Three Weeks:

     Your Baby

• Enjoys being held and spoken to.
• Is easily irritated, cries when needs something.
• Is often comforted by walking, rocking, thumbsucking, and pacifiers.
• Doesn't like bright lights.
• Sees things 8-12 inches away.
• Looks at bright simple pictures with contrasting colors.
• Begins to turn head.
• Has a burst-pause sucking pattern in search of communication.
• Has an awake/asleep cycle.

     Your Baby May Enjoy

• Being held, looked in the eye, talked to, and called by name.
• Gazing at objects place to the side of him.
• Lying on his stomach to practice head control.
• Playing with you through daily activities (feeding, bathing, diapering).
• Listening to you talk, sing, and chant nursery rhymes.

Two Months:

     Your Baby

• Loves to look at human faces and begins to respond with smiles and coos.
• Quiets in response to being held or to a persons voice or face.
• Stays awake longer if people interact with him.
• Makes noises with saliva.
• Begins to know what comes next.
• Will use his body differently in play with different people.
• May continue to have a fussy period at the end of the day.
• Continues organizing asleep/awake cycle.
• Has different cries for different reasons.
• Lifts head to look around.
• Looks and stares at objects.
• Finds hands, bats at objects, holds small objects briefly.
• Pushes legs against hard surfaces.

     Your Baby May Enjoy

• Being held, looked in the eye, talked to and called by name. *Your baby can watch your face for a long period of time.  Smiling, wriggling, and cooing are all part of his "talking"
• Listening to you talk about routines and chant nursery rhymes.
• Looking and batting at brightly colored objects.
• Moving with you to different parts of the house.

Four Months:

     Your Baby

• Turns head toward your voice or other sounds - burst of awareness.
• Will increase cooing if you respond to his efforts.
• May turn from breast of bottle at distractions.
• May show the beginings of stranger awareness.
• Holds head up.
• Looks at hand and feet.
• Reaches for objects.
• Holds and shakes small objects and brings them to mouth.
• Pushes up on arms and may roll over.
• Holds feet in the air and kicks.
• May begin teething.
• Laughs out loud.

     Your Baby May Enjoy

• Being held, looked in the eye, talked to and called by name.
• Being held while drinking a bottle. *Feeding time is more than food.  At this age a baby will pause during a feeding for you to talk to him, to look at him, to cuddle him.  That's communication!
• Lying on his stomach to look at bright objects in front of him.  Encourage your baby to try to reach for the objects.
• Practicing to roll, scoot, and sit on the floor.
• Listening to you "read" board books.

Six Months

     Your Baby

• Enjoys cuddling, hugging, and kissing.
• Babbles more than two sounds.
• Understands simple words.
• Begins to understand cause and effect.
• Becomes aware of unfamiliar people
• Likes to explore small objects (make sure they are safe).
• Reaches out with one hand to pick up something.
• Brings hands to midline, passes objects between hands.
• May show hand preference.
• Rocks on hands and knees.
• Moves around, may roll, scoot, or crawl.
• Rolls over, therefore needs a safe place for diaper changes.
• May sit alone without support.
• Sits in a highchair with safety strap.
• Eats some solid foods.
• Will soon use pincer grasp.
• Birth weight has probably doubled.

     Your Baby May Enjoy

• Being held, looked in the eye, talked to and called by name.
• Finding a hidden toy under a blanket.  Leave part of it uncovered.  *Will your baby pull the blanket off to find the toy?
• Listening to a variety of music and being sung to.
• Playing "Peek-A-Boo".
• Soothing sore gums with teething toys.
• Moving about.  *Make sure your home is safe!
• Listening to you read a book and talk about the pictures.

