Development Matters in the

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

This non-statutory guidance material supports practitioners
in implementing the statutory requirements of the EYFS.

Children develop quickly in the early years, and background, learning difficulties, disabilities or
early years practitioners aim to do all they can to gender. This guidance helps adults to understand
help children have the best possible start in life. and support each individual child’s development
Children have a right, spelled out in the United pathway. Other guidance is provided at
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, www.foundationyears.org.uk. The EYFS statutory
to provision which enables them to develop their framework is available on the Foundation Years
personalities, talents and abilities irrespective of website as well as the Department for Education
ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family website: www.education.gov.uk/publications

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Children are born ready, able and eager to learn. They actively reach out to interact with other people, and in the world around them.
Development is not an automatic process, however. It depends on each unique child having opportunities to interact in positive relationships
and enabling environments.

The four themes of the EYFS underpin all the guidance. This document - Development Matters - shows how these themes, and the principles
that inform them, work together for children in the EYFS.

A Unique Positive Enabling Learning and

Themes Child + Relationships + Environments = Development

Every child is a unique child Children learn to be strong Children learn and develop well Children develop and learn in
Principles who is constantly learning and independent through in enabling environments, in different ways. The framework
and can be resilient, capable, positive relationships. which their experiences respond covers the education and care
confident and self-assured. to their individual needs and of all children in early years
there is a strong partnership provision, including children
between practitioners and with special educational needs
Practitioners Positive relationships are parents and carers. and disabilities.
• understand and observe • warm and loving, and
foster a sense of belonging Enabling Environments
each child’s development
Practitioners teach children by
Practice and learning, assess • sensitive and responsive to • value all people
ensuring challenging, playful
progress, plan for next steps the child’s needs, feelings • value learning opportunities across the prime
• support babies and children and interests and specific areas of learning
to develop a positive sense • supportive of the They offer and development.
of their own identity and child’s own efforts and • stimulating resources,
culture independence They foster the
relevant to all the children’s
• identify any need for cultures and communities characteristics of effective
• consistent in setting clear
additional support early learning
boundaries • rich learning opportunities
• keep children safe through play and playful • Playing and exploring
• stimulating
teaching • Active learning
• value and respect all children • built on key person
and families equally relationships in early years • support for children to take • Creating and thinking critically
settings risks and explore

2
Using this guidance to support each child’s learning and development
Development matters can help practitioners to support children’s learning and development, by closely matching what they provide to a child’s current needs.

On-going formative assessment is at

the heart of effective early years practice.
Practitioners can:
• Observe children as they act and interact in
their play, everyday activities and planned
activities, and learn from parents about what
the child does at home (observation). Planning Start here
• Consider the examples of development What next? Observation
in the columns headed ‘Unique Child: Experiences and
observing what children can do’ to help opportunities, learning Look, listen and note.
identify where the child may be in their own environment, resources, The Child Describing
routines, practitioners role.
developmental pathway (assessment).
• Consider ways to support the child to
strengthen and deepen their current
learning and development, reflecting on
guidance in columns headed ‘Positive
Relationships’ and ‘Enabling Environments’
(planning). These columns contain some Assessment
examples of what practitioners might do to Analysing observations
support learning. Practitioners will develop and deciding what they
many other approaches in response to the tell us about children.
children with whom they work.
• Where appropriate, use the development Summative assessment
statements to identify possible areas
in which to challenge and extend the The EYFS requires early years practitioners to review Development Matters might be used by early years
child’s current learning and development children’s progress and share a summary with settings throughout the EYFS as a guide to making
(planning). parents at two points: best-fit judgements about whether a child is showing
This way of teaching is particularly typical development for their age, may be at risk of
• in the prime areas between the ages of 24
appropriate to support learning in early years delay or is ahead for their age. Summative assessment
and 36 months
settings. supports information sharing with parents, colleagues
• and at the end of the EYFS in the EYFS Profile. and other settings.
3
The Characteristics of Effective Learning and the prime and specific
Areas of Learning and Development are all interconnected.
• The ways in which the child engages with • The prime areas begin to develop quickly in • The specific areas include essential skills and
other people and their environment – playing response to relationships and experiences, and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas,
and exploring, active learning, and creating run through and support learning in all other areas. and provide important contexts for learning.
and thinking critically – underpin learning and The prime areas continue to be fundamental
development across all areas and support the child throughout the EYFS.
to remain an effective and motivated learner.

The Unique Child reaches out to Prime areas are fundamental, work
relate to people and things through together, and are move through to
the Characteristics of Effective support development in all other
Learning, which move through all areas.
areas of learning. pl
ay • Personal, Social and Emotional
• playing and exploring in Development
g
an g
• active learning d
ex r nin • Communication and Language
pl lea
• creating and thinking critically
or
in t ive • Physical Development
g ac

Unique
Child

Specific areas include essential

lly

Children develop in the skills and knowledge for children to

critica

context of relationships participate successfully in society.

and the environment
• Literacy
inking

around them.
• Mathematics
This is unique to each
g & th

family, and reflects • Understanding the World

individual communities • Expressive Arts and Design
creatin

and cultures.

