Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning

Focus on the importance of families' and teachers' relationships

In this comprehensive, applied text, readers see why the study of infants and toddlers is important, why a relationship-based model is important for infant-toddler professionals to use, and what infant and toddler development looks like from pre-birth through age 36 months. Included is information on the theories of infant-toddler development, the role of families and how to engage them in learning and development, and program planning using a relationship-based model.

A major focus of the book is on the importance of families' and teachers' relationships and responsiveness in interactions with children. Research-based and yet highly accessible and motivating, the book offers a view of infants and toddlers that respects their capacities and brings compassion to their vulnerabilities, while providing a perspective and voice for teachers, family child care providers, and home visitors to bring to positive and powerful interactions with infants, toddlers, and their families.