The Georgia Early Learning Standards Activity Guides may - gapitc

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Redirect or Remove! (for a younger infant)
The youngest babies will not understand “stop” even if you clap and call
their name.
For these babies, try redirecting or removing the child or the danger. For a
less serious danger, redirect the baby’s attention to something else. For example,
if the baby is pulling his dirty shoe toward his mouth, give him a clean rattle
instead.You can say “The shoe is dirty!” as you do so.
If the danger is more serious you must physically remove the child from the
situation. For example, if the baby is about to roll on top of another baby, pick
him up and move him away. He will not be able to stop himself without your
help. You can say “Let’s move over here so you don’t bump heads.”
Sometimes you will need to remove the danger itself. If an infant is about to
put a small object in his mouth, for example, you would take the object away
immediately. A young baby will not be able to respond to your words if you
tell him to stop. Replace the dangerous object with something safe.“Here’s a
soft bunny to hold.”
Any of the above situations require a teacher to watch very carefully to avoid
accidents. Babies can move very quickly and have not learned how to make
the connection between words and actions. You will have to physically “Redirect
or Remove!”
Check licensing standards to be sure your classroom meets all safety
requirements.
Children learn by watching adults. Model good safety habits.
Get on the floor and look around your room from the “point of view” of
your babies. You may be surprised to see what the room looks like to them.
Do you need to rearrange some things to make your room appealing and
safe at the same time?
Watch the babies in your group to see what additional safety measures you
should take. See what things they “get into” that need to be moved or limited
for safety purposes.
Strike a balance between having enough toys out for the children to learn and
play, but not so many that the room is cluttered. Crowded spaces can cause
accidents.