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

What educators might observe

• Roots to find nipple
• Indicates to their family member or caregiver when they want to nurse or eat by using crying, sounds, and gestures
• Indicates when they are done by turning away from the nipple or bottle
• Raises legs during diaper changing
• Responds to educator’s language during caregiving activities by making eye contact and smiling
• Assists educator in holding their bottle
• Reaches for family member or educator when wanting to be hugged or held

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Respond lovingly to the baby’s verbal and nonverbal cues; in this way the child learns that by indicating a need for help, they will be cared for
  • Hold and rock the baby when they are tired
  • Feed the baby when they are hungry
  • Change the baby’s diaper as soon as the baby has urinated or had a bowel movement
  • Change the bab y’s position when uncomfortable
• Create opportunities for redirection, distraction, and substitutions if the child approaches danger
  • “Ms. Sue’s coffee is too hot, I need to put it away. Here is some milk for you.”
  • As the child reaches for a cord: “Let’s hold on to this teddy bear. That’s for the lamp, teddy is for you.”
  • “You are curious about crawling down the stairs. Why don’t I hold your hand while you bump down on your bottom?”

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

What educators might observe

• Has a sound or gesture that they use to indicate that they want to nurse or eat (e.g., “Num num”)
• Tries new foods according to the cultural expectations of their family and community
• For breast-feeding babies, crawls or walks to mother and climbs into lap to nurse when desired
• Feels and mouths object to distinguish between food and non-food items
• Feeds self-with fingers
• Removes loose clothing (e.g., socks, hats, or mittens)

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Actively learn about the caregiving practices of the family
• Critically assess the degree to which all educator–child interactions, including the basic care procedures such as diaper changing, eating, sleeping, and comforting, are similar or different to those of the child’s home
• Commit to making changes in your caregiving practices to better align them with the child’s experiences in the home
• Identify, create, and maintain safe indoor and outdoor environments for the child to explore freely
  • Cover electrical outlets
  • Install gates at top and bottom of stairs
  • Ensure poisons and choking hazards are out of reach
  • Keep hot liquids outside of learning environment
• Redirect children using positive language and examples. For instance, if a child approaches a baby, show them a gentle touch and say, “Oh, you see her hair! Yes, that’s her hair.”

15–24 months – See this age across all domains Toddlers

What educators might observe

• Crawls or toddles toward or away from changing table when educator suggests a diaper change
• Holds out hands or pulls them away when educator brings them to the sink for hand washing
• Opens mouth for educator to brush their gums and teeth, or, if they would not like their gums to be brushed, closes mouth firmly
• Participates in sleeping routines in culturally appropriate ways (e.g., lying down with grandma, gathering blanket and pacifier, or crawling to a rocking chair)
• Drinks from an open cup
• Undresses themselves completely

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Model, mirror, and reflect both actions and reactions (“Thank you. You are doing such a great job of taking care of yourself by getting your coat.”)
• Tell the child that it is time for a caregiving activity, such as diaper changing, and then pause to give the child the opportunity to decide to participate (e.g., getting a new diaper and going to the changing area)
• Narrate your actions as you change the baby’s diaper (“Now I am going to use a wipe to clean off your penis. It is going to feel cold for a minute. It’s all clean now.”)
• When children express their growing autonomy by resisting a caregiving activity, reflect their feelings and gently carry on with the activity (“You don’t want to have your diaper changed right now. You are so mad. We will be done soon. Would you like to hold the clean diaper?”)
• Use picture labels on toy containers and corresponding shelves so that children may clean up independently

24–36 months – See this age across all domains Toddlers

What educators might observe

• Tries a wider range of textures and flavors of food
• For breastfeeding toddlers, begins to have interactions with their mother about when and how they like to nurse
• Anticipates and participates in family and/or childcare sleeping routines
• Shows interest in toilet training and may start to use toilet regularly with assistance
• Washes and dries hands after toileting and before meals, with assistance
• Cooperates and assists educator in tooth-brushing

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Talk to families about their values. (Are independence and autonomy important to them? In which areas?) Acknowledge different perspectives.
• Provide the child with opportunities to do tasks that their family expects them to learn to do independently
  • Pour their milk and help themselves to a rice cracker from a plate on the table
  • Dress and undress themselves
  • Brush their teeth
  • Set the table for meal times
  • Put on their shoes
• Offer the child appropriate choices when dressing (“Do you want to wear your star shirt or your elephant shirt?”)
• Post supporting visuals to encourage independence; for example, show the steps of hand washing above the sink or the steps of washing their own cup and plate in the kitchen
• Explore toileting by reading:
  • Everyone Poops , by Taro Gomi
  • Once Upon a Potty , by Alona Frankel
  • Diapers Are Not Forever , by Elizabeth Verdick

