INFANT & TODDLER EARLY LEARNING CALENDAR

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1 Agency Information Find the nearest public library and storytime: What resources are there in the county to help my child develop and be ready for school? Looking for child care options? Learn about Kentucky's voluntary, four-star quality-rating system for child care programs: chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dcc/stars/ Agency Information I m a first time parent with a child under 3 months of age: programs/ece/every-- child-succeeds Is there a program that will teach me how to prepare my 3-4 year old child for school? programs/ece/hippy x 2012 My birth-3 year old may have a developmental delay: chfs.ky.gov/dph/ firststeps My child is medically fragile and cannot attend a typical daycare: INFANT & TODDLER EARLY LEARNING CALENDAR Need help paying for child care? childcarecouncilofky.com Where can I find information about mental health services? I need help supporting myself and my family: x 2602 This Early Learning Calendar was developed by the Boone County Community Early Childhood Council (BC-CECC). It is filled with a year s worth of tips and activities to help you prepare your infant or toddler for success in school and beyond.

2 January You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Children learn about talking and communicating by interacting with others. When your baby cries, pick her up and tell her how much you love her. Hold a bold colored rattle/toy up for your baby to reach for. Show and encourage your child to turn the pages while reading a book. Talk about the emotions of characters in stories. Attend a storytime at your local library. Gently rub and touch your baby and tell him how much you love him. Keeping routines for everyday tasks will help your child feel safe and secure. Sort laundry with your child by color. Let your baby explore something messy like yogurt, pudding, or Jello while sitting in the high chair. Be truly present with your child by putting down the electronics. Gently rock your baby and dance with him to music. Make a duct tape line and show your child how to crawl or walk along it. Feed your child meals and snacks made from fresh natural ingredients. Go on a color hunt around your home, look for several objects of the same color. Make a homemade rattle using a sealed container filled with beans, rice, or pasta. Pick up a library reading list appropriate for your child s age/development. Hold your baby and look in her eyes and smile. Make a safe obstacle course with objects for baby to crawl under, over, or through. While on a walk, talk about the different people, animals, things you see. Children learn by playing with materials in their home and at school. Show your baby how to bang on pots and pans with hands and wooden spoons. Name objects, actions and feelings in pictures and other settings. Let your baby hear new, gentle sounds, like quiet musical toys or soft bells. how to toss balls, toys, or socks into laundry basket or box. Sing a song and sway or bounce your baby gently to the rhythm in your arms.

3 February You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Play and be silly with your child. Ask a librarian for music CD suggestions. Give your child a muffin tin/egg carton for storing and sorting objects. Gather safe items of different textures to put in a treasure basket for your child to explore. Sing the alphabet song with your child twice today. Sing and act out Itsy Bitsy Spider. Communication involves speaking and listening and helps with later reading and writing. Sing soft lullabies and tell your baby nursery rhymes. Crawl around on the floor and encourage your baby to follow. Bring a large bowl of snow inside for your child to explore using hands and safe kitchen utensils. Do a fingerplay or nursery rhyme for/with your child several times. Talk about the things you see and do everyday. Use your baby s name when you dress, feed, and diaper him. Loving relationships give young children a sense of comfort, safety and confidence. Give your child a magazine to rip into pieces and crumple. Point to and name at least 7 body parts for your baby. Make a variety of silly faces for or with your baby. Take a walk and talk about what you see. Balance your baby on your knee, gently bounce or sway him up and down and side to side. Children need healthy fats in their diet so limit low fat foods unless advised by doctor. Show and encourage your child to stack objects, blocks, books, food or boxes. Make a variety of animal sounds/actions for or with your baby. Respond to your child s attempts to communicate with you. Hold your baby in front of a mirror. Talk about what he sees and how beautiful he is. Support your child on a ball, move her forward/backw ard and side to side. Give your child cups and spoons to scoop, pour, and stir with during a bath.

4 March You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Support your child s play by asking her open questions such as, Tell me about that. Sing This Little Piggy then count your baby s toes for him. Be patient and listen as your child talks to you. Look in a mirror together. Make silly faces, happy faces, mad and sad faces. Buy a set of jumbo crayons. how to hold them and make marks on large paper. While reading to your child point to and talk about the pictures on each page. Give your child a crayon and paper to make marks on while sitting with you. you are interested in what she is saying by making eye contact. Introduce your child to brief play dates with other children. how to toss, roll, kick, or bounce a ball back and forth to you. While on a walk with your child collect different items for her to keep and examine at home. Create a puppet for your child using a clean spare sock. Use single words to label and describe objects. Young children learn from listening and understand much more than they can express. Supportive relationships help children develop trust, compassion and a sense of right and wrong. Tape a paper towel roll to a wall. Give your child small items to drop through it into a bowl. Tie a string to a stuffed animal. Encourage baby to pull it towards or behind her. Line up several blocks, books, or toys. Point to and count them for/with your child. Discuss the taste and/or texture of different foods with your child. how to pretend to feed, change and care for a stuffed animal or doll. Fill a plastic bottle with water, oil and food coloring. Seal and watch your child explore. Use real words when talking to your child. Baby talk can be confusing. Allow your child to handle toddler/board books from the library. Hold your baby s hand up to wave goodbye and say, Bye-bye! After spending time away from your child tell him about your day. Give your child a bubble bath and encourage him to poke, squeeze, and pat at the bubbles.