4
 Characteristics of Effective Learning Area of Learning and
Aspect
Development
Prime Areas
Playing and exploring – engagement Personal, Social and Making relationships
Emotional Development
Finding out and exploring Self-confidence and self-awareness
Playing with what they know Managing feelings and behaviour
Being willing to ‘have a go’
Physical Development Moving and handling
Health and self-care
Communication and Language Listening and attention
Active learning – motivation
Understanding
Being involved and concentrating Speaking
Keeping trying
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do Specific areas
Literacy Reading
Writing
Mathematics Numbers
Creating and thinking critically – thinking Shape, space and measure
Understanding the World People and communities
Having their own ideas
Making links The world
Choosing ways to do things Technology
Expressive Arts and Design Exploring and using media and materials
Being imaginative

5
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Characteristics of Effective Learning

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Characteristics of Effective Learning

observing how a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
Finding out and exploring • Play with children. Encourage them to explore, and show • Provide stimulating resources which are
• Showing curiosity about objects, events and people your own interest in discovering new things. accessible and open-ended so they can be
• Help children as needed to do what they are trying to do, used, moved and combined in a variety of ways.
• Using senses to explore the world around them
without taking over or directing. • Make sure resources are relevant to children’s
• Engaging in open-ended activity interests.
• Join in play sensitively, fitting in with children’s ideas.
• Showing particular interests
Playing • Model pretending an object is something else, and help • Arrange flexible indoor and outdoor space and
Playing with what they know develop roles and stories. resources where children can explore, build,
and • Pretending objects are things from their experience move and role play.
• Encourage children to try new activities and to judge risks
Exploring • Representing their experiences in play for themselves. Be sure to support children’s confidence • Help children concentrate by limiting noise, and
with words and body language. making spaces visually calm and orderly.
• Taking on a role in their play
engagement • Pay attention to how children engage in activities -- • Plan first-hand experiences and challenges
• Acting out experiences with other people appropriate to the development of the children.
the challenges faced, the effort, thought, learning and
Being willing to ‘have a go’ enjoyment. Talk more about the process than products. • Ensure children have uninterrupted time to play
• Initiating activities • Talk about how you and the children get better at things and explore.
• Seeking challenge through effort and practice, and what we all can learn when
• Showing a ‘can do’ attitude things go wrong.
• Taking a risk, engaging in new experiences, and learning by
trial and error
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing how a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
Being involved and concentrating • Support children to choose their activities – what they want • Children will become more deeply involved when
• Maintaining focus on their activity for a period of time to do and how they will do it. you provide something that is new and unusual
• Stimulate children’s interest through shared attention, and for them to explore, especially when it is linked to
• Showing high levels of energy, fascination their interests.
calm over-stimulated children.
• Not easily distracted • Notice what arouses children’s curiosity, looking
• Help children to become aware of their own goals, make
• Paying attention to details plans, and to review their own progress and successes. for signs of deep involvement to identify learning
Active Keeping on trying Describe what you see them trying to do, and encourage that is intrinsically motivated.
children to talk about their own processes and successes. • Ensure children have time and freedom to
Learning • Persisting with activity when challenges occur
become deeply involved in activities.
• Showing a belief that more effort or a different approach will • Be specific when you praise, especially noting effort such
pay off as how the child concentrates, tries different approaches, • Children can maintain focus on things that
motivation persists, solves problems, and has new ideas. interest them over a period of time. Help them to
• Bouncing back after difficulties keep ideas in mind by talking over photographs
• Encourage children to learn together and from each other.
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do of their previous activities.
• Children develop their own motivations when you give
• Showing satisfaction in meeting their own goals reasons and talk about learning, rather than just directing. • Keep significant activities out instead of routinely
• Being proud of how they accomplished something – not just tidying them away.
the end result • Make space and time for all children to
• Enjoying meeting challenges for their own sake rather than contribute.
external rewards or praise

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 6
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Characteristics of Effective Learning

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Characteristics of Effective Learning

observing how a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
Having their own ideas • Use the language of thinking and learning: think, know, • In planning activities, ask yourself: Is this an
• Thinking of ideas remember, forget, idea, makes sense, plan, learn, find out, opportunity for children to find their own ways to
confused, figure out, trying to do. represent and develop their own ideas? Avoid
• Finding ways to solve problems
Creating • Model being a thinker, showing that you don’t always know, children just reproducing someone else’s ideas.
• Finding new ways to do things
and are curious and sometimes puzzled, and can think and • Build in opportunities for children to play with
Making links find out. materials before using them in planned tasks.
Thinking • Making links and noticing patterns in their experience • Encourage open-ended thinking by not settling on the first • Play is a key opportunity for children to think
Critically • Making predictions ideas: What else is possible? creatively and flexibly, solve problems and link
• Always respect children’s efforts and ideas, so they feel safe ideas. Establish the enabling conditions for rich
• Testing their ideas play: space, time, flexible resources, choice,
thinking to take a risk with a new idea.
• Developing ideas of grouping, sequences, cause and effect control, warm and supportive relationships.
• Talking aloud helps children to think and control what they
Choosing ways to do things do. Model self-talk, describing your actions in play. • Recognisable and predictable routines help
• Planning, making decisions about how to approach a task, children to predict and make connections in their
• Give children time to talk and think. experiences.
solve a problem and reach a goal • Value questions, talk, and many possible responses, without
• Checking how well their activities are going • Routines can be flexible, while still basically
rushing toward answers too quickly. orderly.
• Changing strategy as needed • Support children’s interests over time, reminding them • Plan linked experiences that follow the ideas
• Reviewing how well the approach worked of previous approaches and encouraging them to make children are really thinking about.
connections between their experiences.
• Use mind-maps to represent thinking together.
• Model the creative process, showing your thinking about
some of the many possible ways forward. • Develop a learning community which focuses on
how and not just what we are learning.
• Sustained shared thinking helps children to explore ideas
and make links. Follow children’s lead in conversation, and
think about things together.
• Encourage children to describe problems they encounter,
and to suggest ways to solve the problem.
• Show and talk about strategies – how to do things –
including problem-solving, thinking and learning.
• Give feedback and help children to review their own
progress and learning. Talk with children about what they
are doing, how they plan to do it, what worked well and
what they would change next time.
• Model the plan-do-review process yourself.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 7
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Making relationships

