First Feelings: The Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers

1. First Feelings: The Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers Presented by: Karen Lynn Poff, Senior Extension Agent Virginia Cooperative Extension

2. Self-Regulation and Interest in the World (Birth to 3 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • able to calm down • sleeps regularly • brightens to sights • brightens to sounds • enjoys touch • enjoys movement in space

3. Case Study: Tommy Normal sounds in the home and the child care center bother Tommy (2 months old). These sounds cause Tommy to cry a lot. How could you, as the child care provider, help Tommy calm down and better handle the situation. Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Tommy.

4. When wooed, increasingly (but still only sometimes): Falling in Love (2 to 7 Months) • looks at you with a special, joyful smile • gazes at you with great interest • smiles in response to your voice • smiles in response to your face • makes sounds back as you talk

5. Case Study: Kathy Kathy's child care provider usually interacts with Kathy (4 months old) by singing to the baby along with using finger plays and lots of hand movement. Kathy often cries when the provider tries to engage her, which frustrates the provider. How can the caregiver "woo" Kathy effectively to encourage her to enjoy the interaction (and cry less)? Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Kathy.

6. Developing Intentional Communication (3 to 10 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes) responds to: • your gestures with gestures • your voice with baby’s voice • your facial expressions with an emotional response • pleasure or joy with pleasure • encouragement to explore with curiosity

7. Developing Intentional Communication (3 to 10 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes) initiates: • interactions (looks for you to respond) • joy and pleasure (woos you) • comforting (reaches to be held) • exploration and assertiveness (explores your face or examines a new toy)

8. Case Study: Jodi Jodi (6 months old) likes to play alone. She does not really reach out to her caregivers emotionally or communicate her needs. She "marches to the beat of her own drum," not seeming to be interested in being involved with another person. How can Jodi's child care provider effectively encourage her to communicate? Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Jodi.

9. The Emergence of an Organized Sense of Self (9 to 18 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • initiates a complex behavior pattern • uses complex behavior to establish closeness • uses complex behavior to explore and be assertive • plays in a focused, organized manner on own

10. The Emergence of an Organized Sense of Self (9 to 18 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • examines toys or objects to see how they work • responds to limits • recovers from anger after a few minutes • able to use objects in a semi-realistic manner • seems to know how to get you to react

11. Case Study: Andrew Andrew (15 months old) often has “fragmented” behavior. He may point to an object, but does not follow through with getting it or bringing it to the caregiver. He may grunt as if he wants something, but then not follow through with making his wishes clear. Since it is often difficult for the caregiver to know what he wants, she is often frustrated with him. How can the child care provider teach or encourage Andrew to organize his actions and take initiative to get his needs meet? Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Andrew.

12. Creating Emotional Ideas(18 to 36 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • engages in pretend play with others • engages in pretend play alone • makes designs with blocks or other materials • uses words or complex gestures to express needs or feelings

13. Creating Emotional Ideas(18 to 36 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • uses words or gestures to ask for closeness • uses words or gestures to explore, be assertive, and/or curious • able to recover from anger or temper tantrum and be cooperative and organized (after 5 or 10 minutes)

14. Creating Emotional Ideas(18 to 36 Months) Later in stage and throughout the next, increasingly (but still only sometimes): • uses your help and some toys to play pretend/nurturing roles • uses your help and some toys to play pretend/assertiveness, curiosity, or exploration • pretend play becomes more complex with sequences of action • spatial designs become more complex

15. Case Study: Joey Joey (24 months old) has mastered all of the previous stages. He is organized and uses objects the way they are intended. He lets his caregiver know what he needs. He plays well alone and sometimes with others, but his play does not have any emotional components. How can the child care provider help him put emotions into his play? Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Joey.

16. Emotional Thinking(30 to 48 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • knows what is real and what isn’t • follows rules • remains calm and focused • feels optimistic and confident • realizes how behavior, thoughts, and feelings can be related to consequences

17. Emotional Thinking(30 to 48 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • realizes relationship of feelings, behavior, and consequences in terms of being close to another person • realizes relationship of feelings, behavior, and consequences in terms of assertiveness, curiosity, and exploration

18. Emotional Thinking(30 to 48 Months) Increasingly (but still only sometimes): • realizes relationship of feelings, behavior, and consequences in terms of anger (can often respond to limits) • interacts in socially appropriate ways with adults • interacts in socially appropriate ways with peers

19. Case Study: Sarah Sarah (36 months old) likes to play. But she shies away from assertive or aggressive play. She does not seem comfortable with aggression and does not put her anger into words or put her words into feelings. Because of this, she often has temper tantrums. How can the child care provider help her to become more comfortable with assertiveness and anger? Come up with as many ways as you can think of to work with and encourage Sarah.