Spaces for Learning and Growing Captivating, Creative—and Inexpensive— Environments for Infants and Toddlers Based Upon the ITERS-R

What Matters Most When Caring for Infants and Toddlers?  Basic Sense of Trust  Ample Opportunities to Explore  Ample Opportunities to Move  Ample Interactions with Language  Ample Opportunities to Touch Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

Basic Assumptions to Insure Excellence in Environments  The environment should be modeled after a home and not a preschool classroom!  Child care settings for babies and toddlers are places to live and learn  The experience of the parents is as important as the experience of children Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

Excellent programs know that all interactions and explorations count Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

Good programs serve the entire family and do not exclude parents from any aspect of it. Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

Quality environments are tailored to fit the child and family… And not built so that parent and child fit into the environment Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

We design our own home environments carefully… We must do the same for the infants and toddlers in our care! Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

Quality Infant and Toddler Environments Contain or the Children Have Access To: Phoenix Children's Academy Family of Schools

References American Academy of Pediatrics / American Public Health Association. (2002). Caring For Our Children: National Health & Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs Second Edition Burchinal, M. R., Nabors, L., Bryant, D., & Roberts, J. (1996). Quality of center infant care and infant cognitive, language and social development. Child Development, 67, Greenman, J., Stonehouse, A., & Schweikert, G. (2008) Prime Times: A Handbook for Excellence in Infant and Toddler Programs. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press Harms, T., Cryer, D., & Clifford, R. (2006). Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (Rev. ed.). New York: Teachers College Press. Isbell, C. & Isbell, R. (2003). The Complete Learning Spaces Book for Infants and Toddlers. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, Inc. Mississippi Head Start Collaboration Office. (2010). Mississippi early learning guidelines for infants and toddlers. Jackson, MS