HealtHy Beginnings - Division of Early Childhood...Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Development and...

Division of Early ChilDhooD DEvElopmEntOffice Of child care

HealtHyBeginnings :

Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age

www.marylandhealthybeginnings.org

Every Baby, Every Child

http://www.marylandhealthybeginnings.org

Charlene M. Dukes, Ed.D.President, Maryland State Board of Education

Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D. State Superintendent of Schools

Rolf Grafwallner, Ph.D.Assistant State Superintendent Division of Early Childhood Development

Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.Governor

For inquiries related to departmental policy, please contact the Equity Assurance and Compliance Office, Maryland State Department of Education, 200 W. Baltimore Street, 6th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2595, 410.767.0433 (voice) 410.767.0431 (fax) 410.333.6442 (TTY/TDD).

© 2015 Maryland State Department of Education

We would like to thank the following members of our national panel of expert reviewers:

Melinda Brookshire: Senior Program Associate, WestEd Center for Child and Family Learning

Dr. Carol Copple: Director, Publications and Initiatives in Educational Practice, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Kim Cosgrove: Program Director, PACT’s Therapeutic NurseriesAmy Dombro: Author, Creative CurriculumDr. Charles Flatter: Professor Emeritus, The Institute for Child Study, University of

MarylandLinda Gillespie: Technical Assistance Manager, National Infant Toddler Child Care

Initiative, Zero to ThreeWhit Hayslip: Assistant Superintendent for Early Childhood Education, Los Angeles

Unified School DistrictCarole Norris-Shortle: Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School

of MedicineDr. Jane Squires: Professor, College of Education; Director, Center on Human

Development; Director, Early Intervention Program, University of Oregon Dr. Bonnie Tyler: The Institute for Child Study, University of Maryland

We would like to thank the following individuals for their participation on the MSDE Curriculum Advisory Committee:

Lindi Mitchell Budd, M.Ed.: Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care

Francesca Carpenter, M.S.: Project Manager, Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education

Michael Cockey: Maryland State Department of Education, Early Learning SpecialistLouise J. Corwin: Executive Director, Ready At FiveDonna Fowler: Director of Public Policy, Maryland State Family Child Care

AssociationMarcella Franczkowski: Maryland State Department of Education, Branch Chief/

Program Manager, Early Childhood and Intervention BranchRobin L Hopkins, M.S. Ed.: Project Manager/Instructor, Johns Hopkins

University Center for Technology in EducationElizabeth Kelley, M.A.: Maryland State Department of Education-Division of Early

Childhood Education, Director, Office of Child Care Rosemary King Johnston: Executive Director, Governor’s Office for ChildrenJennifer A. Nizer, M.Ed.: Director, Johns Hopkins Bayview Child Development

Acknowledgements

The Guidelines were originally produced by theOffice of Child Care while under the Departmentof Human Resources with financial support fromThe Maryland State Department of Education.

We would like to thank the following individuals for participating in the development of the original Guidelines as part of the Good Start, Grow Smart Workgroup.

Jennifer Arnaiz: Montgomery County Child Care Resource & Referral Center

Miriam Baldwin: Instituto de Educacion InfantilLinda Behsudi: Howard County Child Care Resource CenterLouise Corwin: Ready at FiveDr. Rolf Grafwallner: Maryland State Department of Education, Early

Learning SectionDorothy Hale: Child Care Administration – Office of Program DevelopmentLeslie Hamm: Montgomery County Early Childhood OfficeTresa Hanna: Baltimore City Child Care Resource CenterDolores Harmon: Child Care Administration, Region 7 - Western MarylandCatherine Howanstine: Teacher, Facilitator, WriterCecilia Johnson: Trainer – Baltimore CityValerie Kaufmann: Maryland State Department of Education, Judy Center

CoordinatorElizabeth Kelley: Child Care Administration – Office of CredentialingKaren Kerber: Center Director – Montgomery CountyKaren Knabe: Family Child Care Association – Howard County/StateBeverly Knight: Friends of the FamilyBarbara McCready: Child Care Administration, Region 6 – Howard

CountyDebbie Metzger: Maryland State Department of Education, Special

EducationJean Mitchell: Friends of the FamilyMary Montgomery: Community Partnership Manager – Washington

CountyDebbie Moore: Family Child Care AdvocateJoyce Nixon: Maryland State Department of Education, Accreditation

ProjectCathy Perry: Judith P. Hoyer Center - Frederick CountySteve Rohde: Maryland Committee for ChildrenPat Rosensteel: Head Start, Child Care - Frederick CountyAnnette Searfoss: APPLES for ChildrenClare Siegel: Friends of the FamilyMargo Sipes: Center Director – Baltimore CityDebbie Slack-Katz: Governor’s Office for Children, Youth & Families,

Home VisitingGinny Smith: Harford County Public SchoolsBarbara L. Tayman: National Child Care Information CenterCecelia Tilghman: Child Care Administration – Office of CredentialingLinda Zang: Maryland State Department of Education, Head Start

Center; President, Maryland State Child Care Association Jacqueline A. Nunn, Ed. D.: Director, Johns Hopkins University Center

for Technology in Education; Associate Dean, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Tamara Swanson Otto: Coordinator, Research and Evaluation, JohnsHopkins University Center for Technology in Education

Joyce Pinkney, Ed. D.: Maryland State Department of Education-Division of Early Childhood Education

Steve Rohde: Deputy Director Resource and Referral Services, Maryland Family Network

Dr. Barbara Payne Shelton: Consultant, Early Childhood Educational Consultants, LLC; Adjunct Instructor, Towson University

Margo Sipes: Executive Director, Downtown Baltimore Child CareJena Valle Smith: Maryland State Department of Education-Credentialing

Branch, Training Approval Coordinator Office of Child Care Chris Swanson: Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, Johns Hopkins

University Center for Technology in EducationNancy Vorobey: Maryland State Department of Education, Section Chief,

Early Childhood Intervention & Education BranchLinda Zang: Maryland State Department of Education, Chief, Collaboration

and Program Improvement Branch

For more information about the contents of this document, contact:

Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development 200 West Baltimore StreetBaltimore, Maryland 21201410.767.0335 (voice)1-877-605-1539 (toll free)410.333.6442 (TTY/TDD)410-333-6226 (fax)

www.MarylandPublicSchools.org

Philosophy Statement ............................................................................................. PAGE iv

Guidelines: Birth to Four Months ......................................................................................... PAGE 1 Four to Eight Months ........................................................................................ PAGE 4Eight to Twelve Months ..................................................................................... PAGE 8Twelve to Eighteen Months ..............................................................................PAGE 12Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months ....................................................................PAGE 18Twenty-Four to Thirty Months ........................................................................PAGE 25Thirty Months to Three Years ...........................................................................PAGE 33Three Years Old ..............................................................................................PAGE 42

AppendixGlossary of Terms Used ...................................................................................PAGE 54Resource List ...................................................................................................PAGE 55Resources Used ...............................................................................................PAGE 56

Using Healthy Beginnings:Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age

Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age is intended for use by anyone who lives or works with infants or young children. The guidelines can be used as a reference guide, or as a resource for planning daily or weekly activities. Use the guidelines by first locating the child’s age in months and choosing a developmental area. Use the Indicators (The baby may) to identify Activities (You can) that will support the child in meeting that indicator. Use the Examples (The baby might) to deter-mine if the child has met that indicator. You can also determine a starting point by identifying behaviors or actions that a child is already displaying. Once you’ve identified those behaviors or actions, use the Activities and Examples to develop plans that support the child’s progress to the next Indicator. In this way, you can support learning through the Indicators regardless of the child’s chronological age.

Keep in mind that not all children develop at the same rate, so the age ranges should be used as suggestions. Caregivers can and should plan activities that meet the needs of each particular child in their care. Addition-ally, everyone involved in a child’s care should communicate daily about the child’s activities, interests, and development, maintaining open communication and being sensitive to the child’s and family’s needs.

HealtHy Beginnings :Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age

Table of Contents

Publication Date: November, 20102004 - Originally published as: The Guidelines for Healthy Child Development and Care for Young Children (Birth - Three Years of Age)

2007 - Guidelines were updated

Children are born with tremendous potential and capacity for learning across all developmental domains: physical, cognitive, emotional, language, and social development. Brain development in early childhood is influenced by heredity, experiences, and relationships. The adults who live with and care for infants and young children play an important role in laying the foundation and setting the stage for learning success. This set of developmental and learning guidelines was developed to ensure that the people who care for infants and young children have the knowledge and resources to support and encourage children during the ongoing process of growth and learning. These guidelines will help those living or working with young children to recognize appropriate behaviors and set realistic expectations for infant, toddler, and preschooler growth, development, and learning.

The Guidelines for Healthy Child Development and Care for Young Children (Birth - Three Years of Age) was originally compiled in 2004 by a workgroup composed of early childhood professionals, to be compatible with the Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR) and the Maryland State Curriculum, making the guidelines an important part of a Birth-Grade 12 learning continuum. The guidelines also met the expectations of the No Child Left Behind Act, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE), which were stated in a joint posi-tion paper of November 2002. The Guidelines were updated in 2007.

Early learning guidelines can be a valuable part of a comprehensive high quality system of services for young children, contributing to young children’s educational experiences and to their future success. But these results can be achieved only if the early learning standards (1) emphasize significant, developmentally appropriate content and outcomes; (2) are developed and reviewed through informed, inclusive processes; (3) use implementation and assessment strategies that are ethical and appropriate for young children; and (4) are accompanied by strong supports for early childhood programs, professionals, and families.