Nine Months

     Your Baby

• Recognizes familiar people, is uneasy around strangers.
• Begins to evaluate peoples moods.
• Shows pride in accomplishments.
• Looks to you in expectation of limits to be set.
• May pull up to a standing position, begins to stoop.
• Walks along furniture, crawls, scoots, creeps.
• Begins to explore stairs.
• Gets self into sitting position.
• Bangs objects together at midline.
• Likes to play with containers and small objects.
• Likes moving parts on toys.
• May have sleep interruptions.
• Enjoys using pincer grasp to eat finger foods.
• Copies sounds and some familiar actions.
• Understands simple words and follows simple directions.
• Looks at pictures in books.

     Your Baby May Enjoy

• Being held, looked in the eye, talked to, and called by name.
• Playing "Pat-a-Cake", waving "Bye-Bye".
• Learning to point to his eyes, nose, mouth, and other body parts.
• Pointing to one of several toys when named and finding a hidden toy in a box.
• Exploring in a safe environment *Make sure your home is safe!
• Being read to and helping to turn the pages.

Twelve Months:

     Your Baby

• Struggles with independence/dependence.
• Enjoys daily routines.
• Gives affection.
• Shows emerging sense of humor.
• Babbles in sentences.
• May say a few words: "Mama", "Dada", and "Uh-oh".
• Understands much of what is said to him and responds to directions.
• Puts objects through openings into things.
• Begins correct use of toys such as a pegboard, hammer, and telephone.
• Cares for doll or stuffed animal by feeding, cuddling, bathing.
• Begins to roll or push a big ball.
• Hands a toy to you.
• Begins to show the concept of storage when handed several toys.
• Stands alone, stoops, and stands back up.
• May walk.
• Climbs furniture.  May climb out of crib.
• Straddles riding toys.
• Helps pull off clothes, cooperates with dressing.
• May refuse to eat different foods or to be fed.

Your Baby May Enjoy

• Imitating Mother.
• Copying games such as "So Big" and "Pat-a-Cake".
• Exploring with freedom and with safety limits set.
• Dropping small objects into a container and dumping them out again.
• Playing with pots and pans or containers that fit into each other.
• Reading books with you and identifying animals or objects found in them.

Fifteen Months:

     Your Toddler

• Is curious.
• Continues to struggle with independence.
• Is learning limits.
• Enjoys doing the same things over and over.
• Walks up steps, climbs from one piece of furniture to another.
• Rides little riding toys without pedals.
• Turns and squats when walking.
• Enjoys "Make Believe" play, want to imitate adults.
• Fills and pours from containers.
• Builds a four block tower.
• Finds a hidden toy.
• Shows more interest in playing with others.
• Understands simple directions.
• Babbles with expressions, may use simple words.
• Points to pictures of familiar objects.
• Wants to do self-feeding at meal time (drinks from a cup, uses a spoon).

     Your Toddler May Enjoy

• Having conversations about her activity or play.  She will use gestures and speech to "talk" with you.
• Helping with your jobs around the house: sweeping, cooking, etc.
• Pouring water into different sized containers at bathtime, this is also a fun time to talk about body parts.
• Stacking several boxes and knocking them down.
• Making animal sounds while looking at a book about animals.

Eighteen Months

     Your Toddler

• Wants to spend time with you.
• Immitates housework and "helping" you.
• Comes to you for assistance, comfort, and approval.
• May have difficulty with separation.
• Says "No".
• Struggles with independence.
• Is learning limits.
• May have temper tantrums.
• Says "Hi" and "Bye-Bye".
• Indicates wants and can follow simple directions.
• Points to body parts and clothing when named.
• Is possessive of toys.
• Tries to kick and throw a ball.
• Scribbles.

     Your Toddler May Enjoy

• Looking at a family book made out of family pictures.
• Pointing to different parts of the face while looking in a mirror.
• Doing things for himself.
• Scribbling on blank paper with crayons.  Let him "draw" a picture.
• Doing a simple three or four piece puzzle.  Show your child how to put it together.
• Reading with you, especially books with repeating phrases.

