The Encyclopedia of Infant and Toddler Activities: Written by Teachers for Teachers »

Kathy Charner has been with Gryphon House for over 15 years. She is the editor of several books including: The GIANT Encyclopedia of Learning Center Activities; The GIANT Encyclopedia of Circle Time Activities; The GIANT Encyclopedia of Art & Craft Activities; The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities; and The GIANT Encyclopedia of Activities for Four-Year-Olds.

Selected from a nationwide contest, this book has over 300 activities written for infants and toddlers.

Children's Literature

A companion to the 2005 Learning Center Activities for Children 3 to 6, this book of activities is aimed at teachers, caregivers, and parents of the youngest children, and activities are submitted by other teachers and caregivers around the country. An introduction to the three age ranges from birth to twelve months, one to two years, and two to three years is provided with developmental tasks for each. Though learning through exploration and discovery is mentioned, it could be emphasized more for these age groups. Some inexperienced teachers and caregivers tend to use curriculum guides as time for "lessons" rather than emphasizing the teachable moment among individual children. The book is organized according to activity beginning with "Arrival" and ending with "Working with Families." In between are eighteen different areas including games, language, sensory, snack, and so on. "Under Arrival," for instance, activities are designed for each age group and include materials and step-by-step instructions on what to do. The teacher submitting the activity is noted. Occasional black-and-white illustrations are provided for clarity. A children's book index as well as a general index are included.