In 2009, the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development began a revision of these guidelines and changed the name to Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age. The revision process was intended to ensure that the information continued to meet the goals of being family-friendly, accurate, and developmentally appropriate. It is our hope that families, child care providers, special educators, family services workers and others who use Healthy Beginnings will confidently embrace their roles as a child’s earliest teachers and will strive to do all that they can to meet needs of the children in their care by supporting and encouraging them along the continuum of learning.

MILESTONES CAN OCCUR AT DIFFERENT RATES AND STAGES IN A CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT. HEALTHY

BEGINNINGS: SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING FROM BIRTH THROUGH THREE YEARS OF AGE

IS INTENDED TO BE A RESOURCE FOR CAREGIVERS. IF YOU HAVE qUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT AN

INFANT’S OR YOUNG CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR PEDIATRICIAN OR OTHER

MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. FOR CHILD CARE CENTER STAFF, CONSULTATION MAY INCLUDE YOUR

PROGRAM’S DIRECTOR, EDUCATION COORDINATOR, OR OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD ADMINISTRATOR.

HealtHy Beginnings :Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age

Philosophy Statement

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Personal and Social

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Cognitive

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CBirth tO fOur MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Express comfort anddiscomfort, enjoymentand unhappiness in herenvironment

2. Calm herself

3. Show interest infamiliar adults

4. Show awarenessof other children

5. Demonstrateattachment toindividuals

• Cry,smile,wiggle,gurgle,fussandusefacial expressions to let people know howshe feels

• Enjoysoothing,tactilestimulation

• Learntoclosehereyes,suckonfist,orturn head away from distractions

• Begintofollowregularpatternsofeatingand sleeping

• Quietwhenyouintervenewithrocking,talking, singing, or dimming lights

• Indicatewhensheneedsrestbyclosingher eyes or turning away from distractions

• Fuss,cry,orcootoinitiateinteractionswith adults

• Turntovoicesoffamiliaradults• Smilewhenseeingorhearingthem• Developasenseoftrust

• Begintoshowrecognitionoffamiliarchildren with facial expressions, noises orbody language and facial expressions

• Seeandenjoyolderchildren

• Turnherheadtowardafamiliarcaregiver• Lookinthedirectionofyourvoice• Imitateyoursmile• Begintotrackyourmovements

• Followherleadandrespondwhenshe cries

• Givesmiles,hugs,andotherwarmphysical contact to help baby feelsecure, parents can also give skin toskin contact

• Askyourself,“Whatisthebabytellingme?” and then respond appropriately

• Showthebabyyourfaceandtalkorhum softly

• Placeyourhandonthebaby’sstomachor back

• Pickbabyupandrockgently• Rubthebaby’sbackanddimthelights• Identifyandfollowthebaby’seating

and sleeping patterns• Givethebabyconsistentlovingcare,

respecting individual needs

• Ensurethatthebabyhasaprimarycaregiver

• Respondtothebabywithpositivefacial expressions, actions and words

• Establisheyecontactregularly• Usegentlefacialexpressionsandtones• Play“peek-a-boo”withthebaby

• Placebabiesneareachother,whenawake

• Letthebabywatchandinteractwithchildren of all ages in a supervised setting

• Speakdirectlytothebaby• Makeeyecontactwhentalkingtothe

baby• Placebabysafelyincarriersothat

baby can observe your movements

Indicators (The baby may): Examples (The baby might): Activities (You can):

A. Feelings about Self and Others PS

Personal and Social

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Cognitive

Physical

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CBirth tO fOur MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Listen and expressherself

• Reactstronglytonoisebyeitherbeingsoothed or frightened

• Usesounds,body,andfacialexpressionsto express pleasure or displeasure

• Crytocommunicatehunger,painordiscomfort

• Babbleorcoowhenhearingavoice• Copysomefacialexpressionsand

movements• Respondtonoisesintheenvironment• Appearto“listen”• Smileormakenoisestosustaincontact

with you• Turnheadtolookatyou

• Talkwiththebabydirectlyandface- to-face

• Followherlead,andrepeatsoundsshe is making

• Avoidtalkingtooloudlyorabruptly• Occasionallyplaydifferentkindsof

music from CD’s, tapes or musical toys• Singandhumtothebabyregularly• Introducesimplesignlanguagesigns

for common words, for example, nap,hungry, diaper, more


A. Understanding and Communicating

USE A GENTLE, PLEASiNG TONE OF vOicE whEN TALkiNG TO iNFANTS AND chiLDREN. iNFANTS AND chiLDREN MAY REAcT NEGATivELY TO hARSh, iMPATiENT, OR SARcASTic vOicES.

ENcOURAGE LANGUAGE DEvELOPMENT BY TEAchiNG ThE BABYSiMPLE SiGNS. SPEAk AND SiGN AT ThE SAME TiME.

BABY SiGN LANGUAGE BASicS BY MONTA Z. BRiANTTEAch YOUR BABY TO SiGN BY MONicA BEYER

2. Recognize and react tothe sounds of language

3. Begin to build areceptive vocabulary

• Reacttoanewnurseryrhymebykick-ing legs; smile or suck calmly on a pacifierwhen hearing a familiar nursery rhyme

• Repeatsounds,enjoyandexperimentwith making different sounds (e.g., cooing,gurgling)

• Cooinresponsetocaregiver’sconversation with her

• Showmomentaryattentiontoboardbooks with bright colors and simpleshapes, especially faces

• Reacttocolorsandshapesbycooingor moving her hands

• Usenurseryrhymes,chantsandrepetitive language

• Singsongsandrepeatnurseryrhymesfrequently

• Readwiththebabyinyourlap• Talkabouteverydayobjects

• Usethebaby’sprimarylanguage,when possible

• Usesimplebooksandnameobjects


B. Early Literacy: Pre-Reading and Pre-Writing

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A. Discovering and Learning

1. Begin to understandthat she can makethings happen

• Playwithherhands• Exploretoyswithherhandsandhermouth• Turnherheadtofollowobjectswhen

removed from sight• Turnhisheadinthedirectionofaloudnoise• Repeatsenjoyableactionsoractionsthat

caused a noise, such as shaking a rattle

• Provideasafeandstimulatingenviron-ment for the baby to explore and solveproblems

• Providecomfortablefloorspacetoprovide freedom of movement

• Play“peekaboo”inavarietyofways• Provideclean,saferattleandtoysfor

the baby to hold and mouth• Respondquicklytothebaby’sneeds• Smileandgivethebabyyourcomplete

attention to help the baby focus andinteract


1. Use many repetitionsto move various bodyparts

• Bringhandstogethertograspandshake toys

• Graspandreleasethingsthatshetouchesaccidentally

• Reachforobjectsandswipeatdanglingobjects

• Raiseherhead,archherbodyandflexher legs

• Begintotrytorolloverandsometimeskick herself over

• Pushupbyhandsorforearmswhenonher stomach

• Bringherhandstohermouth• Pushdownonherlegswhenplacedona

firm surface

• Givethebabylightweightrattlesorsoft, bright patterned toys that makesoft noises

• Provideasafeandcomfortablefloorspace to allow freedom of movement

• Includedailysupervised“tummytime”• Securelyattachanunbreakablemirror

inside the crib and near the play area• Hangamobilewithhighlycontrasting

colors above the crib• Supportthebaby’sheadwhenholding

her• Frequentlychangeanawakebaby’s

position


Physical Development

A. Coordinating Movements

LiMiT ThE AMOUNT OF ExPOSURE TO TELEviSiON AND OThER MEDiA FOR iNFANTS AND YOUNG chiLDREN. ThE AMERicAN AcADEMY OF PEDiATRicS RECOMMENDS NO TELEviSiON OR viDEO viEwiNG FOR chiLDREN UNDER ThE AGE OF 2. READ, PLAY, OR SiNG wiTh iNFANTS AND YOUNG chiLDREN iNSTEAD.

FiND SONGS OR POEMS iN LANGUAGES ThAT ARE cOMMON iN YOUR cOMMUNiTY. ASk FAMiLYMEMBERS OR FRiENDS TO TEAch YOU SONGS iN ThEiR NATivE LANGUAGES.

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CfOur tO eight MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Express comfort anddiscomfort, enjoymentand unhappiness

2. Calm himself

3. Show interest infamiliar adults

4. Show awarenessof other children

5. Demonstrateattachment toindividuals

• Respondwhenthebabycries,toreassure and comfort

• Playside-by-sideinfrontofthemirror• Softlysingorhumfamiliarsongs• Encouragethebaby’splayinavariety

of ways

• Providecalming,quietenvironment• Allowthebabytocalmhimself;respond

if needed• Initiateinteractionswiththebabyby

talking or singing

• Respondtothebaby,maintaineyecontact briefly and return the smile,coo or gurgle

• Talktothebabythroughouttheday• Useapositiveandencouragingtoneof

voice when talking to the baby• Givewordstoactions,“Youareholding

the red block”

• Usethebaby’snamefrequently• Letotherchildrenplaywiththebaby

in a supervised setting• Placebabiesneareachotherandstay

nearby

• Limittimewithunfamiliarpeopleandgradually introduce him to others

• Providefamiliartoys,blankets,orother comfort items

• Speakcalmlytothebabytoprovidereassurance

• Speakdirectlytothebabyandmakeeye contact

• Placebabysafelyincarriersothatbaby can observe your movements

• Playpeek-a-boo


A. Feelings about Self and Others

SAFETY TiP: iNFANTS AND YOUNG chiLDREN ShOULD NEvER BE LEFT UNATTENDED.

