Toddlers Learning Environments

  Order Description     • Respond to each item. 1. "Play is the child's laboratory for cognitive trial and error and rehearsal for real-life problem solving" (Swim, 2017, p. 38). Based on the Learning Resources this week, explain the role of the environment in supporting children's progression from exploration to play, and at least three key factors essential to creating an engaging environment for young children.   2. Learning centers represent a popular environmental design strategy that can be used in toddler classrooms. Based on pages 177-180 Infants and Toddlers: Caregiving and Responsive Curriculum and Curriculum Development, identify your overall goal(s) for creating learning centers for toddlers and explain at least three factors you would take into account when designing these centers.   3. Consider what you have learned about selecting appropriate equipment and materials for toddlers. Then identify and explain at least three factors you would take into account when selecting equipment and materials for a toddler classroom. Resources: Swim, T. J. (2017). Infants and toddlers: Caregiving and responsive curriculum and curriculum development. (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.   4. "Positive intention coupled with responsiveness to developmental characteristics makes a profound difference in the lives of children" (Swim, 2017, p.85). Based on Chapter 4 of 180 Infants and Toddlers: Caregiving and Responsive Curriculum and Curriculum Development explain the three A's—Attention, Approval, and Attunement—and the role each plays in creating supportive, developmentally appropriate environments. 5. Supporting emotional regulation "may be the single most challenging task a caregiver faces" (Swim, 2017, p.136-138). Using your own words, explain the term emotional regulation and identify why cultivating this ability in toddlers can be so challenging. Then identify and explain at least three strategies presented in the article "Self-Regulation: A Cornerstone of Early Childhood Development" that teachers can use to promote emotional self-regulation in toddlers.