I

Approaches to Learning

A

Curiosity and Interest

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

0–9 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Will gaze at something that has caught their attention (e.g., a fan, pinwheel, or a mobile)
• Changes behavior when interested in an object, person, or experience (e.g., by becoming quieter or louder, or by changing facial expressions)
• Explores educator’s face, hands, or clothing while feeding, by staring and reaching out to touch their features
• Explores the way objects, such as leaves or applesauce, feel
• Finds objects and puts them in their mouth
• Looks at themselves in the mirror and tries reaching their own reflection

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Observe, record, and reflect on the child’s movement, responses, reactions, and gestures
• Invite the child to participate in exploring their senses by naming them (e.g., “Yes, you feel the sun on your face. It is warm. Oh no. No more sun. I wonder where the sun goes. Oh Mr. Sun where did you go?”)
• Listen to the sounds of nature together:
  • Rain falling
  • Birds chirping
  • Older children playing
  • Leaves rustling the trees
  • Dogs barking
  • Wind chimes

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)

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Provide freedom of movement and a safe space within the learning environment. When not engaged in caregiving activities the child may crawl, climb, touch, and tumble, with ample space to accomplish all of these movements.
• Avoid battery-operated toys, electronic toys, or close-ended materials
• Provide the child with many opportunities to explore different foods. Describe the different characteristics (e.g., “The cracker is crunchy.” or “The orange is sweet and juicy.”).
• Provide sensory materials that are safe for babies, such as silicone muffin baking cups, large pot holders, or lightweight metal bowls

B

Initiative

Child pursues their own goals.

0–9 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Actively explores the environment with their senses
• Engages familiar adults in interactions (smiling, approaching, gesturing)
• Rolls or crawls closer to touch an object
• Reaches for something of interest, such as a caregiver’s glasses or a toy
• Tries to hold bottle and feed self

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Allow the child to freely explore the learning environment
• Remove items such as bouncers and electronic swings that restrict a baby’s movement
• Place interesting and appealing materials in the child’s line of sight, so they can choose what objects and materials to move toward and take initiative to explore
• Allow the baby to feel and mouth the books and objects

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

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Support the child by using vocabulary that indicates initiative (e.g., “Oh look, yes, you can open the box. What is inside? Scarves. Yes, you are shaking the scarves.”)
• Follow the child’s lead, taking time to stop and examine objects they are interested in with them
• Invite and welcome the child’s attempts to assist with routine tasks such as sweeping the floor and washing the tables, as well as picking up toys

C

Persistence and Attentiveness

Child focuses on tasks and perseveres in accomplishing them.

0–9 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Repeatedly shakes rattle to produce noise
• Holds the attention of their caregiver (e.g., smiles, babbles, sustains eye-contact, cries)

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Respond to the child’s need for rest and nourishment as a precursor to the child being attentive and persistent
• Create time in the day in which the educator sits on the floor with the child as they freely engage with materials of interests
• Enthusiastically mirror a child’s delight and joy
• Be present for the child; hold them for extended periods while singing, humming, and sharing spontaneous stories aloud
• Remove screens and electronic toys from the learning environment in order to foster deep and meaningful engagements

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

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Create learning environments and schedules that promote the development of focus and attention
  • Regular uninterrupted time for free play
  • Enough space for movement
  • Limited number of materials
  • Limited environmental distractions and intentional use of recorded music (e.g., during nap time, but not as background music during free play)
  • Minimize visual distractions with walls that are simple, neutral in color, and free of commercial materials. Note: In order to supervise children and be present with them, educators should refrain from accessing their personal phones in the learning environment. Photographs and videos of children should be taken with a dedicated device.

D

Creativity and Inventiveness

Child uses their imagination to create and invent.

0–9 months – See this age across all domains Infants

What educators might observe

• Imitates expressions on caregiver’s face
• Shakes, mouths, and drops objects

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Meet the needs of the children so they experience trust, happiness, and joy
• Have fun with the child— laugh, sing, giggle, and dance
• Include pictures of babies and children showing different emotions from different cultures in the learning environment
• Provide a variety of teethers that are different sizes, and textures and that make different gentle sounds

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)

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Observe and acknowledge children’s creative use of objects
• Create environments where children can experience freedom of movement, exploring their bodies in space and experiencing what they can do physically
• Remove screens and electronic toys from the learning environment
• Sing songs from your own culture and learn songs from the children’s families and cultures