Session 2

Session 2: Intellectual Development

 

Introduction

 

 

Have you ever wondered why babies put toys in their mouths? Do you think that you are encouraging learning when you and a toddler watch an ant cross the sidewalk? Have you wondered what a child might learn from playing in a sandbox? When children attempt to make sense of their world, they are developing intellectually.

 

Session 2 focuses on children’s intellectual development. Just as child care providers focus on motor skills to promote children’s physical development, child care providers focus on thinking skills to promote children’s intellectual development.

 

During this session you will have opportunities to explore ways that child care providers can support children’s thinking. You will also learn how to enrich the child care environment to promote learning.

 

Getting Focused Activity: A Child’s Mind

 

Focus

 

Sometimes people are so busy telling children what to do, or trying to teach them something, that they miss wonderful opportunities to encourage children to develop their minds! The following poem gives insight into how you can better appreciate the minds of children.

 

Directions

 

Step 1: Read the poem “Child’s Mind” slowly and dramatically.

 

Step 2: Complete Getting Focused Activity: A Child’s Mind.

 

 

Checking In

 

 

 

Save your completed learning activity in the appropriate sub-folder of your course folder.

 

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