• Showdispleasurebycryingorwhimpering• Showpleasurebycooing,smiling,or

making other noises• Enjoysocialplay• Laughinresponsetoanoiseoranaction• Smileatasmilingface

• Suckthumb,fingers,orpacifier• Rockhimself• Cooorbabble

• Reach,smile,laugh,babbleandcootoget the attention of a familiar person

• Gazeintentlyatthefaceofthefamiliarperson talking to him

• Catchtheeyeofsomeonenearby,andsmile• Imitatesoundsornoises• Enjoylookingatphotosofparentsor

family members

• Makenoisesorwavearmsandlegstoget the attention of other children

• Watchtheplayofotherchildren• Laughatotherchildrendoingfunnyactions• Exploretheface,hairandhandsofanother

child with his hands• Showconcernaboutanotherchildcrying

• Reachouttoyouwhenapproachedby an unfamiliar adult

• Holdtightlyto,orhidehisfaceinyourshoulder when an unfamiliar adult triesto talk to him

• Turnherheadtowardyou• Lookinthedirectionofyourvoice• Imitateyoursmile• Begintotrackyourmovements

PS

SAFETY TiP: TO PREvENT TOOTh DEcAY, NEvER PUT BABY TO SLEEP wiTh A BOTTLE OF MiLk.

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CfOur tO eight MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Respond to sounds andwords heard often

2. Use various soundsand movements tocommunicate

• Begintoreacttohisownname• Tellhowaspeakerisfeelingbythetone

of their voice• Cryatloudnoisesorvoices,andcalm

in response to a gentle, familiar voice

• Usehisvoicetoexpresshappinessorunhappiness

• Babbleusingstringsofconsonantsounds• Babbleusingthesoundsandrhythmsof

his native language• Activelyimitatethesoundsofspeech,

like raspberry sounds• Stopscryingwhenyoutalktoher

• Respondtothebabytopromoteconversation

• Userepetitivewordsandphrases• Talktothebabythroughouttheday,

describing what each of you is doing• Repeatwordsandsounds

• Speaktothebabyinhisprimarylanguage, if possible

• Talktothebabyaboutwhatyouaredoing with him

• Followhisleadandusehissoundsinreal words, phrases and sentences

• Introducesimplesignlanguagesignsfor common words, for example,nap, hungry, diaper, more



1. Recognize and react tothe sounds of language

2. Begin to respond tosome of the vocabularyassociated with picturebooks

• Makesoundswhenhehearssounds• Attendtothesoundsandrepetitiveor

rhyming words• Imitatethesoundshehearsaroundhim

• Lookintentlyatthepicturesinabook,and show a preference for some pictures

• Attendandreacttocolorfulpicturesof books with bright pictures

• Holdabookwithyourhelp

• Readrepetitiveandrhymingbooksto baby several times a day

• Provideavarietyofdurablebooksaccessible to the baby for much ofthe day

• Singandsaynurseryrhymesthatarepart of the baby’s home culture, suchas“ThisLittlePiggy”whenchanging,putting down to a nap, riding in the carand other times

• Showthebabythesamesimplebooksfrequently, and point to the picturesusing the same words to label whathe sees

• Allowbabytopatandholdbookwithyour help

• Showpicturesorphotosoffamilymembers



YOUR CHILD IS LEARNING TO DISCOVER!Let your baby play with pull toys, “touch and feel” books, and other toys with which he can examine and interact.

Read to your baby every day, with him in your lap. Use sturdy picture books with pages that are easy to handle. help him to follow the action. Read the words, point to the pictures, and talk about the story. Use simple, short sentences.

Used with permission, Ready At Five. For more ParentTips, visit www.readyatfive.org or call 410-788-5725.

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YOUR CHILD IS LEARNING TO DISCOVER!help your child to learn “cause and effect” with toys that squeak, rattle, light up, or play music when they are handled. with a rattle, for example, let baby look at it and touch it. Show her how you shake it to make sounds.

BUILD YOUR CHILD’S BRAINPOWER!holding, cuddling and talking to your infant are important for her brain! hold your baby often. She needs warm physical contact with you in order to feel the kind of security needed for healthy learning.

Make eye contact with your baby and speak in a warm and soothing voice while changing a diaper or feeding or bathing. Tell baby what you are doing, then watch for his response and say something back to continue the “conversation.”

HELP YOUR CHILD TO LEARN EVERY DAY!Talk and sing to your baby anytime, anywhere: during feeding time, playtime, bath time. hearing words and sounds actually helps to “turn on” the connections between brain cells in your child’s growing brain.

if a radio is on, sing along (or make up a song) and respond to your baby’s reactions. Play music and gently move baby’s hands and feet to the beat.

Read every day to your infant, and continue right up through pre-school. choose books with bold colors, big pictures and sturdy pages. Being read to, like being spoken to, teaches your child how to think and listen to information.


1. Show awareness of happenings in his surroundings

2. Remember what has happened recently

3. Cause things to happen

• Followmovingobjectseasilywithhiseyes• Findanobjectthatispartiallyhidden• Exploreeverythingwithhandsandmouth• Trytoreachobjectsjustoutofreach• Lookatanobjectinhishandforalonger

period of time• Imitateactionssuchaswavingbye-bye

• Begintounderstandthatthingsexistevenif not physically present

• Lookforanobjectthathehasthrownfrom the high chair

• Puthisarmsupwhenyouask,“Howbigisbaby?”

• Turnhisfaceawayfromhiscaregiverwhenhe sees a tissue in her hand

• Holdouthishandforyoutoplayagame• Begintoimitateactionsinfamiliarsongsor

finger plays

• Bangonhistraywithaspoontohearthedifferent sounds it makes

• Hitthebuttonsonhisbusyboxtomakedifferent things happen

• Pullastringtobringatoycloser

• Playhidinggameswiththebaby• Makesureeverythingwithinbaby’s

reach is safe to touch or put in his mouth

• Placeobjectsjustbeyondhisreach• Makesillyfacesforthebabytoimitate

• Createandmaintaindailyroutines• Playrepetitivegamessuchas“pat-

a-cake”and“howbigisthebaby?…soooo big” holding his arms out wide

• Usefingerplays,combiningwordsandactions

• Seehowmanytimeshewillopenyourhand to see the toy you have hidden there

• Givethebabyvarioussafematerialstoexperiment with including containers and small blocks, large wooden beads, or other hard objects that will make noise when dropped in

• Providepulltoys,especiallyonesthatmake a noise when they move

• Blowbubblescloseenoughforthebaby to pop


A. Discovering and Learning C

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CfOur tO eight MOnthsPhysical Development

1. Change the position of his body

2. Use his hands in more coordinated movements

• Pushuponhisarmsandliftheadandchest, arching his back when on his stomach

• Liftbotharmsandlegsandrockonhisstomach

• Rolloverfrombacktostomachand stomach to back

• Starttomoveeitherforwardorbackwards, pulling or pushing with his arms

• Getuponhishandsandknees,rockingback and forth

• Movefromlyingdowntosittingposition

• Reachforobjectswithonehand• Moveobjectsfromhandtohand• “Rake”objectstohimselfwithonehand• PickupaCheerio®witharakinggrasp• Grabfeetandtoesandbringthemtohis

mouth• Holdobjectsinbothhandsandbang

them together• Wavebye-byeorimitatehandclapping• Trytoturnthepagesofafavorite

board book

• Givethebabysafeplacesonthefloorto explore, while being supervised

• Putbabyonhisstomachandextendhis arms in front of him, then hold a toy in front of his face and try to get him to hold his head up and look at you and the toy

• Givethebabytoysjustoutofreachand encourage him to reach for them

• Givethebabysmallpiecesofsoftfinger foods, such as cooked sweet potato, to feed himself (recommended after age 6 months)

• Givethebabyavarietyoftoyswhichare easily grasped with which to experiment

• Givethebabyboardbooksorthosemade of cloth or vinyl to explore with you and alone



SAFETY TiP: FOLLOw AGE REcOMMENDATiONS ON TOY PAckAGES. AvOiD TOYS wiTh SMALL PARTS. ThROw AwAY ANY BROkEN TOYS. iF A TOY OR A PiEcE OF A TOY cAN FiT iNTO AN EMPTY TOiLET TiSSUE ROLL, iT cAN cREATE A chOkiNG hAZARD FOR chiLDREN UNDER 4.

YOUR CHILD IS LEARNING TO DISCOVER!hug, snuggle, kiss and talk to your baby. Stimulating your baby’s senses prepares her for the kind of thinking that will help her learn to solve problems later.


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TEAchiNG ThE BABY SiMPLE SiGNS cAN ENcOURAGE LANGUAGE DEvELOPMENT. SPEAk AND SiGN AT ThE SAME TiME.

