CHD 166

Infant Toddler Environmental Assessment

Name: Makeez
(100 points)

Directions: Observe an infant and toddler classroom environment for

approximately one hour and complete the checklist portion (Part I). Reflect on
your observations and comments and then analyze and make application of the
information that you gathered by responding to the questions in the analysis and
application sections (Parts II & III).
General Information
Centers Hours of Operation:
6:30 am 6:30 pm

Ages and Group Size: 18 months and 12

years old.

Fees: $80

Number of Meals/Snacks Provided: The

children are feed three times a day. The
children get served breakfast in the
morning. Then in the afternoon, they are
served lunch. When they wake from
naptime they are served snack.

Center NAEYC Accredited?

Yes, the center is NAEYC Accredited.
Part I Checklist
Staff Information
Yes
The director is accessible and
responsive

The building is safe, clean, and well

maintained

The setting is bright and cheerful

No

Not
Comments
Observed
The director is
always available. The
director is either in
her office with the
door open or at the
front desk or in a
classroom. If a
teacher needs the
director she could be
reached with a walkie
talkie.
Yes, the building
looks very clean and
organized. Every
room is vacuumed,
mopped and
sanitized.
The setting is a very

There are enough adults to give

children individual attention

The staff members talk with the

children as they play with them, feed
them, and diaper them

The children seem happy

The adults seem to enjoy working

with the children

warm and welcoming

environment.
Both in the infant and
toddler classroom
have enough teacher
that follows the
teacher and children
ratio. There were
about 9 children in
the toddler
classroom. Thus,
there were two
teachers present.
When the teachers
were playing with the
children, they would
ask them questions
or talk to them about
what they were
doing. The teachers
would recognize the
childrens needs by
telling okay I am
coming to change
your diaper.
The children were
laughing and play
with one another.
The teachers do
seem to enjoy
working with the
children. The
teachers are always
engaging in
conversation with the
children. The
teachers are smiling
and dancing with the
children and playing
instruments.

Physical Space and Safety

Yes
Staff members are alert to the need
for cleanliness and hand-washing

No

Not
Comments
Observed
The teachers clean
the childrens hand
after they come from

There is enough space indoors so

the children can move about freely,
with areas for active and quiet play
A clean safe place is set up for
changing diapers

There is an alternative exit in case of

fire

There is a fire alarm system with

enough smoke detectors and fire
extinguishers
There is a safety plan so the children
can be removed from the center
quickly
There are window guards, gates on
stairs, covers on radiators, safety
caps on electrical outlets

outside. As well as,

before and after a
meal.
There was enough
room in the
classroom.
The teachers
sanitized the diaper
changing mat after
each time they
change a diaper.
Each classroom had
an exit door for the
children to exit out of
in case of an
emergency.

X
X
X

The classroom does

not have stairs or
radiators. However,
they did have safety
caps on all the
electrical outlets.

Cleaning supplies and hazardous

items are safely stored

The temperature is comfortable, the

air circulation is good and it is kept
free of cigarette smoke
The outdoor space is safely
enclosed and supervised, where
children can easily run and play
Cribs have firm mattresses with
heavy plastic covers

All the cleaning

supplies and
hazardous items
were stored in a
cabinet where
children could reach.
The temperature was
good.

The playground
outside is gated with
a tall steel fence.
All cribs have a sheet
that covers the
mattress

The Program
Yes

No
3

Not

Comments

Observed
The room is arranged into activity
areas

There is a posted daily schedule and

menu

Daily activities are varied, wellbalanced (active and quiet) and

geared to short attention spans
There is a space can be made dark
and quiet whenever a child needs to
nap
There are enough play materials
easy to access so that the children
can keep busy and involved

The play materials help develop

motor skills and the sense of touch,
sight, and hearing

The room is very

organized. Each toy
and activity had their
own area.
They don't have a
daily schedule
posted. However,
they do have a daily
sheet. In the daily
sheet, it tells the
parents what their
child did that day.
What they ate, when
the child was
changed, and how
long they slept.
There are many
activities for the child.

