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Cognitive Development
Infants (Birth to 12 months)

Components and Developmental Indicators

high-angle-kid-playing-with-colorful-toys

COMPONENT 1:
Construction of Knowledge:
Thinking and Reasoning

Developmental Indicators

CD Goal-1: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children use their senses to discover and construct knowledge about the world around them.
 
 
1

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Discover the world around them by actively exploring objects (putting toys in mouth, watching, waving, banging objects, dumping, picking up and dropping objects).
2

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Turn head or move toward sounds.
3

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Notice consequences of their actions (open and shut cabinet door, drop spoon and watch it fall).
CD Goal-2: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children recall information and apply it to new situations and problems.
 
 
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Search for objects that are hidden or partially hidden.
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Respond differently to familiar vs. unfamiliar people, objects, and situations (reach for new toy instead of old familiar toy, move toward familiar adult but hide head on parent’s shoulder when new person comes near).
3

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Anticipate routine events (smile, wave arms and legs, move toward adult holding bottle).
 
 
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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”).
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Observe and imitate sounds, movements, and facial expressions, they have seen in the past or in other places.
CD Goal-3: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children demonstrate the ability to think about their own thinking: reasoning, taking perspectives, and making decisions.
 
 
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Show awareness of others’ reactions to people, objects, and events.
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Show awareness of another person’s actions by establishing joint attention (look at an object, then at caregiver, and back at object).
cute-baby-with-toys-b-12 comp

COMPONENT 2:
Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Developmental Indicators

CD Goal-4: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children count with understanding and use numbers to tell how many, describe order, and compare.
 
 
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Indicate they want “more” with signs, sounds, or looks.
2

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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).
CD Goal-5: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children demonstrate concepts about position, as well as identify and describe simple geometric shapes.
 
 
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Discover different shapes by exploring (put rings in mouth, roll balls).
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Attempt to put objects into other objects (put blocks into a bucket).
CD Goal-6: Through their explorations, play and social interactions, children compare, sort, group, organize, measure, and create simple patterns using concrete objects.
 
 
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Discover objects of different sizes and weights by exploring (put toys in mouth, pick up large objects).
CD Goal-7: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children use mathematical thinking to ask questions and solve problems.
 
 
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Differentiate primary caregiver from others.
baby-bathtub - B-12 comp

COMPONENT 3:
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge

Developmental Indicators

CD Goal-8: As a result of their explorations and participation in simple investigations through play, children observe, describe characteristics of, and demonstrate respect of living things, the environment, and the physical world.
 
 
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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).
CD Goal-9: As a result of their explorations and participation in simple investigations through play, children demonstrate their ability to use scientific inquiry by observing, manipulating objects, asking questions, making predictions, and developing generalizations.
 
 
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Gather information through sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
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Explore body movements to make something happen (kick a mobile).
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Use multiple senses to focus intently on objects, displays, materials, or events.
Happy man and baby boy isolated over a white background

COMPONENT 4:
Social Studies, Family and Community Connections

Developmental Indicators

CD Goal-10: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children demonstrate an understanding of relationships, roles, and what it means to be a participating member of their families and the diverse groups and communities they belong to.
 
 
1

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Observe actions of children, adults, animals, and objects nearby.
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Seek out parents, siblings, and caregivers for play and for meeting needs.
3

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Express enjoyment or show preference for familiar people with sounds, expressions, and/or movement.
CD Goal-11: Through their explorations, play, and social interactions, children identify and demonstrate appreciation of similarities and differences between themselves and others.
 
 
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Notice faces and facial features.
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Notice differences between primary adults and others.
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Respond differently to adults and children.
baby and painting B-12 comp

COMPONENT 5:
Creative Arts and Expression

Developmental Indicators

CD Goal-12: Children engage in a variety of creative activities for enjoyment and self-expression including play, visual arts, music, expressive movement, and drama.
 
 
1

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Explore sensory properties of art media (smear paint, pat and pound dough).
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Use toys and household objects in different ways during play (wave, then scrunch, then throw a scarf).
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Imitate and make sounds with simple instruments, toys, and their own voice.
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Express feelings, such as joy by moving their bodies (kick feet when excited, hug soft toy).

 
CD Goal-13: Children demonstrate an appreciation for different forms of art including visual arts, music, expressive movement, and drama.
 
 
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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).
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Hold, touch, and experience different textures (fuzzy blanket, smooth skin, rough carpet).