records of the child’s weight and height will be maintained.

Sensory and Muscular deficits or allergies will not be evident in a
young infant unless it is a specific handicap condition.

SELF CARE/PERSONAL HYGIENE

Young children enjoy playing with water and will imitate the actions of
washing hands, in and out of the water, rubbing hands and drying
hands. With the very young child, hand over hand to begin with. Wash
hands after diapering, by repeating the action routinely when the child

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is developmentally ready, washing hands will be part of routine. Hand
washing should be incorporated in the daily program after toileting,
before eating, using arts and craft materials and playing with sand or
like materials. Caregivers should model good hand washing and
demonstrate counting to ten.

• Build self-help skills using taps, washing face, brushing teeth,

brushing hair.
• Provide accessible and orderly procedures for keeping
toothbrushes, soap, paper towels and garbage bins.
• Use simple step by step pictures of sequence for each task.
• Make letter size picture puzzle that children put together to
understand steps needed, especially helpful for children with a
handicap or learning problems.
• Plan routines and schedules to avoid children having long waits
and line ups when using the bathroom.
• Most communities have very specific guidelines to follow with
children’s hygiene.

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 DRESSING AND UNDRESSING.

Toddlers learn very quickly how to undress themselves and often not
at the time you would wish them to do so. Undressing comes from
dressing. The type of clothing will play a large part in when a child
starts to dress themselves, as will time and patience, and lots of trial
and error. Good times to practice dressing:

• Dramatic play
• Putting on a smock or shirt before art or painting.
• Putting on clothes after swimming.

Clothing to practice with: shirts with cut sleeves, vests to out over
head, dolman sleeves, capes, shorts with elastic tops. Use big fasteners,
large zippers with tabs on the end (Excellent fine motor skills) large
buckles, large hook and eye. Good finds at local thrift shops with
simple adaptations can end up in a dress up area for minimal cost.

Cognitive and fine motor skills play a large role in assisting a child
master dressing skill.

Caregivers can encourage parents to purchase clothing that is easy to

put on which will assist the child’s self confidence while learning how

PAGE 191
to dress independently. Also ask parents to place a small mark on the
left shoe so the child can look for it. By using the same side, the child
will learn the left side, carry this through on art work by putting his
name on the left side, also in circle time and reading.

Talk about what he is doing example left arm in sleeve etc.

• 2 Years Takes off and puts on shorts, shoes and socks.

• 3 Years Dresses and undresses fully. Needs help with
buttons, back, front, left and right shoe.
• 4 Years can manage buttons completely.
• 5 Years Can dress completely and often tie shoe laces.

Adapted from developmental diagnosis. Gesell.

Children with special needs will require more adaption of clothing.

Begin with oversize clothing; sit next to child and uses hand over
hand when needed. Give time to succeed and minimize
distractions. Give clear directions and be consistent with words
reinforcing efforts. Build on skills.

Task-Eating.

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The infant is dependent on his caregiver for nourishment, and will
progress through many stages of using the muscles, tongue, and lips in
order to suck, swallow, and then progress through the stages of eating.

• Bite, chew, rotation, swallow.

• Solids to strengthen and exercise muscles.
• Lip closure, swallow saliva

Task-Drinking.

• Lip closure on cup, smooth swallow.

Activities of Daily Living

2 Years has learned chewing and swallowing and can use a spoon
well enough to feed self without accidentally inverting it.

3 Years can feed self with little or no spilling. Can pour out from a
jug into a cup, if it is not heavy. Feeding skills are now learned and
become part and parcel of social skills in accordance with family
standard of table manners.

Feeding

13-18 Months

Picks up and drinks from a cup without spilling (15 Mo)

Fills spoon, uses pronated grasp (18 Mo)

19-24 Months

Drinks from a cup completely

Uses spoon without spilling

PAGE 193
TOILETING

The child’s readiness for toilet training may be governed by the

parent’s personal preferences or cultural standards. Many books or
studies suggest two to three years of age. A child’s readiness is not
just a matter of chronological age but more if the child is ready
physically. He must have adequate control over the sphincter
muscles that open and close the bladder and the anus.

There is also a cognitive aspect to consider. Very often a child will

come to you with a wet diaper and want it changed. Do not take
this to mean the child is ready for toileting. In order to master
techniques a child must be able to anticipate from feelings in his
body that something is to occur later. Bowel training usually
precedes bladder training as it is easier to control.

2 YEARS.

By this age the child will tell caregiver she is wet and wants to use
potty or toilet seat. She is generally clean and almost dry at night.

2 ½ YEARS

Dry at night if lifted in the evening (variation is common) and boys

tend to be later than girls.

PAGE 194
A toilet training form is provided on the following page to see if
there is a pattern emerging.

Toilet training is an important part of social development. Be casual

in your approach, ignore accidents and praise successes, give
supportive statements e.g. Going to the toilet is hard work but you
did it. Respond immediately when child asks to use the washroom.

ATTENTION SPAN

Attention span is the length of time which a person can concentrate

on a subject or idea without getting distracted.

Educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus on a task

is crucial for the achievement of one’s goals. Attention means to
look at it, to listen, to think about it. Research tells us that attention
span has more to do with what interests us more than the age of the
child. A baby will work hard to grasp a toy hanging in front of him,
or young children will spend a long time creating with blocks or
drawing on paper, while another child will go from one activity to
another never completing the task.

There was a study on early television exposure and subsequent

attention problems in children. (Paediatrics, 113, 78-713-2004.) A
study of 2,600 children found that early exposure to TV (around the
age of 2) is associated with later attention problems such as
inattention, impulsiveness, disorganization, and distractibility at
age 7.

For the child who exhibits limited attention observe the following

• Are there any times when the child is able to focus and complete
the activity?
• Responds to directions?
• Is not distracted by background noise or visual stimulation.

PAGE 195
 • Has difficulty maintaining pretend play situations or joining a
group and playing with others.
• Can he stay on task when working with an adult?
• When observations are complete review with the parents to
determine if the situation is similar at home.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS

The definition of socialization is for the child to learn new skills that
enable him to fit into society.

Children who feel loved and secure give back love to others.

PAGE 196
Social development starts with strong bonds to adults and from that
foundation grows to include relationships with children. As caregivers
nourish the roots of social development, the child’s branches will be
strong and reach out to care for and nourish others.

Social Skills

Children who are skilled at social interaction tend to be more

confident of their own ability.

Self understanding/body feelings

Understanding of others.

STOP LOOK, LISTEN, RESPONSE, TAKING TURNS.

Social Interaction

Times of High Risk

• Waiting
• Snack Time
• Circle Time
• Changing Activities
• Putting on Clothes
• Toilet Time
• Washing Hands
• Dramatic Play area
• Using outdoor equipment(slide)

SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES CHECKLIST

Individual attributes
The child
• Is usually in a positive mood

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 • Is not excessively dependent on the teacher, assistant or
other adults.
• Usually comes to the program or setting willingly
• Usually copes with rebuffs and reverses adequately
• Shows the capacity to empathize.
• Has positive relationship with one or two peers, shows
capacity to really care about them, miss them if absent etc.
• Displays the capacity for humor.
• Does not seem to be acutely or chronically lonely

Social Skill Attributes

• Approaches others positively.

• Expresses wishes and preferences clearly, gives reasons
for actions and positions.
• Asserts own rights and needs appropriately.
• Is not easily intimidated by bullies.
• Expresses frustrations and anger effectively and without
harming others or property.
• Gains access to ongoing groups at play.
• Enters ongoing discussion on the subject, makes relevant
contribution to ongoing activities.
• Takes turns fairly easily.
• Shows interest in others, exchanges information with and
requests information from others appropriately.
• Negotiates and compromises with others appropriately
• Does not draw inappropriate attention to self.
• Accepts and enjoys peers and adults of ethnic groups
other than his own
• Gains access to ongoing groups at play
• Interacts nonverbally with other children with smiles,
waves, nods etc.

