WAC 110-300-0325. Creating a climate for healthy child development

(1) When communicating or interacting with children, an early learning provider must maintain a climate for healthy, culturally responsive child development such as: (a) Using a calm and respectful tone of voice; (b) Using positive language to explain what children can do and give descriptive feedback; (c) Having relaxed conversations with children by listening and responding to what they say. Adult conversations must not dominate the overall sound of the group; (d) Greeting children upon arrival and departure at the early learning program; (e) Using facial expressions such as smiling, laughing, and enthusiasm to match a child's mood; (f) Using physical proximity in a culturally responsive way to speak to children at their eye level and with warm physical contact including, but not limited to, gently touching a hand or shoulder, sitting next to a child, appropriately holding younger children close while communicating; (g) Validating children's feelings and show tolerance for mistakes; (h) Being responsive and listening to children's requests and questions, encouraging children to share experiences, ideas, and feelings; (i) Observing children in order to learn about their families, cultures, individual interests, ideas, questions, and theories; (j) Modeling and teaching emotional skills such as recognizing feelings, expressing them appropriately, accepting others' feelings, and controlling impulses to act out feelings; (k) Representing the diversity found in the early learning program and society, including gender, age, language, and abilities, while being respectful of cultural traditions, values, religion and beliefs of enrolled families; and (l) Interacting with staff and other adults in a positive, respectful manner. (2) An early learning provider must encourage positive interactions between and among children with techniques such as: (a) Giving children several chances a day to interact with each other while playing or completing routine tasks; (b) Modeling social skills; (c) Encouraging socially isolated children to find friends; (d) Helping children understand feelings of others; and (e) Including children with special needs to play with others.