5 April You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. It is very important to keep your child s well check appointments and immunizations up-to-date. Explore and talk about items that sink/float during bath time. Get in front of a mirror with your child and make faces. Read your child s cues. Talk when she is ready to listen. Let your child make choices about food, clothing, toys, and activities. Make a trail of sticky notes on the floor for your child to unpeel. Encourage your child to point to pictures in a book. When infants/toddlers babble and make eye contact, they are engaging with you. Copy actions, sounds, or facial expressions your child is making. Add bathtub books to your routine. Make a line using chalk or tape and show your child how to jump over it. While reading, point out several colors to your baby. Hard boil eggs and let your child help dye them. Creativity is not about being an artist, it s about exploration. Talk about the stories you read. Play Peek-aboo and Pat-a- Cake with your baby. Be playful and have fun. Put a toy on one end of a blanket and encourage your baby to pull it towards her. Have your child help sort safe household items by color or type. Cook pasta and let your child explore with his hands. Ask your toddler questions about a story and allow time to respond. Young children learn from listening and understand much more than they can express. Tell your child often how strong she is getting and what a sweet girl she is. Place a toy on one side of your baby and encourage him to reach across his body to get it. While making a meal have your child help stir, pour, measure, etc. Take pictures of your child expressing different emotions. Share and discuss them with your child. Give your child simple jobs to do.

6 May You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Teaching your child how to express her emotions will help her deal with feelings as an adult. Scatter straws and Q-tips. Show your toddler how to pick them up and put into a bottle. Point out the title, author, and illustrator of the book when reading to your child. Use gestures (waving hand for bye) and words when communicating. Spend time each day cuddling with your baby. While singing or listening to music clap to the beat with your child. Being in nature is soothing. Go outside to explore every day you are able. how to sort different small objects using a muffin tin or egg carton. While feeding your baby, talk about your day or tell him a story. When your child is ready, provide him the opportunity to scribble. When your child coos or shrieks respond right away by saying something in return. Cut a paper towel roll into sections and show your child how to string them together. Fill a large bowl with rice, beans and water and encourage your child to touch, stir, scoop and pour. Children learn by interacting with people in their lives. Talk to them! Put your child in front of a mirror close enough for her to pat at her reflection. Repeat what your child says, then add more words. When dressing your child, talk about body parts. Pants go on your legs. Socks go on your feet. Read or say several nursery rhymes with your baby. Talk to your baby about things she seems to like/dislike. You don t like that big noise, do you? Create an art center in your kitchen making art supplies easy to access. Hold your child close to your chest as you hum a soft tune or lullaby. Dance to music with your baby. Hold his hands while he bends up and down. Put crumpled wrapping paper under your baby s feet to make noise while laying down and kicking. Bang on pots, pans, boxes, or containers with your baby and count while doing so. Collect several safe items of different textures around your home for your child to explore. Copy your baby s sounds and encourage him to copy you.

7 June You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Children use sounds, gestures, movement and words to express themselves. Provide new and safe objects for your child to explore. Bring a bouncy ball to a tennis court and show your child how to toss the ball over the net. Take your baby outside to sit and touch the grass. Insert your child s name into a familiar rhyme. As your child is ready, allow her to begin feeding herself. This encourages independence. Children learn by example. Managing your emotions positively will help her do the same. Encourage outdoor play and physical activity daily. Try to limit TV watching and all screen time. Play and learning go hand-inhand. They are intertwined, not separate activities. Get a large box big enough for your child to sit and play inside or crawl through. Point out words on food boxes, signs, magazines, etc. for your child. Hide toys in a tub of bubbly water and encourage your child to find them. Place several items in a shoe box and encourage your child to add/remove objects. Crinkle and unwrap foil and let your child see and feel it without putting it into her mouth. When you move out of your child s sight, let him know where you are going. Draw a picture for your child and tell him a story about it. Label the sounds your child hears around the house. Your child may like having a little place to hide. Use a blanket or a sheet to make a tent. Comfort a crying child by talking about why he is crying. Use your baby s name in a story. Let your child help you hold and squeeze out ketchup, toothpaste, etc. Play name games with your baby. Scatter cotton balls and show your toddler how to put them in a bowl using tongs or pincher fingers. Show your child how measuring cups, bowls, etc. fit inside one another. Move away from baby. Hold up and shake a toy to get her to reach, roll, or crawl to get it. Let your child paint using large paper, child safe paints, sponges, brushes, fingers, feathers, etc.