BABY SiGN LANGUAGE BASicS BY MONTA Z. BRiANTTEAch YOUR BABY TO SiGN BY MONicA BEYER


www.readyatfive.orghttp://www.amazon.com/Baby-Sign-Language-Basics-Communication/dp/1401921604/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285686084&sr=1-1http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Baby-Sign-Illustrated/dp/1592332730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263224229&sr=1-1" http://www.aap.org/

Personal and Social

Language

Cognitive

Physical

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Ceight tO twelve MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Start to show more independence

2. Show interest in familiar adults

3. Show interest in other children

4. Show interest in unfamiliar adults

5. Calm herself

• Enjoyusingherfingerstofeedherself• Helptodressherself,extendinganarm

or leg• Wanttowashherownfaceaftereating• Enjoypullingoffherownsocksandshoes

• Showastrongerpreferencefortheadultswho are her consistent caregivers

• Beupsetifyouleave,evenforashorttime• Observeyourreactionsinavarietyofsitu-

ations• Watchthesameobjectyouarewatching

• Imitateotherpeopleinherplay• Repeatsoundsandgesturesforattention

• Showstrongseparationanxietybycryingwhen separated from parent or other familiar caregiver

• Showfearbycryingorturningawayinsome situations

• Reacthappilytofamiliarroutines• Showapreferenceforablanketorstuffed

animal, especially at nap time and bed time• Babble,talk,orsingtoherself• Suckherthumb

• Letthebabyuseherfingerstofeedherself part of a meal

• Makeagameofgettingthebabyto help dress herself

• Letthebabyusethewashclothto“washherself”whileyouaregiving her a bath

• Demonstrateselfhelpskillsforthebaby, partially pulling off a sock and letting her finish

• Makeanecklaceoutoflargepopbeadsand put it on the baby, encourage her to take it off by herself, praise her when she does it. Later show her how to put it on as well

• Beconsistentinyourresponses• Communicatewithothercaregiversto

encourage consistent responses• Maintainconsistentschedulesothe

baby can build trust with you

• Provideopportunitiesforthebabytoplay with other children in a supervised setting

• Scheduleleavingthebabywhensheisnot too tired or hungry, if possible

• Introducethebabytoanewpersongradually, spending several minutes to let her play and adjust

• Acquaintanewcaregiverwiththebaby’s likes and dislikes

• Reassurethebaby,“Mommywillbeback after lunch”

• Understand,andsharewithotheradults, that a baby’s reserve or discom-fort with unfamiliar adults is normal

• Continuetoestablishroutinesandschedules

• Provideherwithtimetoengagein self-soothing techniques (blankets, thumb-sucking)

• Talktoheraboutwhatishappening and what will happen next



| PAG

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Personal and Social

Language

Cognitive

Physical

PS

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Ceight tO twelve MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Show more interest in speech

2. Start to understand and use common rules of communication

• Respondtoonestepdirectionsuchas“Cometomommy”

• Pointtothecatinabookwhenyousay,“Whereisthecat?”

• Usesimplegesturessuchasshaking herheadfor“no”orwaving“byebye”

• Useinflectionwhenbabbling• Useexclamations,suchas“uhoh”

when dropping something• Say“mama”and“dada”• Trytoimitatewords

• Talkwiththebabyasmuchaspossible• Givebabystructuredchoices,“Doyou

want a ball?”• Putwordstothebaby’sactions• Useafewnewwordseveryday• Letbabyseeyourfacewhentalking

• Changetoneofvoiceandexpressionwhen talking, singing or reading to the baby

• Usehandgesturesandfacial expressions along with speech

• Showexcitementwhenthebaby attempts to use words

• Respondtothebaby’snon-verbalcommunication

• Respondtobaby’sbabblestomodelthe“giveandtake”ofconversation

• Continuetointroduceandusesimplesign language



1. Recognize and react to the sounds of language

2. Demonstrate increasing vocabulary and comprehension by using words to express herself

3. Explore writing and drawing as a way of communicating

• Begintoimitateanimalandnon speech sounds

• Repeatsimplesoundsyllables,(ba,ba,ba)• Stringtogetherdifferentsounds,

(ba, pa, da)• Enjoyrhymesandnonsensewords

• Begintousespecificsoundstoidentifyobjects and people

• Begintoparticipateinsongsandrhymesby smiling, clapping, or making noise

• Respondtoasimplegestureorrequest,forexample,waving“goodbye”whenasked

• Begintoidentifyfamiliarpeople

• Markpaperwithcrayonsormarkers

• Buildaroutineofreadingseveraltimesa day, using books that encourage baby’s active participation

• Singandsaynurseryrhymescommon to the child’s culture when changing, putting down to a nap, riding in the car and other times

• Repeatandexpandonthebaby’s attempts at speech

• Makeavarietyofbooksavailableand allow the baby to hold and touch books

• Talktoheranddescribewhatyouaredoing• Smileandgetbaby’seyecontact

when you are talking to her

• Introducenewwords• Provideanopportunityforthebaby

to complete a familiar song or rhyme• Repeatedlyusecorrespondinggestures

andwords,(“byebye,”withhandwaving)

• Providelargesheetsofpaperandlargecrayons or washable markers



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Cognitive

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Ceight tO twelve MOnthsCognitive Development

1. Show awareness of happenings in his surroundings

2. Explore objects in various ways

3. Remember what has happened recently, and find hidden objects

4. Look at the correct picture or object when it is named

5. Imitate gestures and use of objects

6. Make expected things happen

• Watchcloselywhatothersaredoing and try to copy it

• Lookforspecifictoys• Trytofigureouthownewtoyswork• Crawlormovetoreachinterestingtoys• Liketomakethingshappen,forexample,

pulling all of the tissues out of a box

• Exploreobjectsbyshaking,banging, pushing, pulling, throwing, mouthing, dropping, etc.

• Trytoputasquarepegintoaroundspace,and keep trying even when it doesn’t fit

• Repeatsenjoyableactivities,suchastrying to put together nesting cups and taking them apart again

• Understandthatthingscontinuetoexist even if out of sight

• Lookforanobjectthatshehasthrown from the high chair

• Putherarmsupwhenyouask,“Howbigisbaby?”• Turnherfaceawayfromhercaregiverwhen

she sees a washcloth in her hand• Exploreabellinaball,turningitoverandover• Lookundertheblanketforthetoyshe

watched you hide

• Pointtopicturesinbookswhenyouread to her

• Gotogettheballwhenyouaskifshewouldlike to play ball

• Gotothecounterwherethecrackersarekept when asked if she would like a cracker

• Pointtocorrectbodypartwhenitisnamed

• Pretendtobrushhairandteeth,drinkfrom a cup and listen to the telephone

• Dropanobjectfromthehighchairandwaitfor you to pick it up

• Pushfavoritebuttonsonthebusyboxandmake a face just before the dog pops out

• Pullcarbyastring

• Play“peek-a-boo”orhidinggameswiththe baby

• Makesureeverythingwithinbaby’sreach is safe to touch or put in her mouth

• Giveherinterestingornewobjectsto look at, for example, empty boxes, keys

• Provideaccesstoasafeareafor exploration stocked with real objects found in a home environment, (cups, spoons, empty containers)

• Providetoysthatcanbeusedin various ways

• Encouragethebabytousetoysandobjects for their intended uses

• Playrepetitivegamessuchas“pat-a-cake”and“howbigisthebaby?” “soooobig”holdingherarmsoutwide

• Usefingerplay,combiningwordsand actions,forexample,“Whereis Thumbkin?”

• Play“peek-a-boo”togetherinfront of a mirror and around furniture

• Lookatsimplepicturebookswiththebaby, naming and pointing to objects and making animal sounds

• Goandgettheballyourselfifshedoesn’tseem to know what you are talking about,saytheword“ball”severaltimesas you get it

• Playwiththebabylookinginthemirrorand naming face and body parts

• Givethebabyeverydayobjectstoplaywith and play pretend with her

• Playthegamesaying,“Uhoh!Youdropped the spoon.”

• Givethebabyajack-in-the-boxorbusybox and quiet time to explore it

• Respondtobaby’ssuccessbyexpressing your pleasure and by using words to describe what happened


A. Discovering and Learning C

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Personal and Social

Language

Cognitive

Physical

PS

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Ceight tO twelve MOnthsPhysical Development

1. Coordinate eyes and hands while exploring or holding objects

2. Change position and begin to move from place to place

• Placeobjectsintoacontaineranddumpthem out again

• Throw,rollandcatcharollinglarge rubber ball

• Pickupaspoonbyitshandle• Usepincergrasp(thumbandforefinger)to

pick up small objects, such as a Cheerio®• Starttoholdthecupanddrinkfromit

• Rollfromlyingonherstomachtosittingup• Balanceandsitaloneforlongperiodsoftime• Movefromacrawltosittingandbackagain• Crawleasily,gainingspeedfrommonth

to month• Pulluponatableand“cruise”aroundit• Walkwithsomeoneholdingbothofher

hands• Standalonewithouthelpforafewseconds

then minutes• Takeherfirstfewstepswithouthelp• Gofromstandingtosittingeasily• Climbontolowobjects,suchasacouch

or table

• Givethebabysafeobjectsand containers, and show her how to drop them in

• Rollballbackandforth,saying “baby’sturn,nowmyturn”

• Encouragebaby’seffortsandcelebrateher accomplishments through verbal support, patting/hugging, and smiling

• Cometothebaby’saidifshegetsstuck standing and show her how to bend her knees to get down

• Neverleavethebabyunattendedin an area that isn’t protected (e.g., crib)

• Securesturdybabygatesatthetopand bottom of stairs

• Stayclosebehindthebabywhen she starts to climb

• Providesafeareasforclimbingandmovement



SAFETY TiP: BABY-PROOF LOwER kiTchEN AND BAThROOM cABiNETS AND REMOvE LOw-LYiNG BREAkABLES. MAkE SURE ALL AREAS whERE BABiES AND YOUNG chiLDREN ARE PLAYiNG ARE chEckED ThROUGhOUT ThE DAY FOR SAFETY.

