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Infant Child Care Program

The philosophy of the Wonderland Preschool's Infant Program is based on the belief that babies need consistent love, attention, praise, concern, and caring; they also need caregivers who are well prepared and knowledgeable in sound principles of child development. The Infant Program maintains a commitment to the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth of the child. Toward this end, learning is seen as a developmental process that occurs naturally and progressively within a stimulating and nurturing environment. Caregivers offer a wide variety of interesting play experiences geared toward each child's developmental level so that he/she has sufficient opportunity to explore, manipulate, and come to a better understanding of the world through his/her own efforts.

Infant Development Chart: Social-Emotional

0 - 1 Month: cries to express emotions; bonding begins
4 - 10 Weeks: social smiles
2 Months: begins social games
3 Months: distinguishes familiar faces*
     turns head toward human voice
     smiles in response to a smile
     kicks, smiles, waves in response
     cries when left alone
     and recognizes parent
4 Months: genuine laugh, smiles when spoken to, loves attention
5 Months to 1 year: stranger anxiety*
6 Months: distinguishes between voices
    smiles, babbles at strangers
    develops attachment
    begins to play imitation games
    plays peek-a-boo
    sensitive to parental moods
8 Months: laughs out loud
9 Months: screams to get own way
Play is activity only for present moment.
Fears unfamiliar: people, places, things.*
Beginning sense of separate self.*

Infant Development Chart: Language

0 - 1 month: turns head in response to voices
    cries to express needs
6 - 8 weeks: coos Gestures to communicate
    pushes objects away, squirms
    reaches out to people,* pouts
    smacks lips, shrieks, points
2 months: voluntary vocal sounds
3 months: babbles
6 - 12 months: imitation sound games
    Responds to variety of sounds*
    Makes vowel sounds Acquires receptive language*
    Cries to communicate
12 months: first words

Infant Development Chart: Physical-Motor

By 1 year: grows 10 to 12 inches, triples birth weight,
    lengthens by 40%, doubles brain size, grows
    full head of hair
    Bounces in crib
    Uses whole-body motions
4 months: sees, grasps objects
5 months: examines fingers
    sits when propped
6 months: rolls over
    discovers feet
    teething begins
7 months: crawls
8 months: sits up unaided
    pulls to standing position
    pincer grasp established
9 months: creeps
10 months: feeds self with spoon
11 months: stands alone, cruises
12 months: first steps
Late infancy: can move hands in rotation to turn knobs
    Newborn motor activity is mostly reflexes.

Infant Development Chart: Cognitive

0-1 month: responds to mother's voice: senses function, especially pain, touch*
10 weeks: memory is evident*
4 months: smiles of recognition
7-10 months: solves simple problems (knocks over box to get toy)
8 months: begins to believe in permanence of objects; follows a simple instruction
8-12 months: intentionally in acts
11 months: begins trial-error experimentation
12 months: plays drop/retrieve games, pat-a-cake
    Explores with hands and fingers
    Smiles, vocalizes at image in mirror*

*Key characteristics of cultural awareness of identity

•     Toddler Program
  
•     Preschool Program
•     Kindergarten Program

"What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to an human soul."
- Joseph Addison

Wonderland Preschool

 Open Enrollment

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