What You Will See in a Developmentally Appropriate Infant Room….

  • Loving and nurturing exchanges
  • Frequent, respectful, and responsive interactions
  • Babies dictating their own schedules
  • Lights turned on throughout the entire day
  • Acceptance of individual differences and rates of development
  • Attempts to communicate acknowledged and reinforced
  • Children not made to feel badly, with no negative comments related to bodily functions
  • Babies talked to about what is happening to them, and what is going to happen to them, and what they are feeling
  • Presence of music and laughter
  • Stimulation provided, based on individual needs
  • Children not confined or restricted, free to explore
  • “No” is eliminated by the childproofing of the room
  • Sleeping infants put into cribs (on their backs……)
  • Children are encouraged to explore and to learn new things
  • Feeding time is a pleasurable exchange, with the caregivers focus being on the child (no bottle prompting)
  • Diapering viewed as an opportunity to interact and bond
  • Children get “floor time” with an adult sitting by them – Interacting, Reading, and doing simple games and activities
  • Frequent smiles and affection given by caregivers
  • Crying infants acknowledged, and if teacher is busy, told that they will be taken care of as soon as possible; children’s feelings validated
  • Multi-cultural items reflected throughout the environment
  • Cues taken from children; physical needs acknowledged
  • Pictures of the children and their families present; Pictures of real objects vs. cartoon characters
  • Role of the family is acknowledged and respected, with good, open, two-way communication about the child and his/her development and needs