Environments for Infants and Toddlers

A safe and healthy child care environment is one which will provide for a child's development, while minimizing a child's exposure to illness and injury. An effective environment works well for teachers and families as well for the children. Care and planning should go into making the child care environment less institutional, and more like home. A child should feel empowered and comfortable in the environment, and adults should be able to effectively do the important work of caring for children.

Routines and Rituals
Everyday baby care routines can be rich experiences for all concerned if you design them to be meaningful.

Diapering

Organize the environment so that everything is within reach. The diapering area should include:

Sink

Diapers

Lotions

Salves

Extra Clothing

Organize things so that each infant's belongings are kept together, where parents or providers can locate them

Diapering area should offer some sense of privacy while allowing visual accessibility to the rest of the group

Locate diaper changing and food preparation in separate areas, protected from one another

Sleeping

Babies need to be kept on their individual schedules

If space permits, sleep and play areas should be separate

Ideally a separate crib space should be provided

As you get to know each individual baby well, you develop consistent techniques and phrases or "rituals" for each one which they will begin to rely on and respond to. You will establish a unique interactive style with each baby that begins to develop into a meaningful, trusting relationship. Do not underestimate the importance of the rituals between caregivers and children, or between children and their parents. Babies need these rituals to feel safe and secure in their relationship with you.

Child Development

We know, from observing babies in groups, that they naturally gather around their caregivers. You can design your room to effectively respond to this behavior.

Have several interest areas

Have adults locate themselves in different parts of the room so that there are two or three small "clumps" of children rather than one large group

Although children develop at various rates, predictable stages of development always happen

Take time to observe children

Understand where they are developmentally

Gently nudge them forward into the next stage

As the group of children grow and develop, the environment should adapt to their changing needs

Interest Centers

Infant and toddler classrooms need interest centers. They may look different than a typical pre-school interest center, but they can be just as meaningful to classroom design and organization. Think about the appropriate size and scale for learning centers. A rug that is four feet by four feet can be large enough for an effective learning center for the little ones. Consider how you will provide boundaries that will allow for supervision as well as privacy. The use of mirrors is not only interesting for the children, but can help you to see around corners throughout the room.

Soft Space - Soft touches to absorb sound and provide comfort and security are important components of an infant and toddler environment.

Quilts covering mattresses or exercise mats provide large, soft spaces

Large pillows covered in a variety of textures provide interest and a comfortable place for children to relax

Materials should be easily removed to be laundered when they become soiled

Staff spend a great deal of time with babies on the floor and they need to be comfortable too

Couches, hammocks and easy chairs are great places for adults and children to read books and look at pictures together

Messy Places - Babies are naturally messy. Plan, prepare and provide for what comes naturally.

As babies show interest in dabbling in art and playing with sand and water, the space, the materials and the time should be provided

Supply these materials so that children can have a satisfying experience

Safe, non-toxic and age appropriate materials allow children to have fun expressing themselves in exciting ways

Plan well for these types of activities; if they get out of control, teachers will avoid doing them, and deprive children of a valuable learning experience

Moving and Climbing Places - As infants and toddlers move through developmental stages, their need for challenging movement experiences change.

Young infants need space to be on their backs and see how their bodies work

Infants need to be protected from mobile babies and their need to move freely

Older babies need places to practice new skills and to climb about the environment safely

Toddlers need space to run and jump and do risky things where they can be protected from injury

Toddlers need the opportunity to repeat activities they can master over and over again

Room design and arrangements present challenges when working with mixed age groups; you can use the following to create "places" for toddlers:

Furniture

Lofts

Pits

Climbers

Large blocks

Push and pull toys

Balls

Tunnels

Design space to allow infants and toddlers the opportunity to move to music on a regular and/or spur of the moment basis

Eating Spaces - Eating should be a relaxed activity that allows opportunity for a wealth of social interactions to happen.

Young infants should be held while being fed

Eye contact and calm, soft interactions while feeding aid in digestion as well as in establishing trusting relationships with caregivers

Space for infant feeding should be away from the main activity, protected from interruptions and comfortable for adults as well as babies

Nursing mothers should feel welcome and comfortable if they are available to come and nurse their babies during the day

Gliders with fabric skirts avoid the problem of tiny fingers being pinched under rocking chairs or in the glider spring mechanism

Older infants, who are being introduced to food, should be at low feeding tables

Caregivers should use feeding as an opportunity to spend some intimate one on one time with the little ones

Toddlers, who are being introduced to table food and to eating utensils, will make a mess; prepare for it and consider what you use as a floor covering

It is important that the children's feet are touching the floor, and that they can get up quickly and move to a new activity when they are done eating

Make sure that clean-up can happen easily and quickly

Personal Storage - Accessible personal storage is important to everyone.

Toddlers often need security items to help them feel more comfortable; they need to feel confident that their things can be found where they put them, and where they will not be disturbed by others

Parents need to know where things can be stored and where things can be found at the end of the day

Staff need a private place to keep their things which is inaccessible to the children

Teachers need storage for materials and supplies that is well organized and convenient to access on a daily basis

Adult Places - Parents and teachers need to communicate on a regular basis about details of their child's day, upcoming events and information that can support their role as a parent.

Communication space needs to be at the entrance, or in an equally convenient place

Parents need to feel welcome; this can be accomplished by adult sized spaces for private conversation, and for facilitating the transition at drop off and at pick up

Teachers need space away from children where they can rest, relax and plan for activities

Outdoor Places - Going outdoors gives children a chance to stretch their muscles, breath in fresh air, and take in the sunshine. No other activity offers such space and freedom.

Young infants feel the breeze and the textures on their skin; they see things moving and bright colors and shadows

Older infants and toddlers cannot resist the freedom to run and make loud noises

Infants and toddlers should be outside everyday that the weather permits

Provide a non-toxic landscape for the children to actively explore

Design equipment to match the size and skills of infants and toddlers

Children need protection from exposure to the sun and harsh wind

Buggy rides and neighborhood walks are an exciting addition to outdoor experiences

Learning Materials - Toys, books and other stimulating materials should be integrated throughout the environment.

Cause and effect toys are particularly effective for babies

Materials should be stored on low shelves where they are intended to be used

Toys and materials should be attractively displayed and invite participation

Sanitize toys on a regular basis to control the spread of disease

Materials should be large enough in size to prevent choking

Toddlers should have a variety of opportunities to make believe and to care for babies (dolls)

Materials should reflect the child's interests and abilities; careful observation is required in order to understand each child's interests

General Environments Guidelines - Consider the places you enjoy spending time. What is it about those places that makes you so comfortable?

Think about color and lighting and how effective interesting tone and texture can be in an environment

Bring some basic elements of interior decorating into your classroom environment

Avoid over stimulation for the children and adults

Develop a system where by you rotate toys and materials

Display a few carefully selected materials on shelves to encourage purposeful play rather than toy dumping because there are too many choices

Be aware of how space affects behavior

Large open spaces encourage active movement

Small enclosed areas promote intimate groups and social interactions

Your environment should have both types of spaces

WCCIP • 2109 S. Stoughton Road, Madison WI 53716 • Ph 800.366.3556 • Fx 608.224.6178
These tip sheets developed by WCCIP, March 1998 with funding from the WI Dept. of WFD, Office of Child Care, and DHFS