Infant Development Review

• Object Constancy• Object Identity• Object Permanence

• Depth Perception

Objects Remain the Same Even if they are different

Objects still exist even if they can’t be seen, felt or heard

Objects stay the same from one time

to the next

The ability to tell how far away something is.

Intellectual Development of the Toddler

How and What Toddlers Learn

• Discover New Ways to Solve Problems– Work Toward a Goal

• They want to see what happens to objects when they are shaken, thrown, or moved in some way

• They will repeat the same task, but with slight changes each time

Beginnings of Thought

• Between 18 months and 2 years they will begin to think about what they do before they do it.

• They tend to think in terms of actions

Thinking and Imitation

• Deferred Imitation: the ability to recall someone’s behavior and imitate it later

Thinking and Goals

• Ex: They want to get a toy off a shelf, they may grab a stool from the bathroom. If it is not tall enough they may have to try another way to get the object

Thinking and Hiding Objects

• They will search for objects that they have NOT seen someone hide

• They know the object exists, and will think about where it may be hidden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKZ9IPRKkkU

Thinking and Shape, Size, Color, and Texture

• They will know that they are different, but they still may confuse them

Thinking and Object Exploration

• They will know what happens when they handle objects

• They learn by throwing, rolling, shaking, or moving objects

• They learn that round objects roll and flat objects slide

• They learn that hard objects hit together make a noise and soft objects hit together do not.

How to help your toddler meet their Intellectual Needs

• Toddlers learn through daily activities• They learn as they

– Eat– Bathe– Get Dressed– Help around the house

• They can learn through their senses

Learn through Activities• What can a toddler learn at meals?

– Learn language from talking at the table– Sensory Learning: Can see, taste, smell, and feel

foods of many colors shapes, sizes, and textures. – Decision Making: food choices and amounts– Motor Skills: handle finger foods and flatware– They may also learn about what is “healthy”

• Doing everyday tasks such as, Bathing and Dressing help them develop– Language– Sensory Skills– Health Skills– Motor Skills– Spatial concepts: by putting items in a drawer or

basket

Adult tips

• It is ok to play with your toddler sometimes if playing catch or hide and go seek.

• However, let them play on their own for the most part

• You can still step in if they need help• Feel free to introduce your child to new forms

of play, but make sure they fit the child’s needs and skills

Parent Tips

• If you hear a fire truck say “do you hear that, I hear a fire truck”

• Or if you smell something say “ I smell Cookies”

• These will all stimulate their senses

Be sure to include the 5 senses

• They help them to learn qualities about objects

• Sight: Dark v. Light• Touch: Rough v. Smooth• Hearing and Touch: Hard or Soft• Taste: Sweet v. Sour

Think of an orange… how would you describe it using your 5 senses?

• Round• Smooth (slightly rough)• Orange color• Sweet Smell• Sweet Taste• Hard outside• Juicy inside

Sight:

Looking at Objects• Look out the window• Pick out one object that you see.• Describe the object

– Use color, size, sound– When/ Where do you typically see this object

Hearing:

• Think of the song “Old MacDonald”• How can you make the song more fun and

educational?– Add Pictures– Choose the child’s favorite animals, not just one’s

from the song

Touch

• Come choose a paper bag.

• Have everyone in your group feel the bag

• Describe what is in the bag

• Do you know what is in it?

Smell

• I need three volunteers to step out in the hall.• I will call you in one at a time. • When you come in close your eyes.

Taste

Try different foods in you home

Identify characteristics of the food

Are they ….Sour

SweetBitterSaltyHot Cold

CrunchySlimySoft

Problem Solving Activities

• Toddlers will try out ideas to solve problemsExamples• Give them different containers that have a

variety of lids• Have them try to stack or nest objects• Hide and go seek• Try playing with toy cars at different inclines

Almost anything can become a toy for a toddler. All objects help them to learn properties such as color, texture, and size, they also help them learn what happens when toys roll or sound

when shaken.

Get into groups of 3

Come pick up an object or group of objects

Come up with 5 things that a toddler could learn from playing with this object

Imagine you could add any other object that you wanted… what would it be, what could they learn now?