Infant Toddler Environment Planning

Guide

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ACTIVITY ID: 14706

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Space Description	Your Improvement Plan
An environment that is... Safe and free from hazards Clean and uncluttered Well-lit by windows and other soft lighting sources Aesthetically pleasing Individually, age, and developmentally appropriate Inviting and interesting to children
Special places for nurturing children: A comfortable space, away from active play, for staff to sit on the floor (with back support) and hold a child or children, such as... A loft An adult-sized couch A mat on the floor against the wall with pillows (with washable covers) A rocking chair or glider
A quiet space for infants and toddlers, such as... A soft space away from active play A soft space for two children with family photograph books, dolls and blankets, soft toys, quiet toys, puppets, and books A nest (e.g., created with soft mats and blankets) A space with boxes large enough for a child or two to crawl in and out of
A space for infants and toddlers to use creative arts materials that has... A space for coloring or painting on paper on the floor (preferably near a short sink not used for food preparation) Short tables for clay, play dough, thick crayons, nontoxic paints, or finger paints Paper and other interesting materials to manipulate and create Large pieces of paper and other interesting materials to draw and paint on Short easels and brushes for toddlers to use by themselves or with other children A low shelf with safe creative materials attractively displayed and available for children to use A place to display children’s creative work
Spaces for delighting the senses of infants and toddlers with... Short shelves and tables for toddlers with sensory materials displayed in an inviting way Small individual tubs or other containers, water tables with water, or wading pools filled with different textured balls and other safe materials Always monitor children very carefully with water; children can drown in an even inch of water Containers or tables for sand and other natural materials Interesting materials such as funnels, plastic animals, cups, or scales, on the sensory tables or in containers A light table A space to use feeling and sound boxes A space for making bubbles with various sizes of wands
A space for peek-a-boo and social games, such as... A space made with a cloth hanging from the ceiling with a mirror on the wall Boxes of various sizes with holes cut out of the sides and cloth over some of the holes Lofts with a Plexiglas panel in the floor so children that can look at each other from different levels
A space for the development of large motor skills, which includes floor space so that children can move freely and be active with... Couches to climb on, pull up from, or walk around Ramps and short climbers Tunnels to crawl through Mats at different levels for climbing Rocking boats Balls of all sizes Objects that can be moved, such as child-sized shopping carts, strollers, and riding toys A bar fastened to the wall on various levels so that children can pull to stand Large empty appliance boxes with windows cut out and/or the end cut off so that children can crawl through
A space for toys and manipulative items, such as... Short shelves with toys or other materials carefully arranged so that children can reach them Toys that move, make noise, and change shape Safe nesting blocks, ring towers, large beads, “cause and effect” toys, “take apart” toys, shape sorters, stacking toys, large pegs and peg boards, large beads for stringing, puzzles, and other interesting materials Puppets, dolls Toy telephones Tubes of varying lengths and sizes A child-sized table and chairs Spaces to play on the floor by themselves, with peers, and with staff
A space for toddlers to build and construct, such as... A platform or hard surface for building Blocks of all sizes, shapes, and textures Wooden animals, little houses, play people, and trucks and cars
A space for dramatic play and pretend play, such as a corner or some small area with... A mirror, low pegs to hang clothing, scarves, purses, hats, easy-to-put-on dress up clothes Safe kitchen utensils, pots and pans, child size dishes, containers of various sizes, pretend food, and/or clean empty commercial food boxes A variety of dolls, doll blankets, baby bottles and bed, doll clothes Puppets of varying sizes and shapes Child-sized tables, stoves, refrigerators
A space for dramatic play and pretend play, such as a corner or some small area with... A mirror, low pegs to hang clothing, scarves, purses, hats, easy-to-put-on dress up clothes Safe kitchen utensils, pots and pans, child size dishes, containers of various sizes, pretend food, and/or clean empty commercial food boxes A variety of dolls, doll blankets, baby bottles and bed, doll clothes Puppets of varying sizes and shapes Child-sized tables, stoves, refrigerators
A space for reading to children and places for infants and toddlers to reach books and look at them in comfort, such as... A special place that is designed for infants and toddlers to choose books from an attractive, easily reached display and “read” or be read to in comfort An adult-sized couch for adults to read to children A child-sized couch or chair for children to “read” books Books placed around the room as any space is a great space for reading to a child or a child looking at books
Feeding and eating spaces for infants and toddlers, such as an area convenient to an adult sink and refrigerator with... Comfortable floor chairs for adults to feed infants on their laps or sitting in infant seats Rocking chairs/gliders for feeding bottles to infants and holding children of all ages Child-sized chairs and tables for toddlers to sit and feed themselves A sink at children’s level for toddlers
Sleeping, diapering or toileting spaces, including... An area away from active play for sleeping with: Cribs Cots for toddlers A rocker/glider for adults to help children transition from wake An area near an adult size sink (not used for preparing food) for diapering with: A diaper table with storage space Sturdy stairs with sides for toddlers to climb to the diaper table A private or semi-private area for toileting with: Child-sized toilets for toddlers who are learning to use the toilet (check your inspection criteria or stateʼs licensing standards) A child-size sink
Outdoor space, such as... Spaces for walking, running, and jumping Large, stable equipment, such as climbers and slides, that are inviting for peer interactions Areas of sun and shade Spaces for toddlers to use riding toys Materials for carrying, building, manipulating, and creating Spaces for adults to nurture children Spaces for children to sit and rest alone or together

Adapted from Infant and Toddler Environments Planning Document by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning [CSEFEL] at Vanderbilt University; Adapted from Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning by Wittmer & Petersen (2006)