what is infants and their characteristics

WHAT IS INFANTS ?

INFANTS(from birth to 12 months)

A child in the earliest period of life, especially

before he or she can walk.

anything in the first stage of existence or pr

ogress.

Characteristic of INFANTS Infants are learning to anticipate

events, make sense of their worlds and communicate their needs in these early months of life.  They learn through touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste in exploration of their everyday environments, and through interactions with adults and other children in environments that are safe yet provide sensory stimulation.

NewbornNewborns’ earliest movements are reflexive, but they quickly develop into more purposely activity.

•By the middle of the first year, babies are reaching for and grasping objects, rolling over and sitting up with support.

From birth-six months •At birth, infants cannot control their body movements. Most of their movements are reflexes. Their nervous system is not fully developed.

Grasping object

Rolling over of babies

Sitting up with support.

•  Infants can sit alone. They crawl with their stomach touching the floor, and they creep on their hands and knees.

• By eight months, they can reach for and hold objects. They can pick up objects with their thumb and forefinger and let objects go (drop things).

• They start to throw things. They pull up to stand, they stand holding onto furniture, and they can walk when led.

• By the time they are 12 months old, most babies can weigh three times what they weighed at birth and gain about an inch per month in length. The average infant at one year may be between 26–30 inches long.

Pencing grasp (holding objects with thumb and forefingers

Crawling

Pulling themselves upright

Walking alone

Infants need a safe, interesting and calm place to explore and adults or other children to play, interact and talk with them.

Infants need responsive adults recognize and meet their individual needs in a consistent nurturing respectful manner.

They provide daily routines that are tailored to each child’s individual rhythm and needs for care, food, sleep, play and social interaction.

Special activities for infants might include:

batting/grasping/kicking, use scarves, toys that roll and mobiles;

infant ‘peepo’, use net curtains, boxes, mirrors and scarves;

for pulling up, use towel rails attached to wall, steps and couches;

use an empty paddling pool to create a play pit, use balls, washable scarves and ribbons; and

a cosy quiet area, use pillows, curtains and soft toys

sensory objects to touch, taste, shake, smell, bang, push, prod, and look at 

Children experience the world with their whole being body, spirit, energy, minds, hearts, compassion, tears, laughter,

anger, pride, learning, understanding, love

and soul.Children play, grow and feel the

world around them’(R Keeler, 2008)