early years bulletin, spring 2015

Early Years BulletinSpring 2015

vol 2, no 3

Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

Obstacle CourseMastering large-motor skills, like running, jumping, kicking, and throwing, is an essential part of toddler and preschooler development. Preschoolers will enjoy an obstacle course made up of various challenges: kicking a ball toward a fence, jumping on and off a step, hopping one-footed along a path, and throwing a tennis ball into a bucket. For the younger set, practice one simple activity at a time—like stepping in and out of a Hula-Hoop on the ground—before moving onto the next easy feat. With a group, you can turn the course into a relay race that will get everyone’s heart pumping.

Monster BubblesA favorite outdoor activity can be made even more fun by mixing your own bubble solution. Add one cup of dish-

continued on page 8

Contentsp. 2Children’s Books

p. 9How PlayInfluenceDevelopment inInfants andToddlers

p. 13Suggested Books for Infants & Toddlers:

Thinking of children at play typically evokes images of children running, climb-ing, swinging, and jumping in an outdoor setting, such as a park, backyard,

or playground. Unfortunately, this image is beginning to fade as opportunities to play and explore outdoors are decreasing. In school settings, recess and free play opportunities are being reduced or eliminated due to increased pressure to docu-ment achievement and raise test scores. At home, an increase in the availability of technology-related entertainment, such as game systems, computers, and iPods, as well as over-extended after-school schedules, leave little time for outdoor play. In his book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv refers to this phenomenon as “na-ture-deficit disorder” and links the reduced amount of time children spend playing outdoors to issues such as obesity, attention disorders, and depression. Teachers are finding creative ways to bridge the divide between academic

continued on page 5

Extending the Possibilities:Linking Language and Literacy to Outdoor Play

by Karyn W. Tunks and Rebecca M. Giles, University of South Alabama

Focus on Pre-K and Keditors: Jennifer Baumgartner & Cynthia DiCarlo

2

Early Years Bulletin Spring 2015

Barnett, MacSam and Dave Dig a Hole. ISBN 978-0-7636-6229-5. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 40 pp. $16.99. Go on an adventure with Sam and Dave into the depths of the earth. Sustained by chocolate milk and animal cookies, Sam and Dave are determined to find something spectacular. This book explores direction and related terminology. Ages 4-6.

Benson, KathleenDraw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews. ISBN 978-0-544-10487-7. New York, NY: Clarion Books, 2014. 32 pp. $16.99. Benny Andrews was an amazing man. Reading stories about heroes like Benny can inspire children and teach them that anything is possible and the color of one’s skin should not be a barrier. This story tells about Benny’s life and gives examples of his artwork. Benny not only championed other African American artists, but also women artists. He thought everyone could tell a story through art, from children left homeless after Hurricane Katrina to individuals in jail. Ages 4-6.

Braun, SebastienCan You Say It, Too? Roar! Roar! ISBN 978-0-7636-7397-0. London, UK: Nosy Crow, 2014. 10 pp. $8.99. Engage children in a hunt for different animals and discover their sounds. Children find animals on each page hiding under a picture tab that is representative of where you would find the animals in the wild. Children will love the exploration and making each animal noise. Ages 0-3.

Castillo, LaurenThe Troublemaker. ISBN 978-0-547-72991-6. New York,

NY: Clarion Books, 2014. 48 pp. $16.99. Who is the REAL troublemaker? As things go missing, a sneaky boy is blamed for his sister’s missing bunny. As more things disappear, the mystery continues. Children can relate to this book if they have ever been blamed for something they did not do. Make predictions about who did it as you read to find out the culprit. Ages 3-6.

Corderoy, TraceyJust Right for Two. ISBN 978-0-7636-7344-4. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2013. 40 pp. $15.99. In this adorable book about finding friendship, Dog realizes that material things are not enough to make one happy. In the beginning, Dog thinks all his stuff is enough. He carries it around in a suitcase that he thinks is big enough for one. As the story progresses, Dog finds Mouse who helps him realize that their friendship is “just right for two.” Ages 3-5.

Costa, NicolettaOlga the Cloud. ISBN 978-0-8234-3051-2. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2014. 32 pp. $16.95. This story takes the reader on a journey through the skies with a cloud named Olga. Olga is desperate to find a place to make rain. Eventually, with help from a bird, Olga is relieved of her rain. Children will be eager to see Olga find her place. Ages 3-6.

Clayton, DallasLily the Unicorn. ISBN 978-0-06-211668-0. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2014. 48 pp. $17.99. This book exemplifies the phrase, “A page packed full of information.” Although the heart of each page is one short sentence, the reader is given a cloud of phrases that expand upon that

Children’s Booksby Jeremy Winters, Middle Tennessee State University

3

Spring 2015 Early Years Bulletin

sentence. Children will enjoy the humor in the short tangential phrases on each page as they follow the development of a friendship between Lilly and Roger. Ages 4-6.

Davis, JonSmall Blue in the Deep Dark Night. ISBN 978-0-544-16466-6. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 40 pp. $16.99. Small Blue imagines the worst at night. Big Brown helps her to see that one’s imagination can be used to think of silly things as well as scary things, and helps Small Blue to imagine dog parades, space parties, and retired pirates. Children can learn that what they imagine in the night can be fun rather than scary. Ages 4-6.

