The Caterpillar Room
Babies Learning and Development
During the first year of life, young children's physical development is very rapid and they gain increasing control of their muscles. They also develop skills in moving their hands, feet, limbs and head, quickly becoming mobile and able to handle and manipulate objects. They are learning from the moment of birth. Even before their first words they find out a lot about language by hearing people talking, and are especially interested when it involves them-selves and their daily lives.
Sensitive care giving, which responds to children's growing understanding and emotional needs, helps to build secure attachments to special people such as parents, family members or carers. Regular, though flexible, routines help young children to gain a sense of order in the world and to anticipate events. A wide variety of experience, which involves all the senses, encourages learning and an interest in the environment.
Little Footprints Learning Environment
The indoor environment for our youngest children is like a second home providing a place for activity, rest, eating and sleeping. The outdoor environment gives the infants chance to explore, use their senses and be physically active supported by their key person.
The activities and resources in this age group include the following themes:
- Large Movement Area - To encourage posture and large movements
- Small Movement Play - To encourage vision and fine movements
- Imitation Play - To encourage speech, social and listening skills by the use of dolls, teddies and simple every day objects.
- Messy Play - To encourage fine motor exploration of objects using all the senses.
- Sensory Play - To encourage all aspects of sensory development, attention and concentration skills including the ability to make simple choices.
- Book area - To encourage an early love of books sharing them with a caring adult.
- Heuristic Play - To encourage early object explorations of different texture, colour, patterns, shape, size and weight.
