Infants learn too!!!

In the very beginning, it may seem that your baby does nothing but eat, sleep, cry, and fill her diapers. But infants are learning too. They can see and hear what is happening around them and can communicate their needs and interests to others. First experiences have a very important effect on the future. That’s why interaction is so important to a baby’s growth and development. The growth of a baby’s brain is affected by the care and experiences provided at home and in the child care setting.


      Focus Areas for 6 Week - 8 Week Infants

To Help Me Learn To Trust
• Come quickly when I cry
• Hold me close and speak in a friendly voice
• Smile at me when they are near

To Help Me Feel Comfortable
• Feed me when I’m hungry
• Put me on my back to sleep for naps
• Pat, rub and pick me up a lot
• Give me a pacifier to suck between feedings (Parent’s choice)

To Help Me Learn To Communicate
• Sing and talk to me
• Repeat any sounds I make
• Read to me

To Help Me Learn How My Body Moves
• Keep my arms and legs free to move
• Support my head when they hold me
• Hold my head over their shoulder when you walk who I can see

I Learn Best with Games and Toys
•Mobiles and toys with music
•Pictures and things with bright colors and bold patterns
•Touch my fingers and toes when they sing to me
•Baby-safe mirrors attached to my crib

Teachers will monitor skills to see if I Can . . .
• Lift my head when I lie on my tummy
• Roll part way from my back to my side
• Reach for objects near me
• Follow slow-moving objects with my eyes
• Make lots of sounds and respond to voices I know

      Focus Areas for 3 - 5 Months Infants

To Help Me Learn To Trust
• Let me see other people and hear new things
• Let me know they are near when I look for them
• Help me find and pick up a dropped toy

To Help Me Feel Comfortable
• Put me on my back to sleep for naps
• Give me cold cloths, teething rings or baby biscuits
• Hold and rock me a lot
• Keep small objects away from me

To Help Me Learn To Communicate
• Sing nursery rhymes
• Let me look in a mirror
• Make silly sounds like buzzing and humming

To Help Me Learn How My Body Moves
• Support my back when I sit on their lap
• Put me on my tummy to exercise and play when I am awake
• Hold things in front of me so I can reach for them

I Learn Best With Games and Toys
• Large pictures or books
• “See-saw” (pull me from lying down to sitting up)
• Safe, washable plastic objects I can hold
• Splash and kick in water paly
• Call me from behind so I can look for them

Teachers will monitor skills to see if I Can . . .
• Bring my hands together and look at them
• Roll from my back or stomach to my side
• Reach for toys, even lift my chest off the floor
• Make many baby sounds, even laugh
• Show when I’m happy, sad or scared
• Eat and sleep on a schedule

      Focus Areas for 6 - 8 Months Infants

To Help Me Learn To Trust
• Use a louder voice only when I may be in danger
• Move me or the object when I reach for something I should not have
• Talk to me so I can hear their voice if they are out of my sight

To Help Me Feel Comfortable
• Put me on my back to sleep even if I can roll over
• Talk about the things we do: eat, sleep and play
• Give me lots of hugs and kisses

To Help Me Learn to Communicate
• Distract me or play a new game when I arch my back, turn or push away
• Read to me, ask me to repeat words and sounds
• Tell me the names of things, ask me what they are
• Use real words with me, not “baby-talk”

To Help Me Learn How My Body Moves
• Wave “bye-bye” and show me how to wave
• Let me feed myself small pieces of cracker or cereal
• Give me plenty of room to crawl

I Learn Best With Games and Toys
• Point to and name people I know in pictures
• Let me hold small toys in both my hands; ask me to hand them to them
• Roll a ball back and forth to me
• Clap in time to simple songs and rhymes
• Cover part of my toy and let me find it

Teachers will monitor skills to see if I Can . . .
• Rock on my hands and knees
• Bang and shake things
• Stand with support from them or by holding onto furniture
• Sit alone and move around on my tummy
• Look for anything that has dropped

      Focus Areas 9 - 12 Months Infants

To Help Me Learn To Trust
• Keep caregivers the same
• Keep a routine so I will know what is happening
• Do not give me "time outs" or punishment when I do wrong because I do not understand

To Help Me Feel Comfortable
• Put me on my back to sleep even if I can roll over
• Let me have my favorite toy
• Set limits and stick to them
• Give me attention especially if I am upset, tired, hungry or wanting to play

To Help Me Learn To Communicate
• Answer me when I call them
• Use words to name things I point to (“want juice?”)
• Ignore my temper tantrums

To Help Me Learn How My Body Moves
• Let me mark on paper with large crayons
• Give me soft foods so I can eat with my fingers
• Play music so I can “dance”
• Let me bend to pick up toys

I Learn Best With Games and Toys
• Toy telephones
• Songs naming my body parts
• Toys that let me do what they do (broom, plastic dishes, play food and dolls)
• Turn pages of cardboard picture books

Teachers will monitor skills to see if I Can . . .
• Sit by landing on my bottom after standing
• Walk sideways while holding onto furniture (“cruising”)
• Pick what I want when they show me two things I know
• Understand “no”
• Hold you tight and act shy around new people