PAGE 198
Early childhood educators have traditionally given high priority to
enhancing young children’s social development. During the last two
decades a convincing body of evidence has accumulated to indicate
that unless children achieve minimal social competence by about the
age of six years, they have a high probability of being at risk
throughout life. “Hartup” suggests that peer relationships contribute a
great deal to the effectiveness with which we function as adults (1992)
He states that:

Indeed, the single best childhood predictor of adult adaptation is not

IQ, not school grades, and not classroom behavior, but, rather the
adequacy with which the child gets along with other children. Children
who are generally disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive, who are
unable to sustain close relationships with other children, and who
cannot establish a place for themselves in peer culture are seriously “at
risk” (Hartup 1992)

The risks are many, poor mental health, dropping out of school, low
achievement and other school difficulties, and so forth(see Katz and
McClellan, 1991) Given the lifelong consequences, relationships should
be counted as the first of the four R’s of education.

Because social development starts in the early years, it is appropriate

that all early childhood programs include regular periodic formal and
informal assessment of children’s progress in the acquisition of social
competence.

Healthy social development does not require that a child be a “social

butterfly” The quality rather than quantity of a child’s friendships is
the important index to note. Keep in mind also that there is evidence
that some children are simply shyer than others and it may be counter-
productive to push such children into social relationships which make
them uncomfortable (Katz and McClellan 1991) Furthermore, unless
the shyness is severe enough to prevent a child from enjoying most of
“the good things of life” like birthday parties, picnics and family

PAGE 199
outings, it is reasonable to assume that when handled sensitively, the
shyness will be spontaneously outgrown.

Teachers can observe and monitor interactions among children and let
children who rarely have difficulties attempt to solve conflicts by
themselves before intervening. If a child appears to be doing well, and
then it is reasonable to assume that occasional social difficulties will be
outgrown without intervention.

Finally, it is also important to keep in mind that children vary in social

behaviour for a variety of reasons. Research indicates that children
have distinct personalities and temperaments from birth. In addition,
nuclear and extended family Relationships obviously affect social
behaviour. What is appropriate or effective social behaviour in one
culture may be less effective in another culture. Children from diverse
cultural and family backgrounds thus may need help in bridging their
differences and in finding ways to learn from and enjoy the company
of one and other.

The three-year-old child moves in to a new stage of initiative. New

found activities are approaches with energy and eagerness as the child
is curious and inquisitive to find out what they can accomplish.

At the same time some children may be experiencing new powers,

some children may be dealing with issues of separating from a parent.
Friends become very important in this stage of development. In order
to be a friend the child must learn to share, cooperate and to resolve
conflicts in a peaceful manner. Parents and caregivers can help a child
develop social skills by providing an environment in which children
have the freedom to explore and develop self control by imposing
reasonable limits and being available to help when needed.

PAGE 200
PRO SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

• Shows concern for someone in distress.

• Shows delight for someone experiencing pleasure
• Shares something of his own to another.
• Takes turns with toys or activities.
• Waits for turn without fuss.
• Follows program rules. Helps another do a task.
• Helps another in need.
• Maintaining play.

The reasons why children keep trying to play with each other in spite
of enormous difficulties are many and varied. Like adult’s children get
great satisfaction and affection from friendships and play becomes
more interesting and varied.

PAGE 201
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
SESSION 12

PAGE 202
Brain Development.

Critical periods during a woman’s pregnancy are during the 9 th to 16th

weeks. When an infant is born, they have 100 billion brain cells. Some
of the connections between brain cells form before birth e.g. the child’s
heart beats and their lungs can breathe when they are born, but about
90% of the connections between brain cells form during the first two
years after a child’s birth. These connections form as a result of
stimulation from the environment. The early years of brain
development are particularly important. These lay the foundation for
lifelong health, competence and coping abilities.

Two words we hear often in Early Childhood Development are

NATURE-the child’s biological makeup and NURTURE- the
environmental influence. A child is born with certain genetic
potential, and the environment shapes how that potential will be
realized.

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist, he spent more than 60 years

observing, studying, researching and writing about children’s cognitive
development. He founded the Centre for the study of Genetic
Epistemology (learning processes) he died at the age of 84 in 1980 but
is still regarded by many as the father of intellectual thinking. His
studies defined the many stages of thinking, knowing, perceiving,

PAGE 203
remembering, recognizing, abstracting and generalizing which helps
us understand how children perceive the World around them.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

In order to understand Cognitive Development, we need to look at

definitions as used in Early Childhood Education. Cognitive
Development=the process of acquiring intelligence and increasingly
advanced thought and problem-solving ability from infancy to adult
hood. Intellectual Thinking=1.Thought followed by action which in
turn becomes experience. 2. The power of understanding knowledge//
thought, learners personal characteristics that affect s/he learns.
Adaptive response=A purposeful goal directed response to a sensory
experience. E.g. a baby sees a rattle and reaches for it...Reaching is a
cognitive response. Merely waving the hand is not cognitive. The
formation of an adaptive response helps the brain to develop and
organize itself.

Cognition

Is the process of gaining knowledge about the World through thought.

It includes brain functions such as memory, planning, problem solving,
calculation and attention.

Piaget believed that two interrelated processes, organization and

adaption contribute to the development of cognition.

Cognitive development is very difficult to observe. It is important to

remember that each child learns at his own pace and individual
interest. Overlap between so many skills further cloud the ability of
the caregiver to identify which is a cognitive skill. I have defined them
on the cover page as:

• Individual Perceptions.
• Visual Auditory Memory.

PAGE 204
 • I can solve this problem.
• Concepts.
The role of the caregiver is to provide a range of
developmentally appropriate activities that challenge but do not
frustrate.
• The opportunity for children to practice skills.
• To respond to child’s cues and clues.
• Ask questions that motivate response e.g. what do you think?
What comes next? Where should we put it? Where could it be?

The caregiver needs to develop skills in observing and recording in

order to be aware when *red flags* occur (Warning of possible
problems)

PIAGET’S THEORIES

With the young infant we see ACTION rather than THOUGHT.

Sensorimotor Stage

Birth to 2 years

PAGE 205
Largely non-verbal. Muscles and senses help a child deal with objects
and events, experiment, add new to old, trial and error.

• Birth to one-month reflex actions

• One to four months. Accidental movement produces specific
effects.

Primary circular reactions, sucking, looking, listening, repetition 4-

8 months.

• Four to eight months explore impact of behavior on

environment.
• Five to Eight Months. Beyond body to objects, repetition,
then changes movement- adds new CAUSALITY-cause and
effect imitation.
• Eight to Twelve Months purposeful actions. Thought comes
from actions not words. Children learn best from concrete
experiences (from doing) rather than just hearing about.
Key Factors Neurological Maturation. Experience with others
and the outside world. Memory is central to early learning, to
be able to recall and retain information takes a great amount
of practice. The caregiver needs to provide developmentally
appropriate toys, objects, and the opportunity to practice
while having fun.
Object Permanence
Stages
• 4-8 Months. Look, grasp if within reach.
• 8-12 Months Drops toy or food, looks at adult.
• 9-15 Months upset if mother leaves.
• 12-18 Months Searches, gets confused if location
changed.
• 18 Months has image of objects, searches several
locations.

PAGE 206
 • Starts to symbolize.

STAGE 1

0-1 Month Reflexive Response

STAGE 2

1-4 Months Primary Circular Reactions

Sucking, Looking, Listening, Repetition

4-8 months

STAGE 3

5-8 Months beyond body to objects, repetition, and then changes

movement-adds new CAUSALITY- cause and effect imitation.

Assimilation allows the individual to do what he /she SEES and

DOES which fit in to his/her level of understanding

STAGE 4

Coordination of secondary schema.

Start purposeful behaviour.

Can choose a goal, direct activities to reach goal, tries new ways,
imitates.

OBJECT PERMANENCE

Will look towards place where last saw object.

SPATIALITY

Behind and under.