X
X

There are many

different types of toys
for children to play
with. In the toddler
room, the children
can play in the
dramatic play area.
They can play with
several of different
plastic foods in the
dramatic play area.
There are many of
the same toys in both
classrooms for all the
children.
The toddlers play
with playdough. For
the infants, the have
those feel books.
Where the inside the
book has different
types of textures.
4

There are manipulative toys

available
Art materials are accessible and
available

X
X

Soft toys are available

There are building blocks

Musical toys are available

X
X

Picture books are available and age

appropriate

Equipment that encourages children

to pull up, stand, and walk is
available

Riding toys are available outside and

stored properly

Climbing equipment is available

Child Guidance

There are many

crayons and painting
material for the
children.
There a lot of soft
toys in the infant
classroom. As well as
the toddler
classroom.
There are many
different types of
musical instruments.
For the toddler
classroom, they had
little toy pianos,
drums, xylophones,
and maracas. The
infants had drums
and maracas.
All the picture books
were
developmentally
appropriate.
There was a toy
walker in the infant
room. It was a toy
where the children
could use to stand up
or push.
There are many
riding toys. The riding
toys are put to the
side against the wall.

Yes
Adults get children to do things by
encouragement, suggestions or
offering choices rather than by
reprimand or commands

No

Not
Comments
Observed
When the toddlers go
to centers they are
the ones choosing
where to go. The
teacher does not
direct them

Staff members are responsive when

a child needs comforting

Children are allowed to express their

feelings
Discipline is handled sensitively and
appropriately

Girls and boys are equally

encouraged to participate in the
various activities
Staff-Parent Interaction

anywhere.
One of the children
tripped on something
and fell. The teacher
went to the student
and gave them a
hug.

X
X

Two children were

hitting each other and
the teacher stopped
them and
encouraged the
children to use gentle
hands.

Yes
The staff members seem interested
in speaking with parents when they
drop off and pick up their children
There are regularly held parentteacher conferences and parent
meetings
There is a parent communication
board with announcements
Newsletters are sent home

No

Not
Comments
Observed
The teacher tells the
parents about the
child's day.
X

X
X

Parents are welcome to visit the

center at anytime

The newsletters are

emailed.
I did not observe this.
However, I would
think they are
welcomed anytime.

Part II - Analysis
1.

What are your overall impressions of the health and safety features of the
center?
The center was really good health and safety. The teachers cleaned the
childrens hands before and after eating. The teacher cleaned the students hands
every time they came from the playground. The teachers would clean and sanitize
the tables every time the children ate food. The teacher sanitized the changing table
after every use.

2.

Do you feel that this is a good environment in which infants and toddlers can
grow and learn? Were there enough materials and were they developmentally
appropriate for the age group? Support your opinions with specific examples.

The toddler and infant classroom I observed is a good environment. The toddler
classroom had 7 soft plastic cars available for the children. The toddler room also had
about 4 xylophones for the children to play with. They also had more musical
instruments to play with. Both the toddler and infant room had multicultural and
developmentally appropriate books and toys.

3.

What stood out the most for you in doing your observation of an infant toddler
environment?

What stood out to me the most was the library area in the toddler classroom. The
library had several of types of books for the children. All the books were
developmentally appropriate multicultural.

4.

Did you find the child guidance strategies to be appropriate and effective?
Give examples to support your observations.
Yes, I did find the child guidance strategies to be appropriate and effective. The children
were fighting over a toy. The teacher came over and told the children to use their gentle
hands and not hit. The teacher went go a similar toy and gave it to the child.

5.

What was your impression of the staff-parent interactions? Give examples to

support your opinions.
The teachers in the toddler room I observed were really interactive with the
parents. For example, when one of the children's parent came in. The teacher told the
parent about the child's day. What the child did throughout the day and an interesting
thing that happened with the child. The teacher asked the parent how their day was and
she also addressed some other stuff she will be doing with the students. The teacher
also informed the parent that next week will be picture day. The teacher did a good job
at keeping the parent up to date with the child's progress, and what they did throughout
the day.
Part III - Application

1.

Of the things you observe, what would you want to duplicate in your own center?

I would want to duplicate the library area. I would have various different types of
books for the children.

2.

What things would you change if you were designing your own classroom and
outdoor space?
What I would like to change for my classroom is the dramatic play area. I would
want to have a play house for the children to play in. I would also like to have more
costume for the children.