Una de las labores más importantes de los niños pequeños es el desarrollo de la autorregulación, y el apoyo de los cuidadores es fundamental en este proceso. Este boletín ofrece información sobre qué implica la autorregulación, por qué es importante y cómo puede apoyarla un cuidador receptivo.
¿Por qué es importante para los niños desarrollar la autorregulación?
Hacer amigos multigeneractionales
El concepto de “interacciones intergeneracionales no familiares” se centra en la idea sencilla de que mayores y jóvenes pueden aportar nueva energía, conocimientos y entusiasmo a la vida de los demás. Antes de la pandemia de COVID-19, manteníamos una relación con una comunidad de jubilados, en la que varios de sus residentes viajaban regularmente a nuestro centro preescolar para leer y jugar con los niños. Desde que se levantaron las restricciones, los niños del Caterpillar Clubhouse Nature Preschool viajan a la comunidad de jubilados cada dos semanas para visitar a sus grandes amigos.
Me asombró que la simple presencia de nuestros niños de preescolar marcara tanta diferencia en las vidas de estos amigos multigeneracionales. Me di cuenta de cómo los niños aceptaban completamente las diferencias físicas y mentales que les rodeaban con una gracia tan natural. Y adquirió un sentido de conexión a través de las generaciones. Con demasiada frecuencia subestimamos el poder de un abrazo, de una sonrisa y de la risa de los niños…. Creo en el respeto y la dignidad de la vida para las personas de todas las edades, jóvenes y mayores. Esta creencia fundamental es el hilo que entreteje el tejido de nuestro programa.
Lo que hacen los grupos cuando se reúnen puede ser tan relajado como jugar con plastilina, un juego de globos o leer un libro juntos.
Valorar a las personas mayores
Los adultos mayores tienen la necesidad de contribuir a la siguiente generación, y que hacerlo puede dar a las personas mayores sentimientos de logro o éxito, en lugar de estancamiento, a medida que envejecen. Las actividades intergeneracionales muestran a los mayores que se les valora como individuos que aún poseen habilidades para toda la vida, en lugar de ser receptores pasivos de cuidados. Una señora que asistía al centro me dijo que no piensas en tu edad cuando estás en compañía de niños pequeños. Los más pequeños aportaron un nuevo sentido de vitalidad y diversión al centro, y la atención ya no se centraba en ver pasar el tiempo, sino en vivir el momento.
Hoy en día, las familias tradicionales están separadas por la distancia, el tiempo y la falta de entendimiento entre generaciones, pero los programas que reúnen a niños y mayores podrían cambiar toda la perspectiva de la sociedad.
La Educación Infantil consiste en establecer relaciones. Las investigaciones demuestran que los alumnos que tienen relaciones intergeneracionales sanas tienen más confianza en sí mismos, así como un mayor sentido de la empatía y la tolerancia. Los niños también desarrollan un sentido positivo del envejecimiento y las interacciones entre generaciones reducen el miedo a los adultos mayores. Las relaciones entre los niños y los mayores también reducen el miedo a las distintas capacidades y discapacidades.
Cita del día: Gran amigo: Ni siquiera sabía que necesitaba ese abrazo hasta que lo recibí.
Como parte de nuestro plan de estudios de aprendizaje socioemocional, leemos un cuento sobre un concepto socioemocional diferente utilizando la vista, el tacto y el sonido para implicar a los niños y solidificar el proceso de desarrollo de habilidades.
Siempre incorporo un peluche que se correlaciona con una necesidad social o emocional diferente.Por ejemplo, los unicornios para la creatividad, los osos para sentir amor, los perezosos para frenar, el caracol para sentirse valiente. Mi objetivo es contarles una historia o leerles un libro que encuentre sobre ese objetivo socioemocional y pasarles el peluche y ayudarles a creer en sí mismos y en sus capacidades.Para recordarles que podemos superar los momentos difíciles, y que no tenemos que hacerlo solos.
Diariamente trabajamos las afirmaciones positivas y la idea de que sus opiniones sobre sí mismos importan. También hemos hablado de cómo manejar situaciones difíciles y de cuándo pedir ayuda. Como profesora, hago todo lo que está en mi mano para ayudar a guiar a niños amables, empáticos y fuertes.
El aprendizaje socioemocional consiste en inculcar a nuestros hijos sentimientos de autoestima. Utilizamos afirmaciones en respuesta a muchas situaciones, como las necesidades de resolución de conflictos, las necesidades de autoestima y las necesidades de regulación emocional, por nombrar algunas. Y usando afirmaciones a diario noto que los niños sacan este tipo de dichos positivos por su cuenta, sin que yo se lo indique.
