Young Children and Child Centered Spaces

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Young Children and Child Centered Spaces

• INEE Global Consultation 2009
• Mary A. Moran, Ph.D. Christian Childrens Fund

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Very Young Children Under Stress

• may be very clingy with primary caregivers
• may regress developmentally- especially in self
  help activities such as toilet training or
  feeding, or lose expressive language
• may be more aggressive
• may be more withdrawn
• may have sleep problems or nightmares

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Very Young Children Under Stress

• may exhibit excessive crying
• may exhibit little affect

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Primary Caregivers Under Stress

• may be less sensitive to the childs cues
• may be less responsive to the childs expression
• may be frustrated or irritated by increased
  caregiving demands at a time when there are other
  stresses
• may be less emotionally available to the young
  child
• may feel powerless- especially about safety

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Young Children

• Dont accurately assess physical safety, but are
  attuned to psychological safety
• Are very sensitive to and respond to the
  emotional state of their primary caregivers
• Believe adults can control things, keep them safe

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Options for Use of Child Centered Spaces

• Choose to focus on a specific age group
• Set times for children of different age groups
  with age and developmentally appropriate
  activities
• Community discussions during times not set for
  children
• Parenting education and support times

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For Very Young Children

• Encourage active caregiver involvement- times for
  caregivers to support each other in discussion as
  well as time for joint activity with their
  infants and toddlers
• Focus on caregiver-child interaction- not
  assuming work with caregivers alone will suffice
  or caring for children to reduce caregiver stress
  will suffice

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For Very Young Children Contd

• Recognize the unique opportunities of feeding
  programs in accessing the very vulnerable and
  focusing on relationship activities
• Encourage language such as singing, storytelling
• Encourage interactive games and touch

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As Children Enter the Preschool Age Range

• Encourage caregiver involvement and
  caregiver-child interactive activities, but a
  greater number of solitary child-focused
  activities and time without caregivers become
  more appropriate
• More imaginary activities can be a focus such as
  short dramas, but recognize the line between real
  and pretend can be very fuzzy for young children

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Adaptations Necessary for Young Children

• Smaller number of children per adult or youth
  leader
• Working with and through caregivers in
  activities, planning and evaluation
• Different cautions around safety of materials-
  size, etc.
• Discussions with caregivers around discipline
  within the CCS

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Adaptations Contd

• Training of facilitators/animators must include
  development of very young children, working with
  caregivers, facilitating interaction
• Care around choice of facilitators/animators
  regarding especially nonjudgmental approaches,
  capacity to work with different styles and
  encourage all

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Adaptations Contd

• Training around recognizing need for referral in
  nonverbal or preverbal children
• Training regarding respect for child rearing
  differences within groups served and child
  protection
• Vigilance about stability in facilitators/animator
  s
• Predictable routines