The document discusses perceptual and motor development in infants and toddlers. It covers how sensory development and motor skills progress from birth to age 3 as children gain increasing control over their large and small muscles. Fine motor skills like grasping and coarse motor abilities like crawling and walking emerge according to general developmental milestones. Caregivers are encouraged to provide opportunities for active physical play and exploration to support all areas of development.

1. Perceptual and Motor Development California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations (2009) Teaching Strategies, CDA Training (1999) Feeny, Christensen, Moravcik (2001) Who Am I in the Lives of Children

2. Physical Curriculum The body is a young child’s connection to the world Sensory and motor development have to come first Sensory Development Large Muscle Development Small Muscle Development

3. Perception Process of taking in, organizing, and interpreting sensory information Multiple sensory inputs contribute to motor responses Strong relationship between perception and motor development California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, 2009

4. Perceptual Development Infants distinguish features of the environment Perceive commonalities and differences between objects Explore objects differently depending up features – weight, texture, sound, rigidity Exhibits “exploratory behavior” Strongly related to the social-emotional domain California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, 2009

5. Perceptional Development Foundation The developing ability to become aware of the social and physical environment through the senses. 8 months – use senses to explore objects and people in the environment 18 months – use information received from the senses to change the way they interact with the environment 36 months – quickly and easily use the information received from the senses to change the way they interact with the environment. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, 2009

6. Sensory Development Kinesthetic sense: movement and position Auditory sense: hearing Sense of touch Skin - Organ of touch Need human touch Sense of Smell Sense of Taste

7. Jean Piaget Stages of Cognitive Development Sensorimotor Stage Birth to two Objects exist outside of their visual field - object permanence Learn strictly through sensory experience within their environment KINESTHETIC

8. Motor Development Changes in children’s ability to control their body’s movements From infants’ first spontaneous waving and kicking movements To control of reaching, locomotion, and complex sports skills Motor development influenced by: Environment Social development Child’s Interest in exploration California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, 2009

9. What is Motor Development? Gradually gaining control over large and small muscles. Gross Motor Skills sitting, crawling, walking, running, throwing Fine Motor Skills holding, pinching, flexing fingers and toes Coordination Coordinate large and small muscles Use senses - sight, sound, and touch

10. Gross Motor Foundation The developing ability to move the large muscles 8 months – demonstrate the ability to maintain their posture in a sitting position and to shift between sitting and other positions 18 months – move from one place to another by walking and running with basic control and coordination 36 months – move with ease, coordinating movements and performing a variety of movements

11. Large Muscle Movement Gross motor skills Development of arms, legs, and torso Develop strength and endurance Retain flexibility Develop coordination and agility Provide pleasurable play situations Play with children Creative movement Exercise Provide balls, equipment, materials, and activities for ALL children

12. Fine Motor Foundation The developing ability to move the small muscles 8 months – children easily reach for and grasp things and use eyes and hands to explore objects actively 18 months – are able to hold small objects in one hand and sometimes use both hands together to manipulate objects 36 months – coordinate the fine movements of the fingers, wrists, and hands to skillfully manipulate a wide range of objects and materials in intricate ways; often use one hand to stabilize an object while manipulating it.

13. Small Muscle Movement Infants – feel, grasp, and manipulate Leads to competent use of tools Fine motor activities Build control, agility, strength, coordination hands fingers wrists arms

14. Small Muscle Movement Time, practice, and experience required Sensory and muscular interplay Hand-eye coordination Coordination of two hands Controlled use of hands and fingers Sensitive to individual differences Cutting, writing, drawing, hole punches, tongs, tweezers, staplers, etc.

15. Developmental Domains Linked with each other - interrelated and interdependent Linked to other factors: Culture Social relationships Experience Physical health Mental health Brain functioning

16. Developmental Charts Show development “unfolding in a smooth upward progression toward mastery” Reality - “development of individual children does not follow a smooth trajectory.” Infants actively adapt to varying circumstances and new tasks Development influenced by cultural and historical factors. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, 2009

17. Developmental Milestones The Whold Child – PBS http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/abc/ Physical Development - http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/abc/physical.html Medline Plus - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002348.htm The Baby Center Milestone Charts - http://www.babycenter.com/milestone-charts-birth-to-age-3

18. A Child’s First Three Years Learn to control body muscles Practice physical skills they will use for the rest of their lives Need opportunities to learn and practice Use senses to understand the world around them – sight, sound, touch Important for developing self-esteem.

19. Young Infants Do not have control over how they move Some kicking, squirming, wiggling is random, without purpose Reflexive movements – automatic Begin to gain control over how they move Develop at different rates Follow head to toe general pattern Gross motor skills come before fine motor skills Lift Head Sit Crawl Walk

20. From Newborn to 18 Months Eye-hand coordination Bringing hands to mouth Reaching for things Letting go of things Moving a toy from one hand to another Grasping things with fingers and thumbs Make physical contact with a piece of their world A sight and sound of a rattle, bell, book Crawlers feel soft rug, hard floor, sponge pillows New walkers discover places, things, toys

21. Toddlers Wide range of large and small muscle skills Walk, run, climb, and squat Move about without their hands to support themselves Begin to throw and catch Hop and jump Gain control of bladder and bowel muscles

22. Toddler Fine Motor Skills Fit pieces into simple puzzle Build with blocks Pour juice from a pitcher Hands free to touch, lift, grasp, push, etc. May show preference for right/left hand Reach for objects Use eating utensils Turn pages of book Pretend to write Draw and paint

23. Three-Year-Olds Gross Motor Skills Usually sure and nimble on their feet Walk, run, turn sharp corners with ease Often hold arms out to their sides for balance Walk up stairs using alternate feet Jump from stairs and land on both feet Gallop and dance to music Hop several times in a row on one foot Walk along a line made of tape Push and pedal tricycles and swing Throw, catch, and kick large balls

24. Three-Year-Olds Fine Motor Skills Prefer gross motor activities Gaining control of fingers, hands, wrists Family-style meals good for active participation – using spoons to serve, etc. Have learned to dress themselves Can wash own hands String beads, build towers with blocks, play with puzzles, use scissors, Hold crayons and scribble Explore through playdough, sand, water, clay

25. Caregivers Role Schedule time for active play everyday Help and encourage children when they are learning new skills. Encourage children to use large and small muscles in a coordinated way Help develop awareness of rhythm for coordination Encourage children to use all senses to explore size, shape, volume, etc. Give children time to practice new skills.

26. Environment Set up room so infants have freedom and opportunities to explore safely Use materials and equipment that require children to use large muscles Play indoor and outdoor non-competitive games with children Encourage development of self-help skills Plan increasingly difficult activities using large muscles – moving objects, furniture

27. Materials Use materials that require children to use small muscles Give infants opportunities to develop small muscles like grasping, pulling, dropping, fingering Encourage self-help skills – dressing, eating Plan activities – fingerplays, cooking, etc.