I

Approaches to Learning

A

Curiosity and Interest

Child approaches the world with curiosity and develops knowledge about specific topics.

8–16 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Feels, bangs, gets in, sits on, and throws objects to find out more about them
• Crawls, cruises, climbs or walks toward objects of interest (e.g., attempts to reach objects that are high up)
• Repeats experiences to develop their understanding (e.g., learns to crawl up stairs, and subsequently crawls up every set of stairs they find)

B

Initiative

Child pursues their own goals.

8–16 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Moves toward object or person they are interested in
• Wants to participate in selfcare routines (e.g., wants to hold their own toothbrush)
• Crawls or toddles to an educator with a book they have selected
• Holds objects up or out to educator that they are curious about

C

Persistence and Attentiveness

Child focuses on tasks and perseveres in accomplishing them.

8–16 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Is deeply focused on mastering a new skill for days at a time (e.g., works to get onto all fours and then rocks when learning to crawl)
• Focuses on the same thing as the caregiver (e.g., watches the caregiver’s hands and looks at their face as they turn the pages of a book)
• Puts blocks in a bucket and then dumps them out and does it again

D

Creativity and Inventiveness

Child uses their imagination to create and invent.

8–16 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Imitates unusual uses for objects (e.g, places pot on head as a hat)
• Tries out ways to use objects that they have observed in other places (e.g., bangs on a surface after watching drumming at a cultural event)