Child Care Videos

Filmed in family child care homes and infant/toddler care centers, these video clips give viewers a glimpse into high-quality care in well-planned environments. Reflective questions and comments invite viewers to consider important learning and development that occur through interactions and play, and the role of the caregiver-teacher, who intentionally promotes relationship-based care. Prior to filming, the child care programs in this video series were identified as fully compliant with required regulations. Every setting has the appropriate adult to child ratio and supervision of every child, even if other adults cannot be seen in the video frame. Aquí el enlace para esta serie de segmentos de video en inglés. Los transcripciones están disponibles en español.

Teachers Document Observation

In the following video clip, two teachers sit together, discuss and document their observations of infants and toddlers in their care.

Below are some sample questions related to the video clip and the value of documenting observations of individual children. It may be helpful to watch the video more than one time.

What did you observe about the two teachers in the video?

How did the two teachers work together to document their observations?

What were some ways in which the teachers encouraged each other to say more about their observations?

What are some of the examples of the observations the teachers made of individual children during the day?

After watching this video, what comes to mind for you about the importance of documenting observations of individual children?

In what ways might observations about individual children be useful to you as a teacher?

Is there a specific experience you’ve had that relates in some way to this scenario? If so, what was the experience and how does it relate?

Alou’s Morning (Inclusion)

This child is included in child care with his typically developing peers.

What did you observe in the interactions between the teacher and Alou?

How does the environment and the materials support their interactions?

What are some ways the teacher responds to his needs?

After watching this video, what comes to mind for you about including children with special needs through interactions and the environment?

Is there a specific experience you’ve had that relates in some way to the interactions between this teacher and Alou? If so, what was the experience and how does it relate?

Relationship Building

This teacher intentionally builds strong emotional connections with each child as she asks questions, shows affection, and talks about their families.

How would you describe the relationship between the two toddlers and the infant care teacher?

What do you see the caregiver saying or doing to support and acknowledge the emotions the children may be experiencing?

How does the teacher support the emotional needs of the children?

What else might you have asked these toddlers to connect with their feelings during this time?

How do the toddlers respond when she asks about their families?

Douglas Quiett - Values and Beliefs

Douglas Quiett, LMSW, shares reflections on the power and the importance of being self-aware and how this affects teachers providing services for young children.

What are your values?

What are your beliefs around child rearing?

Where do your values and beliefs around child rearing come from?

Looking at Elijah

Elijah, explores the environment. Note how careful he is with placement of objects, his pace, and his attention span during this uninterrupted play sequence.

In what ways does Elijah explore his environment?

What kind of facial expressions do you observe as he plays?

Does this clip relate to experiences you’ve had with children in your care or in your program?

How does the environment support Elijah’s ability to maintain a calm, focused emotional state?

Does Elijah’s interest in exploring containers give you ideas for how to make changes in the environment (such as adding empty containers, providing space for larger container play)?

Food Therapist

In this example of early intervention in the natural environment, Trevor, who is almost three, is having lunch with his peers and his food therapist.

In what ways does the food therapist encourage Trevor to experience the foods?

How did Trevor and the other children respond and potentially benefit from this experience?

Can you think of other examples of intervention in the natural environment?

Does this clip relate to any experiences you’ve had with children in your care or in your program

Dirt and Grass

A teacher gently engages with toddlers as they explore outside.

What are some ways the teacher is responsive to the toddlers?

Did you notice how she waits to see how they will explore and follows their lead, asks questions, and repeats some of their words?

In what ways does the teacher encourage the toddlers as they discover dirt and grass?

How does the caregiver respond to the emotions expressed by the toddlers?

What words and phrases did the caregiver use to support the toddlers to express their feelings?

Baby Talk

This care teacher and baby have some extended one-on-one time to explore books before the other children arrive.

a. Reflecting on Responsive Caring

How does the teacher show her interest in the infant?
What do you notice about the infant’s and teacher’s pace as they sit together?
What kind of comments does the teacher make as the infant explores?
b. Reflecting on Relationships and Attachment

How would you describe the relationship between the care teacher and baby?
How is the caregiver supporting the baby's need to establish a secure attachment with an adult?
How do you think the baby feels during this interaction?

Teacher Welcomes Children (bilingual)

A caregiver warmly greets two toddlers as they arrive at child care in the morning.

Notice how the teacher gently brings the girls into the environment and talks with them in their home language, Spanish, as they adjust to being in care.

How did the caregiver show she respected and related to the feelings the toddlers might be experiencing as she greeted them?

How does the environment help support interactions and togetherness?

What did you see from the toddlers’ behaviors, facial expressions, and/ or body language that showed you their emotional needs were being met by the caregiver?

Walk to Park

A family child care provider/teacher and her assistant take children on a walk to a local park. This is a creative use of local resources and a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors

How does the teacher initiate conversations?

In what ways is this teacher supporting learning and development during this experience?

How do you think the children feel during this walk?

Young Infant

This family child care home is arranged to support breastfeeding mothers.

How does the environment support the babies’ ability to explore and learn?

How does the environment support the partnership between the young infant’s family and the caregiver?

How does the infant respond to the interactions between the mother and caregiver?

How does the caregiver use the materials and space to create a warm and welcoming environment for young children and their families?

Agency links

Infant/Toddler Resource Guide