(1) An early learning provider must expose infants and toddlers to a developmentally appropriate curriculum.

(2) Developmentally appropriate curriculum may include, but is not limited to:

(a) Developing infant and toddler language and communication by:

(i) Talking and listening to children, encouraging soft infant sounds, naming objects, feelings, and desires, and describing actions;

(ii) Giving individual attention to children when needed;

(iii) Playing and reading with children;

(iv) Mirroring similar infant sounds and sharing a child's focus of attention;

(v) Communicating throughout the day and during feeding, changing, and cuddle times; and

(vi) Providing materials and equipment that promote language development and communication such as soft books, interactive storybook reading, rhymes and songs, and finger puppets.

(b) Developing infant and toddler physical and cognitive abilities by:

(i) Allowing each infant actively supervised tummy time throughout the day when the infant is awake;

(ii) Providing infants and toddlers freedom to explore and learn on their own on the floor;

(iii) Providing infants and toddlers access to active outdoor playtime. An early learning provider must enforce sun safety precautions for infants younger than six months old by keeping them out of the direct sunlight and limiting sun exposure when ultraviolet rays are strongest (typically from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.); and

(iv) Encouraging infants and toddlers to play, crawl, pull up, and walk by using materials and equipment that promotes:

(A) Physical and cognitive activities, for example rattles, grasping and reaching toys, busy boxes, nesting cups, small push and pull toys, riding toys, balls, squeezable toys, books, dolls, press-together blocks, and limited use of equipment such as bouncers, swings, or boppies; and

(B) Spatial and numeracy understanding, for example counting toys, soft blocks and toys with different sizes such as measuring cups or spoons, and toys with different shapes and colors to help introduce sorting and categorization.

(c) Developing infant and toddler social and emotional abilities by:

(i) Providing social contact with infants and toddlers in addition to time spent feeding, diapering and bathing by playing with children, naming and acknowledging emotions, and encouraging peer interaction;

(ii) Immediately investigating cries or other signs of distress;

(iii) Providing comfort to an upset or hurt child;

(iv) Positively responding to a child's verbal and nonverbal cues;

(v) Intervening during negative peer interactions such as when a child grabs other children's toys, pulls hair, or bites;

(vi) Providing physical stimulation through holding, cuddling, rocking, talking, singing, playing, carrying, and changing positions; and

(vii) Providing materials and equipment that promote social and emotional activities such as pictures of children and adults exhibiting different emotions, pictures of infants and family members, dolls and soft toys, rattles, music, and dancing scarves.