DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET unit 1: physic al and motor de velopment   an activity table where older children are working. This allows you to supervise both age groups while allowing infants important opportunities for physical development. During this developmental period, infants are also beginning to grasp objects and transfer toys from one hand to another. You will want to ensure you have sufficient infant materials that are safe and sized appropriately for small fingers to grasp and experiment with. Infants 12–18 months Infants in this age group are walking, so it is important that your environment ade- quately provide for this developmental indicator. Infants should be encouraged to walk when they are ready. It is your job to ensure your child care setting is hazard- free. Children in this age category can usually walk unassisted and will, if allowed, cruise around the available space, sometimes holding on to furniture for additional support. Look at your space and assess how best to place low furniture, which can pro- vide assistance in this important activity. Make sure stairways are protected by gates, because these infants will try to climb stairs. Some providers incorporate supervised stair climbing as an effective infant activity. When the infant climbs the stairs, the provider follows, always closely supervising. This allows the infant to exercise both leg and arm muscles and stay safe while climbing. Small-motor skill development for older infants often includes activities such as placing one block on top of another or scribbling with crayons. While the infants need to be supervised carefully during these activities, it is important that these types of opportunities be offered to them in addition to the other children in the group. Toddler Physical and Motor Development Physical development is extremely important to the overall healthy growth and devel- opment of toddlers (eighteen to thirty-six months). Toddlers walk alone, and usually by two years of age they run with a large, if somewhat awkward, gait. Children in this age range are usually able to jump and ride small tricycles with or without pedaling. When scheduling your daily activities, be sure to include opportunities for activities that promote coordination and balance. Look at your indoor and outdoor space care- fully. Are you accommodating these activities and others while promoting good physi- cal development throughout the course of the day? Most toddlers prefer large-motor activities, such as running, jumping, kicking, dancing, pedaling, pushing, pulling, throwing a ball, and participating in simple but active games. This strong desire for large-motor skill development begins as toddlers’ coordination improves. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL   13