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES what adults could do what adults could provide

PSED: Making relationships

• Enjoys the company of others and seeks contact with others • Make sure babies have their own special person in the • Ensure staff are aware of the importance of attachment
from birth. setting, who knows them really well and understands their in relationships.
• Gazes at faces and copies facial movements. e.g. sticking out wants and needs. • Ensure the key person is paired with a ‘buddy’ who
tongue, opening mouth and widening eyes. • Tune in sensitively to babies, and provide warm, loving, knows the baby and family as well, and can step in
• Responds when talked to, for example, moves arms and legs, consistent care, responding quickly to babies’ needs. when necessary.
changes facial expression, moves body and makes mouth • Hold and handle babies, since sensitive touch helps to • At times of transition (such as shift changes) make sure
Birth - 11 movements. build security and attachment. staff greet and say goodbye to babies and their carers.
months • Recognises and is most responsive to main carer’s voice: face • Ensure that the key person or buddy is available to greet This helps to develop secure and trusting three-way
brightens, activity increases when familiar carer appears. a young baby at the beginning of the session, and to relationships.
• Responds to what carer is paying attention to, e.g. following hand them over to parents at the end of a session, so the • Plan to have one-to-one time to interact with young
their gaze. young baby is supported and communication with parents babies when they are in an alert and responsive state
is maintained. and willing to engage.
• Likes cuddles and being held: calms, snuggles in, smiles,
gazes at carer’s face or strokes carer’s skin. • Engage in playful interactions that encourage young • Display photos of family and other special people.
babies to respond to, or mimic, adults. • Share knowledge about languages with staff and
• Follow the baby’s lead by repeating vocalisations, parents and make a poster or book of greetings in all
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES mirroring movements and showing the baby that you are languages used within the setting and the community.
• Seeks to gain attention in a variety of ways, drawing others ‘listening’ fully. • Repeat greetings at the start and end of each session,
into social interaction.
• Notice when babies turn away, signalling their need for so that young babies recognise and become familiar
• Builds relationships with special people. less stimulation. with these daily rituals.
• Is wary of unfamiliar people. • Discover from parents the copying games that their
• Interacts with others and explores new situations when babies enjoy, and use these as the basis for your play.
supported by familiar person. • Talk with babies about special people, such as their family
8-20 months • Shows interest in the activities of others and responds members, e.g. grandparents.
differently to children and adults, e.g. may be more interested
in watching children than adults or may pay more attention
when children talk to them.
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• Plays alongside others. • Involve all children in welcoming and caring for one • Play name games to welcome children to the setting
• Uses a familiar adult as a secure base from which to explore another. and help them get to know each other and the staff.
independently in new environments, e.g. ventures away to • Give your full attention when young children look to you • Regularly evaluate the way you respond to different
play and interact with others, but returns for a cuddle or for a response. children.
reassurance if becomes anxious. • Enable children to explore by providing a secure base for • Ensure there are opportunities for the child to play
• Plays cooperatively with a familiar adult, e.g. rolling a ball back them. alongside others and play cooperative games with a
and forth. • Help young children to understand the feelings of others familiar adult.
16-26 months
by labelling emotions such as sadness or happiness. • Provide matching items to encourage adult and child
to mimic each other in a cooperative game. e.g. two
identical musical instruments.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 8
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Making relationships

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
what adults could do what adults could provide

PSED: Making relationships

• Interested in others’ play and starting to join in. • Ensure that children have opportunities to join in. • Make time for children to be with their key person,
• Seeks out others to share experiences. • Help them to recognise and understand the rules for individually and in their key group.
• Shows affection and concern for people who are special to being together with others, such as waiting for a turn. • Create areas in which children can sit and chat with
them. • Continue to talk about feelings such as sadness, friends, such as a snug den and cosy spaces.
• May form a special friendship with another child. happiness, or feeling cross. • Provide resources that promote cooperation between
• Model ways of noticing how others are feeling and two children such as a big ball to roll or throw to each
comforting/helping them. other.
22-36 months

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• Can play in a group, extending and elaborating play ideas, • Support children in developing positive relationships by • Plan activities that require collaboration, such as
e.g. building up a role-play activity with other children. challenging negative comments and actions towards parachute activities and ring games.
• Initiates play, offering cues to peers to join them. either peers or adults. • Provide stability in staffing, key person relationships and
• Keeps play going by responding to what others are saying or • Encourage children to choose to play with a variety of in grouping of the children.
doing. friends from all backgrounds, so that everybody in the • Provide time, space and materials for children to
group experiences being included. collaborate with one another in different ways, for
• Demonstrates friendly behaviour, initiating conversations and
• Help children understand the feelings of others by labelling example, building constructions.
30-50 months forming good relationships with peers and familiar adults.
emotions such as sadness, happiness, feeling cross, • Provide a role-play area resourced with materials
lonely, scared or worried. reflecting children’s family lives and communities.
• Plan support for children who have not yet made friends. Consider including resources reflecting lives that are
unfamiliar, to broaden children’s knowledge and reflect
an inclusive ethos.
• Choose books, puppets and dolls that help children
explore their ideas about friends and friendship and
to talk about feelings, e.g. someone saying ‘You can’t
play’.
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• Initiates conversations, attends to and takes account of what • Support children in linking openly and confidently with • Ensure that children have opportunities over time to get
others say. others, e.g. to seek help or check information. to know everyone in the group, not just their special
• Explains own knowledge and understanding, and asks • Model being a considerate and responsive partner in friends.
appropriate questions of others. interactions. • Ensure children have opportunities to relate to their key
• Takes steps to resolve conflicts with other children, e.g. • Ensure that children and adults make opportunities to person, individually and in small groups.
finding a compromise. listen to each other and explain their actions. • Provide activities that involve turn-taking and sharing in
40-60+ • Be aware of and respond to particular needs of children small groups.
months who are learning English as an additional language.
Early Learning Goal
Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They
take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise
their activity. They show sensitivity to others’ needs and
feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and
other children.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 9
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-confidence and self-awareness