STAGE 5

12-18 Months Tertiary Circular Reactions.

PAGE 207
 Active Experimentation: trial and error-goal can find objects.

Spatiality-dump fills, stack, pull.

STAGE 6

10-24 Months Mental Combinations

Child no longer only experiments: plans actions mental before

performing activity. Visually scanning, Recognition of object, can
imitate objects, animals and people.

Many toys can be used to help children learn concept development;

sometimes they can be purchased cheaply from thrift stores e.g. a)
Fisher Price circular shape container. Shapes 1 Circle, 2 triangles, 3
Squares. When the child can master the task of placing the shapes
move to form board (puzzle) b) Fisher Price rock and stack large thick
rings on stick) large thin rings d) Smaller rings e) 4 pegs in pegboard f)
Thread large beads on straw f) Thread large beads on shoe lace g)
Thread small beads on shoe lace h) Thread small beads on finer thread.
As the child masters the first stages add variation in size and depth. As
the child gains confidence in mastering placement of shapes they will
be ready to move on to simple puzzles and the reproduction of shapes
in art and craft activities. E.g. Happy Face, circle, apple, flower, sun.
The child needs to be able to identify differences in shape and quantity
in order to proceed to basic math and language skills.

Concept development should be carried through in all aspects of a

child’s day, circle time, taking turns, counting and sorting crayons,

******Red Flags******
• Poor self-concept.
• Difficulty processing information.
• Distractible.
• Poor Visual Discrimination.
• Continue to make incorrect responses.

PAGE 208
SEPARATION ANXIETY
SESSION 13

PAGE 209
Separation Anxiety in a Childcare setting
Children may experience Separation Anxiety for many reasons.

What is Separation Anxiety?

In the preschool and early childhood years, separation anxiety presents

with more physical and observable signs and complaints about tummy
aches or general aliments.

They are often more common on Sunday nights and Monday mornings
with the anticipation of returning to school.

Many Parents are able to recognize that their child is struggling within
the first few weeks of witnessing a repeating pattern of these
behaviors. Teachers are often well equipped to notice and manage SA
kids as it is more expected in early years.

Separation Anxiety is a normal stage of development in Infants and

Toddlers. Young Children often experience it; however, most children
outgrow it by the age of 3 years old. It is a normal part of early
development from

attachment figures (parent’s /caregivers). However, the Anxiety

becomes problematic when it is excessive given the child’s
developmental level, and when it causes some form of dysfunction in
the child’s life.

According to studies, the cause of the Disorder is unknown, some risk

factors have been identified.

SAD commonly develops after a child experience’s a major stressor,

such as a loss. This loss could be a parent, a pet, change of school
(daycare), divorce or some sort of a disaster that may have separated
the child from someone they care about. Additionally, having parent’s

PAGE 210
who are overprotective or intrusive may lead to the disorder. The role
of genetic factors involved has not been established, research does
show that this condition might be inherited.

It can appear in many forms; it may also happen at any time. Some
children may sit alone and not interact with staff or other children,
others may have a complete meltdown, and some may just cry for a
length of time.

Signs and Symptoms of Separation Anxiety.

• Recurrent distress when anticipating or experiencing separation

from attachment figures (parent’s/caregivers), or from home.
• Excessive worry about losing an attachment figure or possible
harm to them.
• Persistent worry about experiencing unexpected separation from
attachment figure. (ex: accident, kidnapping etc.)
• Excessive fear of being alone without attachment figure.
• Refusing to sleep away from home without attachment figure.
• Nightmares about separation.
• Physical complaints such as stomach ache, headache.
• Restlessness/Agitation/Inattention (poor focus)
• Tantrums
• Crying/Meltdowns
• Refusal to go to daycare.
• Difficult transitions

PAGE 211
 Emotions a child may experience with Separation Anxiety

• Anxiety/worry/fear
• Shame
• Embarrassment
• Helplessness
• Sadness
• Anger

Common causes of Separation Anxiety

-Change in environment; change in surroundings, new house, new

school (daycare) can trigger it.

- Stress; Divorce, loss of a loved one including a pet, arguments within

the family unit can all be triggers.

PAGE 212
- Over Protective Parent; In some cases, it may be a manifestation of
stressors or anxiety from the parent.

- Not allowing the child to developmentally move ahead and grow,

doing everything for your child, feeding them instead of letting them
feed themselves if capable. Dressing them instead of teaching them to
dress themselves, etc.

Anxiety

Anxiety can sometimes go unnoticed; it can often be hidden as difficult

or bizarre behaviours. Childhood anxiety can become exhausting for
the child and Parent’s/Caregivers.

Some Children tend towards Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to cope

with Anxiety. At times when children are trying to deal with strong
feelings of anxiety, they may begin to develop rituals. Common themes
of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in younger Children are
germ phobia, safety perfection and orderliness.

Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder will tend to shadow their

parent’s or caregiver. They will have difficulty playing or being alone
and may have difficulty at bedtime. They often require a parent or
caregiver to stay with them while they fall asleep, they may make their
way into the parent’s bedroom when they wake during the night.

PAGE 213
Facts

• Approximately 4% of youth will suffer from Separation Anxiety

disorder during any given school year
• The disorder is the most common anxiety disorder in children
under the age of 12, with a gradual decrease in frequency as
children mature into adolescence and adulthood.
• Boys and girls are equally affected by it

Separation Anxiety in the Daycare setting

What can you do to help a child with Separation Anxiety?

• Anticipate Separation Anxiety- Be ready for transition points

that may cause anxiety for the child.
• Keep calm- If you are calm while interacting with the child, they
are more likely to be calm.
• Support the Child’s participation in activities- encourage the
child to participate, if the child does not want to join play with
other children you can have the other children join in play with
the child that is struggling with Anxiety.

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 • Praise the child’s efforts- Reminding the child when they take a
break from being upset that they are doing great can be very
rewarding for the child. Also building their self-esteem.
• Educate yourself about the child who suffers from Separation
Anxiety- learn about what they like, do they have a pet, do they
have siblings.
• Talk about the child’s feelings- reassuring the child that you
understand that they are feeling sad, while reassuring them they
are safe, and they will see their parent/ caregiver soon.

At times a suggestion of gradual entry to the childcare may

be the best bet. Having shorter days and gradually
increasing the days allows for the child to build
relationships and trust with the staff and children. It allows
for the child to build confidence and trust with her or his
Attachment figure.

Greet the family

While greeting the family, acknowledge the Parent’s feelings. The

parent may be feeling guilt, apprehension or frustration. They may be
feeling helpless. Validating that you understand how they may be
feeling and reassuring them that their child is in good hands and there
are other children who have gone through Separation Anxiety, so they
do not feel that this is only their child, that has had this issue.

PAGE 215
Communication with the Parent/Caregiver

Be sure to talk to the parent, how the child’s night went and what is
the Child’s mood this morning, and issues that may be going on at
home. Remember to let Parent’s/ Caregivers know when they pick
their child up from daycare, what the Childs highlights and struggles
of the day were.

Be consistent with who the caregiver (Teacher) will be greeting the

child if possible. This allows the child to feel stability within the
routine.

Departure Ritual

Try to create a departure ritual that you are able to follow each time,
the ritual will become familiar to the child and they will become
comfortable with it. Suggesting this to the Parent is also a good idea.

Talk to the child regarding their day

Let the child know what is going to happen during the day, “we are
going to get ready and go outside for a treasure hunt today” etc.

Goodbye’s

Be sure to make the goodbye from the Parent quick and gentle, let the
Parent’s know that they will need to tell the child to “have fun playing
with your friends today”, ‘I will pick you up after nap”, “I am going to
go to work now”. Kiss goodbye and wave.

Remind the Parent: DO NOT COME BACK IN EVEN IF YOU HEAR

YOUR CHILD CRYING. It would only make things worse. DO NOT let
the parent sneak out without saying Goodbye, this causes the child
confusion and will erode their trust.

