Simple Steps: Developmental Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year Olds

Open the door to teaching infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds successfully with these 300 activities linked to the latest development in child development. Observe what children are already doing, then give them varied opportunities to develop at their own pace. Simple Steps outlines a typical development sequence in ten domains: social/emotional, fine motor, gross motor, language, cognitive, sensory, nature, music and movement, creativity, and dramatic play. Chapters on appropriate curriculum development and creating a positive learning environment are also included. The activities offer children the opportunity to practice new skills in a developmentally appropriate way.

• The Heart of the Matter: Social and Emotional Development
• Let's Talk: Language Development and Early Literacy
• Busy Little Hands: Fine Motor Development
• Go, Go, Go!: Gross Motor Development
• Let Me Think About It: Cognitive Development
• Make a Joyful Noise: Music and Movement Development
• Getting in Touch with the World: Sensory Development
• A Sense of Wonder: Nature Activities
• Making Your Mark on the World: Creative Development
• Let's Pretend: Dramatic Play Development
• Playing and Learning: How to Set up a Positive Learning Environment
• Teaching and Coaching: Behavior of Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds in Groups
• Meeting the Needs of Children: Curriculum Development
• Becoming Partners: Working with Parents

Karen Miller has worked in early childhood education for more than 30 years. She has held a wide variety of positions, including classroom teacher and parent coordinator for Head Start, director of four different child care centers, regional and national training and education director for two national child care organizations, and early childhood education editor for Scholastic Inc.'s Early Childhood Division. She was also a contributing editor for Child Care Information Exchange, writing a regular column called "Caring for the Little Ones," focusing on infants and toddlers. Karen earned her master's degree in human development from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California.

ISBN: 978-0-876592-04-5