This practicum involved the design and construction of an outdoor playground for infants and toddlers. The primary goal was to design and construct a playground scaled to the size and developmental needs of infants and toddlers. The second goal was to evaluate the overall playground in terms of contents, maintenance and usage. The third goal was…

Age-appropriate activities for children and curriculum guidelines for mothers operating family day care homes for infants and toddlers were developed with the goal of improving the quality of day care programming. Curriculum goals were to (1) facilitate children's achievement of self-identity and self-esteem; (2) provide an outlet for creative…

This practicum was designed in response to the observation that very young children who accompanied Head Start parents assisting in Head Start classrooms were observed to be either extremely withdrawn or extremely active. The practicum was implemented to improve the relationships of parents and their infants and toddlers. Practicum goals were to…

A child caregiver developed a substance abuse intervention and prevention program for preschool children between 2 and 5 years of age who were at risk for substance abuse. The practicum effort resulted in a preschool substance abuse curriculum that included information on drugs, offered techniques for enhancing self-esteem, and discussed skills…

This practicum was designed to increase the ability of physical therapy students to be innovative in the treatment of children, 0 to 3 years old, by creatively using toys and games. The practicum involved: (1) administering a test to seven senior physical therapy majors to determine students' current knowledge; (2) administering a questionnaire to…

This practicum involved an effort to improve the quality of infant/toddler care and education in a family dayhome setting. An attempt was made to increase the dayhome administrator's and parents' knowledge of infant/toddler development, age appropriate curriculum/material selection and parent/school communication. Direct observation of family…

This practicum designed and developed a program to implement a reverse mainstreaming model of inclusion for 7 toddlers (ages 1 to 3) with disabilities (Down syndrome, profound mental retardation, cerebral palsy, neurofibromatosis, stroke, and hearing impairment) and 3 of their typically developing peers. Emphasis was on the provision of…

The purpose of this staff development practicum was to improve the quality of infant and toddler group caregiving by increasing caregivers' knowledge of infant and toddler development and care needs. As a result of the intervention, a healthier, safer, and more stimulating environment for babies was expected; in addition, more professional…

This practicum report describes development of a system of family support services for 56 parents of preschool handicapped children (ages birth to 3) in an early intervention setting. A preliminary survey was administered to determine family needs. A family support group was then developed which met monthly for fellowship, networking, work…

This practicum addressed the problem faced by a child care center in dealing with parents from various ethnic backgrounds who possessed different views on toddler toilet training. The goal of the 10-week project was to establish an environment in the toddler program that allowed teachers and parents to approach toilet training cooperatively.…

A preschool director designed an outdoor playground for 115 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers attending an early childhood center operated by a graduate theological seminary. Based on a review of the relevant literature on different aspects of outdoor play, the design reflected a playground that: (1) integrated outdoor play area with indoor…

This practicum report describes an intervention designed to increase opportunities for children in a day care center and preschool to practice gross motor skills, and to help teachers gain confidence in their ability to foster children's maturation. It was expected that as a result of the intervention, 50 of 70 children would participate in gross…

Self-evaluation, director observations and evaluations, parent statements, and a lack of staff-child interaction indicated that a problem existed within an infant-toddler group. A practicum was therefore conducted to improve the quality of care. In 12 workshops, inservice training for teachers and student aides was provided to increase use of…

A training program was implemented for teachers to increase the quality and quantity of developmentally appropriate multicultural education for 2-year-olds at a child care center in which the children and teachers were predominantly Euro-American. The 10-week training program used readings, videos, discussions, and guided imagery to: (1) raise…

This practicum focused on the improvement of parent/caregiver relationships with approximately 65 children (ages birth through age 3) prenatally exposed to drugs or alcohol. The project utilized six Infant Development Instructors and local health support services. The 8-month program implementation involved Infant Development Instructor training,…