1. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
What Does a Young Child Need?
What is the Caregiver’s Role?
Lessons That Last
Caregiver Hints
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Early Childhood Programs
Early Childhood Resources
Car Seat Information
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

2. What Does a Young Child Need?
EVERYTHING…
Assistance to meet
Physical Needs:
Food
Clothing
Cleanliness
Shelter
Safety / protection
Play
Emotional Needs:
Security
Care
Nurturance
Love
Hope
Social Needs:
Interact with caregiver and others, including children the same age
Opportunity to play with others

3. What Does a Young Child Need? continued
Psychological Needs:
Know he/she is important to the caregiver
Learn who he/she is
Develop a positive self esteem
Cognitive Needs:
Read to the child
Build language skills. Talk with the child, even when they are too young to know all you are saying.
Play with the child

4. What is the Role of the Caregiver?
The caregiver is the significant person who meets the child’s needs on an ongoing basis.
Provides love, care, and nurturance for the child.
Makes sure the child is safe
and healthy.
Engages the child in play, conversation, singing, and activities that expand learning.

5. Lessons that Last a Lifetime
Young children learn from infancy about the world.
Many of the lessons are taught by the caregiver.
Some of these lessons relate to...

6. TRUST The Infant Knows His/Her Needs will be Met
It is vital to babies under one year to develop a sense of trust; knowing the caregiver will meet their needs.
Trust is born from having the baby’s needs met by a consistent caregiver.

7. INDEPENDENCE The Young Child Explores and Learns What He/She Can Do
The caregiver provides a safe environment with supervision and encouragement for the child to explore.
Exercise their will and learn self-control.
Desires to test independence.
Walking is step toward independence...

8. INITIATIVE Young Child Takes Action When He/She Feels Capable and Confident to Do New Things
Preschoolers begin to imagine
Learn skills through play
Increase in ability to follow directions
Gain new skills
Feel capable to learn

9. Caregiver Hints HAVE FUN... Things to do together:
Talk (even to a baby)
Read books daily
Play with blocks, balls, trikes, puppets, and more
Draw (big crayons)
Teach a song
HAVE FUN...

10. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Refers to behavioral indicators that show that a child is not developing at a normal range. These behaviors are areas of concern when they are seen consistently over a period of time.
Some children are “early bloomers”
and others may be delayed
in some areas but still within
the normal range of development.

11. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Infants under 6 months:
Failure to gain weight
Unable to make eye contact or follow objects
Failure to hold head up
Failure to hold on with hands
No response to loud sounds
Failure to show anticipatory behavior at feeding
Lack of interest in social stimuli
Does not grasp or reach for objects
Tight muscles or muscles appear stiff

12. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Infants 9 to 12 months -
Does not gain weight
Lack of affect
Not able to say single words, such as “mama”
Does not look at caregiver for social cues or comfort
Does not crawl
Cannot stand when supported
Does not use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
Does not search for object that are hidden while s/he watches

13. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Toddler 18 to 24 months-
No speech
Excessive body rocking
Sleep disturbance
Out of the ordinary play
Withholding and other bowel problems
Retarded development or persistent regression

14. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Three-Year-Olds -
Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs
Persistent drooling or very unclear speech
Inability to build a tower of more than four blocks
Difficulty manipulating small objects
Inability to communicate in three word sentences
No involvement in “pretend” play
Little interest in other children

15. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Four-Year-Olds -
Cannot throw a ball overhand
Cannot jump in place
Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and finger
Has difficulty scribbling
Shows no interest in interactive games
Ignores other children
Resists dressing, sleeping, using the toilet
Does not use sentences of more than three words
Cannot copy a circle
Lashes out with no self control whenever angry or upset

16. Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
Five-Year-Olds -
Extremely fearful or timid
Extremely aggressive
Easily distracted and unable to concentrate on a single activity for more than five minutes
Shows little interest in playing with other children
Severely unhappy or sad much of the time
Seems unusually passive
Cannot talk about daily activities
Has trouble taking off clothing
Cannot wash and dry his/her hands

17. What to Do When Red Flag Alerts are Noted?
Have the young child evaluated by the child’s pediatrician.
Obtain input from the childcare center professional.
Request a developmental assessment.

18. Early Childhood Education Programs Components of Quality Childcare Programs
Care center is licensed
Care provider is caring and focused on the needs of every child
Number and ages of children allow for good childcare practice
Area is clean and SAFE
Foods are nutritious
Equipment is appropriate to care for the child’s age
Toys and activities are appropriate for the child’s development
A routine is established for rest and play

19. Early Childhood Programs
HEAD START
Federally funded to serve children 3.9 years
Some communities have programs beginning for young children as early as months.
Services available at NO COST
3.5 hour daily programs - Monday through Friday
Lunch and snacks provided

20. Features of HEAD START Programs:
Assessment screening for special needs
Speech therapy
Developmental milestones, etc.
Emphasis on school readiness
Literacy Development
Field trips
Provide family support services
In home visits
Parenting classes
Individual Education Plan developed for each child
Assistance transition to a new school

21. Early Childhood Resources
Developmental Milestones Guide STONES%20BLUE.htm
Early Head Start -National Resource Center
Head Start Programs Los Angeles County Site Locator:
Department of Children and Family Services Public Website

22. ALL YOUNG CHILDREN MUST BE BUCKLED IN A CAR SEAT for EVERY RIDE
Birth - 1 year, under 22 pounds must be in rear-facing child safety seat, 5-point belt harness is best
1 to 6 years of age, under 60 pounds, forward-facing child safety seat, 5-point belt harness is best