Babies, Movement & Play

Tammy Averitt

Early Orientation & Mobility Concept Development

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“Orientation is the process of using the remaining senses to establish one’s position and relationship to all other significant objects in one’s environment, “

(p.3) and “Mobility is the capacity, the readiness, and the facility to move” (p.115) (Hill & Ponder, 1976).

Orientation involves: • Knowing oneself as a separate being• Where one is in space• Where one wants to move out into space• And how to get to that place.

Today, we will be focusing on one of the facets of an O&M program which involves O&M Mobility Concept development

use with infants 0-3 years of age.

Hill, Rosen, Correa, and Langley (1984) noted the following facets of an O&M program: sensory skill development, concept

development, environmental and community awareness, formal orientation skills, and formal mobility skills.

OBEJECT PERMANENCE

• Shows interest in people and toys• acts to disappearance of objects• Finds partially covered objects• Looks for family members/pets when named• Plays peek-a-boo• Finds totally hidden objects• Unwraps a toy• Remembers location of toys • Remembers where familiar toys are kept• Reaches for object out of sight• Brings object from another room when asked• Reaches in correct direction of object that has made noise in

several places• Remember where object belong-puts away upon request

CAUSE AND EFFECT

• Watches hands, uses hand /mouth for sensory exploration of objects

• Shakes ,rattles, or bangs toys place in hand• Slides toy on surface • Overcome obstacle to retrieve an object• Guide action on manual toy( pushes button, pull

lever.• Drops object systematically • Understand different toys are activated by

different action• Retrieves object using another item• Solves simple problem with tool• Demonstrates common uses of object

IMITATION• Enjoys repeating newly learned

activity• Imitates new gesture• Engages in simple imitative play• Imitates adult behavior using

props• Provides “help” in simple

household chores

BODY IMAGE• Move hand to mouth, bring feet to

mouth• Watches hands , brings hands

together at midline• Plays with own hands, feet ,fingers,

and toes• Touches spot on body where toys is

touching• Transfer object from hand, to hand• Identifies self in mirror• Names one, then three, and then

six body parts.

SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Inspects surroundings• Visually searches for sound• shifts visual attention or body orientation

from one object to another• Watches hands• Plays with own hands , feet, fingers, and toes• Turns to direction where name is called• Brings feet to mouth• Glances at one toy, then another when a toy

is placed in each hand• Reaches for nearby object in view

REACHES FOR AN OBJECT OUT OF REACH, BUT STILL IN SIGHT

• Drops object systematically• Searches for objects moved out of visual

field• Takes stacking ring apart• Stacks rings on pole (though not in correct

order)• Nests two, then three cans,• Places pegs in pegboard holes• Places round piece, then square piece, and

then triangle piece in form board.• Points to distant outdoor objects,• Explores cabinets, and drawers

SELF INITIATION

• Enjoys repeating a newly learned game.• Waits for an adult to take his or her turn in a

turn-taking game.• Continues a familiar game by initiating

movement involved in game.• Repeats action that elicits laughter from

others.• Moves away from a caregiver who is in the

same room.• Makes simple choices about books, food, and

so on• Gets own toys to play with from familiar place• Uses adults to solve problems

• Approaches peer or adult to initiate play• Solves simple problems without adult

assistance• Explores new environment.

Compiled by Tanni L. Anthony

Resources

Early Focus, chapter 10,second edition, Rona L. Pogrund & Diane L. Fazzi, Eds

Wonder baby.org, Orientation &mobility for babies

Lets Play ,spring/summer2008,by Jill C. Brown, M.Ed. CTVI/COMS,CROWLEY ISD

Orientation and Mobility Training; The way to go ,by Carolina Martinez, O&M Specialist, TSBVI

Inventory of Purposeful Movement, by Tanni Anthony Almost a 100 Motor Activities for Infants and Toddlers by Olga Uriegas

Learning Through Play with Homemade Toys, Arizona State Schools, for the Deaf and the Blind