Setting Up Toddler Environment Essay

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Setting Up Toddler Environment

Just like several other kids, Bella, a 2.5-year-old girl, entered her early childhood schooling setting during the initial years of her life, at a time when brain development and growth are considered most active. The main domains in her well-being include:

Language and cognitive development

physical health

beliefs, and mental health, social and emotional well-being

Bella's physical health underscores her physical development and growth, lifestyle and bodily health. This domain differs from other domains, in that, Bella's pre-birth circumstances and experiences, and early-infancy contributes to her present status of physical well-being. Further, Bella's emotional, social, and mental well-being can be seen from her early manifestations of emotion and temperament. Language and cognitive development forms one among the most critical elements of her well-being. Irrespective of whether it is agreed that emphasis on early childhood achievement is an ideal aspect, Bella's cognitive growth reflects significant continuity with time; her initial performance strongly indicates what her performance will be like in later years (Developmental Issues for Young Children in Foster Care, 2000).

Similar to other kids her age, Bella typically walks, talks, runs, and can think and act on her own. Also, she is prone to frequently changing her mind about things. Bella is a rather clingy toddler on occasion, and during these times, strongly prefers her chief tutor; otherwise, she appears to be quite independent. Her preferences and tastes also keep changing constantly. She is acquiring a number of novel capabilities; for instance, though she is still on nappies at present. Bella seems keen on being potty-trained. She is also rapidly progressing in her physical skills acquisition. With development and growth, Bella is acquiring more advanced-level, novel skills, examining her independence, as well as testing her personal limits, as well as mine. Her growth on the social and emotional levels has started already, as she shows excitement with respect to being in the company of other children. Though Bella appears to have a bit of a problem with "sharing," she enjoys her time with her playmates (Baby Development Guide, n.d).

Strengths

At the age of 2.5, Bella is acquiring language comprehension and speaking skills

She actively explores different, novel things and loves learning about them. These initial learning experiences help define her personality as well as how she approaches and tackles different scenarios and problems (Child development (6) - two to three years, n.d).

Challenges

The 2.5-year-old girl may find it difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy

She frequently tests her limits

While Bella is a lot more confident regarding her physical skills than the average 2-year-old, she cannot judge when she must stop (Child development (6) - two to three years, n.d.)

Part B: Preparation of Environments and Teaching

Physical Environments to Support Bella's Wellbeing

Studies reveal that children in their early childhood can, and in fact, do flourish in out-of-home child care facilities. Family homes or centers for child care can potentially offer an exciting setting to little children, in which they receive ample care. The physical child care atmosphere contributes significantly to the development of a place in which kids are able to thrive. Child care settings ought to be created bearing in mind an explicit set of objectives and goals. Their physical environment incorporates numerous components, like kinds of equipment and materials available, space arrangement and quantity, time block sequencing and length, setting challenges or constraints, and sensory material quality. Every physical setting for little kids, such as Bella, need to be safe, aesthetically pleasing, convenient, comfortable, health-promoting, spacious and flexible enough to afford free movement of children, and comprising various accessible materials and objects, for allowing choices for children. While the aesthetic element is usually given last, instead of the foremost consideration, when planning preschool environments, I believe it is absolutely essential for kids like Bella. Beautiful settings for toddlers/infants as well as their educators don't necessarily have to be expensive. Rather, in my opinion, settings with aesthetically appealing colors, pictures, objects (hand-made or company made), furniture, and materials are attractive to kids and their tutors (Bergen, Reid & Torelli, 2001).

A Safe and Health-Promoting Environment

Obviously, preschool environments should be safe, and free of physical hazards like exposed electrical plugs, unenclosed steps, unstable cabinets and furniture, etc. However, safe environment standards undergo changes as the child grows from being an infant to a toddler (as in the case of Bella). As Bella and other toddlers are only just developing independence, exercising their motor abilities, and keenly examining every facet of their surroundings, they need to be given a chance to carry out autonomous actions creatively, using safe-to-use objects.

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In a majority of environments created for kids of this age group, health and safety concerns have received careful consideration. In case of Bella, I can thoroughly look into likely hazards and act to do away with unhealthy and harmful elements (Bergen, Reid & Torelli, 2001).

A Comfortable, Convenient and Flexible Environment

Pre-school kids' physical environment must be convenient and comfortable for the child (Bella, in this case) as well as me, as a considerable amount of our time will be spent in this environment. Environmental design flexibility is vital, as kids' needs alter all through the year with their development; the activities of each day will differ as their interests change. Though all young infants don't require particularly spacious rooms, after kids become mobile as Bella has, they will progress most in those environments wherein they are allowed freedom of movement and exploration, applying all the sensorimotor skills they acquired. As babies and toddlers (e.g., Bella) are most interested in slightly new objects (i.e., objects with some familiar aspects and some new features), educators need to opt for play materials having various applications (Bergen, Reid & Torelli, 2001).

Social Environments to Support Bella's Wellbeing

There are a few smaller spaces (usually having den-like enclosure elements) that afford kids a more private and intimate setting. These spaces might be temporary, such as large sheet-covered cardboard boxes or A-frames. Early childhood environments have increasingly examined the potential of light tents that are able to serve their purpose both indoors and outdoors. At times, preschool settings are equipped with small houses, wooden sheds or other more permanent structures, organized by kids themselves. They allow the kids to play and converse with their chosen playmates and other kids. Some children (including Bella) are intimidated by large, busy group settings that have no quiet and calm space. These kids can't be categorized as timid or quiet; they merely dislike too much noise and don't like shouting themselves. Children prefer getting together in spaces that allow more privacy, but will typically prefer that an adult join them in their social setting (constituting, say, a cave made from cushions), or in bending double and entering a little structure made of wicker (Lindon, 2011).

Arrangement of the physical setting and selection of materials and activities may elicit interactions in kids like Bella. I would, in her case, opt for new, interesting materials and toys. Though kids love their familiar materials and toys, novel or new ones in their play/learning environment may serve to enhance social interactions. A great, cost-effective means of maintaining material "newness" is employing a rotation system for toys. The simplest form of this system entails rotating, and thus, changing materials for children to use. Furthermore, I would make use of materials and toys fostering sharing and cooperation in Bella. Several widely available materials and toys are most effective and fun to use when more than one child uses them together. Teeter-totters, wagons, rocking boats, and other such large playthings necessitate coordinated action by players. Replacement of tricycles and bikes with wagons, where one child is able to pull another, would be best in the case of Bella. Further, it would be in her best interests if she was situated close to socially competent kids, as this serves to enhance positive interaction as well as decrease problem behaviors. Such close interaction may be encouraged by adults through the use of fun and meaningful planned activities, and by paying attention and spending time with her at play. For instance, caregivers may remark: "Wow! I'm so glad you're playing at housekeeping." Furthermore, proper positioning also facilitates and encourages interaction with other kids (Bovey & Strain, 2003).

Three Specific Teaching Strategies that Will Contribute to a Positive Sense of Identity in Bella

Effective Teaching

This lies at the core of superior quality pre-schooling. In quality educational services, the teaching practice respects what kids bring to the learning environment. Educators see kids as capable learners, support their perseverance and independence, and expect careful decisions and choices from them. They support child learning by motivating them to study and resolve issues. Further, educators lend an ear to their pupils' ideas and help them expand their thinking. Appropriate strategies are employed to promote interaction via positive feedback and modelling. Little kids are made to engage in sustained discussions, and are accorded time to both think about, and phrase, their replies. They are urged….....

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