Session 5/21
Page 4/5 Topic B: Making a plan for a stimulating environment for babies and toddlers in the Secure Base ModelTopic B: Making a plan for a stimulating environment for babies and toddlers in the Secure Base Model
”I had a kid. He was always shaking his head and licking his hand’s back. I guessed he had a mental retardation because, I had seen such children before. I used more the techniques that I learnt through this session on this kid more often and elaborately. Now, he is sitting and he does not lick his hand and swing. But sometimes, he is biting his nails. However, I will overcome this problem, too.”
A Caregiver’s statement.
Foster parents are often not aware of how much under stimulated babies need stimulation. This makes two things very important:
- How can you develop a generally stimulating environment, especially in the daytime?
- How can you use “mother’s tools” for stimulating babies when you don’t have time to give them as much physical contact as any mother will naturally do?
In the rest of this session you will get a number of suggestions for practices and for adjusting them to your foster care. Perhaps you will need to repeat this for a number of times until you have developed a number of new practices. When you make these changes, daily life may seem a little more chaotic and difficult to structure.
- How can we create a culture where we often give the children hugs, patt them in a friendly way on the shoulder, swing them around, hold hands when we take walks, and in general have many habits that support physical closeness?
- How do we create a practice where we carry the babies often, or sit with them on the lap? What tools can make it easier, such as slings or light carry bags that can be strapped on the body?
- A bed can be improved in several ways: by using flannel or terry cloth for sheets which improve skin stimulation (make sure that the bed does not become too warm). You may also sew and place a hammock between the two railings of the bed, so that it hangs just over the mattress and still can swing freely. Or you may drop the beds completely and use hammocks placed just above a soft mattress on the floor. Beds may also be altered so that the child can see what is going on around it when it is awake. For toddlers, you can place hammocks or swings over mattresses in the room or in the garden, and plan daily routines where the children exercise balance stimulation. When you plan this: remember that these tools should not be placed in special rooms. If you do this, the children will not use them much. They should be placed as close as possible to the place where the caregivers spend their time. If you have a garden: can you build or buy a swing, a roundabout, or another balance stimulating device?
- Can you hang interesting objects above the beds (such as mobiles), or otherwise find things that the children can look at when they are awake in their beds?
- Can you paint the walls in bright and different colours and hang up objects and pictures?
- How can you use songs and music to stimulate children? Singing for babies and singing with children is essential for language development. Lullabies have a very soothing effect on the baby brain. Almost anything can be used to produce rhythms, such as spoons, buckets, etc.