Learning in the First 1000 Days.

Here are some of my favourite interactive media for infants and toddlers:

Teddy Bears Picnic (Kennedy et al., 1992) –  This book facilitates shared attention by kids being able to pick out their favourite teddy bears. Adults can ask children“which teddy are you?” and kids can have fun choosing how to express themselves and eventually say “I’m that one!” I always picked the teddy with the pink ribbon. Adults may also ask creative make-believe questions like “What do you think the teddy bears names are?”

Barney: I Love You song (Bernstein, 1982) – This song provides an opportunity to equate love and connection with singing. For example “we’re a happy family” lyircs. Adults can use actions to point at each other while singing “I love you, you love me” combined with wholesome affection “with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you”. This song then shows kids that it’s okay to ask for affection from parents and loved ones “wont you say you love me too?” This song gave me a great deal of comfort and courage to be vulnerable in love and friendship.

 

 

I Am Like a Star song (Graham, 1981) – The kids I taught in nursery loved this one. It was so simple and the simple hand actions were great. Adults and children would make a star with our hands “I am like a star shining brightly”. We would also point at ourselves when singing “I know Heavenly Father loves me!” After the song adults can ask “Who does Heavenly father love?” “You!! That’s right!”

In undertaking my provocation I tried to think back to material that my parents used with me when I was 3 and the happy memories that were created, as well as media that resulted in a lack of involvement or negative consequences. What I found really difficult was thinking “oh yes this had a huge impact!” but it was used when I was 5 years old, probably because its hard remembering to age 3 or younger. I've heard it said some people cant at all. I spoke with my parents about the memories they had interacting with me and I did remember old favourites after all. Now I feel more confident when I become a mother about the importance of interacting with my baby and not just letting an “educational tv show” take the place of my or a family member's interaction. I am very grateful for that.

I believe that way the media I analysed promote serve and return can also be linked to Erikson's first and second stages in his life-span development theory. Trust versus mistrust is the first stage for an infant and Autonomy vs shame and doubt for children 1-3 years old (Santrock 2020). The serve and return model (Harvard University, 2017),  is 1) noticing and sharing the child’s attention 2) remaining loving and encouraging 3) naming what the child is interested in 4) taking turns and 5) noticing when the child's attention has changed) Through this, adults create an environment that allows the infant to feel safe despite living in a world where there's so much new stimuli they don’t understand. In addition, toddlers can feel loved and supported enough to express their newly found will in a way that promotes empathy and curiosity and minimises shame. Thus, the serve and return method helps toddlers and infants overcome the first two stages of Erikson's theory. As a bride-to-be, I’m so excited to implement these strategies when I become a mother hopefully in the next 2 years.

References

Bernstein, L. (1982). I love you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq734_nZ7Eo

Graham, P. K. (1981). I Am Like a Star. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/i-am-like-a-star?lang=eng

Harvard University. (2017). 5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/5-steps-for-brain-building-serve-and-return/

Kennedy, J., Theobalds, P., & Internet Archive. (1992). The teddy bears’ picnic. In Internet Archive. London : Blackie ; New York : Bedrick/Blackie. https://archive.org/details/teddybearspicnic00kenn

Santrock, J. W. (2020). Essentials of life-span development (6th ed.). Mcgraw-Hill Education.