PAGE 216
Immediately when the Parent says goodbye, take the child to
something that may distract them (blowing bubbles, painting, water
play), hopefully this will keep their mind from worrying about the
separation. If the child continues to cry, remind the child that mom
will be back after nap to pick her up. While validating her feelings.

Transition Object

You may have the child’s favorite toy ready for them when they arrive,
to help with the transition. You can ask (have the parent) to give the
child a special object example: (hankie with mom’s perfume, a special
goodbye rock that parent kisses and gives to the child to keep in their
pocket).

Depending on the situation, you may ask the parent to read a quick
story or draw a quick picture with the child. Do not let this go on for
more than 10 minutes as the child will expect it every time and will try
to get the parent to stay longer each time. You will need to use your
judgement with asking the parent to stay to read a book or draw a
picture as this could cause worse anxiety for the child.

Working?

What will work? Perhaps the child that is dealing with Separation
Anxiety would like a job.

You can start this by asking the child if they would like to be a helper.

Offering the child, a job can build confidence and alleviate some stress
allowing the child something to focus on.

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Suggestions:

• The child can welcome other children arriving to the daycare.

• The child can get toys ready for other children (hand out toys).
• Helping to get snacks ready.
• Wash tables

Being a helper can definitely give the child some confidence to

enjoy their day.

Show and Share

You can encourage children to bring a book or toy from home so they
can share and tell their friends about it. This helps the child with
Social skills and allows for the child to work on building relationships
with peers.

Encourage Friendships

Get to know who you think the child would play well with. Encourage
the child to interact with other children creating friendships.

Pick Up from the Childcare Routine

It is important to be as consistent as possible for a pick-up routine.

Discuss with parent’s the importance of this routine. If the regular
routine changes this could cause the child to feel more anxiety and
could make the next drop off even more difficult.

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What can the Parent do to help the child?

Encourage

Parent’s need to encourage their child to become independent

according to developmental abilities.

Encourage the child to dress themselves, brush their own hair, brush
their teeth. This builds independence and allows the child to build I
CAN DO IT self-esteem.

Let your child walk depending on age, don’t coddle them.

Allow the child to explore and grow, giving them opportunities to try
new things and encouragement will allow for the child to be successful
and will build on their self-esteem giving them age appropriate
independence.

Follow through on Promises

Children will develop confidence to handle separation if the parent

keeps their promise to return when they told the child they would
return.

Minimize

Minimize what your child watches on TV. Don’t allow for scary TV
Shows.

Minimize the number of sugary treats you give your child.

PAGE 219
Do Not Give In

Give your child reassurance that they will be just fine. Set consistent
limits and stick to it, this will help your child’s adjustment to
separation anxiety.

Not a Big Deal

Tell your child you are leaving and when you will return, don’t make
your separation a big deal, be happy and positive.

Severity

If a child starts at your daycare and they are experiencing Separation

Anxiety, this could be overwhelming for staff, the child and the parent.
You may wish to give the option/suggestion for the child to start with
shorter days, increasing the time the child spends at daycare every
couple of days.

If the child seems to have Severe Separation Anxiety and they and you
have tried everything, the parent may want to take their child to a
doctor to get a diagnosis and find an alternative way to treat
Separation Anxiety Disorder.

Professional Treatment may include:

Talk Therapy- this provides a safe place for children to express their
feelings

Play Therapy- Therapeutic use of play is a common and effective way

to get children to express their feelings

Family Counselling- this can help the child counteract thoughts that
may fuel their anxiety and help the child and family learn coping skills

PAGE 220
 Medication- Medication may be used to treat severe cases of
Separation Anxiety Disorder and should only be used while in
conjunction with other therapy.

A Few Suggestions

If you are able to send the parent a few text message pictures during
the day while their child is interacting with other children, smiling or
busy with a activity, allows the parent to feel better and lets them not
worry so much.

Encourage the child to tell their parent when they are picked up how
their day went, find the good parts of the day and emphasize on them.

When the parent comes to pick up the child, ask the child to show
their parent their art they did, have it hanging on the wall.

Have the child introduce their parent to the friend the child was
interacting with during the day.

Have the child bring something for show and share, while in circle
have the child walk around and show the other children what they
brought and get the child to explain about it, such as where did they
get it etc.

References : Mayo Clinic

• Patient Care & Health Information
• Diseases & Conditions

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Facts for Families: the anxious
child.

Anxiety Canada

PAGE 221
STORYTELLING
SESSION 14

PAGE 222
STORYTELLING

All children and even babies love stories. To a baby something as

simple as “Round and around the garden, like a teddy bear, one step,
two steps, and tickle under there” is a story, and they live to have it
repeated again and again.

Children are naturally good listeners, even when you think they are
not paying attention. Young children learn most of their language and
communication skills through listening. While he listens, he learns
knowledge about the World. If you tell him a story about the stars, he
is learning about the galaxy.

At Birth.

Your brain processes 1000, s of words a day. Newborns are startled or

awakened by sudden sounds. They become motionless and attentive
with new sounds.

0-3 Months

They learn how to turn, and may smile at the sound of a familiar voice.
They may stop what they are doing and listen to the sound of a new
voice.

4-6 Months

They become responsive to changes in tone from a familiar voice. They

respond to the word “No” and become more curious about sounds in
the environment such as toys that make a noise and trucks passing by.

7-12 Months

He turns and looks at you when you say his name. He has fun with
simple games and stories such as Pat a cake and Peek a Boo.

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The earliest stories a child hears will be in the form of nursery rhymes.
The child begins to recognize patterns of sound, and secures a grasp of
language.

Try developing some of your own verses from existing nursery rhymes.
Try adding to:

Row, row, row, your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily merrily, merrily merrily,

Life is but a dream.

Row, row, row, your boat

Gently down the stream

If you see a crocodile

Don’t forget to scream.

Try variations with Two Little Dickey Birds, or Peter Rabbit, or Black
Bear Black Bear.

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Developmental appropriateness is the first factor to consider when
preparing to tell a story. All children can listen to stories starting in
infancy. Books for infants and toddlers have very basic storylines and
simple colorful illustrations. A typical infant may have only a few
hardboard or quilt cushioned like pages. The story may be something
like a tour through a farmyard to learn about animal sounds.

Farm animal sounds can also be the basis of a good developmentally

appropriate story as well. After sharing a book about farm animals on
several occasions, an infant will gain familiarity with those sounds and
you can incorporate them into a simple story, perhaps about a cow
finding some grass or a dog looking for a bone. Props such as puppets
and toys are a good way to get infants and toddlers interested in
stories, but as children approach the preschool age try not to
emphasize props, as they will be encouraged to focus on the language.
It doesn’t matter if the infant doesn’t understand all the words and
gestures, or anything else in the storytelling. The social connection
between infant and caregiver is the most important aspect in the early
stages. The interaction reinforces bonds and stimulates brain
development.

PAGE 225
As with speech infants will not understand much of what you read to
them at first, and newborns have fairly poor eyesight, so pictures in a
book are just colourful blurs. As long as infants can sit in your lap
comfortably as you point out details in a book, then good listening
habits and curiosity about books will soon follow.

Toddlers don’t like to sit still, in fact toddlers are very curious and they
are just as likely to be interested in a story or book as they are in other
activities. Once they pass one-year toddlers start to advance in speech
development. Between the ages of 1 and 2 they can point to familiar
pictures in a book if you name them....” Can you point to the house”
Now that they can speak you can ask them to repeat simple directions.
Now is the time to teach them to take turns and not interrupt. They
may get restless if you stretch out the activity too long. Any time a
child is speaking the adult should model perfect listening skills.
(Unless they are being disruptive). Look them in the eye and show
them how eager you are to hear what they have to say.