Degen, BruceI Said, “Bed!” ISBN 978-0-8234-2938-7. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2014. 32 pp. $14.95. This story depicts the daily challenge of getting a child to go to bed. The character in this story takes his bed on an adventure through space, where the ultimate battle of getting aliens out of his bed begins. Children will enjoy this bedtime adventure. Share this book and see what types of adventures children can imagine. Ages 5-6.

Elliott, DavidOn the Wing. ISBN 978-0-7636-5324-8. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32 pp. $16.99. This beautifully illustrated book contains short rhyming poetry about different types of birds. Children can read the entire book, or just focus on the bird that is most interesting to them. Each page shows an illustrated picture of a bird with a few facts. Children will enjoy the rhymes, pictures, and insights into the bird kingdom. Ages 4-6.

Freeman, TorOlive and the Embarrassing Gift. ISBN 978-0-7636-7406-9. Somerville, MA: Templar Books, 2014. 32 pp. $16.99. Has a friend ever given you an embarrassing gift? Olive is torn between using her friend Joe’s gift and caring about what others think of her. This book teaches children about true friendship, which even endures ridicule from others. In the end, Olive figures out that her friend Joe is more important than worries about being embarrassed. Ages 4-6.

Hamilton, TimThe Big Fib. ISBN 978-0-8234-2939-4. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2014. 32 pp. $14.95. What can your imagination dream up from a set of boxes? This book’s characters dream of going up—far and fast—until the owner of the boxes sees the mess the characters have made. This is when the big fib takes place. This book provides a look at repetitive adjectives, design and building, and creativity. Ages 5-6.

Haughton, ChrisShh! We Have a Plan. ISBN 978-0-7636-7293-5. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 40 pp. $15.99. This circle story begins with a four mysterious figures setting out to capture a bird. After many attempts, the birds turn the tables and attack back. This leaves them with no other alternative but to hunt squirrels! Children will enjoy the antics and the accompanying pictures as they read along to see if the “plan” ever works. Ages 5-6.

Holland, LorettaFall Leaves. ISBN 978-0-544-10664-2. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 32 pp. $16.99. Learn what happens after the summer months in this picturesque book. Each page has a short title that younger children can read, followed by a more detailed text. This nonfiction book will help children learn about various aspects of the fall season, from apples to falling leaves. Ages 3-6.

Horacek, PetrTime for Bed. ISBN 978-0-7636-6779-5. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 16 pp. $7.99. This board book is made up of durable pages with smaller ones embedded within. Each page has one short line detailing events leading up to bed. This can be used by parents to help build and reinforce a bedtime routine. Ages 0-3.

Maizes, SarahOn My Way to School. ISBN 978-0-8027-3700-7. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Press, 2014. 40 pp. $16.99. Great illustrations and an engaging font style will attract young readers. Livi’s imagination on each page is countered on the next by reality. She may want to

continued on page 4

4


continued from page 3

slowly get out of bed like a snail, but she is told to move quickly. These back-to-back, contrasting pages can help children compare and contrast fantasy and reality. Ages 4-6.

McPhail, DavidAndrew Draws. ISBN 978-0-2834-3043-5. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2014. 36 pp. $16.95. This book transforms into a world of amazing drawings once Andrew finds a crayon on the floor. After getting in trouble for drawing on the floor, his grandmother gives him paper to draw upon. His drawings start rough, but Andrew improves until, by the end, he is even drawing for the President. Children will learn in this book that to become good at something, you have to work at it. Ages 5-6.

Mizielinska, Aleksandra and DanielThe World of Mamoko in the Time of Dragons. ISBN 978-0-7636-7518-9. Somerville, MA: Big Picture Books, 2014. 16 pp. $17.99. This big board book brings the reader into a medieval castle. A bird’s eye view of the castle tracks the characters from page to page. Children will love to follow each character to the end and then start over with another. This book challenges readers to answer a question for each character while also writing their own story. Ages 5-6.

Mora, Pat and Martinez, LibbyBravo, Chico Canta! Bravo! ISBN978-1-55498-343-8. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books, 2014. 32 pp. $17.95. Chico Canta is the littlest mouse in a family of 11 older brothers and sisters. The Cantas live in a theater, where their job is to reenact the plays for their friends. Chico learns from his mother about being multilingual. She speaks three people languages and well as many animal languages. Chico quickly learns other languages himself. His best second language is Dog, which in the end saves the day. Children will be exposed to many Spanish words as they read the tale of Chico Canta. Ages 5-6.

Phelan, MattDruthers. ISBN 978-0-7636-5955-4. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32 pp. $15.99. Does a rainy day get you down in the dumps? Do your children not know

what to do when it is raining outside? Do they claim to be bored out of their mind? The girl in this story has the same problem until she is introduced to the word “druthers.” This magical word takes her on an adventure from a zoo, to a pirate ship, to a dinosaur world, to a moon party. In the end, the girl realizes that a rainy day is not so gloomy after all. Ages 2-5.

Powers, J. L.Colors of the Wind. ISBN 978-1-930900-73-8. Cynthiana, KY: Purple House Press, 2014. 32 pp. $18.95. George Mendoza fought through personal struggles to become a great artist and Olympic athlete. Legally blind at age 15, George struggled with what he could do or accomplish in life. He first found running, and later found art. Inspired by a blind girl who posed the question, “What color is the wind?,” this book will inspire children to not give up. Ages 6+.