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Ctwelve tO eighteen MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Show self-awareness and likes and dislikes; begin to develop self-worth

2. Gain in self-control/regulation

3. Begin to express a variety of feelings

• Claimeverythinghewantsas“mine”• Crywhenthingsdon’tgoashewants

them to• Trytodothings,suchasfeeding,for

himself• Primarilyplayalongside,butnotwith

others, often competing for toys• Recognizehisreflectioninthemirror

and say his own name• Haveatempertantrumoverminor

frustrations

• Stophittinganotherchildwhenyousay his name

• Comewhenhisnameiscalled• Allowanotherchildtouseafavoredtoy• Stopstompinghisfeetinapuddlewhen

asked• Haveahardtimewithtransitionsbetween

activities• Chooseherownindependentwayof

doing things

• Demonstratereluctanceorfrustrationwhen asked to eat or do something he doesn’t want or like

• Showprideinhisaccomplishments• Shareatoywithafriend• Hit,kickorbiteotherchildrenifhedoesn’t

get what he wants• Showfearbyrunningtoyouwhena

stranger enters the room• Tendtosay“no”before“yes”

• Encouragethetoddlertohelpwithchores, such as putting toys away, even though it takes longer

• Invitethetoddlertodoforhimselfwhat he is able to do, such as pulling off shoes and socks, putting away toys

• Ifthetaskistoodifficultforthetoddler, offer assistance and alternatives

• Intervenewhenthetoddlerisdoingsomething dangerous or inappropriate by using firm, simple words, such as “Stop,that’sdangerous”

• Setclearandfirmlimitsandenforcethem consistently, without shaming the child

• Praisethetoddlerforself-regulating• Providenoticepriortotransitionsto

help the toddler prepare for change

• Trytoavoidconflictsoverfoodat mealtimes

• Givechoicesbetweennutritiousfoods• Acknowledgeefforts• Haveplentyofopportunitiestotry

games, toys, art activities• Offertwochoices,butrefrainfrom

giving in to a tantrum• Demonstrateusing“softtouch,”

instead of hitting, and let the toddler practice

• Removethechildfromaconflict situation, and talk about what happened

• Allowthetoddlertomoveathisownpace with unfamiliar adults

Indicators (The toddler may): Examples (The toddler might): Activities (You can):


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Personal and Social

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Cognitive

Physical

PS

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Ctwelve tO eighteen MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Rely on trusted adults to feel safe trying new activities

2. Show awareness of unfamiliar adults

3. Interact with other children

4. Begin to be aware of the feelings of other children

• Ventureoutwhenatrustedadultisnear• Looktoyouforreassurance,forexample,

a word, a smile or a gesture• Experimentwithandexplorenew

materials when you are near• Stopplayingwhenthetrustedadult

leaves and start again when she returns• Showwithwordsorgesturesthathe

wants a trusted adult to be near him

• Appearworriedorvulnerablewhen introduced to a new adult

• Crywhenheseessomethingunfamiliarsuch as a man with a beard or a clown

• Crybrieflywhenleftwithanewcaregiver,gradually calming with distractions and support

• Touchotherchildren,forexample,pattingor pulling hair

• Reactwhenanotherchildtriestotakeatoy away from him

• Offeratoytoanotherchild,butshowdistress when he takes it

• Followtheleadofanolderchildinplay• Choosetoplayinthesameareaas

another child

• Thinkthatotherchildrenwouldlikethesame games or foods as he does

• Looksadorworriedwhenanotherchild is in distress and seek comfort from either a caregiver or cuddly toy

• Lookworriedorsadifhehurtsanotherchild

• Givethetoddleraconsistentcaregiver• Givereassurancebutlethimexplore• Uponreunionwiththetoddler,give

him a smile and reassurance in a matter-of-fact way to encourage independence

• Usefirmandsimplewords,forex-ample,“Stop.That’sdangerous,”ifthetoddler is doing something dangerous.

• Givesupportandtimeforthetoddlerto get to know someone new

• Developasimplegoodbyeroutine• Giveahugandtrytodistractthe

toddler with a fun activity• Givehugsandreassurancethatmom

(or dad) will be back• Understand,andsharewithother

adults, that caution with unfamiliar adults is normal

• Haveplentyoftoysforeveryoneandbe prepared to help solve disputes over them by using a timer or providing substitute items

• Selectafewprizedtoystoputasideforthe toddler to play with alone

• Encouragechildrentoplayneareachother, even if they aren’t interacting

• Encouragehimtolookatthechildwhom he has hit and explain that hitting hurts other people

• Modelempathyforothersthroughwords or actions


B. Relating to Others PS

Personal and Social

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Physical

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Ctwelve tO eighteen MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Understand the mean-ing of many words and gestures

2. Start to understand and use common rules of speech

3. Communicate using consistent sounds, words, and gestures

• Understandmorewordsthanheis able to say

• Gototheclimberwhenaskedifhe wants to play on the climber

• Followasimpledirectionsuchas“Kick theball”or“Washyourhands”

• Usesimplegesturessuchasshakinghisheadfor“no”orwaving“byebye”

• Useinflectionwhenbabbling• Useexclamations,suchas“uhoh”

when dropping something• Say“mama”and“dada”• Trytoimitatewords

• Trytomimicwordswhenprompted• Usesinglewordssuchas“no”and

“bye”appropriately• Starttoputwordstogetherinphrases

suchas,“ma-mabyebye”• Shakehisheadyeswhenasked,“Are

you ready to go outside?”• Learnnewwordsalmostdaily• Begintoputtwowordstogether

into a phrase• Getupsetwhenadultsdon’t

understand what she says

• Talktothetoddlerinclearadult language, avoiding baby talk

• Getdownonthefloorandplay• Whengivingguidanceaboutbehavior,

get down to the child’s level and make eye contact

• Askquestionsandextendthetoddler’svocabulary by naming objects and describing objects and actions

• Usedescriptivewordsforthethingsthe toddler sees and does

• Speaktothetoddlerusingmoreadultlanguageandless“babytalk”

• Repeatandextendthetoddler’swordsand phrases using common rules of speech,“that’sright,here’ssomebanana”

• Singandsaynurseryrhymessuch as“ThisLittlePiggy”whenchanging,putting down to a nap, riding in the car and other times

• Frequentlynameenvironmentalsounds through play such as sirens, animals, phones

• Showyourdelightwhenthetoddlerstarts to use words

• Encouragethetoddlerwhenhe practices saying a difficult word


A. Understanding and Communicating L

| PAG

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Personal and Social

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Physical

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C

SAFETY TiP: ThE AMERicAN AcADEMY OF PEDiATRicS iDENTiFiES ThE FOLLOwiNG FOODS AS POSiNG A chOkiNG hAZARD FOR chiLDREN UNDER 4: • Hotdogs • NutsaNdseeds • CHuNksofmeatorCHeese • WHolegrapes • Hard,gooey,orstiCkyCaNdy • popCorN • CHuNksofpeaNutbutter • raWvegetables • fruitCHuNks,suCHasappleCHuNks • CHeWiNggum

twelve tO eighteen MOnthsLanguage Development

L


2. Demonstrate increasing vocabulary and comprehension by using words and phrases to express himself

3. Explore drawing, painting and writing as a way of communicating

• Enjoy,andoccasionallyjoininsimplesongs• Moverhythmicallytofamiliarsongs• Begintoidentifyfamiliarenvironmental

sounds, (animals and emergency vehicles)• Pointormakesoundswhenlookingat

books

• Learnnewwordsandphrasesfromthosefrequently used by the adults and children around him

• Learnsomesimplewordsandphrasesfrom the rhymes he hears repeatedly

• Learnsomesimplewordsandphrasesfrom books that are read to him frequently

• Listenquietlytothestory,andaskforittobe read again

• Repeatrepetitivephrasesfromthestory• Answersimplequestionsaboutdetailsin

the story• Pointtoandnameseveralpicturesin

a book• Begintoidentifybodyparts,simple

pictures or familiar people

• Scribblespontaneously• Exploreusingmarkers,crayons,chalk

to draw and write

• Useintonationwhenreading• Frequentlyreadrepetitivetext• Haveavarietyofdurablebooksavail-

able including homemade books and photo albums

• Repeatedlysingfamiliarsongs• Frequentlysayrhymesandfingerplays

• Talktothetoddlerusingconsistentlanguage

• Frequentlyrepeatnurseryrhymes• Chooseandreadbookswithrepetitive

texts • Re-readfavoritestorieswhenasked• Invitethetoddlertosaytherepetitive

phrases with you• Asksimplequestionsaboutobvious

detail• Describepicturestothetoddlerwhen

you read to him

• Givethetoddlerdrawing,painting and writing materials to explore

• Showinterestinanddisplaythetod-dler’s drawings, paintings and writing

• Useyourwritingtolabelpicturesthatthe toddler tells you about



Personal and Social

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Cognitive

Physical

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Ctwelve tO eighteen MOnthsCognitive Development