3-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Eats socially, as is appropriate for their family and community’s culture (e.g, by taking a portion from a common bowl and passing the bowl to the next child)
• Communicates to educator when they need to use the toilet
• Begins to follow the steps of using the toilet with assistance
• Washes hands before eating and after using the toilet, with reminders
• Puts on their own coat before going outside
• Wipes their own nose with a tissue, with a reminder
• Brushes their teeth, with help to reach all areas of the mouth
• Recognizes their own cubby to store personal items

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Transition a tired child to a quieter activity or area so that their body can rest
• Provide enough time during transitions so that the children can practice selfhelp skills such as putting on their coats
• Notice and acknowledge children’s growing independence
• Establish times in the daily schedule for toilet use, and remind children who are learning to use the toilet to go more frequently
• Establish good health routines, including tooth brushing, serving healthy foods, and hand washing

4-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Independently uses the toilet
• Independently washes hands before eating and after using the toilet with minimal reminders
• Dresses themselves, but may need help with zippers, snaps and buttons
• Communicates to educator about their own feelings of being hungry, tired or ill
• Brushes their own teeth
• After a couple of weeks at school, knows the morning routine such as placing their backpack into their cubby and hanging up their coat

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Include materials in the learning environment that foster the development of self-help skills
  • Accessible sinks
  • Child-size toilets
  • Sponges, washcloths, and napkins at a low level
  • Snack table where they can independently serve themselves food
  • Pitcher and cups for pouring their own milk or water
  • Quiet cozy area where they can go when tired
  • Individual cubbies for personal items
  • Items in the dramatic play area that allow children to practice self-help skills such as clothes with buttons, snaps and zippers
• Provide opportunities for children to learn about pedestrian, bicycle, and water safety

5-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Manages the contents of their backpack (e.g., takes out their folder and hangs it on their hook when they arrive in school)
• Gets lunch on their tray or their lunchbox from their backpack and eats without prompting during lunch time
• Safely manages increasing levels of risk in physical play

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Gently introduce the routines of the learning environment, taking special time with children who did not go to preschool
• For children who eat in school cafeterias, arrange lunch procedures that allow time, space, and appropriate noise levels for children to eat and enjoy their food
• Review rules and protocols for safety procedures such as evacuation drills, crossing streets, and lock down drills before they occur; reflect on children’s practice together afterwards
• Observe children closely as they take calculated risks in active play

6-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Describes the purpose of events at the doctor’s office (e.g., says that a vaccine will keep them from getting sick in the future)
• Discusses consent with educators and peers; for example, says, “I would prefer to shake your hand, not give you a kiss.”
• Knows to call 911 in an emergency
• Knows what bullying is and how to report bullying to a trusted adult

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Offer healthy snacks and ask children to try unfamiliar or non-preferred foods
• Provide independent access to Band- Aids
• Provide sufficient time for children to independently put on their own coat, hat, and gloves
• Make plans about what a child should do if separated from the group during outings
• When practicing fire, lockdown, and other drills with children
  • Invite children to express their fears and provide reassurance and emotional support
  • Inform families that there was a drill
  • Provide families with information about how to address children’s fears about safety at school

7-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Differentiates between conflict and bullying
• In play with peers, establishes and follows own safety rules (e.g., says, “Let’s play tag, but no pushing hard, just tagging.”)
• Checks in with educator before assuming new levels of risk, for example, says, ‘We are going to go down to play by the woods, ok?

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Visit a farmer’s market or grocery store and notice the things you see at different times of the year
• Talk about safe and unsafe levels of risk-taking
• Talk about consent with children. Invite them to role play scenarios in which they can practice saying, “This does not feel good to me” and “I don’t like that.”
• Engage in group conversations about conflict and bullying
• Invite police officer or fire fighter to visit the class and speak to the children

8-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Asks questions about laws and regulations that make the community safe
• Intervenes when they see a child breaking a safety rule (e.g., attempts to stop a child who is about to ride a bicycle without a helmet)
• Is aware that different educators and families have different rules, and they should follow the rules of the adults who they are with

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Talk with families about chores that children are expected to do in their family and community
• Invite children to help plan a snack menu and to prepare the snacks
• Invite children to talk about dangers they have on the news or through social media
• Engage children in thinking about the ways laws keep us safe and how laws could be changed to keep us more safe (e.g., gun control legislation)
• Begin a conversation about helping one another stay safe