Sutton, SallyConstruction. ISBN 978-0-7636-7325-3. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32 pp. $15.99. Children follow the construction of a library from start to finish. Each page gives children a great visual of the building process, along with fun words describing the sounds associated with the steps. Each step in the building process is written with repetition so that children will be able to catch on to the rhythmic style and join in the reading. Ages 3-6.

Teckentrup, BrittaUp & Down. ISBN 978-0-7636-7129-7. Somerville, MA: Templar Books, 2014. 28 pp. $17.99. Join Little Penguin on a quest to get to his friend by flipping the flaps of this book. The flaps not only make the book fun, they also teach opposites. You will go over and under as well as high and low and meet other ocean creatures along the way. Ages 2-5.

Van Allsburg, ChrisThe Misadventures of Sweetie Pie. ISBN 978-0-547-31582-9. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 32 pp. $18.99. Sweetie Pie is a hamster who, like all of us, wants to be free. This humorous story follows Sweetie Pie as he escapes the bars of his cage and winds up free in a nest in the end. Ages 4-6.

5



expectations and limited time for outdoor exploration by offering learning experiences in outside settings. The outdoor environment opens up new opportunities for literacy learning. Integrating experiences is an established and effective practice in early childhood based on an understanding that children learn from authentic and meaningful experiences. Combining literacy-related experiences and an outdoor setting offers new experiences and opportunities for learning. Furthermore, there is evidence linking physical activity to improved scores in reading and mathematics. (See Figure 1: Language and Literacy Learning Outdoors.)

Speaking and Listening in Outdoor SettingsChildren can fine tune listening skills while out-side. Oral language skills, vocabulary, and com-prehension develop as children learn to listen to others around them, and these skills are the basis of early literacy skills. Identifying and discussing the sounds heard outdoors—leaves rustling in the wind, a dog barking, an airplane overhead, water running, a car driving by—provides practice in auditory discrimination (the ability to distinguish between different sounds) and vocabulary devel-opment. Teachers can extend the activity by au-diotaping sounds from outside and playing them later for children to recall and identify. Listening activities support phonemic awareness skills that are used for reading and writing, such as hearing, identifying, and manipulating individual sounds in spoken words. Children have unique opportunities for using spoken language when playing outdoors. Spoken language is linked to early reading and writing, because children are discriminating between the sounds in words as they talk and recognizing the sequence of sounds in words which is the basis for early spelling. Because sound outside is on a much grander scale than indoors, the outdoors is the perfect place for children to experiment with the pitch and volume of their voices. No longer required to use “inside voices,” children call to friends across a playground and cheer loudly while playing games. A greater focus can be placed on talking

by offering props, such as toy telephones, walkie-talkies, microphones, megaphones, and speaking tubes, that encourage conversations between children. Outdoor activities and games give children the chance to listen, talk, and discuss together. Creating an obstacle course with available items, such as carpet squares, milk crates, and tires, requires negotiation and explanation.

continued on page 6

Language and Literacy Learning Outdoors

Children will have opportunities for:

Listening and Speaking• Developauditorydiscriminationskills• Usevoiceinavarietyofways,fromquietconversationtoloud

shouting• Talkaboutexperiencesintheoutdoorenvironment• Talkaboutfeaturesoftheoutdoorenvironment• Uselanguagetodescribe,explain,predict,andaskquestions• Usescientificanddescriptivevocabularyrelatingtooutdoors,

such as weather, plants, insects, and birds• Interactandconversewithadultsandpeerstoextendlanguage• Uselanguagetodevelopideas• Comprehendlanguagetofollowdirectionsandinstructions• Listen,respond,andlinklanguagewithphysicalmovement• Interpretlanguageinactionsongsandrhymes• Uselanguagetoeffectivelycommunicateduringroleplayand

practical experiences• Uselanguagetonegotiateplans,activities,anduseof

equipment and space.

Reading• Developvisualdiscriminationskills• Accessawiderangeoftexts• Enjoystories,rhyme,andsongsintheoutdoorenvironment• Experienceavarietyofmeaningfulprint(e.g.,labels,symbols,

and signs)• Begintounderstandsomepurposesforreading.

Writing• Experimentwithearlywritingusingbrushes,chalk,sand,paint,

clipboards, and pencils• Usetheirdrawings,writtenmarks,orwritingtoexpresstheir

ideas and feelings• Seethemselvesandadultsusingwritingforagenuinepurpose• Writeduringroleplayandotheractivities.

Figure 1

6



Simon Says and other “follow-me” type games provide an enjoyable purpose for children to give clear oral instruc-tions and listen carefully while being physically active. Familiar outdoor games, such as “Hot Potato” and “Duck, Duck, Goose,” offer authentic purposes for listening and are fun for children. Singing is one of the best and easiest language activities to take outside. Using sing-along books, such as Little White Duck by Bernard Zaritzky or Jamberry by Bruce Degen, sparks exploration with words, rhyme, rhythm, and sound (hallmarks of phonemic awareness), while also incorporating literacy learning. Introducing a range of imaginative movements—slithering, pouncing, gliding, twirling, and galloping—enhances vocabulary development along with locomotor skills. Simple songs, like chants, jump rope rhymes, and clapping games, allow language to become internalized through frequent

repetition. Sources that provide numerous options for exhilarating rhyme-filled, act-along fun include: Hand Rhymes by Marc Brown, Schoolyard Rhymes: Kids’ Own Rhymes for Rope-Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun by Judy Sierra, and Miss Mary Mack and Other Children’s Street Rhymes by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson.

Reading Experiences OutsideTaking story time outside provides another opportunity for integrating literacy and the outdoors. Teachers can read aloud to a group, or children may read independently in an outdoor setting. Books that relate to the outdoors can be used as a springboard for outside activities. For example, Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis cleverly demonstrates how a stick can be used in many different ways. Each child can find his or her own stick or one stick can be passed around as each child describes a unique purpose for it. (See Figure 2: Sources for Children’s Literature About the Outdoors.) Constructing designated places to read outdoors can be as simple as spreading a quilt under a tree or over a piece of playground equipment to create a fort. Theme-oriented experiences for reading outside continually generate new interest. A cooler filled with books on topics related to the ocean or lake can be enjoyed lying on beach towels or sitting in sand chairs. During cooler months, children can bring sleeping bags to curl up in and flashlights for reading books about camping and other adventures. A picnic bas-ket with a checkered tablecloth and a selection of books about food, ants, and picnics can be read during outdoor snack time. With a little imagination, reading outdoors will become a favorite activity. (See Figure 3: Types of Books for Outdoor Reading.) Games that incorporate pictures, letters, or sight words provide a fun way for children to learn as they play. For example, scatter foam letters at one end of the play area and give children a card with a picture or sight word (depending on their ability) and have them run to collect the letters needed to spell the word and then run back to the starting place to sequence the letters correctly. The activity also could be simplified by having children match the beginning letter with the item pictured on the card. Any version could be completed in teams to facilitate cooperative rather than competitive play.

continued on page 7

Sources for Children’s LiteratureAbout the Outdoors

The following sites offer bibliographies and lists of children’s literature that include nonfiction, fact-based fiction, and fictional picture books related to the outdoors:

• National Outdoor Book Awards (NOBA) is a non-profit educational institution that recognizes outstanding writing and publishing of children’s books about the outdoors. www.noba-web.org/

• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in cooperation with the Children’s Book Council (CBC) creates an annual list of outstanding science trade books for K-12 students. www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/

• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) gives the Orbis Pictus Award annually to outstanding nonfiction in children’s literature, including many books that relate to the outdoors. www.ncte.org/awards/orbispictus

• Association for Library Service to Children awards the Robert F. Sibert medal to outstanding informational books for children. www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/sibertmedal

Figure 2

7



Writing Experiences OutsideThe outdoors offers a wide-open space in which children can experiment with drawing and writing. The absence of physical boundaries promotes the use of large muscles in the arms along with small muscles in the hands and fingers. The outdoor environment offers new stimuli and purposes for drawing and writing. As children draw trees, birds, the sun, and the sky, their pictorial representations can be labeled with the corresponding word and thereby contribute to their writing vocabulary. Children will appreciate having traditional drawing and writing materials available for outdoor use, such as crayon, markers, or large chalk pieces that can be stored in lidded tubs with handles to be easily carried outside. Consider the surfaces available for writing. Picnic ta-bles can be covered with bulletin board paper taped or clipped to the table. Temporary chalk drawings can be made freely on a variety of surfaces and hosed down with water or left until the next rain storm. With several coats of blackboard paint, an exterior door, wooden fence, or storage shed wall becomes an inviting place for children to make their mark. Clipboards with paper and pencils stored in plastic baskets or canvas bags near the outside door can be easily transported outdoors for children to use. Because the clipboards provide a sturdy base for writing and are easily carried, they can be taken wherever children are playing outside. Spaces for children to sit or lie down outdoors, such as tree stumps, plastic tables, benches, or blankets, should be available and inviting. Display children’s work created in outdoor settings for others to see. A clothesline along a sheltered outdoor wall that is fixed a safe distance above children’s reach can be used to pin up their work. Clothespins can be used to attach children’s drawing and writing to a chain-link fence. This can create a charming display for parents to see when they pick up their children from school.

Conclusion A child’s environment plays a substantial role in growth and learning. Teachers who value literacy know the importance of providing a classroom environment that facilitates children’s participation in literacy-related experiences. Equal consideration should be given to children’s outdoor environment. Integrating

opportunities for listening, speaking, reading, and writing outside is an ideal solution for increasing children’s literacy learning while also strengthening their

continued on page 8

Types of Books for Outdoor Reading

Information books often relate to outdoor settings and provide facts that are intriguing to children. Bug Butts by Dawn Cusick gives a humorous look at the ways insects use their bodies to protect themselves from predators. Beth Fielding takes a similar approach in Animal Tails, describing the ways this body part is used to communicate, hunt, and move on land, in trees, or water. The size of animals is put into perspective in Actual Size by Steve Jenkins. He goes beyond basic facts and describes animal parts in relation to other objects—for instance, an eye as big as a child’s head or a two-foot long tongue. Nonfiction is very appealing to children and sparks conversations about what they are learning.

Fictional picture books often depict animals, but in unrealistic situations. Stories such as Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin, and Willie Takes a Hike by Gloria and Ted Rand, show personified animals who talk and experience human-like emotions. But since the animals are shown in their natural habitat, the reader gains a perspective on how the world may appear to real animals. In these types of stories, people may appear as giants, and even small objects, such as discarded tin cans, become huge obstacles to overcome. Children enjoy hearing these stories and using their imaginations to make up their own fictional tales.

Fact-based fiction includes scientific facts about nature within the context of a story. Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here? tells the story of two children who, while picking blueberries, discover clues about the animals that live along their path. Eve Bunting’s Butterfly House depicts the cycle of life. A young girl discovers a caterpillar and cares for it through each stage of metamorphosis with her grandfather’s help. A generation later, butterflies still return to the house. From Grandpa’s Garden, by Stella Fry and Sheila Moxley, children learn about the growing season for vegetables and how to protect gardens from intruders. It includes “Grandpa’s Tips” for growing a vegetable garden. After hearing books such as these, children can be encouraged to share their own experiences exploring the outdoors.

Figure 3

8



connection to nature. Reading, writing, and spending time outside are compatible experiences, as literacy and outdoor experiences enhance one another. Outdoor literacy experiences are essential because they provide added benefits not found in any classroom—fresh air and sunshine.

ResourcesBrown, M. (1993). Hand rhymes. New York, NY: Puffin.Bunting, E. (1999). Butterfly house. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.Cole, J., & Calmenson, S. (1990). Miss Mary Mack and other

children’s street rhymes. New York, NY: HarperCollins.Cronin, D. (2003). Diary of a worm. New York, NY: HarperCollins.Cronin, D. (2005). Diary of a spider. New York, NY: HarperCollins.Cusick, D. (2009). Bug butts. Waynesville, NC: EarlyLight Books.Degen, B. (1983). Jamberry. New York, NY: Harper & Row.Fielding, B. (2010). Animal tails. Waynesville, NC: EarlyLight

Books.Fry, S. (2012). Grandpa’s garden. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot

Books.George, L. B. (1996). Around the pond: Who’s been here? New

York, NY: Greenwillow Books.Giles, R. M., & Wellhousen, K. (2006). Reading, writing, and

running: Literacy learning on the playground. The Reading Teacher, 59(3), 283-285.

Hillman, C., Pontifex, M., Castelli, D., Khan, N., Raine, L., Scudder, M., Drollette, E., Moore, R., Wu, C., Kamijo, K. (2014). Effects of the FITKids randomized controlled trial on executive control and brain function. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrievved from http://pediatrics.

aappublications.org/content/early/2014/09/24/peds.2013-3219.abstract

Jenkins, S. (2011). Actual size. New York, NY: Sandpiper.Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from

nature-deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books.NAECS-SDE. (2002, January). Recess and the importance of play:

A position statement on young children and recess. Retrieved from www.naecs-sde.org/policy

NAECS-SDE. (2008). Re-connecting the world’s children to nature: A call to action. Retrieved from www.education.ne.gov/oec/nature/Call_to_Action.pdf

Nagel, K. B. (2001). Our silly garden. New York, NY: Scholastic.National Association for the Education of Young Children.

(2009). Recess—It’s indispensable! Young Children, 64(5), 66-69.

Portis, A. (2011). Not a stick. New York, NY: HarperCollins.Rand, G. (1996). Willie takes a hike. New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace

& Co.Roskos, K., Christie, J. & Richgels, D. (2003). The essentials of

early literacy instruction. Young Children, 58(2), 52-59.Sierra, J. (2005). Schoolyard rhymes: Kids’ own rhymes for

rope-skipping, hand clapping, ball bouncing, and just plain fun. New York, NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Srikanth, S., Petrie, T., Greenleaf, C., & Martin, S. (2014). The relationship of physical fitness, self-beliefs, and social support to the academic performance of middle school boys and girls. Journal of Early Adolescence. Retrieved from http://jea.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/04/20/0272431614530807.

Wellhousen, K. (2002). Outdoor play every day. Albany, NY: Delmar.

Zaritsky, B. (2005). Little white duck. New York, NY: Little, Brown.


washing soap to a gallon of warm water. An extra two to three tablespoons of glycerin, available at your local pharmacy, is the secret to super-big bubbles. Pour your concoction into a flat, rimmed tray, like a sheet-cake pan. Make a large wand by bending a wire hanger into a loop. Teach the toddlers to dip the wand into the solu-tion then slowly lift it and walk backward to let loose a gigantic bubble. If you like, experiment with making different kinds of wands, using straws, pipe cleaners, even fly swatters. If you want to go really big, pour your

solution into a wading pool and use a Hula-Hoop to make monster-sized bubbles.

Mystery RouteIn this adventurous outdoor activity, the children have a chance to choose the route. Start by drawing arrows (left, right, forward, backward) on index cards, then pack your cards and get going. When you come to a fork in the road, let your preschooler choose a card to determine which way you head next. Along the way, play a guessing game about what you’ll see on the next block: a black door, a bird’s nest, a blue mailbox, etc.

9


A strong knowledge and understanding of play is essential in determining the mastery of

developmental milestones for every infant and toddler. Furthermore, infants and toddlers demonstrate the complexity of developmental skills and abilities through play and exploration. Play has been defined as an expression of the child’s developing sense of self, social capacity, intellect, and physicality. At the same time, play allows children to direct their energy to activities of their own choice, which stimulates further development. The more the physical and social environments provide ample opportunities for young children to play and explore, the more we are able to observe how young children’s play episodes reveal the progression of developmental milestones. This article will examine the influence of play on developmental domains as well as on young children’s brain development. Infants and toddlers practice cognitive, motor, language, and social-emotional skills through play. Shortly after birth, parents and infants initiate play, which encourages development. Later, mobile infants begin to explore the physical and social environment by using their senses. The sensory input builds complex neural structures in the brain, influencing the development of necessary skills. Eventually, new learned skills become more and more complex until they reach mastery level. Eventually, children across all cultures engage in games that are physically as well as socially and emotionally facilitated, whereby children carry out tasks that require situation analysis, problem-solving strategies, negotiation skills, cooperation, compromise, and communication skills. Young children who are

deprived of play as well as interaction with other adults and children develop 20-30% less brain cell connections than their age mates.

Cognitive Development and PlayEight-month-old Kalan plays with his teacher Debra, who hides

Kalan’s favorite ball under a small blanket and then calls out, “Where

is the ball? Where is the ball?” Kalan pulls the blanket, revealing the

ball. “There it is! Peek-a-boo, ball!” says Debra, and Kalan squeals

with delight. Immediately, Kalan closes his eyes, playing peek-a-boo

with Debra. Debra joins Kalan with his game by closing her eyes in

response and continuing on with the game.

Most of the brain’s neurons are dedicated to analysis of problems and a search for solutions in order for the brain to accommodate and assimilate to the environment. During play, infants and toddlers interpret sensory information, compare with recalled information, and determine how to respond—all of which is seen in Kalan’s play of peek-a-boo. Debra created a problem situation for Kalan by covering the ball with a blanket and asking where the ball was; Kalan demonstrated his development of object permanence by removing the blanket and making a connection between previous experiences with the game peek-a-boo. Although we do not immediately see the impact of such games, nursery rhymes, and rhyming songs, play has a profound influence on programming the brain for language, art, music, math, and science abilities as well as intelligence. Recent research on play supports the understanding

continued on page 10

How Play Influences Developmentin Infants and Toddlers

by Nur Tanyel, School of Education, University of South Carolina Upstate

Focus on Infants & Toddlerseditors: Laura Hooks & Nur Tanyel

10



that development of math skills, language skills, and scientific thinking begin at birth. As infants and toddlers explore their environments, they begin to build math concepts by beginning to compare, classify, and seri-ate objects. Furthermore, infants and toddlers gener-ate and test hypotheses within play episodes, as seen below:

On the toddler playground, Kayla and Jerome are at the water

table playing with different sizes and shapes of containers by filling

and emptying water into each other’s containers. Kayla suggests

that they water the plants on the other side of the playground,

and Jerome agrees. They both fill one cup to the rim and begin to

walk across the playground. As Kayla and Jerome approach the

plants, they realize that the water spilled on the walk over and the

containers are empty. Both toddlers walk back to the water play

table and fill up the cups once again; this time, they walk slowly

and try not to spill the water on the way to the other side of the

playground. In spite of their careful efforts, their containers are

more than half empty by the time they reach the plants. They look

at each other and walk back to the water play table, trying the same

strategy a few more times and realizing that the results remain the

same. Jerome then decides to fill his cup only halfway and walks very

slowly across, reaching the plants without spilling any water. His face

lights up with his discovery, and he turns to Kayla, exclaiming, “Look!

All there!” They both smile and go back to the water play table;

this time, both Kayla and Jerome fill their cups only halfway and

are able to move across the playground without spilling any water.

With a sense of accomplishment, this play continues until the task is

mastered and the plants are drenched with water.

As seen in the play episode above, the toddlers demonstrated not only cognitive concepts of volume by filling and emptying the containers, but also problem solving and scientific thinking as they generated and tested different strategies then communicated the results until both were convinced of the consistency of the predicted results. Additionally, Jerome and Kayla demonstrated whole versus half math concepts as well as trial and error strategy in scientific thinking during their play.

Suggestions for Practitioners. Infants and toddlers need sensory experiences in order to adapt and make sense of their environments so they can function in

harmony with those environments. Consequently, children need play materials and activities that encourage the coordination of two or more senses. Water and sand tables, different textured pillows or toys, mobiles that play music, nesting cups or toys, sorting shapes, and puzzles with one or more large pieces all provide multisensory experiences. Play materials that cause things to happen—causality toys—can help infants and toddlers develop the concept of cause and effect. Pull toys that make sounds and toys that pop out or play a song when a button is pushed are some examples of causality toys. Object permanence activities will help infants and young toddlers develop the concept that objects exist even when we cannot see them. Playing peek-a-boo games with infants and hiding and finding objects with young toddlers will help them develop a sense of object permanence. Eventually, object permanence activities can be extended to memory and attention games with toddlers. Asking questions such as, “Can you find the ball?” or “Do you remember where we put the ball?” will facilitate memory in toddlers. Furthermore, pointing out the details of toys and objects as they handle them will enhance attention in toddlers. Questions and statements such as, “Look at the doll’s feet. Do you think the doll needs socks?” or “You have buttons on your shirt. Do you see anyone else with buttons on his or her shirt?” will help children pay attention to details and promote learning.