Not all children reach various developmental milestones at the same

time. In any group there will be difference in language comprehension
and attention span as well as individual preferences and cultural
influences. For example, on the first day of preschool you begin by
trying to tell a story to a group of toddlers, you will probably get mixed
results. Some children in the group may be accustomed to sitting and
listening to a story, but for others the experience will be completely
new. Focus on fun, and consider the child’s perspective. The goal is for
children to associate telling with fun and enrichment, rather than
simply viewing it as a time they are supposed to sit and be quiet. So,
don’t worry if they ask questions and make spontaneous comments, let
them react verbally, but make sure they understand their limits. Help
them find a way between respectful fun activity and rudeness that
distracts from the story

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Children who have been read to, spoken to, and encouraged to speak
develop advanced language skills. By the late toddler stage they
understand hundreds and thousands of words, but it will take a while
for their expressive language (speech) to catch up with their receptive
language.

Children love to hear the same story over and over again. It doesn’t
matter that they know what is going to happen. They will listen more
closely than ever for favourite details, and wait with eager anticipation
for key moments in the story. They will also start to notice little
variations in the way you tell it. These variations are important as they
make retelling fun and interesting and they show children there are
endless possibilities, and there are no wrong or bad ideas. In time this
helps children to participate and become storytellers.

Stories have been passed down over the centuries, and were the main
vehicle through which knowledge and beliefs, values and traditions
were passed down. Storytelling includes a high level of interaction with
the audience, eye contact, and body language is important. Listening
to a story is different from looking at pictures in a book as it exercises
the imagination and promotes close listening and reflection.

We tell stories everyday of what we did, saw, or heard from someone

else. A story is generally considered good if it includes a setting that
helps create a picture in the imagination of the listener. A character
with a motive. A plot, including some sort of conflict that the
characters must confront or resolve, and a good story should convey
some sort of message or knowledge. “Little Red Riding Hood” for
example, should convey the message about not talking to strangers.

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When telling a story, it should be altered to suit the audience. In the
original Red Riding Hood, the wolf eats the girl and the grandmother,
and the woodsman comes home and cuts open the wolf with his axe
and removes the victims who are miraculously unharmed. For
preschoolers, maybe the wolf could lock her in the closet uninjured
and the woodsman could chase him away.

Why should we tell stories to children?

Communication

Storytelling opens up channels of communication and stimulates

emotional, imaginative and linguistic development. It encourages
participation and develops confidence and a sense of self esteem.

Development

It is crucial in a child’s development. We live our lives through

narrative and the earlier we start the better.

PAGE 228
Language

It surrounds the child with imaginative language, introduces

unfamiliar words and allows children to voice their own ideas in their
own language.

Concentration

Storytelling develops concentration and listening skills

Imagination and Emotional Development

Children can experience emotions through the safety of the story and
can discover situations outside their own environment

Good storytelling begins with the effective use of voice, physical action
and descriptive language. A good way to capture your listener’s
attention and clarify meaning is to adjust your voice in order to reflect
the character’s personality-use tone, pitch and volume. Your tone can
be inquisitive, nervous, angry, sinister etc. The pitch can be high or
low. A low pitch can express a sinister or heroic character and a higher
pitch can suggest innocence or kindness. Volume can be effective in
certain places. A sudden rise in volume can show danger or surprise. A
lower volume can increase suspense and force your audience to pay
close attention. As you continue to tell stories on a regular basis you
can reuse the same vocabulary...grand, lush, adorned, lofty etc. Their
language banks will be filling with words they won’t even realize they
know.

Most adults working with children will read books and stories to
children, and they seem to think that the book is a safety blanket in
case they forget the story. But it is not...it’s a barrier. It inhibits the
direct communication between teller and listener. Having permanent
eye contact with an audience creates a bond and togetherness and a
concentration on the story itself. So read the story through and
visualize it. Think of several words in the story that will guide you
through the main points. Try telling yourself the story outline, and

PAGE 229
then try to tell it in your own words. Go back to the book and see if
there is any important detail you have left out. Learn any repeated
phrases or rhymes. Make sure you know how to begin and end the
story. Keep telling the story to yourself, and when you are confident
tell it to the children.

When working with preschoolers you may find it almost impossible to

keep them interested or focused until you first capture their interest.
Don’t assume they will want to sit quietly why you tell them the story

Preschoolers need to feel they are part of the story telling

process. Here are some hints by Jean Warren that she finds
helpful:

1. Bring in an object that is found in the story and let the children
inspect, feel and talk about the object. Have they ever seen one before?
Would they like to hear a story that contains this object?

2. Get the children involved by offering them a felt board story. Let the
children help you place appropriate felt pieces on the board as they
appear in the story.

3. Have children make puppets that represent characters in the story to

hold up as you read about the character in the story.

4. If the story you want to tell is a little too involved for preschoolers,
don’t hesitate to make up your own version of the story.

5. Preschoolers love rhyme stories because they can anticipate what

the words at the end of the sentences will be. Children especially love
to have you leave off the last word of a 4-line stanza in a rhyme story
for them to shout out.

6. Preschoolers love stories that are repetitive in nature like the Three
Little Pigs, or the Three Billy Goats Gruff. This enables them to learn
the repeated phrases and repeat them with you as they come up in the
story.

PAGE 230
7. Preschooler’s love hearing the same story over and over again. They
like to know what will happen ahead of time.

8. Any time you can get preschoolers involved in a story, you have a
better chance of getting them to stay focused on the story. Try having
a couple of children at a time act out what is happening in the story.

9. Complex stories are not good for children. Some people say you
should have no more characters in the story than the age of the
children.

10. You can also help children remember the different characters in the
story by introducing them to the characters before you start reading.
You can have cut-outs of the characters placed on a felt board, dolls or
puppets to represent them.

11. Short stories are best for young children. Short fables, folktales and
picture books are best for this age.

12. If you like a folktale or a fable but the plot is too confusing for your
children, don’t hesitate to simplify it to make it more enjoyable. If it
has a surprise ending be sure to keep that in the story.

PAGE 231
Make your room more attractive for storytelling.

Put posters featuring illustrated stories on the wall, or poems and

songs.

Bulletin Boards. Check with the local fire department to see how much
wall space they will let you use.

Have letters of the alphabet or letter magnets for children to interact

with.

Label all your furniture, corners and bins and supplies.

Have a quiet book centre for children to sit quietly and read.

Keep “Big Books” open around the room and change them periodically

Have a felt board with different story pieces that the child can interact
with.

Storytelling with blocks

Using blocks to tell a story may be a new idea for you to try.

Pick up a small cylinder and start telling the story of “Little Red Riding
Hood” With their inborn imagination the children know immediately
which is the grandmother, and which is the granddaughter, and all it
takes to represent the forest is a few tall blocks stood on their end.
Have the children help combine a few blocks for grandmother’s house.
A bridge for the three Billy goats gruff, or try building a giant for Jack
in the Beanstalk. A timid child can be given a block to involve them in
the story. A more adventurous child can become the wolf. Keep the
building simple so that the plot does not get lost. The beauty is that
children really imagine detail, and the same block can be a bear, a bed,
a car, a boat. There is no limit to the number of stories you can tell
with one set of blocks.

PAGE 232
Story Sacks

A story sack is a large cloth bag containing a favourite children’s book

with supporting materials to stimulate language activities.

To make a story sacks find or make a large cloth bag and include any of
the following materials.

A copy of a story book.

A big book version of the story

A CD or DVD of the story.

Related nonfiction books.

Models of characters and objects from the story.

Activities or games relating to the story.

Paper and Crayons

Clay

An activity card (Optional)

(An activity card lists ideas for how to use the sack.) An example would
be

Talk about the story and children’s favourite bits.

Ask children questions about the characters’ and plot

Retell the story using the models.

Find out more about the people and places in the story by looking at
the nonfiction books.

Draw a character or model one out of clay

Draw a story map of the plot to help with retelling the story.

PAGE 233
A story sack of the Three Little Pigs

Include in your story sack: -

Copy of “the Three Little Pigs” (Of which there are a number of
versions.)

Models of the three little pigs and the wolf.

Some straw, some twigs, and some stones or pebbles.

Nonfiction books about buildings.

Fireman’s prop e.g. Hose or hat.

