Welcome to the new newsletter for Infant 3. This is our first time using this new online format for newsletters, we hope you will enjoy this new method of keeping you informed to classroom happenings.
Every day we implement some type of art in the classroom. Our focus in the classroom is process art rather then product art. Process art can be defined as a creative movement where the children focus is not on the end product or the work of art, but on the process of creating. Each day though process art and sensory play the children are building fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Some examples of art activities that we do in infant 3 are chalk, markers, dot markers, finger painting, painting with paintbrushes and foam painting. We also do water play in infant 3.
We encourage lots of gross motor activity through out the day. Gross motor skills are involved in the movement and coordination of the arms, legs, and other large body parts and movements. When outside we encourage the children to crawl and walk on the climber. We encourage the children to use the push toys. When the weather outside is to0 cold we go to the large motor roo
m where the children are offered the same activities. We encourage them to throw and kick the balls. We offer songs with actions from example the children enjoy jumping and bouncing to the Jumping and Counting song by Jim Gill. Now that the majority of the children are walking, we have started practicing by taking walks with the children. The children walk and hold hands as we take walks around Gabel Hall and when we walk outside to the playground. Recently we took a walk to the stairs in the Gabel Hall where the children practice going up and down the stairs.
Inside the classroom the children have been working on fine motor skills through the different activities and material in the classroom. Fine motor skills are involved in smaller movements that occurs in the wrists, hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Some of the material that we encourage the children to use is lacing beads, shape sorters, puzzles with the knobs on them,and the other materials we have in our classroom.
This month we have been encouraging the now toddler age children in our classroom to be more independent. You may notice this at home as well. We started off the semester encouraging this new found independence and the willingness to use self help skills most useful during meal times. The children are encouraged to select the place at the meal table where they would like to sit, pull out the chair, then sit down in the chair before given their cup of milk. After all of the children are sitting down with their milk we begin giving them plates of food. Not all components of the meal are plated for them. We have begun introducing family style/self service by offering the children am opportunity to take food from a serving plate or dish. We are giving the children an opportunity to self serve the bread component and some of the fresh fruit at meal time. When meal time is over the children get excited about putting their dishes, silverware, and cup into the “white bucket” on the counter. For those children are not mobile yet we bring the bucket to the table for those children to put their meal items away as well. Maybe your toddler will begin helping clear the table at home soon too.
Now that we have transitioned to a toddler room we are also noticing those typical toddler behaviors creeping into the classroom as well. Some of the toddler behaviors we see are universal such as hitting, pushing, testing, and taking things from other children. Most of the time the behaviors that appear to us as aggressive are usually explained by toddlers not having learned appropriate social skills, lack of experience, and lack of communication skills. These behaviors can appear as toddlers are trying to learn how to interact and social with one another. We commonly see children wanting to show affection towards one another by hugging, however, they don’t understand that giving another small person their size a bear hug with all their bodily force will knock one or both of them down. We routinely tell the children “hug, hug, let go”. Then we remind the children to use soft or gentle touches and modeling what gentle touches feel like. A child biting someone else can occur for several reasons: teething, sensory seeking, over stimulation, impulsivity, and frustration in lack of verbal communication. The job of a toddler is to figure out his or her place in the world where he or she lives and to learn how things work. Part of that learning process is testing the parents and caregivers around them who lovingly set limits and boundaries for them. Because children thrive on routine and consistency in their lives they may repeat undesirable behaviors in order to seek a consistent response. For example, right now many of the children are tossing cups, food, dishes, and forks. We give them a reminder of how the items are used and give them an opportunity to use the items properly. If the throwing continues the children are asked to be done with the item and meal time is over. Young children learn by repetition of experiences, it may take several experiences for children to learn a new concept. Prepare yourself for repeating yourself many times.
Here is a link to an article titled: How to Get My Toddler to Stop Throwing Things (copy and paste in your brower if the link doesn’t work)
https://www.toddlerapproved.com/2014/11/how-do-i-stop-my-toddler-from-throwing.html?m=1.
Kellie and Veronica
Upcoming events and reminders
March 9th-13th ~ Spring Break (Interim)
April 13th-17th ~ Week of the Young Child
April 15th ~ Family Night
April 22nd ~ Kellie and Veronica Conference Day
April 27th-May 1st ~ Book Fair
