Selecting Developmentally Appropriate Toys and Equipment :: Curriculum

Child and Adolescent Development Model

Units:

Selecting Developmentally Appropriate Toys and Equipment

Part of Unit: Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Learning Experiences for Children

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

Students will learn how program activities and goals should be determined in keeping with developmentally appropriate practices. Selecting developmentally appropriate toys and activities will ensure that a program will encourage development in all areas. A program with Developmentally appropriate practice is one that uses knowledge about the following: Child Development principles, the strengths, needs and interests of each child within the group and the social and cultural contexts in which children in a given program live.

Lesson Time

One class period: 55 Minutes

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis...3

Consumer and Family Studies (CFS) Standards Detail

5.2 Identify factors to consider when selecting, purchasing, or creating play
and learning materials that are developmentally appropriate for children.

5.3 Evaluate facilities, equipment, and materials for their contribution to a child’s

Objectives and Goals

Students will be able to explain what developmentally appropriate practice is in a program setting
Students will have the ability to identify and select developmentally appropriate toys and equipment
Students will be able to explain the guidelines for selecting developmentally appropriate toys, equipment and educational materials.
Students will be able to describe the safety factors to consider when purchasing toys and playground equipment.

Activities in this Lesson

Video Clip "Age Guidelines for toys" - Hooks / Set
Students will view the video clip that explains the basic ways toys are labled and how parents and caregivers should choose toys, then discuss "Age Guidelines for Toys".

Questions for Discussion-

"If the consumer products safety commission is setting these guidelines, can I trust them to be true for all of the children served in the program I work in?"

"The Developmental age and Chronological age of a child may not agree developmentally, so how then should I decide if a toy is safe for a child to play with?"
- How-Toy-Age-Guidelines-Are-Set-155908279 [ Go to Site ] null
Power Point Presentation-"Selecting Developmentally Appropriate Toys and equipment" - Lecture
This power point presentation is designed to help students analyze, discuss and learn how to identify developmentally appropriate toys for children's programs.
- Selecting Developmentally appropriate Toys and Equipment.ppt [ Download ]
Demonstration of Toys with Choke tube and product labeling - Demo / Modeling
Instructor now shows students Toy Product labels and the toys inside the packages.

Then demonstrates if the toys pass the "choke tube" test.

Students are then asked to use a paper tube and test the toys placed in the box at their table for their safety for children under 3 years old.
Questioning to check for understanding - Check Understanding
Randomly the teacher chooses students (pulling a popcicle stick) to answer:

Did you find a toy in your box that was unsafe for an infant?

Why was that toy unsafe?

Which toys were safe for infants and toddlers?

Which toys were not safe for infants and toddlers?

How do we check for safety and developmentally appropriateness of the toys we choose for our programs?

Assessment

Assessment Types:: Demonstrations, Teacher-Made Test,

Students will be able to demonstrate toy safety for infants and toddlers by using a choke tube and various toys. The toys will be pre-selected in a tub by the instructor. Each group will have a tub of toys to evaluate at their table. During the evaluation the students will sort the toys into two piles, those that are Developmentally appropriate, and those that are not.

Students will answer the following Quiz questions to demonstrate understanding of presented material at the end of the lecture.

SAFETY ISSUES
1. _________of toy and pieces Larger than a choke tube
2. No _________ edges or points
3. __________ toys should be fixed or thrown away
4. Only _______ -________ materials
5. Avoid all _________ toys for babies & toddlers

DURABLE, WASHABLE and CLEAN means:
6. Toys that won’t ________ easily
7. Toys that can be ________easily