When I Support the Active Participation of Children and Key People in the Preparation and Maintenance of a Stimulating Environment

Good health involves sound medical and dental practices through which adults model and encourage good health habits with children. Caregivers should be able to recognize common signs of illness or distress and respond promptly. Acute or chronic illness should be referred for treatment as soon as possible so that children can develop and take full advantage of the program. Children need a clean environment that is properly lighted, ventilated, and heated or cooled. Indoor and outdoor areas should be free of materials or conditions that endanger children's health. Care of the child's physical needs communicates positive feelings about his or her value and enhances the child's developing identity and sense of self-worth. Parents and caregivers should exchange information about the children's physical health frequently. Toddlers imitate and learn from the activities of those around them. Good health habits can be established through modeling and encouraging toothbrushing, hand washing, eating of nutritious foods, and so on. Children of all ages learn through their own experiences, trial and error, repetition, and imitation. Adults can guide and encourage children's learning by ensuring that the environment is emotionally appropriate; invites play, active exploration, and movement by children; and supports a broad array of experiences. A reliable framework of routines, together with a stimulating choice of activities and materials, facilitates children's learning. Thoughtful caregivers recognize that the learning environment includes both people and relationships between people and that attention to the way in which environments are set up and used is an important contribution to the quality of a learning experience. Toddlers are developing new language skills, physical control, and awareness of themselves and others each day. They enjoy participation in planned and group activities, but they are not yet ready to sit still or work in a group for very long. Adults can...