Course Outline for Early Childhood Development 67
Infant and Toddler Development and Caregiving

Effective: Fall 2023
SLO Rev: 02/27/2019
Catalog Description:

ECD 67 - Infant and Toddler Development and Caregiving

3.00 Units

A study of infants and toddlers from preconception to 36 months including physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional growth and development. Applies theoretical frameworks to interpret behavior and interactions between heredity and environment. Examination of best practices, responsive caregiving techniques, environments, infant/toddler learning foundations, health, safety, and licensing requirements.
Prerequisite: ECD 56.
1305.90 - Infants and Toddlers*
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Total 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Describe the theories, characteristics and sequences of typical and atypical infant and toddler development with emphasis on best practices and individual, familial, and cultural differences;
  2. summarize the developmental milestones, characteristics, and growth patterns, including language development of children from conception through 36 months;
  3. analyze the multiple contextual influences on infant and toddler development including diverse family practices;
  4. use current research to explain a variety of developmental issues in the first three years;
  5. evaluate biological and environmental factors that influence preconception and prenatal health and development;
  6. link neurobiological processes to infant and toddler development;
  7. connect observed behaviors of infants and toddlers to developmental concepts and theories in the developmental domains of physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional;
  8. describe responsive caregiving practices and the elements of quality environments for infants/toddlers that enhance their optimum development;
  9. develop a written plan, using observations and infant/toddler learning foundations, to implement curriculum for child's individual needs;
  10. describe behaviors of caregivers that model respectful communication, pro-social behavior and facilitate the development of empathy in infants and toddlers;
  11. apply the principles of infant/toddler development to create safe and healthy environments which meet licensing requirements and are responsive to the needs of individual children;
  12. describe strategies for maintaining respectful relationships, communication, and interactions with families within a cultural context;
  13. analyze qualities of team approach, collaboration, communication, professional and ethical behaviors in infant/toddler environments.
Course Content:
  1. Theories, research, and principles of infant/toddler development
    1. Theories and current research
    2. Sequence of development in social, emotional, cognitive, language, motor and perceptual skills 
    3. Prenatal development and birth
      1. Preconception influences
      2. Conception
      3. Prenatal development
      4. Birth
    4. Influences on growth patterns
    5. Milestones for typically developing children 
    6. Brain development
    7. Violence in the Lives of Infants/Toddlers
      1. Violence in the home– physical and psychological effects on development
      2. Trauma in early childhood
    8. Signs of atypical development and “at risk” infants/toddlers
    9. Theories of attachment and separation
    10. Temperament and individual uniqueness
    11. Theories of language development
    12. Theories of social and emotional development
  2. Principles of responsive caregiving 
    1. Establishing relationships
    2. Respect of the infant/toddler as an individual
    3. Building  trust and attachment
    4. Daily routines as a foundation for positive communication
    5. Meeting individual needs in group care
    6. Continuity of care, primary caregiving, small group size and ratio
    7. Early intervention and inclusion of atypically developing infants/toddlers
    8. Caregiving practices that reflect cultural perspectives    
  3. Developmental milestones and growth patterns birth-36 months
    1. Brain development and critical periods
    2. Physcial development
    3. Cognitive development and information processing
    4. Sensorimotor stages
    5. Language development
  4. Infant/toddler learning foundations
    1. Learning and development integrated across all domains
    2. Using daily routines and schedules as an educational experience
    3. Facilitating infant/toddler learning through play
      1. Preparing the environment 
      2. Appropriate toys, materials and activities    
    4. Facilitating language and communication
    5. Multi-language learning
    6. Encouraging infant’s/toddler’s natural cognitive curiosity
    7. Facilitating development of motor and perceptual skills
    8. Identifying challenging behaviors and implementing positive guidance strategies to develop pro-social behavior            
  5. Observation of infants/toddlers 
    1. Techniques for observations 
    2. Documenting development
    3. Using observation documentation to assess individual infant's/toddler's development and their environment 
  6. Components of a safe, healthy indoor and outdoor environment for infants/toddlers 
    1. Policies and procedures that protect health, and safety of infants, toddlers and adults which reflect current best practices
    2. Nutrition and meals for infant/toddlers
    3. Universal precautions, diapering, hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and emergency procedures
    4. Recognizing signs of abuse in the non-verbal child
    5. Community Care licensing regulations
  7. Family relationships and interactions
    1. Family as the primary relationship in the young child's life 
    2. Understanding similarities and differences in families within a cultural context
    3. Maintaining confidential communication 
    4. Family goals, values and cultural background 
    5. Building respectful relationships and communication between families, staff, and program 
  8. Professional development
    1. Team approach to meeting the individual needs of infants/toddlers
    2. Fostering respectful and collaborative relationships among adults
    3. Ongoing professional development
    4. Ethical professionalism and conduct  
    5. Reflective practices
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Lecture/Discussion
  2. Research Report
  3. Case Study
  4. Distance Education
  5. Observations in infant/toddler settings
  6. Small group discussion and projects
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Read assigned sections from the text and handouts and write reflective responses.
  2. Observe and document infants/toddlers in group settings using specific assessment tools.
  3. After observations, write a report which articulates the relationship between children’s individual needs and responsive caregiving.
  1. Class Participation
  2. Attendance
  3. Midterm Examination
  4. Written assignments
  5. Final project
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Connect observed behaviors of children birth to 36 months to developmental concepts and theories in the physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional domains.
  2. Apply the principles of infant/toddler development to create safe and healthy environments which meet licensing requirements and are responsive to the needs of individual infants and toddlers.
  3. Analyze the multiple contextual influences on infant and toddler development including diverse family practices and environment.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Amanda Taintor, Todd LaMarr, Wendy Ruiz, Martina Marquez, Emily Elam, Amy Carnahan & Adrienne Seegers (2022). Infant and Toddler Care and Development n/a https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Infant_and_Toddler_Care_and_Development_(Taintor_and_LaMarr).
  2. Susan Eliason (2021). Infant and Toddler Education and Care Bridgewater State University https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Book%3A_Infant_and_Toddler_Education_and_Care_(Eliason).
  1. Janet Gonzalez-Menea,Dianne Widmeyer Eyer (2014). Infants, Toddlers and Caregivers: a Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive Care and Education, (10th). McGraw Hill Publishing, .
  2. Terri Swim (2016). Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: Caregiving and Responsive Curriculum Development (9th). Cengage publishing.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
A study of infants and toddlers from preconception to 36 months including physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional growth and development. Applies theoretical frameworks to interpret behavior and interactions between heredity and environment. Examination of best practices, responsive caregiving techniques, environments, infant/toddler learning foundations, health, safety, and licensing requirements.
Prerequisite: ECD 56.
Discipline:
Child Development/Early Childhood Education*