Importance of Environment in Promoting Positive Behaviors in Toddlers

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Why is environment an important aspect in the promotion and assisting of positive
behaviors in toddlers?
Safe, nurturing as well as the responsive environment is a significant part of supporting
the learning and development of the toddlers, infants and preschoolers. Studies state that
environments contribute in prevention of the challenging behaviors and serve as the core
component of interventions for different infants and young children even including those
suffering from identified disabilities (Rowe et al., 2017, pp: 163). Adopting correct
environmental practices include proper arrangements of the space, materials, routines as well as
equipments and activities by the families and parents. These help in supporting the learning of
each child across developmental domains. However, studies do reveal that many of the
practitioners remain unsure about the ways by which they could successfully create
environments that support and promote children’s learning and promote positive behavior among
children. When environments are suitable for children, it can result in social, cognitive,
communication as well as motor skill development in children (Kochanska et al., 2015, pp: 785).
Studies are of the opinion that well-designed environments in the classrooms can support
responsive care giving. It can also lead to effective fostering of independence as well as feelings
of competence in children. Positive well-designed environment can ensure promotion of the
child’s engagement as well as decrease in the challenging behaviors of the children. It also helps
in the facilitation of the appropriate social interaction among the infants and toddlers and thereby
provides structure and predictability (Weigel et al., 2017, pp: 745).
Researchers are of the opinion that emotional environment is one important component.
It refers to the whole mood as well as the atmosphere of the setting. Relationships form an

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integral part of the emotional environment. Studies suggest that this environment will display to
the student the ways people talk, behave, speak to each other and are treated along with how
inclusive it is. This will accordingly help the toddler to develop positive emotions and proper
communication styles and relationship building ability. The second environment is the indoor
environment (Le Paro et al., 2016, pp: 148). Researchers are of the opinion that physical
environment in a setting has the capability of directly affecting the quality of practice. For
examples, noise, overcrowding, cleanliness, age appropriate toys and reading materials, color of
the environment and many others have impacts on the behavior development of the child. The
outdoor environment is also responsible for development of positive behaviors in children.
When children are able to move freely, experience nature as well as weather and many others
can help in development if behaviors of cooperation, negotiation as well as collaboration among
children (Britto et al., 2017, pp: 100).
Anecdotes: (250)
1. Jamie: (2 year)
Jamie used to be less communicative and it used to become very difficult for her mother
to understand his feelings. She was also less expressive and her mother was concerned as
she could not understand how to make her child happy. Her mother tried to find out ways
to help her child express but all resulted in futile attempts. However, the indoor
environment of the school encouraged her to undertake painting and art sessions. The use
of brushes, sponges, paint easels and other printing items invoked a sense of excitement
in her and she started expressing her feelings through her drawings, paintings and many
others. She also gradually became more communicative with her mother when both of
them used to develop different crafts, models, sculptures and others.