Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations
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8 months<br />
At around eight months of age,<br />
children usually focus on one<br />
object or person at a time, yet<br />
they may at times hold two<br />
objects, one in each hand.<br />
Foundation: Number Sense<br />
The developing understanding of number and quantity<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Hold one block in each hand,<br />
then drop one of them when<br />
the infant care teacher holds<br />
out a third block for the child<br />
to hold. (6.5–7.5 mos.; Parks<br />
2004, 50)<br />
• Watch a ball as it rolls away<br />
after hitting it with her hand.<br />
(5.5–8 mos.; Parks 2004, 64)<br />
• Explore one toy at a time by<br />
shaking, banging, or squeezing<br />
it. (5.5–8 mos.; Parks<br />
2004, 58; 8 mos.; Meisels and<br />
others 2003, 21; birth–8 mos.;<br />
Lally and others 1995, 78–79)<br />
• Notice when someone walks<br />
in the room.<br />
Chart continues on next page.<br />
18 months<br />
At around 18 months of age,<br />
children demonstrate understanding<br />
that there are different<br />
amounts of things.<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Communicate “more” and<br />
point to a bowl of apple slices.<br />
(18 mos.; Meisels and others<br />
2003, 37)<br />
• Shake head “no” when offered<br />
more pasta. (18 mos.; Meisels<br />
and others 2003, 37)<br />
• Make a big pile of trucks and a<br />
little pile of trucks.<br />
• Use hand motions or words<br />
to indicate “All gone” when<br />
finished eating. (12–19 mos.;<br />
Parks 2004, 122)<br />
• Put three cars in a row.<br />
36 months<br />
At around 36 months of age, children<br />
show some understanding that<br />
numbers represent how many and<br />
demonstrate understanding of words<br />
that identify how much. (By 36 mos.;<br />
American Academy of Pediatrics<br />
2004, 308)<br />
For example, the child may:<br />
• Pick out one object from a box or<br />
point to the picture with only one<br />
of something. (Scaled score of<br />
10 for 35:16–36:15 mos.; Bayley<br />
2006, 97; 24–30 mos.; Parks 2004)<br />
• Reach into bowl and take out two<br />
pieces of pear when the infant<br />
care teacher says, “Just take two.”<br />
(30–36 mos.; Parks 2004)<br />
• Start counting with one, sometimes<br />
pointing to the same item<br />
twice when counting, or using<br />
numbers out of order; for example,<br />
“one, two, three, five, eight.” (36<br />
mos.; Engaging Young Children<br />
2004, 178)<br />
• Use fingers to count a small<br />
number of items. (around 36 mos.;<br />
Coplan 1993, 3)<br />
• Look at a plate and quickly<br />
respond “two,” without having<br />
to count, when the infant care<br />
teacher asks how many pieces of<br />
cheese there are. (36 mos.; Engaging<br />
Young Children 2004, 178)<br />
• Hold up two fingers when asked,<br />
“Show me two” or “How old are<br />
you?” (36 mos.; Engaging Young<br />
Children 2004, 178; by 36 mos.;<br />
American Academy of Pediatrics<br />
2004, 308)<br />
• Identify “more” with collections of<br />
up to four items, without needing<br />
to count them. (36 mos.; Engaging<br />
Young Children 2004, 31 and 180)<br />
• Use more specific words to communicate<br />
how many, such as a<br />
little or a lot. (Hulit and Howard<br />
2006, 186)<br />
75<br />
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT