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 - Younger Preschoolers (33 to 48 Months)
From memory games and scavenger hunts to playing dress up, "store" or follow the leader, play time is prime brain development time for young preschoolers. Learning, thinking and problem solving progresses quickly at this age - and because most three-to-four year olds try hard to please, it's a delightful time for parents and caregivers, too. Focus on reading, singing, musical instruments, books, puzzles and more.
What Is It?
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.
Intentionally explore and investigate objects, tools, and materials to learn about their properties (weigh an object, observe something from the top and from the bottom).
Share something they have discovered through their senses using play, art, language, and other forms of representation. (“This smells like the flower at Grandma’s.”)
Group familiar objects that go together (shoe and sock, brush and paint, hammer and nail).
Recognize whether a picture or object is the same as or different from something they have seen before.
Apply what they know about everyday experiences to new situations (look for the seatbelt on the bus).
Describe or act out a memory or a situation or action, with adult support.
Express expectations based on past experiences (“We brush our teeth after we eat.”)
Make predictions about what will happen using what they know.
Use multiple strategies to solve problems, including trial and error, simple tools, or asking for help (try to fix a broken toy by taping it back together).
Introduce ideas or actions in play based on previous knowledge or experience.
Ask questions about why things happen to build their understanding of the cause and effect.
Use language to identify pretend or make-believe situations. (“Let’s pretend we’re going on a trip.”)
Use words like “think” and “know” to talk about thoughts and beliefs
Recognize that beliefs and desires can determine what people do (e.g., a person will look for a missing object based on where they think it is rather than where it actually is).
Rote count by ones to 10 with increasing accuracy.
Count up to 5 objects arranged in a line using one-to-one correspondence with increasing accuracy, and answer the question “How many?”
Compare two groups (containing up to 5 objects each) and compare them in terms of more, less, fewer, or equal.
Show they understand that adding objects to a group will make a bigger group and taking away objects will make a smaller group.
Demonstrate and begin to use the language of the relative position of objects in the environment and play situations, such as up, down, over, under, top, bottom, inside, outside, in front, behind, between, next to.
Build and describe 2- dimensional shapes, such as making circles and triangles with blocks and play dough.
Find shapes in the environment and describe them in his/her own words.
Use simple measurement tools with guidance and support to measure objects (a ruler, measuring cup, scale).
Compare the size or weight of two objects and identify which one is longer/taller/heavier that the other. (“That rock is heavier than this one; I can’t lift it.” “A cow is bigger than a cat.”)
Identify familiar objects as the same or different.
Sort familiar objects into categories with increasing accuracy (tools for woodworking and utensils for cooking; rectangle blocks on one shelf and square blocks on another shelf).
Recognize simple repeating patterns and attempt to create them during play (repeat a movement pattern during a song, make a line of blocks in alternating colors).
Seek answers to questions by using mathematical thinking during play and daily activities (determine who is taller by standing next to classmate; find two smaller blocks to replace larger block).
Use observation and counting (not always correctly) to find out how many things are needed during play and other daily activities (figure out how many spoons are needed for snack, find enough dolls so each person has one when playing in the dramatic play area).
Use drawing and concrete materials to represent mathematical ideas (draw many circles to show “lots” of people, put Popsicle® sticks in a pile to show the number of children who want crackers for snack).
Demonstrate interest in the natural world and the outdoor environment (plays in dirt and sand, ask questions about things seen outdoors).
Participate in activities that help to care for the environment, with guidance and support (picks up trash, recycle paper).
Participate in the care of living things with guidance and support (water plants, help to feed classroom pet).
Notice and describe characteristics of plants and animals, such as appearance, similarities, differences, behavior, and habitat.
Investigate the effect they can have on motion (push, pull, build ramp for a toy car with blocks, put foot in the path of moving toy).
Notice and describe properties of materials and changes in substances (water freezes into ice, pudding thickens, clay hardens).
Compare and sort objects or materials according to one or more attributes.
Observe and state simple weather patterns (sunny, rainy, cloudy, snowy).
Represent what they learn during scientific exploration through simple drawings, building, movement, or other methods, with adult support.
Use simple tools and measuring devices, such as balance scales, sifter, and rulers to explore the environment, with guidance and support.
Observe objects, materials, and phenomena and describe what they notice (temperature, texture, size, weight, color, etc.).
State a purpose when constructing something new. (“I’m gonna build a bridge for my dump truck.”)
Test a variety of materials and configurations to design an end product.
Ask questions to find out more about the natural world.
With adult support, make simple predictions about what will happen next.
Use simple descriptions and scientific vocabulary during experiments and experiences, with adult prompting and support (describe changes taking place while mixing, and using words such as “question,” “experiment,” and “measure”).
Talk about close family members, name their relationships to each other, and describe family routines. (“Marika is my sister.” “My grandma takes care of me at night.”)
Adopt roles of family and community members during play, given support and realistic props.
Identify self as a part of a specific family, preschool class, or other familiar group (e.g., point to picture and say, “That’s my family.” or “I’m in Ms. Emily’s class.”)
With prompting and support, participate as a member of a group, such as a classroom community (vote for name of class pet, wait turn to paint when easels are full).
Talk about “fairness” and demonstrate a willingness to take turns and share with others.
Show acceptance of people who are different from themselves as well as people who are similar.
Explore differences in backgrounds and traditions during play and planned activities, given support and guidance (try on various traditional outfits in the dramatic play area).
Explore the properties of art materials and use them for constructing, painting, drawing, and sculpting.
Choose to participate and use visual art, music, movement, and dramatic play to communicate and express feelings, ideas, and experiences.
Show creativity and imagination when using materials, singing, moving, and assuming roles during pretend play.
Use words and actions to imitate a variety of familiar stories, roles, and new understandings from topics of study (set up a store in the dramatic play area and act out roles of shopkeeper and customer).
Show awareness of different musical instruments, and rhythms, as they make music or participate in music activities.
Show awareness of various patterns of beat, rhythm, and movement through music and movement activities.
Show awareness of various patterns of beat, rhythm, and movement through music and movement activities.
Express pleasure in different forms of art (call something “pretty,” express preferences, or listen to music again).
Participate in and use words to describe art in terms of color, texture, space, sound and movement.
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.