8 July You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Lead by example and model the activity you want your child to master. Give your child simple directions to follow, like Find your tummy. Have a tea party or a picnic with your child in or outside. how to move and clap to music. Play simple games such as Hide and Seek and Chase with your toddler. Give your child scarves or ribbons to wave around while dancing to music. Find several pairs of objects (shoes, socks) and encourage your child to match them. Responding to your child s eye contact, cry or babbling, helps gain her trust. Ask your child to tell someone else about his day. Your toddler is getting big. Allow him to do things by himself. Place a toy next to baby while standing and encourage her to bend and get the toy. Take your child outside and let him look at, smell, and touch different safe plants and flowers. Lay facing your baby during tummy time and copy the sounds and/or faces she is making. Starting from birth, children learn who they are by how they are treated. Teach your child the sounds animals make. Your child loves getting hugs and kisses. Give big/little hugs and loud/soft kisses. Blow up a balloon and show your child how to hit it into the air. Read to your child. Snuggle up close, point to pictures, and talk about what you see. Add food coloring to water in a squirt bottle and let your child draw on the sidewalk. Point to and read aloud signs in your environment. Allowing your child to feed himself lets him practice handeye coordination. Your toddler needs time to move around and exercise. Go for a walk. Visit a park. Make a book of important people in your child s life and share it. After feeding your child let her help wipe the tray clean. Read and act out a story using dolls, stuffed animals, puppets or socks. Let your toddler help during mealtime by letting him set the table.

9 August You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Toys are the tools for learning. Give your toddler chalk to draw on a sidewalk with and a squirt bottle to rinse it away. Allow your child to use cookie cutters to make shapes with food. Point out new fruits or vegetables at the grocery store. Take one home to try. While reading a book to your child, talk about the emotions of the characters. Make a homemade bongo drum using a coffee, oatmeal, or butter container. Avoid too much sun. Apply sun block and put protective clothing on your child. Put a small item in a clear bottle and show your child how to turn it over to dump it out. Fill a tub or large container with water and let your child wash his toys. Label the sounds you hear around town. Let your child do more things for herself. Put a stool near the sink so she can wash her hands. Make shapes on the sidewalk with chalk and walk with your child on the lines. While giving your child a bath name all her body parts, using the proper names for them. Babies learn language best by interacting with people, not by watching videos. Sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes while pointing to each body part. Play I Spy. I spy with my little eye a big white truck. Can your child find it? Your child is learning about rules and will need reminders. Keep rules simple and consistent. Sit or lay facing your baby and slowly repeat several familiar words for him. Buy a set of jumbo crayons. Show your child how to hold them and make marks on large paper. Children s feelings about themselves and their relationships with others impact all areas of development. Let your child help you put things away. Use words like up, down, and over. Allow your child to imitate your actions. Roll down a small hill with your child. Put several balls or toys into a bowl and show your child how to scoop them out using a spoon. Sit facing your baby and stick your tongue out at him repeatedly. Encourage him to copy. Name pictures in books or magazines with your child.

10 September You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Keep your child adequately hydrated with safe drinking water. Avoid sugary and caffeinated drinks. While changing or washing your child explain every action you are doing. Make play dough for your child and teach her how to poke, pat, squeeze, and roll it. Fill one bowl with warm water and another with cold. Teach warm and cold as they explore with toys. Sing a song with hand motions ( Thumbkin, If You re Happy and You Know It ). Play Peek-a-boo while diaper changing. Children who are read to every day become more competent readers. Help your child string beads, cereal, or uncooked pasta to make a necklace. Find a large magnet and safe objects for your child to attract to it. Pretend you are an animal/object and see if your child can guess who you are. Talk about your child s body parts while applying lotion. Get down on the floor and play with your child at his level. Go to a park and go down the slide with your child and swing with them on your lap. Your child s participation in musical or art activities is important to building their language. Draw a picture of a shape and let your child color it. Write your child s name in large print. Point to and identify each letter. Tell your child funny stories about things he did as a baby. Draw circles in a line on the sidewalk and show your child how to hop from one to another. Collect hard and soft items to drop into a metal bowl/canister. Teach the words hard, soft, loud and quiet. Language development helps children build relationships and learn about the world. Ask your child to read you one of their favorite stories. Talk about the weather while on a walk with your child. Make up a song about an activity you are doing together. Race your child by crawling, walking, or running across the room or yard. Dress your child with something that has a zipper and teach her how to pull it up/down. Sing the alphabet and find books that show the alphabet.