Social and Emotional Development and Play Children learn social skills through interactions with parents, practitioners, teachers, and other children, and play is the medium that allows children to learn and practice these social skills. Young children practice and develop the abilities for sharing, cooperation, compromise, collaboration, negotiation, and leadership. Eventually, children’s make-believe play becomes a powerful medium for socialization, allowing them to reiterate and simplify real-life experiences by making them emotionally more manageable and comprehensible.

Two-year-old Shayla goes to the dramatic play area, picks up the

doctor kit from the shelf, and places the stethoscope in her ears. She


11



looks at the end of the stethoscope. Her caregiver, Sandy, asks, “Are

you going to listen to your heart?” Shayla nods, puts the stethoscope

on her belly, and then walks up to a doll and places the stethoscope

on its chest, mumbling, “Sick. Very sick.” She then picks up the doll

and runs to the other corner of the room. “Is something wrong with

your baby?” asks Sandy. Shayla nods again and says, “Need medicine.”

Sandy hands over a plastic spoon and a plastic bottle and says, “Here,

have this medicine.” Shayla puts the spoon on the doll’s mouth and

looks at Sandy with a smile and says, “All better.” “Are you happy that

your baby is feeling better now?” asks Sandy, and Shayla nods in

response.

The next day, Shayla picks up a doll and starts feeding the doll

with a bottle. After feeding, she changes the doll’s shirt and places

it in the baby stroller. “Are you taking your baby for a walk?” asks

Sandy. “Sleep,” says Shayla, and she starts walking the stroller

around the room. When she returns to the dramatic play area,

Shayla looks at Sandy and says, “Shhh, sleeping.” “I will be quiet,”

whispers Sandy.

In this vignette, Shayla was involved in baby play. Baby play is engaging with dolls in the context of dramatic play. Such dramatic play is important for infants and toddlers in order to deal with emotions in a cultural context. During the first day, Shayla was dealing with stress in her family due to her baby sister’s illness. She was not only acting out the series of events related to the illness but also dealing with the emotions associated with it. Her caregiver Sandy acknowledged her anxiety and stress by asking Shayla what was wrong with her doll and helping with the administration of medicine. In the end, Shayla was expressing her feelings with a smile as she was trying to deal with her emotions. On the second day, Shayla took on the caregiver role and focused on nurturing the baby. Through her play, she was constructing her own ideas about how to care, nurture, and be empathic as well as how to express and deal with emotions. While adults label their emotions and recognize emotional expressions, children deal with their emotions through play. Children need adults to model labeling and expressing emotions in appropriate and culturally acceptable ways in order to recognize and label their own emotions. Consequently, dramatic play provides optimum opportunities for children to develop social and emotional competencies.

Suggestions for Practitioners. Using facial expressions and gestures to express emotions while engaging in one-to one interactions will help infants and toddlers to read emotional cues and facial expressions. Modeling warm touching and emotional words help children to not only recognize emotions and enhance their emotional vocabulary, but also acquire positive emotions that turn into social skills. Facilitating pretend play needs to be part of a toddler program. Practitioners may begin with creating a center that includes a small number of familiar housekeeping props, such as small blankets, pillows, telephones, plastic cups, and dolls. Practitioners then model and prompt simple make-believe play by saying phrases such as, “I am so thirsty,” and then pretending to drink from an empty cup. They can encourage children’s involvement, by saying “Here, would you like to have some juice?,” or “The baby is sleepy” and then placing the doll on a pillow and covering it with blanket. As children become more competent in pretend play, practitioners may add more props that are familiar objects to family life. After children demonstrate even more competency in pretend play, practitioners may include nonrealistic objects, such as plastic food, blocks, and soft washable stuffed fruits and vegetables. The practitioner might use a cylinder plastic block as a cup to drink out of or a plastic rod to stir food in a plastic container. These enhancements and prop-supported pretend play will lay the foundation for more elaborate social symbolic play in preschool years. Cultural sensitivity is very important in selecting props for pretend play centers. Practitioners need to know the children’s family culture and carefully select props that are culturally relevant and familiar to the children.

Language and Literacy Development and PlayNeuroscience informs us that infants have well-developed areas in the brain that are associated with language. Babies as young as four months old develop sensitivity toward the sounds of their primary language. When adults read with babies and toddlers, they promote early literacy skills.

In the toddler room, 18-month-old Paul toddles toward his caregiver,

Susan, with a book in his hand and crawls into her lap.


12



Susan asks, “Do you want to read this book?” Paul hands the book to

Susan.

Susan: “Animals.”

Paul: “Meow!”

Susan: “Cat. The cat says meow.”

She turns the page.

Paul: “Woof, woof!”

He points to the picture.

Susan: “Dog. You are right. Dogs say woof.”

Paul: “Dis?”

Susan: “What is this?”

Paul: “Byir.”

Susan: “Yes, a bird.” “What does a bird say?”

Paul: “Tweet, tweet!”

Susan continues reading as Paul points at the pictures and makes

animal sounds.

