Infant/Toddler Program Development Grant

A mini-grant incentive program is being offered to child care providers who successfully complete 20 hours of the WestEd infant-toddler training sponsored by a South Dakota Early Childhood Enrichment Program or one of the South Dakota Tribal Infant-Toddler Training Programs. Child care providers who have met the following requirements may apply for a mini-grant:

• The child care provider must have completed 20 hours of WestEd infant-toddler training conducted by a qualified SD infant-toddler trainer.
• The child care provider must be currently working in a licensed or registered child care program or be in the process of becoming licensed/registered.
• The child care provider must currently be providing care for children between the ages of birth to five years, in a program caring for infants/toddlers or have plans to expand the number of infant and/or toddler slots available through the program they operate.
• The child care provider must be enrolled in or submitted their application to the SD Pathways to Professional Development Career Lattice.
• An application must be completed in which the child care provider describes how the grant item(s) requested relates to the WestEd infant-toddler training they attended.

Cost of the class for WestEd credit: $5.00 per class

Family Child Care Providers will be allowed to use the mini-grant funds (up to $200 per year) for the following:

1) The purchase of developmentally appropriate infant/toddler equipment, toys and/or resources
2) As a credit toward Infant/Toddler Certificate or CDA training tuition costs

Group Family Child Care Programs will be allowed to apply for a maximum grant amount of $600 per year ($200 for each staff member who meets the requirements listed above) for the following:

1) The purchase of developmentally appropriate infant/toddler equipment, toys and/or resources
2) As a credit toward Infant/Toddler Certificate or CDA training tuition costs
3) As a salary increase or bonus for the staff member(s) that completed the WestEd infant-toddler training.

Child Care Centers will be allowed to apply for a maximum grant amount of $1000 per year ($200 for each staff member who meets the requirements listed above) for the following:

1) The purchase of developmentally appropriate infant/toddler equipment, toys and/or resources
2) As a credit toward Infant/Toddler Certificate or CDA training tuition costs
3) As a salary increase or bonus for the staff member(s) that completed the WestEd infant-toddler training.

Examples of Suitable Infant/Toddler Toys:

INFANTS:

Musical Toys	Rattles
Small unbreakable mirrors	Activity mat
Soft fabric toys w/ differing sounds & texture	3-D activity gym
Fabric dolls or animals with easy-to-grab limbs	Floor spinners
Soft, early years activity shapes	Peek-a-boo tunnels
Manipulative w/ differing shapes, sounds, textures	Cloth or cardboard books
Washable dolls and animals	Soft fabric-covered balls
Rolling toys or vehicles	Cloth Blocks
Floor rollers for crawlers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TODDLERS:

Ride-on toys	Musical toys
Fill and dump	Toy phone
Manipulative with moving parts  toys	Push toys
Pull toys	Activity Table
Small vehicles	Toddler climbers
Lightweight balls	Toddler golf
Climbing/Sliding toys	Sand boxes
Big blocks	Table and chairs
Simple puzzles/shape-sorters	Wagon
Shovel and pail	Nesting/Stacking toys
Housekeeping props (small broom, dustpan, vacuum, dishes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER IDEAS:

Child-size furniture	Wagons
Soft mats	Tactile pillows Sand/Water Table
Toddler Slide	Sandbox
Tunnel	Easels
Multi-Level Climbers	Gates
Playhouse	Activity Garden
Little Tykes Climbers	Changing Table
Activity Planning Books for Infants/Toddlers	Crib

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/8/2008