Paper and crayons

Activity Card.

(Follow the directions on the example activity card.)

For the three little pigs

PAGE 234
Ask the children to go on blowing the straw, twigs and stone across the
floor, and see which moved more easily.

Using the wolf as a prop, children can tell the wolf off and give him
some tips for making friends.

Talk about the dangers of fire and ask children what they would do in
a fire.

Children can draw their own house or a house they would like to build.

Questions to ask about the three little pigs.

Where did the little pigs live before they built their houses?

What do you like doing in your house or apartment?

Who could the little pigs talk to about the wolf being a bully?

Would you like to be a builder when you grow up? Why. Why not?

Felt Boards

Felt boards can be made or purchased commercially. By making the

felt board stories yourself you would have more selection and have
more details in your figures and objects.

There are innumerable ways to tell stories so enjoy, and use

storytelling to make children love literature.

Puppets

Everyone knows that puppets are great for storytelling. They can be
purchased commercially and handmade.

PAGE 235
OBSERVING CHILDREN
SESSION 15

PAGE 236
Introduction

It is essential that caregivers working with children have an

understanding of child development and the needs of children. By
observing children carefully to note their progress, involvement and
enjoyment, as well as focusing on the attainment of predetermined
outcomes, caregivers should be able to plan a more appropriate
curriculum that supports children’s development according to
individual needs.

By observing children while they are involved in activities, caregivers

will find out how the children’s skills are developing and what they are
able to do. Caregivers will also be able to gather information on what
the children know and understand, as well as their personal
preferences.

It is important to note that not all observations will have a

predetermined aim or rationale (in fact, many result from observing).
Children may be observed on a daily basis as they undertake their
activities. Observing children is equally informative whether the
observation takes place indoors or outdoors.

It is not necessary to record all that is observed, but it is important to

use the relevant information and judgements concerning children’s
development and significant achievements in future planning. Data
and information gathered when observing children is an important
tool in developing a complete picture of the children.

Observation and assessment enable caregivers to:

1. Know the individual child and highlight his/her strengths,

interests and needs
2. Identify the plan for the child’s progress
3. Highlight children’s development, strengths and abilities across
all areas of learning

PAGE 237
 4. Provide a graduated response and specific help to children whose
progress is not adequate and who may be on the continuum of
special educational needs
5. Inform staff, parents/carers of children’s achievements, and next
steps for their learning
6. Identify, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the
curriculum provided

Purpose of observing children

Through observing and listening caregivers are able to gather evidence

before and after children have been taught a skill, and over a period of
time. This enables caregivers to assess how much progress the children
have made and whether they need further opportunities to consolidate
their learning.

By using a variety of teaching methods caregivers will be able to

determine the learning preferences/styles of individual children. The
caregivers will also receive information on how successful certain
activities and opportunities have been.

The main purpose of observing children is to determine where they are

on the learning continuum in order to move them along, and to
identify any difficulties, misinterpretations or misunderstandings.

PAGE 238
What should be observed?

Observation should play a key role in the everyday practice of

practitioners working with children. When observing children,
practitioners should collate information on their development and
achievements and discuss these with colleagues, in order to inform
future planning and assessment of the children’s achievements.

It is important that caregivers listen to children as well as watch them

when observing, as they can learn a great deal about children’s
learning and understanding through listening to their speech.

Observations of children should be undertaken across these six Areas

of Learning, which are:

1. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural

Diversity
2. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

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 3. Mathematical Development
4. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
5. Physical Development
6. Creative Development.
Information on children’s developmental progress and achievements
and attainments should be obtained by observing different situations
and contexts within the setting/ school, such as: -

-children playing alone

- children playing alongside children and caregivers
- children playing and interacting with their peers in pairs and
small groups -children’s interactions with caregivers
- children’s interactions with their parents/caregivers and
visitors
- children’s interactions with the environment (indoors and
outdoors) and resources both natural and commercially
produced
- within the different types of play, both structured and free/
spontaneous; for example: – imaginary/pretend – small world –
construction – creative – physical
- at different times of the day

- on different days of the week.

It is important that caregivers listen to children as well as watch them

when observing, as they can learn a great deal about children’s
learning and understanding through listening to their speech.

Observing children completing tasks that have been planned and those
that the children have chosen themselves will give caregivers and
parents a detailed picture of:

- the development of children’s skills

- what the children understand

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- the children’s involvement in their learning

-personal choices the children have made

- children’s interests and concentration levels

- the children’s relationships with their peers and adults

- the children’s behaviour patterns (and other areas needing closer

attention such as hearing, sight, and concentration span).

While observing children, caregivers can also ask themselves questions

that will lead to an evaluation of the provision, the future training
needs of caregivers and the different learning and teaching approaches
used.

Key questions could include the following.

–Are the activities too easy or too difficult?

- How are the children using the resources?

- Is there anything missing that the children need?

- Is sufficient time/space provided for the experience and

consolidation?

- Are the children fully involved in the activity – if not, why not?

-How independent are the children in their learning?

- Are the children able to work/play alongside/in cooperation with

other children? - Do the children need caregivers’ intervention?

- Has there been opportunity for sustained thinking?

- What needs to be done to move the learning on?

- Is there a balance of activities over time (indoor/outdoor, individual/

group, etc.

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Methods for observing

There are many different ways of observing children that caregivers

can undertake to support their judgements:

- planned observation for a specific length of time and over a period of

time

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- planned observation that assesses developmental progress (specific
focus on outcomes or process of learning)

- planned observation on targeted children

- spontaneous observation of something that occurs during the

setting/school routine.

Before undertaking a planned observation, thought should be given to

which method of observation will best provide the specific
information/assessment that is needed. This information could relate
to, for example, children’s behaviour, and emotional as well as
intellectual development.

Planned observations should have a specific focus and caregivers

should be aware of what to look out for, who to look at and when and
where the planned observation is going to take place.

How should caregivers observe?

If observations are undertaken frequently and as part of the children’s

session/day then the children will become accustomed to caregivers
observing and will continue with their play/activities, resulting in less
disruption for the caregivers. When engrossed in their work children
are absorbed in the activity and may appear to be unaware of what is
happening around them.

Caregivers can observe children by taking an active role in the activity

the children are involved in. During this time caregivers can gather
information on what the children are able to do and which skills they
need to develop to move their learning along.

When engrossed in their work children are absorbed in the activity

and may appear to be unaware of what is happening around them.

Caregivers can also observe by standing or sitting near the targeted

child/children and observing what the child/children is/are doing, the
choices they are making and whether they are working individually or

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cooperatively. Caregivers can also observe the child’s/children’s
interactions with the learning environment.

A number of researchers have developed methods for observing and

assessing children and then using the data to support future planning
for the individual child, group or class.

When observing children, it is important to know when it is

appropriate to intervene to talk to the children or to ask questions, and
when it is appropriate to stand back and allow the children to continue
with their activity without any interruption.

The quality of questioning is vital in helping children to become

independent thinkers and learners, and to extend their learning.

Some questions only allow children to recall information or

demonstrate their understanding/comprehension. More thought
provoking and stimulating questions will allow children to reason,
evaluate and devise their own solutions and answers to the questions.

The two main styles of questioning are:

- closed questions, which tend to have a specific focus and usually only
allow for one correct answer.

Closed questions are useful in:

– ascertaining what children have understood; for example, in a story

– encouraging less-confident children to provide short answers

– acting as a stimulus/springboard for the introduction to extended

conversation. open questions which tend to be short (sometimes just
one word; for example, ‘who?’, ‘when?’, ‘why?’) and provide children
with the opportunity to think and discuss a number of possibilities,
solutions and ways forward.

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When should caregivers intervene?

It is through observing and understanding children’s development that

caregivers develop the skill of knowing when to intervene and when
not to intervene. The most obvious reasons for intervening are when
children:

- need help and/or are struggling with a task and could become
frustrated if support is not provided

- have reached a plateau in their learning and need to move on to the

next stage of the learning continuum

- are at risk because there could be a health and safety issue

- are in disagreement with other children and are unable to reach a

positive solution

- are being aggressive with the resources, or when resources need to

be added or removed from a play situation to extend play/learning

- want to include you.