1. Use his senses to investigate the world around him, including solving problems

2. Show an increasing ability to remember and participate in imitative play

3. Use objects and toys more purposefully, exploring cause and effect relationships

4. Look at the correct picture or object when it is named

5. Begin to understand rules and routines

• Pushandpullawagon,watchingthewheels turn as he tries different tactics to move it

• Touchabugthathefindsontheplayground and squeal when it moves away quickly

• Push,poke,squeeze,patandsniffthe play dough as he explores how it feels and smells

• Stackandknockdownbigblocks• Dumpandfillobjects• Say“allgone”whenfinished

• Imitatetheactionsofanadultsuchas turning a steering wheel in a play car

• Recognizehisimageinthemirroror in a photograph

• Remembertheusualsequenceofeventsand go to get his toothbrush after getting into pajamas

• Chooseafavoritebookfromtheshelf and turn the pages more carefully

• Putroundshapesintotheroundholesmore accurately

• Rollaballbackandforthwithanadult

• Identifyobjects,bodyparts,andpeople• Pointtoobjectsorpicturesinbooks• Matchapictureofanobjecttothereal

thing• Saythenameoffamiliarobjects

• Looktothedoorwhenit’stimeto go outside

• Showdistresswhenfacedwithasurprise• Tellwhenanactivityisfinished

• Providematerials,equipmentandexperiences for sensory exploration for example, toys with wheels, musical instruments, play dough and sand and water.

• Askguidingquestionstoextend experiences,“Howdoesthebugfeel?”

• Showasenseofwonderandprovidetime and opportunities to explore the natural world

• Describetothetoddlerhisactions,forexample,” I see you are driving the car. Where are you going?”

• Maintainconsistentroutines• Askquestionsthatencouragethe

toddler to stretch thinking

• Givethetoddleraccesstoandchoicesabout books and toys

• Describetheshapes,colors,and attributes of toys as you play with the toddler

• Pointtopicturesinbooks• Givesimple,one-stepdirections,

“Gogettheball.”• Labelobjectsintheroom,anduse

the same name for them each time• Askhimtotellyouwhatthingsare

• Maintainsimpleroutinesthatthechildcan follow

• Enforcerulesconsistentlybyrecognizing responsible behavior with smiles, hugs, and encouragement

• Usesignsandwordstoindicate“alldone” when an activity is completed


A. Exploring and Discovering C

SAFETY TiP: FOLLOw AGE REcOMMENDATiONS ON TOY PAckAGES. AvOiD TOYS wiTh SMALL PARTS. ThROw AwAY ANY BROkEN TOYS. iF A TOY OR A PiEcE OF A TOY cAN FiT iNTO AN EMPTY TOiLET TiSSUE ROLL, iT cAN cREATE A chOkiNG hAZARD FOR chiLDREN UNDER 4.

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Cognitive

Physical

PS

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Ctwelve tO eighteen MOnths

1. Move constantly, showing increasing large muscle control

2. Use hands in various ways

• Walkmorethanhecrawls• Stopandstartmovementswithmore

control• Sitinachairindependently• Gofromsittingtostandingmoreeasily• Climbstairsonhandsandknees,orby

putting both feet on each step• Crawlupintoachairandturnaround

to sit• Gofromasquattostandingwithease• Pullatoybehindhimashewalks,or

push a toy in front of him• Carryalargetoyorseveralsmallerones

while walking• Begintorunwithincreasingskill

• Puttogetherseveralnestingcups,or stacking rings on a ring tree

• Dropwoodenbeadsintoabottle,dumpthem out and start again

• Buildatoweroffourormoreblocks• Scribble,ifgivenacrayonandpaper• Starttouseonehandmoreoftenthan

the other• Takeapart,thenputtogetherlargelinks

or pop beads• Holdanobjectinonehandanddo

something to it with the other hand• Holdacupanddrink,sometimesspilling• Feedhimselfapplesaucewithaspoon

• Givethetoddlerpushandpulltoys and balls to play with

• Providemanyopportunitiesforthetoddler to practice movement in a safe environment

• Playoutsideoftenwherethetoddlercan run, play with a ball, and climb

• Givethetoddlerboardbooksandother opportunities to practice page turning

• Givethetoddlershapesortingcubes,beads and a bottle, and blocks of various sizes

• Givethetoddlerlargelinksorpopbeads to put together and take apart

• Givethetoddleropportunitiestofeedhimself, even if there are spills

• Givetoddleropportunitiestoscribble,encouraging and praising the toddler’s efforts



YOUR CHILD IS LEARNING TO DISCOVER!have reading time at least once a day. choose some stories that ask your child questions or give him things to figure out.

Play a listening game where you close your eyes and identify the sounds of things: cars, wind, footsteps, machinery, birds, and insects.

HELP YOUR CHILD TO LEARN ABOUT NUMBERS AND PATTERNSLet your toddler play with safe objects of different shapes, colors and sizes. help him place plastic mixing bowls inside one another, wash plastic dishes, or stack cans, boxes or blocks.

HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN TO COMMUNICATE!Provide washable crayons, markers and paper so your toddler can write and draw.

Repeat things that your child says. For instance, if he says, “Pop!” you can say, “Yes, you popped that bubble!”

SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S PHYSICAL CHANGESGive your toddler toys that encourage use of his hands: cars and trucks, building blocks, dolls, puppets. Get down on your knees and help your child to play “build a house” or “puppet show.”


Physical Development

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Show more awareness of herself and her abilities

2. Know resources available in the room, and how to use some of them

3. Ask for help, if needed, in verbal and non-verbal ways

4. Show more, but still limited self regulation

• Practiceclimbinghigherandhigherontheclimber

• Explorenewactivitiesandgames• Showawarenessofdifferencesbetween

her and others• Laughorfrownwhenhappyorupset• Wanttodothingsherself,butcanbecome

easily frustrated• Takemorerisks• Noticedifferencesbetweenherselfand

others

• Choosetoplayinthesameareaoftheroom first each day

• Cometothefishtankwithherhandouttoput some food in the tank, like the other children are doing

• Movefromoneactivitytoanother

• Cometoyouandpointtowheretheballhasrolledundertheshelf,saying,“ball”

• Bringhercoatwiththesleeveinsideouttoyou for help

• Cryandclingtoaparentbeforesheleaves,but calm down immediately after she has left

• Playcalmlynearanotherchild,buthavedifficulty sharing

• Takeatoyfromanotherchild,andnotreturn it when asked to by an adult

• Begintounderstand“takingturns”• Begintounderstandtheconceptof“his”

and“mine”• Stopwhatsheisdoingandcomewhenyou

call her name• Exhibitfrustrationbycrying,yelling,hitting,

or kicking her feet • Getafamiliarcomfortitem(blanket,

stuffed animal) when she is feeling sad or angry

• Understandandencouragethechildtodo things independently, but help when needed

• Say“yes”insteadof“no”wheneverpos-sible, providing choices that are acceptable

• Encourageherattemptstotrynewchallenges and take modest risks, but be there as a safety net

• Celebratehercultureandmodelandtalkabout acceptance of people who look and dress differently

• Exposehertotheculturesofothers• Encouragehertoputawayatoybefore

going to another to support a sense of order and sequence

• Haveconsistentlyorganizedmaterialsinthe room so that the child knows what to expect and where to find things

• Provideavarietyofactivitiesand materials for the child to choose from

• Helpthechildattempttosolvethe problem herself

• Providejustenoughhelptoenablethechild to do as much as she can

• Be confident, calm and understanding when leaving the crying child, reassuring her that you will be back later, and coming when you say you will

• Givecomfortbriefly,thenredirectthechild’s attention and confidently help her to move on

• Modelsharingwiththechild,usingtheword and praising her for sharing with you or another child

• Playgamesthatemphasizeturntaking,such as passing a ball back and forth or having a tea party

• Givetwochoices,bothofwhichare acceptable to you

• Staycalmandrecognizethatangerisanormal emotion

• Acknowledgeherfeelingsandencourage her to talk about how she feels, helping her to find the words she needs

• Letherknowthathittingoranyotherhurting behavior will not be tolerated

Indicators (The child may): Examples (The child might): Activities (You can):

A. Learning About Self PS

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Continue to need the security of a trusted adult as she explores

2. Continue to show caution around unfamiliar adults

3. Show increased interest and assert independence when with other children

4. At times shows awareness and concern for other children’s feelings

• Startacrosstheplaygroundtowhere other children are, but return to you several times before playing there

• Sitinthesandboxplayingnexttoseveralother children, but get up frequently to show you what she is making

• Lookupatyouforawavewhileplayingwith toys in a new room full of children

• Stopplayingandcometoyouwhena new adult enters the room

• Watchanadultmakingcookies,butnotwant to help

• Say“hi”tothegreeteratthestore,fromthe safety of her shopping cart seat

• Holdyourhandasanewpersonasks her about her toy

• Watchthechildrenontheslideintentlyforseveral minutes before asking to try going down with help

• Playnearseveralotherchildren,talking to them only when she wants a toy that they have

• Imitateachildwhoispretendingtobe a dog

• Refusetoshareawagonwithanotherchildwho wants to climb in while she pulls it

• Movefromoneactivitytoanother,playingby herself

• Takeadollfromanotherchild,butgiveitback when the child cries

• Huganotherchildwhoissadbecausehismom just left

• Bematteroffactaboutrespondingtothe child’s need to check in, confident that she will venture forth when she is ready

• Provideconsistentroutines

• Understand,andsharewithotheradults, that caution with unfamiliar adults is normal

• Bereassuring• Expressthechild’sfeelingsinwords• Gentlyencouragethechildtorespond,

but speak for her if she declines• Readbooksthatshowortellabout

feelings

• Allowthechildtoenterintoplayather own speed

• Givethechildwordstousesuchas,“Askthem,canIplaywithyou?”