PSED: Self-confidence and self-awareness

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Laughs and gurgles, e.g. shows pleasure at being tickled and • Show your pleasure in being with the baby. • Provide a sofa or comfy chair so that parents,
other physical interactions. • Be close by and available, to ensure that babies feel safe practitioners and young babies can sit together.
• Uses voice, gesture, eye contact and facial expression to and loved even when they are not the centre of adult • Give babies toys to hold while you are preparing their
make contact with people and keep their attention. attention. food, or gathering materials for a nappy change.
• Say or sing made-up rhymes or songs while stroking or • Plan to have times when babies and older siblings or
pointing to the babies’ hands, feet or cheeks. friends can be together.
Birth - 11 • Respond to and build on babies’ expressions, actions, • Devote uninterrupted time to babies when you can play
months and gestures. Babies will repeat actions that get a with them when they are ready to engage. Be attentive
positive response from you. and fully focused.
• Find out what babies like and dislike through talking to • Plan time to share and reflect with parents on babies’
their parents. progress and development, ensuring appropriate
support is available where parents do not speak or
understand English.

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• Enjoys finding own nose, eyes or tummy as part of naming • Playfully help babies to recognise that they are separate • Place mirrors where babies can see their own reflection.
games. and different from others, e.g. pointing to own and baby’s Talk with them about what they see.
• Learns that own voice and actions have effects on others. nose, eyes, fingers. • Offer choices, e.g. different vegetables and fruit at
• Uses pointing with eye gaze to make requests, and to share • Give opportunities for babies to have choice, where snack time or different toys.
an interest. possible. • Allow enough space for babies to move, roll, stretch
• Engages other person to help achieve a goal, e.g. to get an • Follow young babies’ lead as they explore their and explore.
object out of reach. surroundings, people and resources. • Respond to what babies show you they are interested
8-20 months
• Talk to babies about puzzles they encounter such as how in and want to do, by providing a variety of activities,
to get their sock back from where it has fallen, asking stories and games.
whether they can do it or if they might need help.

PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Explores new toys and environments, but ‘checks in’ regularly • Make sure the child can explore from the secure, close-by
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• Making choices is important for all children. Consider
with familiar adult as and when needed. presence of their key person. ways in which you provide for children with disabilities
• Gradually able to engage in pretend play with toys (supports • Model pretend play. to make choices, and express preferences about their
child to understand their own thinking may be different from carers and activities.
• Share children’s pleasure when they do something for
others). themselves. • Display photographs of carers, so that when young
• Demonstrates sense of self as an individual, e.g. wants to do children arrive, their parents can show them who will be
things independently, says “No” to adult. there to take care of them.
16-26 months
• Share with children photographs of their activities,
talking with them about what they did and how they felt.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 10
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-confidence and self-awareness

PSED: Self-confidence and self-awareness

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Separates from main carer with support and encouragement • Recognise that children’s interest may last for short or • Discuss with staff and parents how each child responds
from a familiar adult. long periods, and that their interest and preferences vary. to activities, adults and their peers.
• Expresses own preferences and interests. • Value and support the decisions that children make • Build on this to plan future activities and experiences for
• Talk to children about choices they have made, and help each child.
them understand that this may mean that they cannot do • As children differ in their degree of self-assurance, plan
something else. to convey to each child that you appreciate them and
• Be aware of cultural differences in attitudes and their efforts.
22-36 months
expectations. Continue to share and explain practice • Consult with parents about children’s varying levels of
with parents, ensuring a two-way communication using confidence in different situations.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
interpreter support where necessary. • Record individual achievements which reflect significant
• Can select and use activities and resources with help. • Encourage children to see adults as a resource and as progress for every child.
• Welcomes and values praise for what they have done. partners in their learning. • Seek and exchange information with parents about
• Enjoys responsibility of carrying out small tasks. • Teach children to use and care for materials, and then young children’s concerns, so that they can be
• Is more outgoing towards unfamiliar people and more trust them to do so independently. reassured if they feel uncertain.
confident in new social situations. • Ensure that key practioners offer extra support to children • Vary activities so that children are introduced to different
• Confident to talk to other children when playing, and will in new situations. materials.
30-50 months communicate freely about own home and community. • Make materials easily accessible at child height, to
• Shows confidence in asking adults for help. ensure everybody can make choices.

PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Confident to speak to others about own needs, wants, • Encourage children to explore and talk about what they • Give time for children to pursue their learning without
interests and opinions. are learning, valuing their ideas and ways of doing things. interruption, to complete activities to their satisfaction,
• Can describe self in positive terms and talk about abilities. • Offer help with activities when asked but not before. and to return to activities.
• Intervene when children need help with difficult situations, • Provide experiences and activities that are challenging
e.g. is experiencing prejudice or unkindness. but achievable.
Early Learning Goal
• Recognising and enjoying children’s success with them • Provide opportunities for children to reflect on
40-60+ Children are confident to try new activities, and say why successes, achievements and their own gifts and
they like some activities more than others. They are helps them to feel confident.
months talents.
confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about • Support children to feel good about their own success,
their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for rather than relying on a judgement from you such as • Provide regular opportunities for children to talk to their
their chosen activities. They say when they do or don’t wanting a sticker. small group about something they are interested in or
need help. have done.
• Involve children in drawing or taking photographs of
favourite activities or places, to help them describe their
individual preferences and opinions.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 11
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Managing feelings and behaviour

