{"id":4992,"date":"2026-05-21T10:54:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T15:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/children\/?page_id=4992"},"modified":"2026-06-03T08:03:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T13:03:54","slug":"infant-curriculum-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/children\/curriculum\/infant-curriculum-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Infant Curriculum Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Version: Fall 2026
Last Modified: April 28, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The infant program at the UWM Children’s Learning Center uses an emergent curriculum which incorporates the interests of the children, considers each child’s developmental abilities and needs, and fosters growth across developmental domains. As a result, there may be several strands of interest or focus that are interwoven throughout the classroom activities. Curriculum is delivered through play-based activities. This approach takes advantage of the children’s intrinsic motivation to engage in, and stay engaged in, educational activities and sets the foundation for positive early education experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We draw from the philosophy of Educaring (Education and Caring by Magda Gerber) with our interactions with Infants and Young Toddlers. The key word in this philosophy is RESPECT — respect for the child and for us. We believe in a child\u2019s natural development, involving them in their daily routines, asking for permission to help them, and giving them appropriate choices. We also believe that infants learn best when they can move freely and explore in an environment which is predictable, physically safe, cognitively challenging and emotionally nurturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educarers are observers and active participants in the children’s play, guiding their learning and taking careful observation of the changing needs, abilities and interests so that lesson plans are relevant and meaningful for the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This curriculum guide provides a detailed overview of the expectations about the skills and strategies that children will typically learn, as well as give examples of the opportunities and materials children will experience, practice and master in infant rooms. We consider that children grow and develop at different rates and respect that they will achieve mastery without direct instruction, but rather with guidance and support from teachers. We also understand that children need different types of teacher support and scaffold their learning to meet these goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While identified separately in this guide, all these areas overlap, and learning takes place in multiple domains simultaneously. Skills and strategies are not learned in isolation. The curriculum provides children with a rich variety of materials and hands-on experiences, as well as multiple opportunities over time to engage with those materials and experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social-emotional development is at the core of our curriculum. It is necessary to play cooperatively to engage in complex play activities. We allow for uninterrupted longer periods of play so that children can explore their environment and the other children. As Educarers, we foster those interactions starting at a young age through observation and guidance. Social-emotional learning experiences are embedded in nearly all activities we do in the infant and young toddler program for children to have ample opportunity to learn and practice these skills.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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