• Identifythefeelingsofbothchildren• Reinforcethechild’spositivebehavior• Modelappropriatebehavior• Teachthechildaboutsaying“I’m

sorry,”and“It’sokay,”or“I’mnotmadanymore.”

• Practicesharingaballoratoybackand forth


B. Relating to Others PS

Personal and Social

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Physical

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Be able to follow simple suggestions and directions with increasing consistency

2. Use an increasing number of words and put words together into phrases and simple sentences

• Answerasimplequestionwithanodofher head

• Gotogetatowelwhenaskedbyher caregiver

• Understandthenamesofseveralbodyparts and point to them when asked

• Gotowashherhandswhenyousay, “Getreadyforlunch”

• Begintolabelobjects,orputwords together to make simple sentences

• Say“ball”asshelooksinthetoyboxforthe ball

• Putafewwordstogethersuchas“TalkDaddy?”or“Gobye-byenow?”

• Askquestionsaboutwhatsheseesonawalkinthewoods.“Whatthat?”when she finds a pinecone

• Answerquestionsaboutastory• Askforwhatshewantsusingincreasingly

specific words• Repeatsomeofthefunnysoundingwords

she hears in conversations

• Asksimplequestions,andgivedirections with just one or two familiar steps

• Positivelyacknowledgethechildwhenshe follows directions

• Acceptthechild’slevelofverbalization, not comparing her to other children

• Havefrequentconversationsusingsimple adult language

• Encouragetheuseofsocialwords,pairing them with hand signs, such as “please,”and“thankyou”

• Encouragethechildtogivethewordfor a pictured object, provide answer if needed

• Usepositivereinforcementwhen the child uses appropriate language

• Describewhatthechildisdoing while playing


A. Understanding and Communicating L

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsLanguage Development


2. Start to understand and use common rules of speech

3. Communicate using consistent sounds, words, and gestures

4. Begin to develop imitative reading

5. Demonstrate vocabulary and comprehension by listening with interest and displaying understanding

6. Explore drawing, paint-ing and writing as a way of communicating

• Enjoysimplesongsandoccasionallyjoinin• Moverhythmicallytofamiliarsongs• Identifyfamiliarsoundssuchasanimal

sounds and emergency vehicles

• Say“hello,”“bye-bye,”andothercommonwords in appropriate context

• Recognizesandrepeatsnamesofobjects• Begintouseshortsentences“Igo.”• Usedifferenttonesorsoundswhentalking

• Repeatfamiliarwordsandphrases• Putwordstogetherintwo-wordsentences• Wave“hello”and“bye-bye”

• Showfamiliaritywithtextbyrepeatingsongs or stories

• Fillinwordsinafamiliartext• Showinterestinbooksandotherwritten

materials• Showpreferenceforafavoritepageina

book by searching for it

• Spontaneouslyturnpagesandtellthestory• Followsimpledirections• Performanactionshowninabook• Answersimplequestionsbasedonastory• Showempathyforcharactersinabook;

forexample,says“ohno,”whenacharac-ter falls

• Verballylabelpicturesinafamiliarbook• Lookatandnamepictures

• Scribblespontaneously• Exploreusingdifferentwritingmaterials• Intentionallymakeamarkonapieceof

paper

• Frequentlysingfamiliarsongs, rhymes, and finger plays

• Frequentlymimicenvironmentalsounds through play

• Useintonationwhenreading• Readtochildrenindividuallyand

in groups• Begintoreadmorestorybooks

• Speakclearlyanddirectlytoher• Explainwhatyouaredoing• Pointoutthenamesofobjects• Repeatwhatshesays,“That’s

right, this is a bag.”

• Usebodylanguageandhand gestures to communicate

• Speakclearlyanddirectlytoher• Repeatwhatshesaysandask

questions

• Repeatedlyreadtextswith repetitive and rhyming words.

• Explorephotoalbumsandidentifypeople

• Haveavarietyofchild-appropriatewritten material available

• Respondtoachildwhoshows interest in a book by reading aloud

• Asksimple“what,”“where,”and“why”questionswhilereading

• Talkabouteventsandcharactersinstory books by asking questions like “Whatdidthebunnyeat?”

• Namepicturesanddescribeactionswhen looking at books

• Provideavarietyofdrawing,writing,and painting materials and opportunities for exploration

• Modeldrawingandwriting• Writethewordssheusestodescribe

her drawings• Displaychildren’sdrawingsand

writings, with names attached


B. Early Literacy: Pre-Reading and Pre-Writing L

Personal and Social

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsCognition and General Knowledge

C

C

1. Begin to sort objects according to one criterion

2. Begin to explore concepts of number, size, and position

• Sortblocksbycolor• Buildatowerusingblocksofonlyonecolor• Pickoutandmatchtwoidenticalcars• Pickoutandeatonlythebananasfrom

the fruit salad

• Nestseveralcupstogetheraccuratelyanddiscover how to hide a smaller cup under a larger one

• Turnonepieceofapuzzletofititintoaspace the right way

• Buildatowerof4ormoreblocksandenjoy watching it fall

• Showinterestinquantityandnumberrelationships, for example, recognize if another child has more crackers than she does

• Praisethetoddler’seffortstosort, and point out what she has done

• Letthetoddlerworkonherowntosolve problems for herself, stepping in to assist and talking about what she is doing if she shows frustration

• Provideblocksindifferentsizes,shapes, and colors

• Modelhowtocountandstackblocks• Involvechildinsettingthetableor

putting out snacks


A. Mathematical Exploring and Learning

1. Seek information through observation and exploration

2. Expect certain things to happen as a result of her actions

• Showinterestinfoundobjects,forex-ample, twigs and leaves found outside

• Trytofigureouthowthingswork• Spendextratimelookingatfamiliarobjects• Askmanyquestions

• Putadollontheroofofthedollhouseandwatch it slide off over and over again

• Fillabucketwithsandandwatchasitpours over the side when it is full

• Buildatowerofblocks,andknockitdownto see it fall

• Takewalksoutsideorexplorenewenvironments

• Provideanemptycardboardboxforcollecting items

• Modelhowtouseamagnifyingglasstolook at objects more closely

• Pretendplaywiththechildandprovidetoys that can be used in pretend play.

• Followthechild’sleadinpretendplay,adding your enthusiasm and more choices

• Providesandorwater,rice,sidewalkchalk, etc. and something to fill, dump, and pour


B. Scientific Exploring and Learning

chart continued on next page

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsCognition and General Knowledge

3. Improve memory for details

4. Explore and solve problems

• Singsongsandsaynurseryrhymesafterhearing them many times

• Helphercaregiverretellafavoritestoryafter hearing it many times

• Showfearofabeeafterhavingbeen stung by one

• Lookforitemsfrompreviousday

• Trynewactivitiesandmaterials• Increaseattentionspanwhenexploring

something interesting, especially with an interested adult

• Explorenewwaystodothings

• Singfavoritesongsandsaynurseryrhymes often

• Readafavoritebookmanytimes• Readanddiscussfactualbooksaswell

as fiction

• Getdownonthechild’sleveltoex-plore and talk about the natural world

• Letthetoddlertrytosolveproblemsfor herself before jumping in to tell her how to do something

• Provideavarietyofmaterialsandactivities


B. Scientific Exploring and Learning continued

1. Begin to understand rules and routines

2. Have beginning awareness of the order of her environment

• Gotoherhooktohanguphercoatwhenshe comes in from outside without a reminder

• Getdownfromastandingpositiononachair when you remind her that chairs are for sitting, because she might fall

• Tellwhenanactivityisfinished

• Noticewhenanewtoyisintroducedorisin the wrong place

• Ifasked,willtellyouwhensheisfinishedeating or playing

• Maintainsimpleroutinesthatthechildcan follow

• Talktothechildaboutthereasonsbehind the rules

• Enforcerulesconsistentlybyrecogniz-ing responsible behavior with smiles, hugs, and encouragement

• Usesignsandwordstoindicate“alldone” when an activity is completed

• Havespecificplacesfortoysandbooks• Helpthetoddlertoputitemsback

where they belong after play• Maintainaprint-richenvironmentby

labeling centers, materials, and spaces in the room


C. Exploring Social Learning

C

C

Personal and Social

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Ceighteen tO twenty-fOur MOnthsPhysical Development

1. Show increased balance and coordination in play activities

2. Have increased eye-hand coordination

3. Be able to do more things for herself

• Enjoypullingorpushingatoythat makes noise as she walks with it

• Walkbackwardpullingawagon• Climbuptheladderontheslideand

slide down• Turnbackwardsandsitontherocking

chair• Goupthestairsputtingbothfeeton

each step• Throwaballandputhandstogetherto

try to catch it• Maybegintouseonehandmorethan

the other

• Stringbeadsonastringorsomefish tank tubing

• Pourwaterthroughafunnel,thenasieveand back and forth from cup to cup in the bathtub

