Baby Talk: Resources to Support the People Who Work With Infants and Toddlers
Issue No. 51, August 2015
Milestones Checklists
Use these milestones checklists to help family and staff as they track the developmental progress of children ages three months to five years.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
Talk, Read, Sing Together Every Day! Tip Sheets
Too Small to Fail worked with the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (ED) on a suite of resources that can help enrich children’s early language experiences beginning from birth. There are tip sheets for families, preschool teachers, and infant/toddler teachers and caregivers, as well as a fact sheet that highlights the evidence behind the benefits of being bilingual and embracing children’s home languages, all in English and Spanish.
http://toosmall.org/community/resources#Guides
Support Math Readiness Through Music
Music is one of the first ways children experience math. Without thinking, our bodies react to music. When we hear music, we rock our babies, clap along, and even look toward the source of the sound. These responses are reactions to musical elements such as steady beat, rhythm, and melody, all of which reflect mathematical concepts. Even the youngest of children can respond to music and the mathematical principles behind it. This article by Eugene Geist highlights three musical elements that relate to math and some suggested activity ideas to try. http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/support-math-readiness-through-music
About Autism in Toddlers – Free Online Tool
A online tool, About Autism in Toddlers, is now available free of charge for families and professionals interested in learning how to recognize the early signs of autism spectrum disorder in very young children. The tool includes videos on the core features of autism and information on the importance of early identification. You can watch a preview of the tool or sign-in at no charge to access other resources. This is the first in a series of free online tools being developed by the Autism Institute at Florida State University College of Medicine.
http://autismnavigator.com/resources-and-tools/#about
Getting the Word Out: Helping Others Understand Why Babies Are Important
ZERO TO THREE and Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) have developed the Infant and Toddler Messaging Guide, which shares the results of a national scan of message trends in infant and toddler advocacy. It provides examples of messages used across the country to describe a wide range of infant and toddler issues and makes suggestions for improvement. The paper offers guidance on how to develop effective messages that make a strong case for investment in infants and toddlers.
http://www.zerotothree.org/policy/docs/248_infant-toddler-messaging-guide_v4.pdf
Babies Prefer to Hear ‘Baby Talk’ From Other Babies
When babies hear sounds from other babies, they smile and move their mouths—almost as if they know this is a sound that they could try to make themselves. Click on the link below to see why researchers think this happens.
http://www.futurity.org/babies-language-communication-918582/
Baby Talk is a free, one-way listserv that is distributed each month. Each issue features one or more resources, the majority of which are available to download at no cost. To join the listserv, send an email with no message to subscribe-babytalk@listserv.unc.edu. To suggest resources, please contact Camille Catlett at camille.catlett@unc.edu or (919) 966-6635.