When adults read books with young children, they often expand vocabulary by rephrasing or repeating in full sentences, as seen in the vignette above. When repeating such literacy experiences, adults need to gradually let the child point, ask questions, and answer their own questions and turn pages. In doing so, adults will help children understand that print is predictable and corresponds with the pictures, helping them eventually decode the print and become independent thinkers. Although some infants’ and toddlers’ first print experiences are with story books or nursery rhymes, others are exposed to print and literacy concepts through signs, text on food packages, or newspapers. Exposure to print materials, nursery rhymes, and children’s songs promotes language development. Repetition with predictable text, rhymes, and songs not only develops the synapses in the brain, but also enriches infants’ and toddlers’ vocabulary. Reading with

young children also develops print concepts, such as recognition of the front and back of the book and the direction of page turning and text progression. The development of the print concept begins with adults modeling reading and progresses with the child’s practice in reading on his or her own.

Suggestions for Practitioners. Infants acquire language as they hear adults talk to them. Practitioners should engage infants in conversation and encourage parents to talk to their infants. A language-rich environment containing robust conversations with infants will stimulate language centers in the brain and promote language development. It is also important for practitioners to demonstrate turn-taking when engaging children in conversations. Since it is not known precisely when infants understand words, practitioners should be careful about the choice of words. Toddlers who are not yet speaking may still comprehend a sensitive topic discussed by adults in their presence. Using social words with infants promotes social interactions with children and other adults, such as “Bye-bye,” “Hi,” and “Night-night,” by encouraging social interaction and soliciting responses. Additionally, pointing and naming objects around infants enhances language development as infants learn to point to and name those objects themselves. Bilingual children learn words in two different languages and combine them into one large mental dictionary. Sometimes, bilingual children are confused about languages and may substitute the same word from the other language or combine words from both languages into one utterance. Therefore, practitioners need to be patient with toddlers who are learning


Pointing and naming objectsaround infants enhances language development as infants

learn to point to and name those objects themselves.

13


Suggested Books forInfants & Toddlers

First 100 WordsBy Roger Priddy

Wheels on the BusBy Jerry Smath

I’m a Little TeapotBy Iza Trapani

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?By Eric Carle

Head, Shoulders, Knees and ToesBy Annie Kubler

You Are My SunshineBy Jimmy Davis andCaroline Jayne Church

Baby Touch and Feel AnimalsBy DK Publishing

14


Early Years Bulletin, ISSN 2333-6226, is published quarterly by the Association for Childhood Education International, 1101 16th St., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.

Articles published in Early Years Bulletin represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions taken by the Associa-tion for Childhood Education International.

Copyright © 2014 by the Association for Childhood Education International. No permission is needed to reproduce materials for education purposes.

ACEI HEADQUARTERS STAFF:

Diane P. Whitehead, Executive DirectorMichelle Allen, Director of OperationsAnne Watson Bauer, Editor/Director of PublicationsEmebet G/Micheal, Accounting ManagerOlivia Kent, Communications ManagerDeborah Jordan Kravitz, Production EditorSheri Levin, Member Relations ManagerYvette Murphy, Director of Advocacy and OutreachNana Oppong, Director of DevelopmentDione Walters, Membership AssistantAlyson Zimbler, Development Coordinator


more than one language at the same time. In assessing language development, asking children to point to and name objects in both languages will give a true evaluation of learned vocabulary and semantic development. Infants and toddlers who are read to will acquire early literacy skills. With adults modeling reading, young children learn how to handle books, differentiate the front and back of the book, turn pages, and start reading from the top of the page. Eventually, children will discover that reading is interesting, stories are read with certain pace and intonation, and pictures and print both complement the story. Selecting developmentally appropriate books is an important task for enhancing early literacy development in infants and toddlers. Books published specifically for infants that are chew resistant, are waterproof, include large pictures and bright colors, incorporate different textures and sounds, and are small enough for infants to hold and carry are appropriate for very young children. Toddlers will enjoy board books, as the pages turn easily and contain only a few words on each page. Rhyming verse and predictable text will involve toddlers with reading activities, encouraging them to point to pictures and imitate sounds of an animal or repeat the word that is predictable in the text. Older toddlers will benefit from individual reading with familiar recorded books. Books that illustrate children’s favorite songs, such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” will not only allow them to practice early literacy skills but also foster competency in early language development as well as independent thinking abilities.

Conclusion Play has an essential role in human development. Through play, children create new and challenging learning experiences that help them acquire skills in social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical developmental domains that they could not master in any other way. Practitioners need to be sensitive and responsive to young children’s clues in order to determine when to initiate play or when to observe, when to provide developmental enhancement with props and toys, and when to rearrange the environment or provide space in order to enhance play. Ultimately, with an environment that supports play, as well as with parents’ and practitioners’ encouragement, children will reach their optimum level of development.

ResourcesElkind, D. (2008). Power of play. American Journal of Play,

1(1), 1-6.Frost, J. L. (1998, June). Neuroscience, play, and child

development. Paper presented at the IPA/USA Triennial National Conference, Longmont, CA.

Geist, E. (2009). Infants and toddlers exploring mathematics. Young Children, 64(3), 39-41.

Hoorn, J., Nourot, P. M., Scales, B., & Alward, K. R. (2015). Play at the center of the curriculum. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Paul, K. E. (2014). Baby play supports infant and toddler social emotional development. Young Children, 69(1), 8-14.

Sylwester, R. (1995). A celebration of neurons: An educator’s guide to the human brain. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Trawick-Smith, J. (2014). Early childhood development a multicultural perspective (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

early years bulletin, spring 2015

Documents