You are each being asked to become experts in the area of growth and development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. A local day care facility has called the school looking for help from our 7th grade Family and Consumer Science class. They know from statistics that you may have spent time in day care or know someone who has and feel you can give them a new perspective. They have a group of children that includes infants toddlers and preschoolers and they want some new ideas for activities. That’s where you come in. The tasks you will need to complete are as follows:
Your task is to:
1. Learn about infants, toddlers and preschoolers; how they grow and develop physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, morally, through play and toys, through books and reading, and safety issues. Use the bookmarked websites on the Resources and References page of this site. You will be tested on your knowledge of growth and development at the end of the unit. Use the following link for the Ages and Stages Chart as a way to take notes and save the information you gather so you can refer to it later. (Ages and Stages Chart)
2. Create an activity (toy, game, inside activity, outside activity, book, etc.), including directions, for one of the age groups of children (infants, toddlers or preschoolers) that the day care could use for the children they are caring for.
3. Write out how at least two of the 5 areas of development help that age group grow and develop when participating in the activity you created. Use the link to the Activity Project worksheet to organize your project (Activity Project worksheet)
4. Create a way to present your activity and how it helps the selected age group of children grow and develop. Include the information from the Activity Project worksheet. Examples are: brochure, poster, power point presentation, miniature model or full-scale model of the activity. You will have time and materials in class to complete this project. Use the link to the Project/Presentation Rubric to see how your project will be graded. (Project/Presentation Rubric)