Approaches to Learning
Children are born with an inclination to learn. This is reflected in behaviors and attitudes such as curiousity, problem-solving, maintaining attention, and persistence.
Cognitive Development - Infants (Birth to 12 Months)
Your baby doesn't yet have the words for everything they're learning, but they do have you! Relationships with others are a key factor in cognitive development at this stage. Daily activities, routines and interactions with adults and other children help them become aware of people and things in the physical environment. (Peek-a-boo, anyone?) They begin to notice, wonder about and explore the world around them.
About This Domain
The Cognitive Development domain focuses on children’s ability to acquire, organize, and use information in increasingly complex ways. In their search for understanding and meaning, young children play an active role in their own cognitive development. They begin to explain, organize, construct, and predict—skills that lay the cognitive foundation needed to explore and understand increasingly sophisticated concepts.
Discover the world around them by actively exploring objects (putting toys in mouth, watching, waving, banging objects, dumping, picking up and dropping objects).
Turn head or move toward sounds.
Notice consequences of their actions (open and shut cabinet door, drop Cheerios and watch them fall).
Search for objects that they saw someone hide or that are partially hidden.
Respond differently to familiar vs. unfamiliar people, objects, and situations (reach for new interesting toy instead of old familiar toy; move toward familiar caregiver but hide head on parent’s shoulder when new person comes near).
Anticipate routine events (smile, wave arms and legs, move toward adult holding bottle).
Repeat an action to make something happen again or to reach a goal (make sounds when music stops, bounce up and down to get adult to continue “horsey ride”).
Observe and imitate sounds, movements, and facial expressions, including things they have seen in the past or in other places.
Show awareness of others’ reactions to people, objects, and events.
Show awareness of another person’s actions by establishing joint attention (look at an object, then at caregiver, and back at object).
Indicate they want “more” with signs, sounds, or looks
Show interest in obvious differences in quantity by looking at or reaching for objects (reach for a basket with three balls rather than a basket with one ball).
Discover different shapes by exploring (put rings in mouth, roll balls).
Attempt to put objects into other objects (put blocks into a bucket).
Discover objects of different sizes and weights by exploring (put toys in mouth, pick up large objects).
Differentiate primary caregiver from others
Show curiosity and explore the natural world using all their senses (rub hands over grass, lift face to feel wind, pat family dog, splash water).
Gather information through sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
Explore body movements to make something happen (kick a mobile).
Use multiple senses to focus intently on objects, displays, materials, or events.
Observe actions of children, adults, animals, and objects nearby.
Seek out parents, siblings, and caregivers for play and for meeting needs.
Express enjoyment or show preference for familiar people with sounds, expressions, and/or movement.
Notice faces and facial features.
Notice differences between primary caregivers and others.
Respond differently to adults and children.
Explore sensory properties of art media (smear paint, pat and pound dough).
Use toys and household objects in a variety of different ways during play (wave, then scrunch, then throw a scarf).
Imitate and make a variety of sounds with simple instruments, toys, and their own voice.
Express feelings, such as joy by moving their bodies (kick feet when excited, hug soft toy).
Show wonder or fascination with objects, activities, or experiences (pay attention to bright or contrasting colors, look at caregiver singing lullabies, show bodily excitement when they hear music).
Hold, touch, and experience different textures (fuzzy blanket, smooth skin, rough carpet).
The South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines serve as a shared vision for all adults supporting young children's experiences prior to entering kindergarten. Positive interactions with trusted adults, engaging with peers, and consistent environments that are safe, healthy, and enhance learning are vital elements to support young children.
Goals and Developmental Indicators describe expectations for what children learn starting with infancy and covering all ages through kindergarten entry. These goals apply to all children regardless of what language they speak, what strengths/disabilities they may have, or specific unique family circumstances. Strategies to enrich the environment, support development and learning, and adaptations provide a variety of ideas to consider.
At the “heart” of the document are tables or developmental continuums that describe children’s learning and development from birth up to kindergarten. You can find these tables under the Learning Domain tab in our main navigation. These Goals and Developmental Indicators are divided into five domains:
Children are born with an inclination to learn. This is reflected in behaviors and attitudes such as curiousity, problem-solving, maintaining attention, and persistence.
Children's feelings about themselves and their relationships with others is the foundation for personality development. These characteristics and skills impact every other area of development.
From birth, children are learning language and developing the ability to communicate. Talking, singing, reading, and responding effectively when children express themselves are great investments supporting learning.
This fascinating area of development includes understanding how children aquire, organize, and use information in increasingly complex ways. Through play, skills are developed as the foundation for exploring and understanding more sophisticated concepts.
Physical growth, muscle development, nutrition, self-care, health and safety practices are included in this area. Safe and healthy practices suppport the ability to learn more effectively in all areas.