Group Size

Childcare programs create chaos and confusion when they put too many toddlers in one group, even with an appropriate number of adult caregivers. As the number of children increases, so does the noise level, stimulation, and general chaos.  Children may appear lost and wander aimlessly and discovery through play is inhibited. Smaller groups mean fewer distractions and more focused activities for toddlers. In small groups, toddlers can make connections, form relationships, and learn to understand peers.

NAEYC (2013)  recommends the following group size and ratios for toddlers.

The 2010 MA licensing regulations have requirements for programs for group size and ratio. The regulations state:

1. All group assignments must be developmentally appropriate for the individual child.
2. The group size must be appropriate for the activities planned and for the characteristics of children assigned to the group.
3. Each child must be assigned to a consistent group with consistent staffing.
4. Children may be assigned to fixed age groups outside their chronologically defined age group based on a review of the child’s most recent progress report or a narrative from the child’s parent addressing the child’s abilities in the areas of mobility, fine and gross motor control, communication, social interactions, and cognition.

Fixed Age Groups. 

The mixed age group ratios and groupings (below) may be used by large group and school childcare programs.

The Environment

The physical environment supports or hinders relationships.  Research suggests that in safe environments caregivers smiled more, encouraged exploration, and gave fewer negative comments. Additionally, the environment affects educators and family relationships. A comfortable place for adults within the children’s environment can encourage families to visit throughout the day. A place for adults to sit comfortably for a moment at the end of the day acknowledges their needs and encourages conversation.

The environment affects peer relationships. The amount and arrangement of space and the choice and abundance of play materials can either increase the chances that young children will interact positively with each other or increase the likelihood of biting, fighting over toys, and wandering.

To promote health, easy access to the outdoors is desirable as it will accommodate the daily rhythms of toddlers. In many centers, time on the playground is rigidly scheduled and may not accommodate the needs of toddlers.  Access to a playground as needed would allow teachers to respond to a child’s changing needs.  Additionally, toddlers need small amounts of food and drink throughout the day to support their emotional, social, and physical well-being.  A small refrigerator will allow educators to offer snacks to toddlers frequently.

Use the questions below to assess the appropriateness of a physical environment for toddlers.

Safety — Are all the electrical outlets covered? Is there adequate padding under climbing equipment in case of a child falling? Are the walkways clear and unobstructed? Is the play area fenced in? Are there first aid supplies available?

Health — Is the diapering area kept separate from the food preparation and feeding areas? Are the food preparation, feeding, and toileting areas cleaned and sanitized daily and after each use. Do the children get fresh air every day?

Comfort — Is there soft furniture accessible to the children? Are there safe, comfortable, adequate sleeping arrangements? Is there furniture that is both child-sized and adult-sized in the rooms? Can toddlers sit and stand as they choose?

Convenience — Is there easy access to sinks for adults and children? Are the materials and supplies stored near routines and activities?

Encourages Movement — Do toddlers have enough space to crawl, roll, pull up, walk, climb, run, jump and explore when both indoors and outdoors?

Allows for Choice — Are the toddlers offered choices at mealtimes and during activities?

Ensures accessibility — Are the toys out at the children’s level? Can toddlers reach toys and materials independently? Are there spaces for both quiet and active play? Are there toys to represent imaginative play, constructive play, sensory play and literacy? Are toddlers allowed to play with sand, water, dress up clothes, etc.?

Educator Scheduling

MA licensing regulations support best practices in scheduling with the regulation: Each child must be assigned to a consistent group with consistent staffing. The assignment of a primary educator means the child’s family, the administrator, and educator know who is principally responsible for that child. Primary caregiving does not mean that one person cares for an infant or toddler exclusively, all of the time as there will be team teaching. Primary caregiving ensures that the toddler can build an intimate relationship with at least one educator.

The way it should be

Tim and his mother had visited the center twice in the last week. They had spent time with Mindy, who told them she would be Tim’s primary caregiver. Both Tim and his mother felt comfortable with Mindy. She was interested in them, wanted to talk regularly about Tim’s progress, and seemed to understand how Tim’s mother felt about leaving Tim to go to work. To Tim, today felt much the same, but his mother knew she was going to leave him for several hours and had told him so. Mindy met them at the door, squatted down to speak to Tim, who smiled shyly, remembering her, and then walked with mother and child to the small rocking horse that Tim had so enjoyed the last: time. A small boy rushed by and bumped Tim quite hard. Mindy caught the little boy and talked quietly to him, introduced him to Tim, and sent him on his way. Tim got on the horse and Mindy sat nearby where a somewhat bigger girl was building with blocks and a boy was working with large puzzle pieces. Mindy attended to all of them in turn as they wanted her attention or help. These were her three, and she always kept a special eye on them.

When it was time for her to go, Tim’s mother reminded him she was leaving today. He looked surprised and climbed off the horse. Mindy picked him up and said, “Let’s go to the door and say good-bye to your mother.” Tim wanted to go with his mother. But his mother really seemed to be going to leave him, so he clung closer to Mindy, who cuddled him and talked quietly. Then his mother was gone. It was like everyone in the world was holding their breath at the same time, but Mindy held him and patted him and talked quietly, and then everyone began to breathe again. Tim could see the toys and children, but mostly he liked hearing Mindy’s voice. Ten minutes later, ‘Tim was on his horse. He wasn’t as wholly confident as 20 minutes before, but he could still ride, and Mindy was close by and always noticed when he looked at her.