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Ways of recording observations

Settings/schools may have set formats for recording children’s

achievements and developmental progress.

The following are a sample of the different ways a setting/school may

wish to record their initial and ongoing observations of children’s
achievements and developmental progress.

Notebooks

These can be strategically placed in a setting/classroom and all

practitioners working with the children have access to use these

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notebooks to write down/record their observation on children’s
significant achievements and/or important events or incidents that
may have occurred.

Diaries

These can be used on a daily basis and can record children’s responses
and developmental progress, individually and in groups.

Sticky notes

These can be placed in a number of places around the

setting/classroom for ease of access. Once completed they should be
placed in a secure place. They are used in a similar way to notebooks.

Index cards

These can be used to record children’s individual developmental

progress and achievements.

Adhesive labels

Used in the same way as index cards, but are transferred directly onto
the children’s records.

Record sheet

These are pre-prepared record sheets with identified sections for

recording.

Technology Digital and ordinary photographs, videos and audio

tapes

can all be used to record children’s achievements and progress.

The information that has been collated should be used in future

planning and to inform parents/caregivers of the children’s progress.
Some information will be needed in the short term while some will

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need to be kept for the longer term. It is important that any form of
recording is not burdensome for staff and that the amount of paper is
kept to a minimum.

The type and range of record keeping to assist with practitioner

assessment is a matter for settings/schools to decide.

Questions to consider when observing children

This section focuses on examples of questions and triggers that

caregivers could ask themselves when observing children’s skills
development in the following areas:

- personal development

- social development

- well-being/emotional development

- cognitive development

- language development and communication skills

- physical development.

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Personal development

How do the children respond to being separated from their family? If

they find it difficult, how long does it take for them to calm down and
by what means are the children comforted?

How able are the children in dressing/undressing themselves? Is help

required? Are the children able to feed themselves? What are their
eating habits like?

Do the children demonstrate awareness of personal hygiene? How are

they progressing?

How do the children react to the environment – do they show respect;

do they manage their own choices? Do they use resources
constructively, with care?

Are they independent in getting and putting away appropriate

resources to complete a task?

Are they able to resolve conflicts with their peers without adult
intervention?

Do they organise themselves when playing or completing set tasks?

To what extent are children aware of what they are good at, and to
what extent do they understand how they can improve their learning
and use feedback to improve their work?

Do they organise themselves when playing or completing set tasks?

Are the children able to concentrate for lengthening periods when

involved in appropriate tasks, and are they able to value the learning,
success and achievements of themselves and other people?

Social development

To what extent do they understand the difference between right and

wrong? Do they take responsibility for their own actions?

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How do the children interact with their peers and caregivers? Are they
communicative? Do they initiate conversation/play? Do they help
others?

Are they able to form relationships? How confident are they to work
cooperatively?

Are they aware of and respectful of each other, and are they accepting
of individual similarities/differences?

Have the children developed an awareness of different cultures and

religions? Are they aware of the differing needs and views of other
people in their own and in other cultures and religions?

Do the children have an understanding of the diversity of roles that

people play in different groups/communities?

Do the children demonstrate an understanding and empathy towards

other children’s views and beliefs?

Do the children show respect and care for the natural world? How do
they treat plants/animals, etc.?

Are they able to form relationships? How confident are they to work
cooperatively?

Well-being/emotional development

Do the children recognise, express and discuss a range of emotions?

Is the children’s well-being having a positive or negative effect on their

learning?

Are the children aware of their own feelings and do they have the
ability to express them in an appropriate way?

Are the children confident enough to approach caregivers to ask

questions?

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How do the children respond to the feelings and emotions of others?

How well do the children resolve their emotional conflicts, etc.?

Do the children understand the relationship between feelings and

actions, and understand that other people have feelings?

Do the children demonstrate care, respect and affection for other

children, and caregivers and their environment?

How well do the children respond to disappointments? Are they able

to change to alternative solutions?

How do the children relate to (different people) peers/ caregivers?

Do the children choose healthy options for snacks/dinners

independently?

Have the children begun to understand the impact of healthy foods,

exercise and hygiene on their bodies?

Are they aware of dangers within the home and outside environment?

Are they aware that some medicines are taken to make them feel
better and that some drugs are dangerous?

Do the children choose healthy options for snacks/dinners

independently?

Cognitive development

Are the children independent in their thinking? How do they go about

solving problems, choosing activities and resources? What assistance
do they need?

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How developed are the children’s memory skills? Are they able to
recall? How much prompting and revisiting is needed?

Do the children show an interest in materials/environment? Do they

enjoy the challenge of experimenting with new materials? How do they
react to them?

How well do the children match, order and classify objects/events,

etc.?

How able are the children in sequencing and ordering? Can they
extend sequences of events in a logical way? How sophisticated are
these skills?

How involved are the children in their learning? Are they

demonstrating a preferred learning style? Which one?

Are thinking skills developing? Are they starting to think logically?

What approaches do they take to solve problems? Are they able to

communicate/discuss their solutions?

Are they able to distinguish between real and pretend?

How developed is their concept of time?

Are they able to transfer their learning to new situations? How

confident are they?

Language development and communication skills

How do the children respond to and demonstrate an understanding of

stories, rhymes, etc.?

Do the children follow instructions? Can they cope with detailed

instructions?

How do the children express their thoughts, ideas, needs and feelings?

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How well are the children’s ideas communicated – are they easily
understood? Are the children confident when communicating?

How fluent are the children when speaking, and how effective are the
children at communicating with their peers and practitioners?

Do the children use facial and body gestures to express needs, etc.? If
so, how often and what type?

Do children respond to the facial/body gestures of others?

Do the children incorporate relevant detail in explanations,

descriptions and narratives, and distinguish between the essential and
less important?

Do the children recognise the importance of language that is clear,

fluent and interesting in order to communicate effectively?

Do the children respond appropriately and effectively to what they

have heard? Do the children ask and answer questions that clarify
their understanding and indicate thoughtfulness about the matter
under discussion?

Are the children aware of other languages? How do they respond to

them?

Are the children’s reading skills developing, what strategies do they

use to assist them?

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Physical development

Gross motor

How well do the children control their bodies when rolling, jumping,
running, etc.?

How do the children respond to different sounds?

Do the children demonstrate an understanding of spatial awareness?

Are the children able to use the space that is around, behind,
underneath, below, over and under, on top of and away from them?
Can they adjust their speed and direction, show fast/slow and high/low
movements or strong/light movements, and stop suddenly?

Has the children’s coordination improved and do they have increasing

control over their bodies when undertaking different activities?

How are the children’s balancing skills developing?

Fine motor

How able are the children in manipulating objects and materials? How
competent are they at completing construction materials and sets? Are
they making progress?

Which hand does the child favour? How well do they use mark-making
materials and equipment such as scissors?

How competent are the children becoming in their hand–eye

coordination, and their artistic and writing skills?

PAGE 254
QUESTIONS
SESSION 16

PAGE 255
This is the test section of you course.

All questions in Sessions 1 to 15 must be answered.

You can place your answers in a word document, and change and send
in pdf form.

You do not have to rewrite the questions just ensure that you have the
Session and question numbers in order,

e.g., Session 2

1.

2.

3.

Session 3

1.

2. etc

Also ensure you have the name required on your certificate and how
many hours it took you to complete the course.

Answers should be sent to pacificcoastworkshops@shaw.ca

It takes approx. 24 to 48 hours to receive a certificate from the time we

receive your answers.

If your course is not complete, we will send it back to you to complete.

Send all sessions in at one time

You have had up to 6 months from you order date to complete the
course. If you are sending us the answers after the 6-month period

PAGE 256
then we cannot accept it, as your name will be erased from our data
base at 6 months.