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

PSED: Managing feelings and behaviour

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
• Is comforted by touch and people’s faces and voices. • Find out as much as you can from parents about young • Learn lullabies that children know from home and share
• Seeks physical and emotional comfort by snuggling in to babies before they join the setting, so that the routines them with others in the setting.
trusted adults. you follow are familiar and comforting. • Have a cosy, quiet place for babies to be calm.
• Calms from being upset when held, rocked, spoken or sung • Use calming processes such as rocking or hugging. • Provide comfortable seating such as a sofa or cushions
to with soothing voice. for baby and key person to be together.
• Shows a range of emotions such as pleasure, fear and • Suggest to parents bringing something from home as a
Birth - 11 excitement. transitional (comfort) object.
months
• Reacts emotionally to other people’s emotions, e.g. smiles
when smiled at and becomes distressed if hears another child
crying.

• Uses familiar adult to share feelings such as excitement or • Establish shared understandings between home and • Have resources including picture books and stories that
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pleasure, and for ‘emotional refuelling’ when feeling tired, setting about ways of responding to babies’ emotions. focus on a range of emotions, such as ‘I am happy’.
stressed or frustrated. • Make sure the key person stays close by and provides • Keep toys and comforters in areas that are easy for
• Growing ability to soothe themselves, and may like to use a a secure presence and a refuge at times a child may be babies to locate.
comfort object. feeling anxious. • Ensure that children can use their comfort objects from
• Cooperates with caregiving experiences, e.g. dressing. • Support children who are anxious on separating from their home when in the setting.
parents by acknowledging their feelings and reassuring • Share information with parents to create consistency
8-20 months • Beginning to understand ‘yes’, ‘no’ and some boundaries. them. between home and setting so that babies learn about
• Demonstrate clear and consistent boundaries and boundaries.
reasonable yet challenging expectations.

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• Is aware of others’ feelings, for example, looks concerned if • Help young children to label emotions such as sadness • Choose books and stories in which characters help and
hears crying or looks excited if hears a familiar happy voice. or happiness, by talking to them about their own feelings support each other.
• Growing sense of will and determination may result in feelings and those of others. • Duplicate some materials and resources to reduce
of anger and frustration which are difficult to handle, e.g. may • Be aware of and alert to possible dangers, while conflict, e.g. two tricycles or two copies of the same
have tantrums. recognising the importance of encouraging young book.
• Responds to a few appropriate boundaries, with children’s sense of exploration and risk-taking.
encouragement and support. • Reduce incidents of frustration and conflict by keeping
16-26 months
• Begins to learn that some things are theirs, some things are routines flexible so that young children can pursue their
shared, and some things belong to other people. interests.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 12
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Managing feelings and behaviour

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

PSED: Managing feelings and behaviour

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Seeks comfort from familiar adults when needed. • Support children’s symbolic play, recognising that • Have agreed procedures outlining how to respond to
• Can express their own feelings such as sad, happy, cross, pretending to do something can help a child to express changes in children’s behaviour.
scared, worried. their feelings. • Share policies and practice with parents, ensuring an
• Responds to the feelings and wishes of others. • Help children to understand their rights to be kept safe by accurate two-way exchange of information through
others, and encourage them to talk about ways to avoid an interpreter or through translated materials, where
• Aware that some actions can hurt or harm others. harming or hurting others. necessary.
• Tries to help or give comfort when others are distressed. • Help children to recognise when their actions hurt others. • Provide areas to mirror different moods and
22-36 months • Shows understanding and cooperates with some boundaries
Be wary of expecting children to say ‘sorry’ before they feelings- quiet restful areas as well as areas for active
and routines. have a real understanding of what this means. exploration.
• Can inhibit own actions/behaviours, e.g. stop themselves • Provide books, stories, puppets that can be used to
from doing something they shouldn’t do. model responding to others’ feelings and being helpful
• Growing ability to distract self when upset, e.g. by engaging in and supportive to them.
a new play activity.

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• Aware of own feelings, and knows that some actions and • Name and talk about a wide range of feelings and make it • Provide photographs and pictures of emotions for
words can hurt others’ feelings. clear that all feelings are understandable and acceptable, children to look at and talk about.
• Begins to accept the needs of others and can take turns and including feeling angry, but that not all behaviours are. • Use Persona Dolls to help children consider feelings,
share resources, sometimes with support from others. • Model how you label and manage your own feelings, e.g. ways to help others feel better about themselves, and
• Can usually tolerate delay when needs are not immediately ‘I’m feeling a bit angry and I need to calm down, so I’m dealing with conflicting opinions.
met, and understands wishes may not always be met. going to…’ • Make available a range of music that captures different
• Can usually adapt behaviour to different events, social • Ask children for their ideas on what might make people moods.
30-50 months
situations and changes in routine. feel better when they are sad or cross. • Put in place ways in which children can let others know
• Show your own concern and respect for others, living how they are feeling, such as pegging their own photo
things and the environment. onto a feelings tree or feelings faces washing line.
• Establish routines with predictable sequences and events. • Provide familiar, predictable routines, including
• Prepare children for changes that may occur in the opportunities to help in appropriate tasks, e.g. dusting,
routine. setting table or putting away toys.
• Share with parents the rationale of boundaries and • To support children with SEN, use a sequence of
expectations to maintain a joint approach. photographs to show the routines in the setting.
• Model and involve children in finding solutions to problems • Set, explain and maintain clear, reasonable and
and conflicts. consistent limits so that children can feel safe and
secure in their play and other activities.
• Collaborate with children in creating explicit rules for the
care of the environment. • Use pictures or consistent gestures to show children
with SEN the expected behaviours.
• Provide materials for a variety of role play themes.
• Provide a safe space for children to calm down or when
they need to be quiet.
• Provide activities that help children to develop safe
ways of dealing with anger and other strong feelings.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 13
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Managing feelings and behaviour

