Creating Affirming Environments

                                     

                                    Head Start Infant and Toddler Classroom

Cedar Family Child Care is set up for toddlers’ age range from 18 month to 2 ½ this child care is build upon love and safety. Safety is the most important concerns in child care program settings. Children need to feel safe with the appropriate materials at their reach. When entering into the room, there is a sign – in sheet on the welcome table for the parents can sign the child in. This area is called greet and meet the parents by using communication to develop relationships. There are cubbies where the children put their coats and backpacks next to the sign-in stand. Each child has their picture on a cubby to know where to put their belongings such as, coats and changing clothing’s. Healthy is a fundamental concern also when caring for young children. . There is space for the children when in interactions and block area for different colors and textures (such as, soft and hard blocks) there is an area for dramatic play for children to use their own imaginations in their own little world. With kitchen equipped with stove, sink, table chairs, there is an area for music to let the children experience and explore moving their bodies to the beat and using their gross motor skills. There the area for manipulative for children can share and choose.

There are child-size furniture’s for children can be comfortable and safe. Each center is equipped with the right amount of materials at the children reach. I also place a book in each center for the children to read if want to. There is the library where the children can go and read a book and next to the library. I have the cozy area where when the child is feeling sad of missing mom he can go and sit to be along. The teacher‘s desk is by the library to be there for the children. There is the writing area with papers, books, pencils for children can write and draw. The art area with water proof paint of different colors and paint brushes, play dough of colors. There is the area called the sand and water. There is a child-size station with children aprons to keep from getting paint on their clothes and there is the bathroom with child- size toilet, and sink. There is space for mealtimes for children and teachers to eat together with the number of child-size child chairs and tables for the children. There are the babies changing area where you chance the baby when they have accidents. Where all of the supplies also when need to clean the babies is stored in the changing table department.

There is the carpet on the floor where the children sit sometimes and there is the wood floor where children and teachers eat lunch. There is a place on the carpet for the children to sit for activities. There are large trucks that similar for the children to push and pull for exercise their large muscles. There are photos on the wall at the children eye level of diversity. There is a picture board where the children’s and their families share for when the child get to miss the parents. The teacher can take the child over to the picture and ask questions about who is on the picture to help common the child down. There are plenty of photos on the wall and shelves. Each center is a label with two languages in English and Spanish to help the children put the toys back on the shelves. There are books in the library with diverse of people of different color of children and families that are handicap or different disabilities. There are photos on the wall at the children eye level of community helpers. It is essential to have all appropriate materials for young children. I have discovered any items that can pass through tissue roller are not appropriate for young children to play with. (Card board that the tissue is rap around).There should be the right amount of light not too much or little for children can be safe. There should be a safe area for nap time to be able to set the cots three feet apart for germs and disturbing. The most important concern for all young children is to not only teach safety but practice safety. (Teaching Strategies, Inc. 2005).