SESSION 1
CHILD GUIDANCE

1. How do you feel your earlier experiences in life affected you, and
how do they affect you now?

2. Define perfect parenting?

3. Why is consistency important?

4. Give an example of a natural consequence.

5. Give an example of a logical consequence

6. A new child is not adjusting well to daycare. The child needs a lot
more attention and guidance than expected. The centre is considering
asking the parent to withdraw the child.

Do you agree with the centres decision or what alternate could you see
happening?

7. A parent is angry as the centre has lost a pair of shoes the parent
recently purchased for their child. How would you pacify this parent
and rectify this situation?

8. How would you deal with a child that is experiencing acute

separation anxiety?

9.What do you consider quality childcare?

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10.Describe three differences between programs serving children birth
through 5 years, and those serving children from kindergarten to 8
years.

11.What do you think is one of the most effective strategies for

changing behavior?

12.Give an example of a verbal guidance strategy.

13.Describe a transition strategy that would reduce any behavioural

problems during this time.

14.Why do you feel it is important to establish and maintain a positive,

collaborative, relationship with families?

15.Give 2 reasons why it is important to study child development?

16.Emma a usually happy child comes to daycare looking sad and

upset. What would you do?

17.James is teasing and name calling Mary and other children. How
would you handle the situation?

18. Robbie who is 11 years old swears at you and tells you “you can’t be
the boss of me” What would you do?

19. How would you guide and not punish a child?

20.What is the best way to work with a child that frequently hits or is
otherwise aggressive and destructive in play?

21.Does harsh discipline harm a child?

22.Why do toddlers bite?

23.Why do children throw tantrums.?

24.Why are some children more possessive over toys, space etc. than
others?

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SESSION 2
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
1. As a child what do you remember about playing and where did
you play. Were you allowed to play alone or were you
supervised? What games did you play and what did you learn
from these games? In what way if any did your play experiences
differ from play of today?
2. At what age do you think that children should be introduced to
phonics?
3. What are your thoughts on preschool children and computers?
4. What do you consider is good curriculum planning?
5. How would you consider a child’s linguistic and spiritual identity
when planning a Xmas Activity?
6. Why must caregivers of young children be prepared to explain
and defend the value of basing large parts of the curriculum on
play?
7. What would be some of the criteria for selecting safe toys?
8. Many activities can be carried on outdoors. Name 10 of them.
9. A parent is concerned with the amount of playing they have
observed at your center. How would you explain the advantages
of play to this parent?
10. What do children learn from a) Music and Movement b) Sensory
Play c) Books d) Puzzles e) Picking up toys.?
11. What do you think children are actually learning through play?
12. What effect does playing outdoors have on a child’s
development?
13. Tell us about an incident in your childhood that you remember?

PAGE 259
SESSION 3

OUTDOOR PLAY

QUESTIONS

1. Give an idea of some sensory experiences a child could have

outdoors?
2. Think back to your own childhood and tell us some of things you
participated in outdoors.
3. If you have to set up a playground for 25 children between the ages
of 3-5 years tell us what you would put in it.
4. What do you believe is “too risky” for a child in outdoor play?
5. Do you feel children should be allowed to play outdoors in all
weather, and if so for how long?

PAGE 260
SESSION 4
CHILDREN AND DIVERSITY

1.What are some of the traditions your family participate in?

2.What are some of the things you do in your family to combat anxiety
or bad experiences?

3.How would you integrate a child with English as a second language

in the child care?

4.What would you say to a child that has a problem with a child from a
different culture?

5. What sort of artifacts would you include in your childcare to

represent indigenous culture?

PAGE 261
CHILDREN AND THE WORLD
SESSION 5

1.Where would you start in teaching children about “The World”

2.What activities would be good for teaching children about

themselves?

3.Give some ideas of how you would make children curious about “The
World”

4.What sort of activity center could you set up in your childcare to

encourage children to participate?

5.What is the worst thing do you think can happen to a child?

6.Of all the things you learn about the World what do you think is the
most useful?

7. What are you most grateful for?

PAGE 262
HELPING CHILDREN EXPRESS ANGER
SESSION 6
1. Choose your own child or a child in your preschool and write
down what provokes him to get angry, and how you would help
him/her deal with the anger.

2. Think of a time when you could feel yourself getting frustrated

with a situation. How did you cope…or did you?

3.Think of an instance in your earlier years when you did not agree
with a decision that your parents had made you comply with, and
what was your reaction to this and your parents. What was the
outcome?

4. What are your views on punching or pounding inanimate objects

to let off steam?

5.James tells you in childcare that you are not the boss of him and
says he hates you. What would you do?

PAGE 263
SESSION 7
THE CHALLENGING CHILD
1. A child kicks another child waiting in line to put on a coat.
How could you modify the environment to lessen the risk of this
happening?

2. Give 2 examples of challenging behaviors and how you would

handle them?

3. What would you do to try and stop a child that bites?

4. How can you support a challenging child?

5. How would you discipline a challenging child?

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 SESSION 8
STRESS IN CHILDREN

1. If you are under stress what is your first reaction?

2. What would you do if you found out that the family of a child in
your care is experiencing severe stress?

3. When is the best time for a caregiver to talk with a parent?

4. How can separation anxiety be reduced?

5. How can transition time stress be avoided?

6. How would you deal with a frustrating problem at work?

7. How would you respond to an aggressive child when you know the
aggression is caused by stress?

PAGE 265
SESSION 9
HEALTH AND SAFETY

1. What germs require a living host?

2. What are some things you could do in a childcare to promote
good health?
3. A child is brought to the center with band aids on his body.
When you ask his mother what they are she says they are bug
bites, but after further investigation you see they are chicken pox
rash. What would you do?
4. Where would you keep antibiotics in a child care center?
5. A child gets his finger stuck in a slammed door. Name the steps
you would take.
6. A child has an allergic reaction to something she eats. What
would you do?

PAGE 266
 SESSION 10
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Why are physical skills important in childhood?

2. Why is play important?
3. What equipment should a childcare provide for gross motor
skills?
4. What are fine motor skills?
5. Why should children be introduced to the right foods?
6. What physical changes happen during childhood?

PAGE 267
SESSION 11
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS

1. List types of play?

2. In your early childhood how did you make friends and did you
find it easy.

3. Do you encourage your own children or children in your care to

socialize? How do you do this?

4. What are the skills needed to participate in group play?

5.Think of two children you know. List three ways that they tend to
differ from each other socially.

6.When setting up a child care room for 3 to 5 year old children

what would you include?

PAGE 268
SESSION 12
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
1.Identify three aspects of cognitive development

2.What is “accommodation”?

3.What is “assimilation”?

4.What is “organization”?

5.What is “cognition”?

6.What is Jean Piagets first stage of cognitive development called?

7.What activities promote cognitive development?

PAGE 269
SESSION 13

SEPARATION ANXIETY

1. Name 4 symptoms that might indicate Separation Anxiety.

2. Name 3 things that a parent can do to make it easier for the child
to accept coming to daycare.

3. What are 3 things a preschool teacher can do to help a child with

Separation Anxiety?

4. Give 3 ideas of what you may do to try to help a child and family
that are dealing with Separation Anxiety.

PAGE 270
SESSION 14
STORYTELLING
1.Think of a story for a book bag, and tell us what you would
include in the bag.

2.Why is it important to read stories children have already heard?

3.Give an example of an open-ended discussion question in The

Three Little Pigs

4.What do infants gain from hearing a story?

5.Name a book from your childhood that you still remember and
tell us what it was about.

6.How would you deal with a misbehaving child during Storytime?

7. Tell us a story of something that happened to you that you

remember from your childhood.

PAGE 271
SESSION 15
OBSERVING CHILDREN
1.What is “observation” in Early Childhood?

2.Why do we observe children?

3.Why is it important to just sit, look and listen?

4.Why must we be objective when observing?

5.Why are questions important in observation?

6.How would you encourage parents to contribute observations from

home?

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