Infants and Toddlers at Work

Acknowledgments

Introduction
Impetus for the Book
Research
Teaching Techniques
Materials
Learning Exemplars: The Reggio Schools
Chapter Overview
Four Big Ideas in This Book

1.  Why Use Materials?
Infants and Toddlers in Flow
Humans: Unique Learners
Sensitive Periods and Brain Plasticity
Structuring the Use of Materials
Conclusion: Materials' Meaning

2.  Framing Experiences
The Brain's Attention Systems
Facing Complexity
Challenges: Glue, Scissors, Clay, Sewing
Conclusion: Accumulating Skills

3.  Infants and Materials
Infants' Predispositions
Adults' Intentionality
Food, Paper, Fabric, Sound
Day by Day in Provocative Infant Spaces
Conclusion: Natural Learners

4.  Man-Made Materials
Cultural Contrasts: 10,000 Years Ago and Now
Reggio and Neuroscience Resonances
The Design and Development of Materials
One Huge and Many Small Events
Conclusion: Meaning-Full Materials

5.  Painting With Tempera
Stumbling, Reflecting, Learning
A Theory of How We Learn
Teaching With Intention
A Culture of Relationships
Beginning Use of Tempera
Conclusion: The Joy of Painting

6.  Clay
6-Month- and 2-Year-Old Reactions
Molding the Brain
Games

7.  Mark-Making
A Natural Language
An Innate Drive
A Story from Reggio
Complex Intersections: Drawing and Decisions
Small Choices/Large Impacts
Self-Portraits Plus
Conclusion: Drawing, An Imperative

8.  Exploring Paper
Paper, Brain, and Hand
New Ways With Paper: Eight Months of Activities
Paper, Infants, and Toddlers: Reggio Stories
Conclusion: New Perspectives

9.  Natural Materials
Learning to See
Infant/Toddler Investigations of Nature
The Bounty of Natural Materials
Research, Nature, and the Classroom
Conclusion: The Power and Pleasure of Nature

10.  Light and Shadow
How We Know What We See
Discovering Light and Shadow
Conclusion: Enticing the Infant/Toddler Brain

11. Using Technology with Infants and Toddlers
by Alex Morgan
Learning the Language of Technology
Exploring Digital Humanity
Building Community Through Technology
Conclusion

12. Making Meaning With Technology
by Ryan Karuda
Coding and Robotics
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Digital Photography
Digital Landscapes
Spectrogram

Appendix A: List of Materials

Appendix B: Art Supplies

Appendix C: Tools

Glossary

References

Index

About the Author and Contributors