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

PSED: Managing feelings and behaviour

observing what a child is learning
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what adults could do what adults could provide
• Understands that own actions affect other people, for • Talk about fair and unfair situations, children’s feelings • Plan small group circle times when children can explore
example, becomes upset or tries to comfort another child about fairness, and how we can make things fair. feelings, e.g. help children to recall when they were
when they realise they have upset them. • Model being fair, e.g. when choosing children for special happy, when they were excited, or when they felt lonely.
• Aware of the boundaries set, and of behavioural expectations jobs. • Provide activities that require give and take or sharing
in the setting. • Be alert to injustices and let children see that they are for things to be fair.
• Beginning to be able to negotiate and solve problems without addressed and resolved. • Use Persona Dolls to support children in considering
40-60+ aggression, e.g. when someone has taken their toy. • Affirm and praise positive behaviour, explaining that it fair ways to share and get on with each other.
months makes children and adults feel happier. • Involve children in agreeing codes of behaviour and
Early Learning Goal • Encourage children to think about issues from the taking responsibility for implementing them.
Children talk about how they and others show feelings, viewpoint of others. • Provide books with stories about characters that follow
talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and its • Ensure that children have opportunities to identify and or break rules, and the effects of their behaviour on
consequences, and know that some behaviour is discuss boundaries, so that they understand why they are others.
unacceptable. They work as part of a group or class, there and what they are intended to achieve. • Carefully prepare children with SEN, such as those with
and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their • Make time to listen to children respectfully and kindly, and autistic spectrum disorder, for any changes to their
behaviour to different situations, and take changes of explain to all the children why this is important. Children routine.
routine in their stride. will then know that they will be listened to when they raise
injustices.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 14
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Listening and attention

Communication and Language: Listening and attention
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Turns toward a familiar sound then locates range of sounds • Being physically close, making eye contact, using • Share stories, songs and rhymes from all cultures and in
with accuracy. touch or voice all provide ideal opportunities for babies’ home languages.
• Listens to, distinguishes and responds to intonations and early conversations between adults and babies, • Display photographs showing how young babies
sounds of voices. and between one baby and another. communicate.
• Reacts in interaction with others by smiling, looking and • Encourage playfulness, turn-taking and responses, • Share favourite stories as babies are settling to sleep, or at
moving. including peek-a-boo and rhymes. other quiet times.
Birth - 11 • Quietens or alerts to the sound of speech. • Use a lively voice, with ups and downs to help • Plan times when you can sing with young babies, encouraging
months babies tune in. them to join in.
• Looks intently at a person talking, but stops responding if
speaker turns away. • Sing songs and rhymes during everyday routines. • Create an environment which invites responses from babies
• Listens to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays. • Use repeated sounds, and words and phrases so and adults, for example, touching, smiling, smelling, feeling,
babies can begin to recognise particular sounds. listening, exploring, describing and sharing.
• Fleeting Attention – not under child’s control, new stimuli takes
whole attention.
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• Moves whole bodies to sounds they enjoy, such as music or a
regular beat.
• Has a strong exploratory impulse.
• Concentrates intently on an object or activity of own choosing
for short periods.
• Pays attention to dominant stimulus – easily distracted by
8-20 months noises or other people talking.

• Listens to and enjoys rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories. • Encourage young children to explore and imitate • Collect resources that children can listen to and learn to
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• Enjoys rhymes and demonstrates listening by trying to join in sound. distinguish between. These may include noises in the street,
with actions or vocalisations. • Talk about the different sounds they hear, such as a and games that involve guessing which object makes a
tractor’s “chug chug” while sharing a book. particular sound
• Rigid attention – may appear not to hear.

16-26 months

• Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they • Encourage repetition, rhythm and rhyme by using • Keep background noise to a minimum, e.g. use music or radio
read stories.
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tone and intonation as you tell, recite or sing briefly only for particular purposes.
• Recognises and responds to many familiar sounds, e.g. stories, poems and rhymes from books. • Use puppets and other props to encourage listening and
turning to a knock on the door, looking at or going to the door. • Be aware of the needs of children learning English responding when singing a familiar song or reading from a
• Shows interest in play with sounds, songs and rhymes. as an additional language from a variety of cultures story book.
and ask parents to share their favourites from their • Encourage children to learn one another’s names and to
• Single channelled attention. Can shift to a different task if home languages.
22-36 months attention fully obtained – using child’s name helps focus. pronounce them correctly.
• Ensure all staff can pronounce the names of children, parents
and other staff members. Make sure that shortened names
and nicknames are not substituted instead.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 15
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Listening and attention