Two Years

     Your Toddler

• Is confident in learned tasks.
• Wants to make decisions and often has difficulty sticking to one decision.
• Likes "sameness" and knowing what to expect.
• Enjoys playing with playmates and "pretend" play.
• Models activities done by adults in his life.
• Is self-centered, but tries to comfort others.
• May throw temper tantrums.
• Understands most simple words and sentences.
• Matches sounds to animals.
• Thinks things through.
• Nests blocks or stacks rings in right order when shown.
• May do a one to three piece puzzle.
• Turns pages in books and looks at them on his own.
• Draws "pictures".
• Walks up stairs.
• Tries to jump in place.
• Learns to pedal a tricycle.
• Removes clothes.
• Feeds himself.

     Your Toddler May Enjoy

• Talking with you eye to eye.
• Helping with small household errands.
• Playing "Hide and Seek".
• Chanting nursery rhymes with you.
• Hearing the same book over and over and over.

Two and One-Half Years

     Your Toddler

• Is eager to learn and asks many questions.
• Wants to be in control of every area of his life.
• Feels secure following daily routines.
• Often displays contradiction in independence/dependence.
• Has dificulty making decisions.
• Actively participates in conversations.
• Is rapidly learning new words.
• May stutter.
• Loves to give orders.
• May throw temper tantrums.
• Identifies body parts in a picture.
• Remembers where possesions are kept.
• May sort colors and shapes when shown.
• Glues items on paper.
• Begins to control bladder and bowels during the day.
• Kicks a ball.

     Your Toddler May Enjoy

• Your undivided attention when talking, playing, or reading a book.
• Pretend play like feeding a favorite teddy bear.
• Playing with modeling dough.
• Moving to music.
• Hearing a favorite book read just as written (don't skip any pages!).

Three Years:

     Your Toddler

• Needs to feel important.
• Wants to be just like Mom/Dad.
• Asks many questions.
• Continues to test limits.
• Begins to understand time concepts: "now", "soon", "later", "hurry".
• Remembers and follows a few simple rules.
• May have a bad dream, may wake with fears.
• Begins to share toys and takes turns with playmates.
• Draws a circle when shown how to.
• Handles children's blunt-end scissors.
• Stands on one foot.
• Tiptoes.
• Alternates feet when going upstairs.
• Says first and last name.
• Talks about objects in picture books.
• Begins to know same and different, begins to understand opposites (big-little).
• May know some colors.
• May count to ten.
• Puts on clothes and shoes.
• Begins to manage zippers and large buttons.
• Washes and dries hands.
• Has mastered toilet training or is in progress.

     Your Toddler May Enjoy

• Having conversations with you.
• Taking a walk and talking about what you see.
• Helping you sort and fold clothes and put toys away.
• Saying silly rhymes and finger plays, and singing songs.
• Playing with playmates.
• Listening to you read a book and then reading it back to you.

2011-2012 Photos of The Children and Parents Program in action:

2012-2013 Calendar of Events

September:

9/3 - First Play Group of the School Year

9/19 - Bike Wash 5:30- 6:30

October:

10/23 - No Play Group (Parent Teacher Conferences)

10/24 - No Play Group (Parent Teacher Conferences)

November:

11/28 - No Play Group (Thanksgiving Day)

11/29 - No Play Group (Thanksgiving Break)

December:

12/24 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

12/26 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

12/27 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

12/31 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

January:

1/2 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

1/3 No Play Group (Christmas Break)

February:

2/28 No Play Group (Teacher's Institute)

March:

April:

4/18 No School (Good Friday)

May:

**The mission of the Children and Parents Program is to positively impact child development and nurture healthy parent-child relationships during the critical early years.**

2013-2014 Play Group Schedule

Tuesday: 10:00am - 11:30 am

Thursday: 10:00am - 11:30 am

Friday: 8:00am- 9:00 am 

***The first Play Group of the school year will be Tuesday, September 3th!