Approaches to Learning

Personal Definition- Approaches to learning refers to the ways infants and toddlers engage with people, experiences, and their environment to explore, discover, and develop new skills. This area of development includes traits such as curiosity, initiative, persistence, creativity, and problem-solving. To support this KDI variety of engaging materials is essential. Items such as sensory bottles and textured fabrics, blocks and stacking rings, shakers, and drums, dolls in real life, kitchen items/ toys.

 

1.) Name of Activity: I can do it!

 

Originating Idea: Wanting toddlers to try to do things by themselves

 

Curriculum Area: Approaches to learning- Initiative: Children express initiative #1

 

Materials: Puzzles, stacking toys, child sized toys, stickers, paper, picture schedule or que cards

Appropriate Age group: Toddlers (12-36 months)

 

Beginning of Activity: Have toddlers go to an area with simple yet open-ended materials

 

Middle of Activity

 

Early Extension: Encourage toddlers to complete a simple task by themselves, such as block stacking or a puzzle

 

Middle: Offer small helper jobs such as wiping the tables, putting toys where they belong

  

 

Later Extension: Encourage toddlers to combine materials or to take initiative in solving a problem

 

 

End of Activity: While transitioning to the next routine encourage toddlers to try the next step independently as well

 

Follow-up Ideas (2): Pour cups of water, putting hat and jackets on, cleaning up

 

2.) Name of Activity: I wonder what happens

 

Originating Idea: Seeing babies solve problems

 

Curriculum Area: Approaches to learning- Problem solving: Children solve problems encountered in exploration and play #2

 

Materials: Nesting cups, rattles, pop-up toys, blanket, mats, soft balls, stuffies, wipes (to clean toys)

Appropriate Age group: Infants (6-12 months)

 

Beginning of Activity: Sit with baby on the floor and place a simple toy in front of them

 

Middle of Activity

 

Early Extension: Give baby a nesting cup to explore with hands/ mouth

 

 

Middle: Show baby a toy then hide part of it. Helping baby uncover it  

 

Later Extension: Roll a soft ball a short distance, encouraging baby to reach, crawl, or scoot to it

 

End of Activity: Put away toys and have children explore the soft blanket

 

 

Follow-up Ideas (2): Cause and effect toy blanket- toys that make noise when squeezed, shaken, or rolled

 

3.)Name of Activity: Lets learn to wash

 

Originating Idea:  Children are interested in the bathroom sink

 

Curriculum Area: Approaches to learning- self-help: Children do things for themselves #3

 

Materials: Child safe sink, step stool, liquid soap

Appropriate Age group: Toddlers (12-36 months)

 

Beginning of Activity: Discuss how we're going to learn how to wash our hands

 

Middle of Activity

 

Early Extension: Allow toddlers to wet their hands and feel water

 

Middle: Guide toddlers through the hand washing process

  

 

Later Extension: Allow toddlers to reenact or lead each step of the handwashing process

 

 

End of Activity: Read "Baby Shark- Wash your Hands!" by Pinkfong

 

 

Follow-up Ideas (2): Create a hand wash chart