Communication and Language: Listening and attention

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
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what adults could do what adults could provide
• Listens to others one to one or in small groups, when • Model being a listener by listening to children and taking • When making up alliterative jingles, draw attention to
conversation interests them. account of what they say in your responses to them. the similarities in sounds at the beginning of words
• Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall. • Cue children, particularly those with communication and emphasise the initial sound, e.g. “mmmmummy”,
difficulties, into a change of conversation, e.g. ‘Now we “shshshshadow”, “K-K-K-KKaty”.
• Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and
phrases in rhymes and stories. are going to talk about…’ • Plan activities listening carefully to different speech
• For those children who find it difficult to ‘listen and do’, sounds, e.g. a sound chain copying the voice sound
• Focusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own around the circle, or identifying other children’s voices
say their name before giving an instruction or asking a
30-50 months attention. on tape.
question.
• Is able to follow directions (if not intently focused on own • Help children be aware of different voice sounds by
choice of activity). • Share rhymes, books and stories from many cultures,
sometimes using languages other than English, using a mirror to see what their mouth and tongue do
particularly where children are learning English as an as they make different sounds.
additional language. Children then all hear a range of • When singing or saying rhymes, talk about the
languages and recognise the skill needed to speak more similarities in the rhyming words. Make up alternative
than one. endings and encourage children to supply the last word
• Introduce ‘rhyme time’ bags containing books to take of the second line, e.g. ‘Hickory Dickory boot, The
home and involve parents in rhymes and singing games. mouse ran down the...
• Ask parents to record regional variations of songs and • Set up a listening area where children can enjoy rhymes
rhymes. and stories.
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• Play games which involve listening for a signal, such as • Choose stories with repeated refrains, dances and
• Maintains attention, concentrates and sits quietly during action songs involving looking and pointing, and songs
appropriate activity. ‘Simon Says’, and use ‘ready, steady…go!’
that require replies and turn-taking such as ‘Tommy
• Two-channelled attention – can listen and do for short span. • Use opportunities to stop and listen carefully for Thumb’.
environmental sounds, and talk about sounds you can
hear such as long, short, high, low. • Plan regular short periods when individuals listen
Early Learning Goal
to others, such as singing a short song, sharing an
Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They • Explain why it is important to pay attention when others experience or describing something they have seen
40-60+ listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and are speaking. or done.
months respond to what they hear with relevant comments, • Give children opportunities both to speak and to listen, • Use sand timers to help extend concentration for
questions or actions. They give their attention to what ensuring that the needs of children learning English as children who find it difficult to focus their attention on
others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in an additional language are met, so that they can a task.
another activity. participate fully.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 16
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Understanding

Communication and Language: Understanding

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Stops and looks when hears own name. • Look at the baby and say their name. Make eye contact • Let babies see and hear the sequence of actions you
• Starts to understand contextual clues, e.g. familiar gestures, and wait for them to react. go through as you carry out familiar routines.
words and sounds. • Interpret and give meaning to the things young babies • Provide resources that stimulate babies’ interests such
show interest in, e.g. when babies point to an object tell as a shiny bell, a book or a mirror.
them what it is. • Display lists of words from different home languages,
• Talk to babies about what you are doing and what is and invite parents and other adults to contribute.
Birth - 11 happening, so they will link words with actions, e.g. Include languages such as Romany and Creole, since
months preparing lunch. seeing their languages reflected in the setting will
• Use actions to support your words, e.g. waving when you encourage all parents to feel involved and valued.
• Developing the ability to follow others’ body language,
including pointing and gesture. say ‘bye bye’. • When you use nursery rhymes, help children
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• Speak clearly. Babies respond well to a higher pitched, understand the words by using actions as well.
• Responds to the different things said when in a familiar
context with a special person (e.g. ‘Where’s Mummy?’, sing-song voice.
‘Where’s your nose?’). • Use and repeat single words, so the baby can gradually
• Understanding of single words in context is developing, e.g. link the word to its meaning.
‘cup’, ‘milk’, ‘daddy’.
8-20 months

• Selects familiar objects by name and will go and find objects • Be aware that young children’s understanding is much • Plan play activities and provide resources which
when asked, or identify objects from a group.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES greater than their ability to express their thoughts and encourage young children to engage in symbolic
• Understands simple sentences (e.g. ‘Throw the ball.’) ideas. play, e.g. putting a ‘baby’ to bed and talking to it
• Recognise young children’s competence and appreciate appropriately.
their efforts when they show their understanding of new • Use pictures, books, real objects, and signs alongside
words and phrases. your words.
16-26 months

• Identifies action words by pointing to the right picture, • Use talk to describe what children are doing by providing • Include things which excite young children’s curiosity,
e.g., “Who’s jumping?”
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a running commentary, e.g. ‘Oh, I can see what you are such as hats, bubbles, shells, story books, seeds and
• Understands more complex sentences, e.g. ‘Put your toys doing. You have to put the milk in the cup first.’ snails.
away and then we’ll read a book.’ • Provide opportunities for children to talk with other • Provide activities, such as cooking, where talk is used
• Understands ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ in simple questions children and adults about what they see, hear, think and to anticipate or initiate what children will be doing,
(e.g. Who’s that/can? What’s that? Where is.?). feel. e.g. “We need some eggs. Let’s see if we can find
some in here.”
22-36 months • Developing understanding of simple concepts (e.g. big/little).

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 17
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Understanding

Communication and Language: Understanding

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Understands use of objects (e.g. “What do we use to cut • Prompt children’s thinking and discussion through • Set up shared experiences that children can reflect
things?’) involvement in their play. upon, e.g. visits, cooking, or stories that can be re-
• Shows understanding of prepositions such as ‘under’, ‘on • Talk to children about what they have been doing and enacted.
top’, ‘behind’ by carrying out an action or selecting correct help them to reflect upon and explain events, e.g. “You • Help children to predict and order events coherently, by
picture. told me this model was going to be a tractor. What’s this providing props and materials that encourage children
• Responds to simple instructions, e.g. to get or put away an lever for?” to re-enact, using talk and action.
object. • Give children clear directions and help them to deal with • Find out from parents how children make themselves
30-50 months
• Beginning to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions. those involving more than one action, e.g. “Put the cars understood at home; confirm which their preferred
away, please, then come and wash your hands and get language is.
ready for lunch”. • Provide practical experiences that encourage children
• When introducing a new activity, use mime and gesture to to ask and respond to questions, e.g. explaining pulleys
support language development. or wet and dry sand.
• Showing children a photograph of an activity such as • Introduce, alongside books, story props, such as
hand washing helps to reinforce understanding. pictures, puppets and objects, to encourage children to
• Be aware that some children may watch another child in retell stories and to think about how the characters feel.
order to know what to do, rather than understanding it
themselves.
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• Responds to instructions involving a two-part sequence. • Ask children to think in advance about how they will • Set up displays that remind children of what they have
Understands humour, e.g. nonsense rhymes, jokes. accomplish a task. Talk through and sequence the stages experienced, using objects, artefacts, photographs and
• Able to follow a story without pictures or props. together. books.
• Listens and responds to ideas expressed by others in • Use stories from books to focus children’s attention on • Provide for, initiate and join in imaginative play and
conversation or discussion. predictions and explanations, e.g. “Why did the boat tip role-play, encouraging children to talk about what is
over?” happening and to act out the scenarios in character.
40-60+ • Help children to
months Early Learning Goal
◆ identify patterns, e.g. what generally happens to ‘good’
Children follow instructions involving several ideas or and ‘wicked’ characters at the end of stories
actions. They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about
their experiences and in response to stories or events. ◆ draw conclusions: ‘The sky has gone dark. It must be
going to rain’
◆ explain effect: ‘It sank because it was too heavy’