Two weeks later: After his mother kissed him, Tim waved good-bye and then he said, “Hi” again to Mindy, who ruffled his hair. Tim made a beeline for the block area, but when he got there Wong Chen had corralled all of the red blocks Tim wanted. Tim squatted down and watched Wong Chen. In a minute, Mindy came over and squatted down too, and they both watched him. Then Mindy said, “Tim likes those blocks too, Wong Chen; would you let him play?” Wong Chen looked at the floor, and then he looked up and frowned at Mindy and then at Tim. Mindy said, “OK, Wong Chen, then Tim can use them later.” And then to Tim, while pointing to some bristle blocks, “Maybe you’d like these? I don’t think anyone has those.” As Tim started to walk away, Wong Chen handed him one red block and Mindy said, “Thank you, Wong Chen, we’ll use that.”

…Later, Tim started to build a big car with red blocks, a car like his mother’s red car. His mother was working. She would come later. “Mommy later,” Tim said. Mindy heard him. “She will, Tim,” said Mindy. “She’ll come after your nap.“ “After nap,” said Tim, and then he said, “See my car?”

Tim is learning a lot in this center. He feels important, heard, understood, and protected.  Mindy helps him negotiate the difficult things with peers. He is learning to cooperate and to pay attention to what other children need and want. There is enough space, there are enough providers, just enough children, and abundant affection for everyone.

Continuity of Care

Having one caregiver over an extended period of time rather than switching every 6 -9 months is important to the child’s development. The educational practice of looping is described in an article, I encourage you to read, Nitecki, E. (2017).  Looping and Attachment in Early Childhood Education: How the Applications of Epigenetics Demand a Change. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 17, (2), 85-100. doi: 10.14434/josotl.v17i2.20840

5. Cultural and Familial Continuity

Childcare should be in harmony with what goes on at home, following the form and style of what is familiar to the child. Self-reflection is key to culturally sensitive care, and we will explore this more as the course progresses.  No matter what routine you perform, your values about it are shaped by your childhood, education, and cultural influences. It is essential to recognize these values and understand that you are transmitting them to children. To provide cultural and familial continuity, childcare centers should employ culturally representative educators who speak the same language as the children.

What are your experiences with culturally representative educators in the programs you observed in or worked in?

6. Meeting the Needs of the Individual in a Group

An intimate setting recognizes toddlers’ individual needs to explore, assert autonomy, and periodically reconnect with the secure base their caregiver provides. Nutritious snacks are available (often the focus of spontaneous socializing), potty training occurs as the individual child is ready, and ways are found for the toddler to re-visit her old crib if that is important. In an intimate setting, a child with special needs can be accommodated.

Development in the Domains

Social-Emotional Development

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)  Massachusetts early learning guidelines for infants and toddlers (2010), define social development as the child’s ability to relate to and interact with people. Toddlers are scientists, experimenting with interactions that occur between themselves and the people around them. Be mindful that you are a role model of behavior and culture for the toddler.

Emotional development is defined as understanding the self, feelings, and regulation of behavior. (2010) Emotional development is based on attachment. Emotional development is supported through consistent, responsive and caring relationships and routine.

What skills do children develop? The ability to:

• relate to, trust, and develop an attachment to caregivers.
• interact with peers.
• experience and express a range of emotions.
• self-regulation
• the positive sense of self
• initiative

REMEMBER

• Social and emotional development impacts all other areas of development and is the foundation for all future development.
• Toddlers will carry inside the impact of the relationships with caregivers at this stage of life; setting the foundation for school readiness and lifelong success. When caregivers are loving, responsive and consistent, toddlers learn they are valued and the world is primarily satisfying and predictable.
• Research shows that children who have healthy social and emotional skills tend to learn better, are more likely to stay in school, and will be better able to make and keep lifelong friends.

REFLECT

• How will you promote secure relationships with toddlers?
• How will you encourage toddlers to experience, regulate, and express emotions?

For further information

Read:  Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning article Your Child’s Cues from Birth to Age 2 available at http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/reading_cues.pdf

Language and Communication Development

By around 12 months many toddlers can say one or two words with meaning and can comply with simple requests, such as get your jacket or respond to questions like where is your blanket?  The toddler points to pictures in a book when you name them, and can point to a few body parts. They listen to simple stories and enjoy hearing songs or rhymes. In fact, often they will want the same story, rhyme or game repeated often. Expect the toddler to add words every month. Soon you may see them use telegraphic speech, where 2 words convey the meaning of a sentence. Such as “Where ball?” “What’s that?” “More ‘nana?” “Kitty go”.Words become clearer as more initial consonants are used.

Between 2 to 3 years of age, toddlers will likely develop the ability to follow two-part instructions (‘Get your hat and put it on the chair’) and use 2-3 word sentences. They notice sounds like the telephone or doorbell ringing and may point or become excited, get you to answer, or attempt to answer themselves.

REMEMBER

As toddlers develop, expect to see

• An understanding of spoken (or signed) language (receptive language)
• Use of expressive language
• Participation in social communication
• Asking questions and telling stories (narratives)
• Increased ability to produce sounds accurately and put words together to make meaning (phonology and syntax)
• An interest in books and listening to stories
• Beginning to use writing tools.

For further information

Read Fuligni, A. S., Hoff, E., Zepeda, M., & Mangione, P. (March 2014). Development of infants and toddlers who are dual language learners. Working paper #2. Center for Early Care and Education Research-Dual Language Learners (CECER-DLL). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute.

To review the milestones take about 15 minutes and complete an online training course, Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns, (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/watchmetraining/module2.html)