| A. |
Sandcastle is licensed 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and serves up to 8 infants, approximately 6 weeks to 9 months of age, with an average child / staff ratio of one to three. Sandcastle offers a quality experience to infants through primary caregiving and a safe and inviting environment in which the infants are able to explore and learn at their own rate. Infants will be supervised by a staff member at all times. Parents are encouraged to participate in any part of their child's day and activity during the child's stay in the program. |
| B. |
Our goals and objectives for infants: |
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1. |
Physical Development (Gross and fine motor). |
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Gross - |
a. |
Infant's primary task is head control |
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b. |
Beginning to have voluntary control of arms and legs |
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c. |
Moving from place to place by rolling, creeping, crawling, cruising or walking |
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Fine - |
a. |
Is able to grasp objects |
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b. |
Reaches for objects with both arms |
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c. |
Holds objects and can manipulate them well |
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d. |
Grasp with thumb and forefinger |
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e. |
Changes objects from one hand to the other |
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f. |
Explores and manipulates with forefinger |
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g. |
Developing eye-hand coordination |
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2. |
Intellectual Development: |
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a. |
Can coordinate eyes and follow objects or faces as they move |
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b. |
Responds to faces or objects he / she sees |
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c. |
Can pickup and begin to manipulate objects |
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d. |
Remembers familiar things |
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e. |
Can use several senses at once |
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f. |
Explores new approaches to problems |
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3. |
Social Development: |
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a. |
Responds differently to different people |
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b. |
Coos and Babbles when talked to |
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c. |
Recognizes primary caregiver |
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d. |
Plays games with people like peek-a-boo |
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e. |
Asserts independence |
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4. |
Emotional Development: |
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a. |
Smiles at self in the mirror |
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b. |
Encourage self-independence |
| C |
Activities: |
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1. |
Physical: |
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Gross - |
a. |
Variety of washable objects within reach of infant for him / her to reach / stretch for |
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b. |
Loft to provide a variety of levels to explore |
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Fine - |
Playing with blocks and manipulatives (grasping objects) |
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2. |
Intellectual: |
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a. |
Encourage curiosity by providing a variety of small objects of different textures, shapes, and sizes |
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b. |
Give plenty of opportunities for child to develop self-help skills, i.e. move objects out of reach so that he / she has to move to get them |
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c. |
Easy problem solving games |
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3. |
Social: |
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a. |
Mirrors provide opportunity for infant to develop self-image |
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b. |
Talk to infant, especially during caregiving |
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c. |
Encourage and provide opportunity for self-help skills such as holding own bottle |
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d. |
Allow infant to interact with the other children |
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4. |
Emotional: |
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a. |
Provide for attachment needs as infant needs to develop a primary relationship |
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b. |
Allow opportunities for uninterrupted concentration |
| D. |
Parent conferences are held in the Fall and Spring. Parents are informed of their child's progress in the four major areas of development. All conference forms are kept in the child's file. |
| E. |
Infant Daily Schedule: Each infant is on his / her own schedule, depending on their primary or developmental need. Infants will be changed, fed, and allowed to nap throughout the day, according to their individual needs. |
| F. |
Partial list of activities and equipment / materials: |
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Quiet music |
Manipulative toys: |
Blocks |
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Singing |
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Books |
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Reading |
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Mobiles |
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Walkers |
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Picture cards |
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Swing |
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Stroller - The two Bye Bye Buggies are shared between Infant 1, Infant II, and the Infant / Toddler rooms |
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| This Program Plan will be available for parents to review at all times. This plan will be reviewed and evaluated in writing annually by the Director and the lead teachers.
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Rev. 1997