Las habilidades específicas que aprenden los niños incluyen
- Interacción: contacto físico, contacto visual y juegos
- Conexión – leer afirmaciones positivas y hacer que te las repitan (si es posible)
- Reflexión – practicar los conceptos y habilidades aprendidos
Como profesores, honramos la vida emocional de los niños y les permitimos encontrar las palabras para expresarse mientras se enfrentan a sus complejos sentimientos.
En la atención y educación tempranas, la atención infantil en familia desempeña un papel vital en el cuidado de las mentes jóvenes y en la creación de un entorno propicio para el crecimiento y el desarrollo de los niños. El cuidado infantil familiar ofrecen un entorno único en el que los niños reciben atención personalizada en un ambiente hogareño. Uno de los factores clave que contribuyen al éxito de los cuidados infantil familiares es el entorno en el que se desarrollan. En esta entrada del blog, exploraremos cómo crear un entorno enriquecedor para la guardería familiar, que fomente el aprendizaje, la creatividad y el bienestar emocional. El espacio físico de una guardería familiar debe diseñarse cuidadosamente para fomentar la seguridad, la comodidad y la exploración. Considera la posibilidad de crear zonas diferenciadas para distintas actividades, como zonas de juego, de aprendizaje y de tranquilidad. Utiliza muebles y equipos de tamaño infantil para fomentar la independencia y el compromiso. Los colores neutros, las obras de arte creadas por niños y los juguetes apropiados para su edad pueden estimular la curiosidad y la imaginación. El juego es un aspecto crucial del desarrollo de la primera infancia, ya que sirve de vehículo para el aprendizaje y la socialización. Incorpora una variedad de materiales y actividades que fomenten la exploración, la resolución de problemas y la creatividad. Por ejemplo, proporciona juguetes abiertos, como bloques, puzzles y materiales artísticos que permitan a los niños experimentar y expresarse libremente. Las zonas de juego al aire libre también son beneficiosas para el desarrollo motor grueso y la exploración sensorial. La coherencia y la estructura son esenciales para los niños pequeños, ya que les proporcionan una sensación de seguridad y previsibilidad. Establecer una rutina diaria que incluya tiempo para jugar, aprender, comer y descansar ayuda a los niños a sentirse cómodos y a controlar su comportamiento. Mostrar horarios visuales puede ayudar a los niños a comprender y anticipar las actividades del día. La flexibilidad es clave, pero mantener un ritmo general puede contribuir a crear un entorno de guardería positivo tanto para los niños como para los cuidadores. El cuidado infantil familiar ofrece la oportunidad de que crezcan relaciones significativas entre cuidadores, niños y familias. Crea un ambiente cálido y acogedor en el que los niños se sientan valorados, respetados y apoyados. Tómate tiempo para escuchar sus pensamientos y sentimientos y participa en interacciones significativas que fomenten el desarrollo del lenguaje y la inteligencia emocional. Crear asociaciones sólidas con las familias mediante la comunicación abierta y la colaboración también es esencial para proporcionar una atención coherente y receptiva. Como cuidadores, es crucial mantenerse informados sobre las mejores prácticas en educación infantil y reflexionar continuamente sobre ellas y mejorarlas. Asiste a sesiones de formación, talleres y conferencias para estar al día de las últimas investigaciones y tendencias. Busca la opinión de las familias y los colegas y muéstrate abierto a probar nuevos enfoques que satisfagan mejor las necesidades de los niños a tu cargo. El cuidado infantil familiar ofrecen una opción única y valiosa para la atención y educación tempranas, proporcionando a los niños un entorno enriquecedor y de apoyo donde pueden aprender, crecer y prosperar. Diseñando cuidadosamente el espacio físico, fomentando el aprendizaje a través del juego, estableciendo rutinas, cultivando relaciones positivas y comprometiéndose con el aprendizaje y la mejora continuos, los cuidadores pueden crear un entorno enriquecedor que siente las bases para el éxito a lo largo de toda la vida.
Provider Stephanie McKinstry’s preschoolers arrived one day to a challenge: could they build bridges for bears to cross? How about a bridge big and strong enough for all of their bears to stand on at once?
The children got to work constructing their bridges from cups and popsicle sticks, arranging different shapes and patterns.
During construction, some bridge builders sang variations of “Going on a Bear Hunt”, like “Going on a Fish Hunt” because they knew that’s what bears like to eat!
If you want to do this in your own home, you’ll just need the following:
(if you don’t have counting bears, you can use buttons, game pieces, pompoms– really anything that isn’t too tricky to balance!)
Indiana providers: can you spot the Indiana Early Learning Standards being addressed with this activity?
This resource, from Megan K. Lerner, LCSW and Anthony T. Vesco, PhD, will help you work with families and children who are struggling with behavioral issues.
