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"Relationships matter more to infants and toddlers than anything else." This observation comes from Peter Mangione from WestEd's Center for Child and Family Studies, writing in the winter 2008 issue of the newsletter of the National Association for Family Child Care, National Perspective. Mangione suggests that...

"We begin to build our relationship with each baby by being responsive to both the child's competence and vulnerability. Infants are amazingly competent. They are curious, motivated, self-starting learners. They imitate us in order to learn. They try to understand the meaning of our actions and words. They actively explore the environment and invent new ways of playing with materials. They constantly make connections such as names with people or causes with effects, and build knowledge about the world. They attend to our communication and initiate communication with us. Above all, they seek to develop relationships with us. Infants' interest in us, as well as their ability to respond positively to our interest in them, provide the foundation for our developing relationships with them.

"Though competent in so many ways, young children are also vulnerable. They are completely dependent on us for physical survival. We help infants regulate their bodily functions. We also ensure that babies have a safe place to move and explore. In addition, infants have emotional needs that only we can meet. It is only through communicating with us that young children learn about the workings of the world and rules for living."

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For ideas and strategies for developing appropriate classroom activities for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, check out Exchange's Curriculum Tool Kit which brings you Exchange's popular curriculum resources at highly discounted price tag. The Curriculum Tool Kit includes:

• Beginnings Workshop Book #5 — Curriculum: Art, Music, Movement, Drama
• Beginnings Workshop Book #4 — Curriculum: Brain Research, Math, Science
• Hearing Everyone's Voice: Educating Young Children for Peace and Democratic Community
• Connecting: Friendship in the Lives of Young Children
• The Wonder of It: Exploring How the World Works
• Out of the Box Training Kit: Recognizing the Essentials of Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum

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