Infants and toddlers learn and grow by experiencing the world around them. How they learn is imperative to how early childhood educators support them through the classroom, their communication, and their routines. In Cognitive Development in Infants and Toddlers, the successful participant will learn how infants and toddlers develop cognitively and how to support them in this brief and blossoming stage in their life.

1. Cognitive Development in Infants &
Toddlers
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2. Learning Objectives
• Identify the role responsive caregiving plays in Cognitive
development
• Support the development of problem solving skills
• Identify the role imitation and make believe play have in
contributing to cognitive development
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3. An Infant’s and Toddler’s Job
• Make sense of the world
• Learn to communicate fully
• Discover and develop all bodily powers
• Understand how everything works
• Deeply connect with people

4. Goals
Age Curriculum
Infants Exploring Everything
Toddlers Mastering Movement

7. Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development
Age Developmental Stage
Birth – 2 Years Sensorimotor
2-7 Years Preoperational
• Large blocks of free-play time
• Provide real world experiences
• Plan open-ended activities
• Ask open-ended questions

8. Sensorimotor
• Taste
• Smell
• Hearing
• Vision
• Touch
• Proprioceptive
• Vestibular

9. Sensory Classroom
• Sand/Water Table or activities everyday
• Art – paint, clay, foam
• Heavy work
• Gross motor
• Small work
• Outdoors everyday
• Cooking

11. Supporting Development
• Daily Routine
• Environment
• Interactions

12. Daily Routines/Schedules
• Consistent and predictable
• Routines, not schedules
• Meet individual needs
• Blocks of child choice play
• Flexible
• Limit transitions

13. Infant Daily Routine
• Unique needs
• Individualize
• Many opportunities for movement
• Open ended play
• The Outdoors are important

14. Toddler/Twos Daily Routine
• Opportunities for movement
• Group activities should be no longer than 5
minutes.
• Allow children time to fully experience
activities
• Transition signals (a song, a chime)
• Consistent order of events

15. Infant Environment
• Create a ‘YES’ environment
• Sight and sound supervision
• Adult seating
• Consider all 5 senses
• Multiple places to be – that feel
different when you are there

16. Environments
12-24 Months
• Loosely organized centers
• Sensory
• Art
• Music
• Dramatic play
• Large motor
• Variety of accessible materials
• Reasonable quantities
• Small spaces/quiet places
• Labels with photos

17. Environments
24-36 Months
• Clearly defined learning centers
• Music/Movement
• Art/Sensory
• Manipulatives/Math
• Language/Library
• Blocks/Cars
• Labels with photos and words
• Small spaces
• Cozy corners

18. Interactions
• Let them say “no”
• Set clear expectations
• Be honest
• Give realistic choices
• Provide attention and affection
• Allow space to explore

20. Let them do it!

21. Conclusion
• Q&A
• Best Practices
• Action Plan