Child Care &

Development
What is Childcare?
Does this count?!?
 Do you ever babysit?

If you answered yes to any of

these questions… YOU are a
caregiver!
 What is a Caregiver?
• A person who meets
the many NEEDS of
children
• They help prevent
HARM or INJURY
• They help provide an
environment that
fosters GROWTH
 Responsibilities of
Caregivers
1. Provide a Safe
Environment
a. Keep children free
from physical and
emotional harm
b. Keep unsafe objects
locked up or out of
reach
c. Correct any potential
dangers around the
house (Baby-
Proofing)
d. Take Safety
2. Provide Basic Needs
a. Nutritious Food and Water
b. Shelter
c. Appropriate Clothing
d. Warm Bed
e. Medical Care as Needed
f. Space
3. Provide Self-Esteem Needs
Will this
work?... VIDEO
CLIP

Probably Not! So…

3. Provide Self-
Esteem Needs
a. Accept the child’s
uniqueness and
respect their
individuality
b. Encourage and
motivate them in
everything they do
c. Notice and praise
the child’s
achievements
d. Set expectations
that are realistic and
age-appropriate
4. Teach Morals and Values
a. Honesty
b. Respect
c. Responsibility
d. Compassion
e. Patience
f. Sharing
g. Forgiveness
h. Generosity
5. Develop Mutual
Respect
a. Use respectful
language
b. Listen to them
c. Respect their
feelings, opinions,
privacy and
individuality
6. Provide Appropriate Discipline
a. Discipline is NOT punishment!
b. The purpose of discipline is to teach
c. Discipline is:
• Structured
• Consistent
• Predictable
• Fair
7. Provide and Encourage
Education
a. Education doesn’t just happen in
school!
b. Encourage lifelong learning
c. Foster learning opportunities
through discovery and exploration
8. KNOW THEM!
a. Spend quality time
together
b. Ask questions
c. Communicate……
communicate…..
communicate!
 Caregivers are NOT
Responsible for…
1. Providing designer clothes and
shoes
2. Picking up after or cleaning for
the child
3. Providing cell phones, TV,
games , computers or
entertainment
Get the
 Your Caregivers
Take a minute and think about
YOUR parents and caregivers:

How have they met your needs?

What have they sacrificed for you?
Have they provided any “extras”
for you?
If they were here, what would you
 Child Development
• Before you can become a
successful caregiver, you must
know a thing or two about Child
Development.
• Child Development: how a child
becomes able to do more complex
things as they age.
• Development is measured through
specific milestones.
• Milestones are a set of skills or
 Milestones
• These developmental
milestones are broken into 4
categories:
1. Physical
Development
2. Cognitive/Thinking
Skills
Let’s Start at the
Beginning…
 Pre Natal Development

PRE = Before
NATAL = Birth

Pre-natal development happens

BEFORE the baby is born.
It is extremely fast!
After 9 Months, the baby is born.
 Birth to 3 Months
Physical
Development:
Raise head
slightly, hold hand
in fist, use
reflexes, Cognitive/Thinking
fascinated with Skills:
hands
Focus on and
follow moving
objects-including
 Birth to 3 Months
Social & Emotional
Development:
Sucks their own fingers,
discovers arms and legs,
begins to smile at
Communication
familiar caregivers Skills:
Communicates
needs with body
movements, crying,
babbling and
laughing, Responds
 3 to 6 Months
Physical Development:
Rolls over, reaches
for and touches
objects, puts objects
in mouth, discovers
everything for the first
time Cognitive/Thinking
Skills:
Recognizes faces,
imitates facial
expressions of
others, responds
to familiar sounds
 3 to 6 Months
Social & Emotional
Development:
Plays “Peek-A-Boo”,
begins to smile and
Communication
laugh more Skills:
Listens to
conversations,
repeats some
 6 to 9 Months
Physical
Development:
Begins to crawl,
pulls things
toward self,
transfers objects
Cognitive/Thinking
between hands Skills:
Stares at people and
objects, depth
perception begins to
develop, begins to
tell the difference
 6 to 9 Months
Social & Emotional
Development:
Expresses several new
emotions, distinguishes
between friends and
strangers, shows Communication
unhappiness at the loss of
Skills:
a toy
Begins repetitive
babbling,
associates gestures
with phrases like
“hi” and “bye-bye”,
 9 Months to 1 Year
Physical Development:
Can sit, stand or walk
without support,
throws objects, uses
more fine motor skills
to pick things up
Cognitive/Thinking
Skills:
Develops object
permanence,
imitates gestures
and actions, enjoys
looking at picture
 9 Months to 1 Year
Social & Emotional
Development:
Begins to feed
themselves, mimics
simple actions, begins
Communication
to show separationSkills:
anxiety
Understands the
names of familiar
people and objects,
responds to “no”
 1 to 2 Years
Physical Development:
Can walk backwards,
picks up toys from
standing position,
pushes and pulls
objects, can turn
knobs, holds crayons
Cognitive/Thinking
with fist
Skills:
Imitates adults’
actions and
language, begins
to match similar
 1 to 2 Years
Social & Emotional
Development:
Recognizes themselves in
the mirror, shows pride in
new accomplishments,
begins to be helpful by
following simple Communication
instructions
Skills:
Understands many
words and
directions, uses
“me”, “mine”, and
 2 to 3 Years
Physical Development:
Can jump in place, run
forward, walk on tip-toes,
turns pages one-by-one,
can draw a circle, holds
crayons with thumb and
fingers
Cognitive/Thinking Skills:
Responds to simple
directions, can identify
themselves and others
by name, observes and
imitates more complex
 2 to 3 Years
Social & Emotional Development:
“Terrible Two’s”, begins to say
“no” a lot, begins to be more
independent, displays more
aggressive feelings and
behaviors, expresses toilet
training needs Communication Skills:
Points to objects
when they’re named,
responds to “what”
and “where”, enjoys
listening to stories,
recounts the events
 3 to 4 Years
Physical Development:
Can walk in a straight
line, run around
obstacles, ride a
tricycle, throw and
catch a ball, balance
on one foot Cognitive/Thinking
Skills:
Matches and
organizes objects,
can remember past
and present, stays
entertained with an
 3 to 4 Years
Social & Emotional
Development:
Can f0llow simple directions,
begins to share toys, begins
playing more with other
children, begins dramatic
playing (ex: pretending to be
Communication
animals, dress-up)
Skills:
Uses and
understands simple
sentences, using
more complex
 4 to 5 Years
Physical Development:
Can jump forwards without
falling, jump on one foot,
walk up and down stairs
alone, use safety scissors,
print a few capital letters

Cognitive/Thinking
Skills:
Can name colors,
plays with words,
mimics and creates
 4 to 5 Years
Social & Emotional
Development:
Develops longer lasting
friendships, begins
recognizing others
feelings, enjoys
Communication Skills:
imaginative play with
others Retells stories but
may confuse facts,
understands
sequences of events
when clearly