WNY Infant Toddler Resource Network

Dumping! How many times I've visited programs with adults exasperated with this common behavior from older infants and toddlers.

This "Tuesday Tip" aims to shift your focus from one of being frustrated to one of being impressed with the learning that is taking place during this phase.

First, this is a phase. Patience will go along way here and this 12-24 month group will not dump forever.

Next, dumping is actually a behavior that tells us much about how a child is learning. Concepts such as cause and effect, gravity, sensory feedback, and motor development are all being refined during this phase.

Finally, find ways to support this very normal phase of development.
✔Limit many bins of toys that can be dumped but still provide a few items such as soft blocks, a few small balls, or snap lock beads.
✔Rotate your toys to prevent boredom which can increase the desire to dump.
✔Try to redirect dumping vs reprimanding it. Join the child with the dumped toys and show them how to roll the balls, or stack the blocks, or make a string of beads together. Often times this group just hasn't had an opportunity to experience these items yet.

Remember this is a NORMAL phase of development not misbehavior. Enjoy the moment.

This "Milestone Monday" we are focusing on sensory integration, the child's ability to use sight, hearing, smell, touch, proprioception and vestibular function to respond to the world around them.

Infants and toddlers NEED sensory experiences. Some may respond with zest, others with caution depending on the experience. But if you have a very wiggly group of toddlers who are mouthing your toys, climbing your furniture and maybe even tasting their friends, odds are they need more sensory input.

Offer messy play (water, paint, sand, mud, playdough, etc.)
Go outside! Listen, feel, smell, move in nature.
Dance, jump, twirl, jiggle with your 2's (the more their bodies move, the better)
Provide object that are heavy, that can be pushed, pulled, dragged or carried.

These types of experiences will continue to foster brain development and support emotional regulation.

Toddlers challenge rules and routines. It is part of the very fabric that makes them a toddler. In order to learn cultural norms, develop a sense of self, and negotiate routines, toddlers need adult support to navigate this phase of development.

Our thoughts on this Thursday have us curious about changing the way we interpret these moments with young children. If we begin to develop an understanding that toddlers are learning through their behavior then can we begin to respond in a way that teaches skills vs punishing what we interpret as misbehavior?

That toddler that just snatched a toy and made another child sad, didn't expect that outcome. They simply wanted the toy. (egocentric phase) A calm adult can intervene, soothe hurt feelings and help 2's use language to ask for something they want. It takes time, practice and a willingness to wait for the skill to develop.

We challenge you as move through this week to change your perspective and begin to see your role as one that supports development vs manages behaviors.

This "Work Together Wednesday" we are sharing a little bit about our Infant Toddler Network here in WNY. Did you know we have an Infant Toddler Specialist located in each of the 8 counties of WNY? Our ITS are ready to assist you with high quality environments, training needs, supporting development in children birth to 3 and more!

This "Tuesday Tip" is focused on integrating science into your infant and toddler curriculum. If you're like me, science can be an intimidating subject, but once you begin to simplify your thinking, it turns out science with the 0-3 group is pretty fun!

Let's start simple.
🔆Go outside! What do you hear, smell, see, feel? Observe. Talk about it. Use lots of descriptive language.

🐦Have a window close by? Hang toddler-made bird feeders and see what interesting animals show up.

Ready to up your game?
💦Dump/scoop/fill. Water is always the safest bet. But toddlers do well with sand and clean soil as well. Avoid food or materials that cause a choking hazard such as beans, noodles or water beads.

🎨Go one step further and add sand to your finger paint or place down bubble wrap and finger paint with baby soap. Contact paper taped down with the sticky side up can offer extended play with various materials to adhere. These sensory experiences offer opportunities to build little ones science vocabulary.

This "Milestone Monday" we are taking a look at small motor development.

By about 8 months you will begin to notice babies using their pincher grasp more and more. (grabbing items with their thumb and index finger) First came a full hand grasp during 3-6 months of development and now those muscles are becoming even more refined.

Babies this age are ready for new and more complex experiences. Busy boxes and nesting toys, squishy balls and soft books offer baby the opportunity to still grasp but go even a step further to begin developing skills that they will one day use to write their name.

Self feeding becomes more efficient too with this new skill. Small pieces of banana, cheerios and cooked pasta can make mealtime more engaging at this stage.

And while the fine motor skills of infants this age are advancing, so too are their gross motor skills. Babies this age are becoming more mobile by crawling. Be sure to keep play spaces free of small objects (lint, staples, pushpins, small stones, etc.) Get down on the ground so you can see what baby may see as well.

This "Fine Motor Friday" we are focusing on making manipulatives a high priority in your learning environments. According to the Help Me Grow WNY Regional Dashboard, 13% of children fell in the monitoring zone and 8% in the intervention zone for fine motor skills on ASQ-3 developmental screenings. This data suggests we can be doing more to support small motor development in the 0-3 age group.

Completing an Environmental Rating Scale Assessment (ITERS or FCCERS) can be a great way to determine if your learning environment is meeting the developmental needs of the children you are caring for. Stacking cups, shape sorters, chunky puzzles, bead mazes, crayons/markers, rattles, and musical instruments are just a few of the items meant to support small motor development.

Want to know more about completing an ERS for you licensed or register program in WNY? Give us a call!

This "Work Together Wednesday" we are focusing on "sense of self"; the personal development of the infant and toddler to develop self-awareness, confidence, preferences, family pride and positive social identity.

Internally programs can do this by:
📌providing mirrors for babies and toddlers
📌acknowledging and allowing for individual preferences, even when they prefer to sit out of an activity
📌allowing the expression of feelings (even the tough ones)
📌model positive self talk

Finally, create an environment that reflects the culture of many families. You can invite families to share a family photo that can be used to create a display in your environment. These displays encourage language development, personal pride and an emotional connection to home.

This "Milestone Monday" we are focusing on infant language development. Infants learn about speech patterns, social cues, and emotional expression all from direct interaction with adults.

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Supporting Language Development: 3–6 Months

Between 3 and 6 months, your baby becomes more vocal and engaged in communication.

You may start to hear cooing, babbling, and playful sounds as they experiment with their voice.

Responding to these sounds helps your baby learn that communication is a two-way exchange.

Pause after you speak, giving them time to “answer” back.

Make eye contact and exaggerate facial expressions to help them connect words with emotions.

Talking through your daily routines continues to build familiarity with language.

Simple games like peek-a-boo or copying their sounds encourage interaction and turn-taking.

Reading books with bright pictures and simple words supports early language recognition.

Singing songs with rhythm and repetition helps strengthen listening and memory skills.

Your tone, expression, and responsiveness matter more than the words themselves at this stage.

These consistent, loving interactions lay the groundwork for future speech and communication.

Every coo, smile, and sound is a step forward in your baby’s language journey.

Come join us!

Today is the FINAL DAY to purchase your tickets to Springtime in the City! 🎫🤩🌸 Visit https://wnychildren.org/civicrm/event/info/?id=7620 to register.

We can't wait to celebrate Child Care Professionals with our community next week!👏