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1: Welcome to Infant and Toddler Development!

  • Page ID
    244964
  • This page is a draft and is under active development. 

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    Welcome to infant and toddler development! Throughout this text, we will be exploring what is infant and toddler development. We will learn to recognize developmental patterns, theorists that contribute to our understanding, as well as how to track development!

    In this first chapter, we will be exploring an introduction to infants and toddlers. We will explore what a developmental approach is, what ages infants and toddlers are, and what key insights we need before we learn about their development

    Learning Objectives
    • Define what a developmental approach is in the context of early childhood education.
    • Define who infants and toddlers are by age and describe debates over ages.

    • 1.1: Introduction to Text
      This page outlines the expectations for this text, focusing on infant and toddler care. It covers developmental stages from prenatal to age three, highlighting biological, environmental, and socio-cultural influences. Additionally, it includes assessment techniques aligned with NAEYC and Illinois Early Learning policies, providing guidance for educators and caregivers to enhance their understanding of child development.
    • 1.2: A Developmental Approach
      This page explores a developmental framework for early childhood growth from conception to age three, emphasizing Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) as defined by NAEYC. It highlights the role of DAP in supporting motor, social-emotional, and cognitive-language skills. The focus is on enhancing understanding of appropriate educational practices in early care rather than detailing the practices themselves.
    • 1.3: Who are infants and toddlers?
      This page outlines the definitions of infants (birth to 12 months) and toddlers (12-15 months to 3 years), with Illinois' DCFS specifying toddlers as 15 months to 3 years. It details teacher-to-child ratios for childcare centers: 1:4 for ages 6 weeks-15 months, 1:5 for 15 months-2 years, and 1:8 for 2-3 years, along with maximum classroom sizes of 12, 15, and 16 children, respectively. These ratios are determined by the youngest child in mixed-age groups.


    1: Welcome to Infant and Toddler Development! is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.