There are two versions of this resource, one to hand write and one to complete on the computer.
There are lots of common birds in Indiana that stick around for winter. Many of these are colorful favorites that evoke a winter feeling. Our two picks were Cardinals and Blue Jays.
Bird feeders are lively places during the winter months and their presence is important. Feeding winter birds can be a fun and educational activity for kids; they can learn about different species while also learning about their habitats, diets, and winter survival tools.
How We Explored Our Winter Birds:
- Create a bird observation center in your play area by setting up bird feeder stations. You can build your own from recycled materials such as milk cartons, recycled jugs or pinecones or purchase pre-made bird feeders.
- Next decide what type of bird seed you want to use. Investigate what types of food will attract which birds, and offer the children a choice of which they’d like to try– or fill one feeder with one type, and a second with another, and encourage the children to compare which birds they see around each.
- Placing feeders by a window for indoor viewing is an excellent idea for those cold winter days. You can create a chart on a whiteboard or large sheet of paper so they can check off birds they see on it.
- After a few weeks, compile your observations looking for patterns in birds observed at your feeders at different times of the day. Discuss the results.
For more bird-bassed fun, try these:
- Make bird seed play dough for your table activity or sensory table. Try picking up seeds with different shaped tongs and notice which is the most successful for different kinds of seeds.
- Go on a bird feather hunt and research to identify the bird it came from. Record children’s hypotheses and look for a live match!
Within the Reggio Emilia approach, and now in many early childhood programs, the environment where children spend their time is typically called the third teacher. The environment helps determines the flow of the day, what children learn and how they interact with one another. Having the right amount, variety, and types of materials in an early childhood classroom will make the day run more smoothly and will be more engaging for the children, thus in turn will make it easier for the teacher.
Knowing the why, when, and how to rotate toys is important and a worthwhile task, based upon information gathered through child observations. Through observations of the children in care, we can determine if, when, and what types of materials need to be rotated in the environment. The provider knows the children in their care very well and soon can see patterns emerge that will help the provider make specific adjustments in the environment.
Let’s consider some of the reasons why we rotate toys in a childcare environment.
A child may have mastered a certain skill and by changing specific materials in the classroom we can help scaffold the child to the next skill level. Children learn through facing appropriate challenges, but it’s important to make the challenge achievable. We don’t want the child to feel frustrated or lose interest. A skilled teacher is able to observe students and notice these small changes and find materials that will spark curiosity and interest. We may want to teach a new skill. Placing new toys and materials in the classroom can help a child learn a new skill, such as sequencing, stacking, or balancing. We may also want to challenge that skill and make it slightly more difficult by adding something new to use. Safety is top priority so make sure that items placed in the environment are safe for all ages of the children in the classroom. This can be challenging in multi age programs but can be overcome with a little planning and thought. A child’s individual interests will also play a part in the items we choose. We know that children will play with things that interest them. Having materials of interest will mean the children will explore and play with things that interest them and that are relatable and familiar to them. Common household items that children are familiar with are good to add when possible.
Now let’s take a look at when we might remove certain materials from the classroom environment. When children have lost interest, aren’t playing with as intended or are mistreating the materials, this is a good time to remove them and find materials that the children are interested in. Intended uses of toys and materials may vary from item to item. I believe that a toy does not necessarily have to be used exclusively for its intended purpose. I believe children should be able to use their imagination and creativity and use items in different ways, not just the way intended from the manufacturer. Items that are distracting and stress inducing should be removed. Some children are more sensitive to certain colors, sounds, and even how much is available in the environment for the children at one time. Remember less is more.
Finally, how we display items in the environment helps convey to the children what is expected of them and where items belong. Neatly placing items on a shelf helps children put things away on their own. Labeling shelves and baskets make clean up a breeze. They can also see and reach what they would like to play with, and this allows for independence. Placing similar items together on the shelf in an aesthetically pleasing way, where children can see them shows we care about our materials and toys, and they deserve a place in the space. Don’t over crowd the environment. Less really is more in childcare. If too many choices are available to children, they don’t play well with any of them. Choose items that interest the children and things they are familiar with and see in their day to day lives. We want these items to be relatable to children and familiar. Children want to use “real” things they see in their everyday lives. If teaching a theme, we may want to choose items that relate to the theme being taught or based upon the current season. Rotating 1-2 things a week and making adjustments as needed is less stressful on children than changing everything at one time.
Creating an organized and inviting environment is not difficult. With a little planning and time, you can create a relaxing and organized childcare space to enjoy for children and teachers alike.
- Personally acknowledge and greet each family and child, with a smile as they enter the room.
