Child develops trusting relationships with nurturing adults.
What educators might observe
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Quiets when comforted by familiar adult, most of the time
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Shows preference for familiar educator through facial expressions and gestures (e.g., smiles or laughs)
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Initiates and maintains interactions with educators (e.g., smiles, gestures, or verbal expression)
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Cries, makes sounds, or uses body movements to signal caregiver for assistance, attention, or need for comfort
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Looks for educators’ response in uncertain situations (e.g., when stranger enters the room)
Child experiences a sense of belonging in environments that link, extend, and affirm the child’s family and community. Child expresses comfort and joy with human diversity.
What educators might observe
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Expresses contentment or joy when trusted adult is present
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Develops cultural identity through daily caregiving interactions, household smell, sounds
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Babbles a range of sounds and imitates intonation and sounds of the home language(s)
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Looks more at faces that resemble the faces of familiar, trusted adults
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May react to and/or interact differently with others who do not resemble their family members and who speak other languages or language variations
Child develops a sense of self through noticing and developing their own interests, preferences, and abilities. Child increasingly develops self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
What educators might observe
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Discovers body parts and explores own body (e.g., observes hands, reaches for toes)
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Explores the face and other body parts of others (e.g., touches caregivers’ mouth, hair, or hands)
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Responds with gestures (waves hands, smiles) or vocalizations (squealing) when name is spoken
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Protests when they do not want to do something (e.g., arches back to avoid sitting in chair)
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Looks at self in mirror
Child forms deep, caring, human connections by imagining what someone else may be thinking or feeling and responding with care. Child recognizes unfairness and understands that unfairness hurts.
What educators might observe
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Smiles when they see a smiling face, especially a familiar one
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Reacts when someone is sad or upset; this reaction may include startling, eye contact, or becoming upset themselves
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Observes other’s faces for clues about how they should feel
Child navigates friendships with peers through cooperation and negotiation.
What educators might observe
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Watches babies and other children and imitates their sounds, actions, and motions
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Shows interest and enjoyment in interaction with other children and adults, as expressed in gestures, facial expressions, and vocalizations such as babbling, exclamations, and laughter
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Engages in back-and-forth interactions with the educator for short periods of time (e.g., rolling a ball, playing peek-aboo)
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Makes judgments about others by observing their helpful and unhelpful actions
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Reaches out to touch other children or the toys they are playing with
Child expresses and manages their feelings and impulses.
What educators might observe
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Signals needs with sounds or motions (e.g., turns head and roots or cries when hungry. or reaches for wanted object of comfort)
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Relaxes or stops crying when comforted, especially by familiar adult (e.g., when swaddled or spoken to softly)
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R esponds to emotional cues and social situations (e.g., crying when other babies cry)
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Smiles, waves, or laughs in response to positive adult interaction
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Comforts self by clutching, sucking, or stroking when tired or stressed (e.g., calms while stroking or holding soft blanket)
Child follows the rhythms, rules, and routines of the learning environment.
What educators might observe
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Develops increasing consistency in sleeping, waking, and eating patterns
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Anticipates and participates in routine interactions (e.g., lifts arms toward educator to be picked up)
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Engages in some regular behaviors (e.g., sings or babbles self to sleep; goes to high chair when hungry)
