COURSENOTES

COURSE TITLE: PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
COURSE CODE: EPB2073

TOPIC 8: CURRICULUM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLER

8.1 Introduction
Infant-toddler child care of the past was described as having been expanded and developed into
todays programs, which serve all types of very young children through educational care,
intervention, and enrichment. The important role played by caregivers and the environment in
providing developmental experiences for infants and toddlers are very significant in an infanttoddler program.
In this topic, we will examine on the activities and experiences that can be planned for
the developmental curriculum for infants and toddlers. The curriculum for physical development,
cognitive development, language development, social development and the expressive arts will
be discussed.

Infant-Toddler Curriculum

Physical Development
Activities for infants
Activities for toddlers
Cognitive Development
Activities for infants
Activities for toddlers
Language Development
Activities for infants
Activities for toddlers
Social Development
Activities for infants
Activities for toddlers
Expressive Arts
Activities for infants
Activities for toddlers
Fig. 8.1 Topic contents

COURSE: EPB2073-PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
FACULTY: EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

8.2 Curriculum For Physical Development

The first two years of life are what Piaget termed to be in the sensorimotor stage of development.
The individual learns about the environment through his or her senses and by performing
physical activities. As motor skills develop, so do the possibilities for experiencing the
environment.

Motor skill development occurs through movement.

Physical action is the first medium that infants and toddlers have for communication and
expression.

Motor skill development occurs through the acquisition of body management skills, or
body control.
Body control begins with the head and neck and progresses downward.
The infant is able to control the center of the body first and the hands and fingers last.
Gross motor skills precede fine motor skills.

Identify 5 physical activities for infants and the materials needed for each activity.

Identify 5 physical activities for toddlers and the materials needed for each activity.

Version:
Date:

COURSE: EPB2073-PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
FACULTY: EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

8.3 Curriculum For Cognitive Development

Cognitive development is the means of learning. Through the acquisition of cognition, infants
and toddlers learn and become intelligent beings. Learning lead to understanding. Weiser (1991)
proposes that understanding involves three steps:
a) take in information with their senses
b) process it
c) use it to understand
Identify 5 cognitive activities for infants and the materials needed for each activity.

Identify 5 cognitive activities for toddlers and the materials needed for each activity.

Version:
Date:

COURSE: EPB2073-PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
FACULTY: EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

8.4 Curriculum for Language Development

The process of acquiring language begins at birth or even before birth. The task of learning to
use language to communicate with others begins with the infants using the sense of hearing to
understand the basic of sounds and language in his or her environment. Infants and toddlers need
to learn:
a) the sounds, or phonology
b) the semantics or meaning
c) the formation of words or the syntax or grammar
d) the actual logistics of communication or pragmatics
The process of learning all of the language components begins in early months of the first year
and continues throughout life.
Identify 5 language activities for infants and the materials needed for each activity.

Identify 5 language activities for toddlers and the materials needed for each activity.

Version:
Date:

COURSE: EPB2073-PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
FACULTY: EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

8.5 Curriculum for Social Development

Social development begins as soon as the infant engages in the first interactions with the people
in his or her environment. Immediately after birth, the infant may be placed on the mothers
abdomen and held by the father. These early interactions begin the process of bonding between
the parents and infant. Social interactions that occur in the infant times of wakefulness and
alertness continue the process of social and emotional development.
Identify 5 social activities for infants and the materials needed for each activity.

Identify 5 social activities for toddlers and the materials needed for each activity.

Version:
Date:

COURSE: EPB2073-PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION
FACULTY: EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

8.6 Curriculum for the Expressive Arts

Infants and toddlers use their senses and physical actions to experience and understand their
world. Adults can foster their awareness of sensory characteristics of their environment by
providing activities that introduce them to music, beautiful elements of the natural environment,
sculpture that can be touched and felt, pictures that are representative of the work of great artists
and other activities that allow them interact with quality aesthetic examples of the fine arts.
Identify 5 art activities for infants and the materials needed for each activity.

Identify 5 art activities for toddlers and the materials needed for each activity.

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