• Usehandsforsimplefingerplayssuch as“TheItsyBitsySpider”

• Attempttoputtogetherlargepopbeadsafter pulling them apart, sometimes succeeding

• Putthecorrectshapesthroughtheholes in the shape sorter

• Stillhavesometroublewithfinemotionsof wrists and fingers

• Pulloffherownclothesatbedtime• Drinkfromacupwithfewspills• Useaspoonforeatingmostofthetime• Attempttobrushherownhairandteeth• Attempttoputonherownshirtandhelp

you with her pants by picking up one leg at a time

• Attempttohelpputawaythetoys,puttingthe blocks with the blocks, and the cars and trucks in another basket

• Givethechildoutsidetimeseachdayand let her experiment with climbing, ball throwing and catching, pulling and pushing toys and riding simple riding toys

• Providetunnelplayandencouragethe child to crawl through toward you

• Provideafunnel,sieveandmany cups of various sizes for water play

• Givethechildsomekindof hammering toy

• Singsongswithhandmotions,or do simple finger plays with the child

• Provideappropriatematerialssuchaslarge pop beads, pegboards, string or popsicle sticks and large beads, shape sorter and puzzles

• Encouragethechildtodoasmanythings for herself as she can

• Letthechildhelpwithsimplechoresafter you have shown her how to do them, for example, putting clothes in a basket or smoothing towels




P

http://www.aap.org/

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Ctwenty-fOur tO thirty MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Show increasing self-awareness

2. Show increasing self-regulation

3. Use coping skills with tasks and interactions with peers and adults

4. Share his feelings through talking and pretend play

• Needadditionalreassuranceabouthis attempts to try something new

• Putonhisowncoat,butgetitupsidedown and refuse help to fix it

• Getonanewridingtoyandrefuseto get off when asked to come to breakfast

• Puttogetheraseveralpiecepuzzle,notwanting help and then ask for it when he has trouble

• Identifiesselfinmirror

• Showmoreawarenessofexpectations• Starttobeinterestedintoilettraining• Crywhenleftwithcaregivers,butquickly

comfort himself by playing with toys or friends

• Gaincontrolofemotionswithhelpoftrusted adult or comfort item

• Begintowaitturnforjuiceorsnack

• Askforhelpifneeded• Maydisplayoccasionaloutburstsof

temper when frustrated with an activity or engaged in a conflict

• Withdrawfromactivitiesforashorttime• Wantthesamethingstohappendayafterday• Soothehimselfwhenstressed,perhaps

with a thumb, blanket, favorite toy, or photo of parent

• Say“No,Inotsleepy,”whentolditistimefor a nap

• Haveanimaginaryfriendwithwhomhetalks regularly

• Actoutgoingtothedoctorwiththedolls• Substituteoneobjectforanother,for

example,usingablockas“food”inthedramatic play area.

• Encouragehiseffort,evenifheis unsuccessful in what he is trying to do

• Bereadytohelp,butnottooquickly,encourage him to try for himself first

• Askthechildifhewantstotrytodosomething himself before offering to do it for him

• Clearlyandslowlyshowhowtodoanew task, and let the child do it himself the next time

• Askhimtohelpyouinsomeway

• Beclearandconsistentaboutlimits and expectations

• Communicatewithparentsabout childcare expectations and how they may be alike or different from home

• Communicatewithparentsabouttoilettraining strategies and expectations

• Supporttoilettrainingeffortswithencouragement, praise and accessibility

• Maintainconsistentlimitsandroutines,especially for separations and rest times

• Provideprivacyandtime,underadultsupervision, for the child to gain control

• Modelappropriatecopingandproblemsolving skills

• Give names to his feelings and coach him in using words to solve conflicts

• Minimizethetimethatchildrenwaitduring routines

• Createandpostadailyschedule

• Labelfeelingsandprovideappropriatechoices

• Acceptandwelcometheimaginaryfriend, listening for clues about the child’s feelings and needs

• Sitwiththechild,rubhisback,andprovide a soothing environment

• Askopenendedquestions• Maketimeforonetooneconversations

regularly• Supporthispretendplaybyacting

out the roles he gives you


A. Learning about Self PS

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Ctwenty-fOur tO thirty MOnthsPersonal and Social Development

1. Continue to need adult support but show more independence

2. Be more interested in unfamiliar adults, but still cautious

• Climbtothetopoftheclimberandthencall for you to watch before he slides down

• Getupfromthelunchtableafterafewbites, following mom as she leaves the room, then return when he knows what she is doing

• Gotomomforahugbeforeaccepting the ball from a new person

• LetGrandmahelphimwithhisshoe,eventhough he hasn’t seen her for a while

• Rushtoanswerthedoorwhenthepostalworker knocks, but act shy when he speaks to him

• Notspeaktoanunfamiliaradultwhen he is spoken to

• Letthechildknowwhenyouare leaving and where you are going

• Encourageandallowsufficienttime for independent activities

• Allowthechildtodomorethingson his own, such as climb to the top of the climber while you watch

• Makedirecteyecontactwiththechild• Letthechildknowwhenshedoes

something good

• Encouragethechildtospeakfor himself, but if he is unwilling, speak for the child sometimes

• Understand,andsharewithotheradults, that caution with unfamiliar adults is normal

• Allowchildrentoapproachnewpeopleand situations at their own rate, and with your support


B. Relating to Adults

1. Play alongside other children

2. Show more awareness of the feelings of another child

• Haveshortperiodsofplaywithotherchildren, but mostly play beside them

• Needadulthelptoresolveconflicts• Begintodemonstratepreferencefor

friends• Becomeawareofgenderdifferences

• Askforhelpwhenanotherchildtakessomething that belongs to him

• Helpanotherchildtopickupthebeadsafter he dumped them out of the container

• Feelandexpressremorsebysaying“Isorry” after accidentally knocking another child down

• Comfortanotherchildwhomaybeupsetby patting or hugging him

• Engageinpretendscenarioswithafewchildren, helping them to take on roles

• Modelforthechildwordstohelphimresolvehisconflicts,suchas,“MayIhaveaturn?”or“I’msorry”

• Encouragecooperativeplayby structuring turn-taking

• Playsmallgroupgames,forexample,“RingAroundtheRosy”

• Commentaboutwhatagoodthingit is to be kind to others

• Helpthechildtoidentifyhisfeelings and verbalize them

• Modelempatheticbehavior,suchascomforting a child who is sad, and then let the child practice

• Usepuppetsandstoriestoteach kindness to others


C. Relating to Other Children

PS

PS

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Ctwenty-fOur tO thirty MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Understand questions and simple directions

2. Demonstrate active listening strategies

3. Enter into a conversation

4. Use words and some common rules of speech to express his ideas and thoughts

• Gethiscoat,andputitonwhenaskedbyateacher

• Answerwhenasked,“Doyouwantacracker or a piece of cheese?”

• Askanotherchildtositnexttohim• Understandandusesomepositional

words, for example, under, over, in, around

• Listenforshortperiodsoftime• Retellandrelatewhathasbeenheard• Begintoaskquestions

• Interruptortalkoverotherpeople’scon-versations

• Askquestionsaboutconceptshedoesn’tunderstand

• Trytoinitiateconversationswithothersabout objects

• Repeatwhathasjustbeensaid,ormakeup a story to be part of the conversation

• Singsimplesongswiththeteacher and later sing parts of them to himself

• Askquestionsaboutthestoryaswell as naming objects

• Usedescriptivelanguagetotellyou what he wants

• Useactionwordstodescribewhathe is doing

• Puttogetherthreeorfourwordsentences• UsethewordsI,we,he,andshein

sentences• Usesomeuncommonpluralssuchas

“foots”insteadof“feet”• Speakclearlyenoughtobeunderstood

without mumbling or running sounds together

• Asksimplequestionsandgivetwo-stepdirections, checking for comprehension

• Buildmulti-steptasksintothedailyroutines• Listentoandanswerthechild’squestions• Modelthedirectionsbeforeexpecting

them to be followed• Use,practiceandplaygameslike“Simon

Says”, involving positional words, such as behind, in front of, beside and under

• Singalongwithsongslikethe“HokeyPokey”

• Askthechildaboutwhathehasheard• Askopenendedquestions

• Remembernottotalkaboutthechildasif he isn’t there

• Includethechildintheconversationasoften as possible with peers and adults

• Rememberthatchildrenarelisteningtoadult conversations

• Askopenendedquestionstoencourageand extend the conversation

• Repeatwhatthechildsays,andextend• Usefamily/groupmealtimefor

conversation

• Singwiththechild,usenurseryrhymes• Engageinconversationthroughoutthe

day, using clear adult language• Ask,“Whatishedoing?”whenlooking

at pictures with the toddler• Describeyouractionsoutloudasyou

do them• Encouragethechildtousewords• Listenandrestateusingclearlanguage

when speaking to children• Usethechild’sprimarylanguagewhen

possible


A. Listening and Speaking L

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Ctwenty-fOur tO thirty MOnthsLanguage Development

1. Become aware of the sounds of spoken language

2. Recognize that symbols have corresponding meaning

3. Begin to develop fluency by imitative reading

HealtHy Beginnings - Division of Early Childhood...Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Development and...

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