11 October You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Children learn ways to calm themselves. Babies use fist sucking and pacifiers to manage stress. Model and label actions like clapping, waving, and blowing kisses. Make up songs about your child using her name. She will feel special and loved. Place your hands against the soles of your baby s feet while she is laying for her to push away. Let your child explore pumpkin guts. Have pretend telephone talk with your baby. While changing or washing your child explain every action you re doing. Children are curious and find entertainment in simple everyday objects, not just fancy toys. After bath or before bedtime, give your baby a gentle massage using lotion or oil. Hold your baby up behind a ball and help swing her leg to kick it. Give your child one or several sponges to explore in a large bowl of water or bathtub. Call a family member or friend and encourage your child to talk. Look through family photos and talk about the people you see. The outdoors is a great place to explore and learn more about our world. Make a pile of pillows for your child to crawl over. Ask your child to go into another room to find a familiar toy/object. Let your child explore dough using cookie cutters and other safe kitchen utensils. Expand on your toddler s words by describing objects. Let s play with the blue car. Sit your baby in front of a mirror and let her explore her reflection. Fill a wipe or tissue container with pieces of fabric and show baby how to pull them out. Avoid overstimulating your child and allow time for him to play independently. During mealtime help your child count people, plates, foods, around the table. Give your child a large piece of paper and baby foods for finger painting. Play with a simple puzzle. Name each of the pieces. Practice giving and taking a toy with your child to help him learn to release and share. Go to a pet store to let your child see all the different fish and animals.

12 November You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Music helps build listening skills needed to pay attention to sounds in words. Create a play house out of a large cardboard box. While feeding your baby talk about your day or tell a story. Fill up the kitchen sink, hold your baby up, let her splash using her feet and hands. Hide a toy under a clear pitcher or bowl and encourage your baby to get it. Make faces while telling your child the emotion you are modeling. Babies can show signs of depression (inconsolable crying, sleep problems). Routines can help. Ask your child to perform various actions on a doll-kiss, hug, feed, rock. Before putting your baby down for a nap or for the night, sing or read to him. Hit two blocks or small toys together and see if your baby will copy you. Let your child pour water through a colander or container with holes in it at the sink. Make music with common kitchen utensils like spoons or plastic containers. Tell a story without a book. Provide predictable routines and safe environments to help your child know what to expect and feel safe. Sit with your baby face to face and repeat babbling sounds. Have a conversation. how to balance on one foot without holding onto anything. Hide small toys in a large bowl of dry rice or pasta and let your child sift through to find them. Name foods during meal times. Engage with your child by singing together. Try The Wheels on the Bus. Pouring, sorting, filling and stacking support early math skills. Your baby likes to hear new sounds. Bells, whistles, and barking dogs are all interesting. Show your toddler how to hop across the room on two feet, then one foot. Find similar objects of different sizes and teach your child about big and small. Make musical instruments with an empty plastic bottle and beans or rice. Sing a familiar song omitting a word. Have your child fill in the blank. Bath time is a wonderful time to have fun and be close with your baby.

13 December You are your child's first and most important teacher. These tips and activities have been designed to help you enrich the life of your infant or toddler in just a few minutes each day. Hang this above the changing table and try doing one new activity each day or repeating any activities you or your child really enjoyed. Create routines your child can count on daily. Gently tie a soft toy around your child s ankle or wrist and encourage him to move and shake it. While feeding your baby count the bites aloud as you feed her. Retell a familiar story using toys, puppets or household objects. Play gentle tickle games with your baby. Be sure to stop when she is ready to stop. Set up small plastic cups, give your child a ball or rolled up sock, and show him how to bowl. It s never too early to begin reading to your child. While on a walk with your child talk about staying out of the street and stopping to look at corners. Give your child a book with different textures to feel and explore. Talk about whatever your child is currently looking at. Create a silly voice and tell stories with your child s favorite stuffed animal. Play Ring around the Rosie. Visit the library and spend time reading with your child. Children with healthy social and emotional skills do well in school and in life. Put finger paint in a zip lock bag and let your baby squish the bag in his hands. Share a rhyme more than once. Be truly present with your child by putting down the electronics. Sit facing your child and hold her hands. Rock back and forth and sing Row, Row, Row, Your Boat. Attend a storytime at your local library. Leaving shoes at the door prevents harmful chemicals and germs from being carried in and onto the floor where your child plays. Let your child ask for something before you provide it to her. Play with your baby and enjoy the time you have with him. Get a hula hoop and show your child how to roll and toss it, and lay it on the ground and jump into it. Write the words your child uses most often, keep them on the refrigerator and read them to your child. Display your child s art and praise his creativity. Teach the meaning of new words found in books.