Child develops trusting relationships with nurturing adults.
What educators might observe
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Imitates adult activities (e.g., pretends to cook or “reads” next to adult who is reading)
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Communicates with adults about recent activities (e.g., “Mama and I went to the store.”)
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May show discomfort with separation or new situations when familiar caregiver is not present (e.g., by protesting loudly, crying, or withdrawing)
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Seeks adult assistance with challenges but may become angry when help is given (e.g., “Help please, I do it myself.”)
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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Identifies self as a member of a family; talks about family members who are not present
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Is curious about physical characteristics of self and others (e.g., skin color, hair texture, or gender anatomy)
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May begin to use social labels such as race to describe people and “match” them based on physical characteristics
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Asks simple questions about other children (e.g., “Where’s Tommy?” “What’s he doing?”)
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May begin to show fear, discomfort, or dislike toward people who look or speak in unfamiliar ways
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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Understands that they are a separate person
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Refer to themselves as “me” (e.g., “Me big.”)
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Tests limits and strives for independence
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Communicates with phrases such as “I doing this,” “I don’t do this, “I can do this,” or “I did this”
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Identifies objects as belonging to them, such as a lunchbox or a stuffed animal (e.g., “That’s mine!”)
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Makes choices (e.g., what toys to play with or what clothes to wear)
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Communicates their gender identity (e.g.,“I’m a girl!”) and categorizes others by gender
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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Understands that people have beliefs that are not true
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Understands that just as they have thoughts, feelings, and goals, other people have thoughts, feelings, and goals too
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Begins to understand that not everyone likes the same things
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Assigns feelings to dolls or toys and cares for them
Child navigates friendships with peers through cooperation and negotiation.
What educators might observe
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Responds physically when another child takes a toy (e.g., pushing, hitting, or biting)
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Recognizes there is conflict and seeks out educator’s assistance
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Understands concept of “mine” and is starting to develop the concept of “his/hers/theirs”
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Seeks out, initiates, and responds to other children for social interactions for short periods of time
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Plays side by side with another child, making comments to them
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Participates in loosely structured group games (e.g., chase, dramatic play, or ring-a-rounda-rosie)
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Sometimes accepts and imitates other children’s ideas for play with adult prompts as needed (e.g., takes a shovel that is offered and briefly digs in sandbox beside another child)
Child expresses and manages their feelings and impulses.
What educators might observe
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Continues to do an action, such as climbing over the top of a table, after an educator has asked them to stop
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Protests loudly, and may have tantrums, in response to limits
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Names some emotions (e.g., happy, sad, excited, mad, tired, or scared)
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Begins to use pretend play to express/act out emotions
Child follows the rhythms, rules, and routines of the learning environment.
What educators might observe
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Follows some consistently set rules and routines (e.g., chooses a book after lunch for quiet time)
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Challenges boundaries and rules while striving for independence
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Experiences difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next
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Can verbally start to tell what comes next in the routines, and helps guide others in different transitions and activities