Doing this simple task helps build meaningful and respectful relationships with families. It’s the first interaction the family may have each day and will go a long way in helping families feel welcome. Calling the parent by their name (unless otherwise specified by the parent) and their child by their own name, makes it personal. We want parents to know we are happy to see them and their child and greeting them by their first name is much nicer and more personal than just saying “hello”. If you are unsure how to pronounce their name, it’s best to politely mention you are unsure and ask them how to say it and repeat it back.
- Have daily and ongoing conversations with families.
Each day talk to the family and share something their child did that was positive. Either a new skill learned, or an interaction with another child you observed that was especially nice are examples. Try to be engaging, smile and actively listen. Daily conversations build trust and allows for other conversations to evolve over time, allowing you to learn about the family and their child. When trust is built, families are more comfortable sharing information that may be helpful in meeting the child’s needs and in some cases the family’s needs as well.
- Make sure all families and all children are represented.
Displays around the classroom should represent all children. They should depict varying abilities, languages, and cultures. This need to be done in a non-stereotypical way. The environment should include a combination of pictures, books, dolls, music, and household items that are familiar to children and things they would find in their own home and community. Ask families to bring in family photos of all family members, doing activities they enjoy as a family. Display and make classroom books with them. Displays should be at both child height and parents’ height. Offering seating for adults to sit shows families that they are welcome to stay awhile, and you care about their comfort.
- Provide ways for families to volunteer.
When families can participate one way or another in the childcare program, they feel invested and included. Childcare programs have many different task to manage throughout the year, why not get the help of the families. Parents usually are very happy to lend a hand or offer skills or services they may have. It’s also fun to get the whole family involved. Some ways parents can volunteer might be, a spring or fall clean up on the playground, repairing equipment, sewing things for the classroom, reading a book to the children, or doing a cooking activity with a small group of children. Remember that not all families will be able nor want to volunteer in the classroom and we want to be respectful of this. Providing a list of things, parents can work on at home will allow these families to also feel valued and connected too. Remember part of feeling welcome is knowing you are valued no matter how or if you choose to participate.
- Provide resources and support for families.
Create a specific area in the childcare program where parents can go to get resources pertinent to child development, parenting, health and safety, product recall information and child nutrition as well as social service supports and free events available in your area. Providing resources that pertain to parenting and child development will let parents know that you care about their family outside the walls of the childcare. The location should stay consistent so parents will know where to find these resources and can visit without the help of staff. Providing a small lending library if you’re able, may be useful too. Keep this area uncluttered and organized so parents will want to visit and can find what they are looking for. Remove outdated information in a timely manner.
What can a child learn from a fight? A lot, with the right opportunities.
A dispute with a peer can teach a child about how to voice their own needs, how to weigh the needs of another, and how to compromise and problem-solve with others.
In the Japanese practice of Mimamoru (literally, “watch and protect”), early childhood practitioners are trained to intervene minimally and later than many American early childhood educators would expect, while still closely observing children’s fights. The principle behind this is that while the adult’s role is to protect the children, children need the experience of navigating social complexity to build their social skills. A child who hits another and is then sent away from the activity learns that the adult nearby doesn’t want them to hit but does not learn how to get their needs met. When that same adult stop in, checks on the child who was hit, and helps both children verbalize their wants and needs, both children have the opportunity to understand each other and find a solution.
Perhaps the more difficult situation here is one where the attacks aren’t physical, but emotional. Relational aggression (e.g. “You’re not my friend!” or “You can’t come to my birthday party!”) can be more difficult to intervene in, and harder to spot. This also tends to peak in late preschool and early elementary years as children refine their definition of friendships and understand what it means to be a friend, as well as the power that comes from being included or excluding others.
In either act of aggression, how can the educator offer a learning opportunity instead of simply managing or shutting down the behavior? People are born with the desire to connect, and emotional resilience, as well as a guiding moral voice. What needs to be scaffolded are the skills to advocate for oneself and listen to and hypothesize about others’ perspectives.
First, look at the purpose of adult interventions: no one wants the children to be hurt, physically or emotionally. But in the same way that learning to walk comes with a few tumbles, learning to be a friend and participant in a community comes with its own missteps. If children cannot learn from each other and us when they’re small, they won’t have the experience to navigate social relationships as they become more complex.
This is the platform on which larger concepts of restorative justice are built; instead of punishing the person who harmed another, we work to ensure that the person who was hurt is comforted, and the person who did the hurting has the resources to avoid doing it again.
Questions for your reflection:
- What was your first reaction when you thought about waiting to intervene?
- What are your current intervention strategies when children are fighting?
- How could you integrate a “pause” before intervening?
- What else could you do to support children in learning conflict mediation?