INFANT CARE
In the 18 years that I have provided child care, 26 out of the 30 children I have welcomed into my
home have been babies and four have been toddlers. This means I have acquired a great deal of hands on experience in caring for the youngest members of our community.
As in any family, the arrival of a new baby is an exciting event for all of us. I prepare the group with books, including collections of photos of the children in care at the time as babies. I encourage parent(s) to spend a brief visit with us before a baby's first day introducing the group to the baby and telling is what baby enjoys.
Tummy time, books, and songs, simple games like patty cake are also part of an infant's day with me, as well as bottles, diaper changes, and naps, of course. All are important things for your baby’s happiness and well being. Recent research suggests that these activities also stimulate actual brain development, so much of which is accomplished by age two.
With careful supervision, the children in care enjoy meeting and interacting with our youngest members. Research shows that babies love to look at faces, and we have plenty of faces to look at around here! Older children quickly learn the songs and rhymes I do with younger children, and often sing these songs/rhymes to the younger children. Infants enjoy watching and interacting with the older children here as well. I am always amazed at what an early age children become aware of and begin to develop friendships with other children.
Since babies are always close by me, they are never in one place very long. We venture outside as often as weather permits.
Once your child becomes independently mobile, safety is more of a concern than ever. My home is extensively child proofed. I am CPR/First Aid certified. I do not use a walker. There are safety issues involved, as well as the fact that it is important for an infant’s development that s/he spends ample time scooting, rolling, crawling and cruising.
As the months go on, there is no shortage of opportunity to use emerging language. Through the day, I look for opportunities to expand vocabulary, label, compare, classify, describe and assist in the formation of questions. I encourage toddlers to think about what is happening in their world, “Where do you think that ball went?”
Research indicates that children who are in the company of other children who use language more complex than their own develop more complex language skills themselves. This is one of the advantages of the multi-aged group in family child care. Young children learn best through active interaction with people and objects. We have plenty of both here.
As the youngest children’s skills develop, it is always a great delight to our group to see them get new teeth, begin to talk, walk, feed themselves, etc. Your infant/toddler’s earliest months/years are a time of tremendous growth and development, in many ways unequaled during the rest of our lifetimes. I greatly value the opportunity to be a part of children’s lives during this exciting time
home have been babies and four have been toddlers. This means I have acquired a great deal of hands on experience in caring for the youngest members of our community.
As in any family, the arrival of a new baby is an exciting event for all of us. I prepare the group with books, including collections of photos of the children in care at the time as babies. I encourage parent(s) to spend a brief visit with us before a baby's first day introducing the group to the baby and telling is what baby enjoys.
Tummy time, books, and songs, simple games like patty cake are also part of an infant's day with me, as well as bottles, diaper changes, and naps, of course. All are important things for your baby’s happiness and well being. Recent research suggests that these activities also stimulate actual brain development, so much of which is accomplished by age two.
With careful supervision, the children in care enjoy meeting and interacting with our youngest members. Research shows that babies love to look at faces, and we have plenty of faces to look at around here! Older children quickly learn the songs and rhymes I do with younger children, and often sing these songs/rhymes to the younger children. Infants enjoy watching and interacting with the older children here as well. I am always amazed at what an early age children become aware of and begin to develop friendships with other children.
Since babies are always close by me, they are never in one place very long. We venture outside as often as weather permits.
Once your child becomes independently mobile, safety is more of a concern than ever. My home is extensively child proofed. I am CPR/First Aid certified. I do not use a walker. There are safety issues involved, as well as the fact that it is important for an infant’s development that s/he spends ample time scooting, rolling, crawling and cruising.
As the months go on, there is no shortage of opportunity to use emerging language. Through the day, I look for opportunities to expand vocabulary, label, compare, classify, describe and assist in the formation of questions. I encourage toddlers to think about what is happening in their world, “Where do you think that ball went?”
Research indicates that children who are in the company of other children who use language more complex than their own develop more complex language skills themselves. This is one of the advantages of the multi-aged group in family child care. Young children learn best through active interaction with people and objects. We have plenty of both here.
As the youngest children’s skills develop, it is always a great delight to our group to see them get new teeth, begin to talk, walk, feed themselves, etc. Your infant/toddler’s earliest months/years are a time of tremendous growth and development, in many ways unequaled during the rest of our lifetimes. I greatly value the opportunity to be a part of children’s lives during this exciting time