Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
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SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT<br />
14<br />
Foundation: Interactions with Adults<br />
The developing ability to respond to and engage with adults<br />
8 months 18 months 36 months<br />
At around eight months of<br />
age, children purposefully<br />
engage in reciprocal interactions<br />
and try to influence the<br />
behavior of others. Children<br />
may be both interested in and<br />
cautious of unfamiliar adults.<br />
(7 mos.; Lamb, Bornstein,<br />
and Teti 2002, 340) (8 mos.;<br />
Meisels and others 2003, 16)<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Attend to an unfamiliar adult<br />
with interest but show wariness<br />
or become anxious when that<br />
adult comes too close. (5–8<br />
mos.; Parks 2004; Johnstone<br />
and Scherer 2000, 222)<br />
• Take the infant care teacher’s<br />
hands and rock forward and<br />
backwards as a way of asking<br />
her to sing a favorite song.<br />
(8 mos.; Gustafson, Green, and<br />
West 1979; Kaye and Fogel<br />
1980)<br />
• Engage in games such as pata-cake<br />
and peek-a-boo. (7–9<br />
mos.; Coplan 1993, 3)<br />
• Make eye contact with a family<br />
member.<br />
• Vocalize to get an infant care<br />
teacher’s attention.<br />
At around 18 months of age,<br />
children may participate in routines<br />
and games that involve<br />
complex back-and-forth interaction<br />
and may follow the gaze<br />
of the infant care teacher to an<br />
object or person. Children may<br />
also check with a familiar infant<br />
care teacher when uncertain<br />
about something or someone.<br />
(18 mos.; Meisels and others<br />
2003, 33)<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Move close to the infant care<br />
teacher and hold his hand when<br />
a visitor enters the classroom<br />
but watch the visitor with interest.<br />
(18 mos.; Meisels and others<br />
2003)<br />
• Bring a familiar object to an<br />
adult when asked. (15–18 mos.;<br />
Parks 2004)<br />
• Allow an unfamiliar adult to get<br />
close only after the adult uses<br />
an object to bridge the interaction,<br />
such as showing interest in<br />
a toy that is also interesting to<br />
the child. (18 mos.; Meisels and<br />
others 2003)<br />
• Watch, and then help the infant<br />
care teacher as she prepares<br />
snack.<br />
• Seek reassurance from the<br />
infant care teacher when unsure<br />
if something is safe. (10–12<br />
mos.; Fogel 2001, 305; Dickstein<br />
and Parke 1988; Hirshberg and<br />
Svejda 1990)<br />
At around 36 months of age,<br />
children interact with adults<br />
to solve problems or communicate<br />
about experiences or<br />
ideas. (California Department<br />
of Education 2005, 6; Marvin<br />
and Britner 1999, 60).<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Participate in storytelling with<br />
the infant care teacher. (30–36<br />
mos.; Parks 2004)<br />
• Tell a teacher from the classroom<br />
next door about an<br />
upcoming birthday party.<br />
(36 mos.; Parks 2004)<br />
• Help the infant care teacher<br />
bring in the wheeled toys from<br />
the play yard at the end of the<br />
day.<br />
• Ask a classroom visitor her<br />
name.