◆ predict: ‘It might not grow in there if it is too dark’

◆ speculate: ‘What if the bridge falls down?’

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 18
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Speaking

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Communication and Language: Speaking

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Communicates needs and feelings in a variety of ways • Find out from parents how they like to communicate with • Learn and use key words in the home languages of
including crying, gurgling, babbling and squealing. their baby, noting especially the chosen language. babies in the setting.
• Makes own sounds in response when talked to by familiar • Ensure parents understand the importance of talking with • Provide tapes and tape recorders so that parents can
adults. babies in their home language. record familiar, comforting sounds, such as lullabies in
• Lifts arms in anticipation of being picked up. • Encourage babies’ sounds and babbling by copying their home languages. Use these to help babies settle if they
sounds in a turn-taking ‘conversation’. are tired or distressed.
• Practises and gradually develops speech sounds (babbling)
Birth - 11 to communicate with adults; says sounds like ‘baba, nono, • Communicate with parents to exchange and update
months gogo’. information about babies’ personal words.

• Uses sounds in play, e.g. ‘brrrm’ for toy car. • Try to ‘tune in’ to the different messages young babies are • Find out from parents the words that children use for
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• Uses single words. attempting to convey. things which are important to them, such as ‘bankie’
• Share the fun of discovery and value babies’ attempts at for their comfort blanket, remembering to extend this
• Frequently imitates words and sounds. question to home languages.
words, e.g., by picking up a doll in response to “baba”.
• Enjoys babbling and increasingly experiments with using
sounds and words to communicate for a range of purposes • When babies try to say a word, repeat it back so they can • Explain that strong foundations in a home language
hear the name of the object clearly. support the development of English.
(e.g. teddy, more, no, bye-bye.)
8-20 months • Uses pointing with eye gaze to make requests, and to share • Find out from parents greetings used in English and in
an interest. languages other than English, and use them in the setting.
• Creates personal words as they begin to develop language. • Recognise and equally value all languages spoken and
written by parents, staff and children.
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• Copies familiar expressions, e.g. ‘Oh dear’, ‘All gone’. • Build vocabulary by giving choices, e.g. ‘apple or • Allow time to follow young children’s lead and have
• Beginning to put two words together (e.g. ‘want ball’, satsuma?’ fun together while developing vocabulary, e.g. saying
‘more juice’). • Model building sentences by repeating what the child ‘We’re jumping up’, ‘going down’.
• Uses different types of everyday words (nouns, verbs and says and adding another word, e.g. child says ‘car’, say • Plan to talk through and comment on some activities
adjectives, e.g. banana, go, sleep, hot). ‘mummy’s car’ or ‘blue car’. to highlight specific vocabulary or language structures,
• Show children how to pronounce or use words by e.g. “You’ve caught the ball. I’ve caught the ball.
• Beginning to ask simple questions. Nasima’s caught the ball”.
responding and repeating what they say in the correct
16-26 months • Beginning to talk about people and things that are not
way, rather than saying they are wrong. • Provide stories with repetitive phrases and structures to
present. read aloud to children to support specific vocabulary or
• Accept and praise words and phrases in home languages,
saying English alternatives and encouraging their use. language structures.
• Encourage parents whose children are learning English as
an additional language to continue to encourage use of
the first language at home.
• Support children in using a variety of communication
strategies, including signing, where appropriate.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 19
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Speaking

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Communication and Language: Speaking

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Uses language as a powerful means of widening contacts, • Wait and allow the child time to start the conversation. • Display pictures and photographs showing familiar
sharing feelings, experiences and thoughts. • Follow the child’s lead to talk about what they are events, objects and activities and talk about them with
• Holds a conversation, jumping from topic to topic. interested in. the children.
• Learns new words very rapidly and is able to use them in • Give children ‘thinking time’. Wait for them to think about • Provide activities which help children to learn to
communicating. what they want to say and put their thoughts into words, distinguish differences in sounds, word patterns and
without jumping in too soon to say something yourself. rhythms.
• Uses gestures, sometimes with limited talk, e.g. reaches
• Plan to encourage correct use of language by telling
22-36 months toward toy, saying ‘I have it’. • For children learning English as an additional language,
value non-verbal communications and those offered in repetitive stories, and playing games which involve
• Uses a variety of questions (e.g. what, where, who). repetition of words or phrases.
home languages.
• Uses simple sentences (e.g.’ Mummy gonna work.’) • Provide opportunities for children whose home
• Add words to what children say, e.g. child says ‘Brush
• Beginning to use word endings (e.g. going, cats). dolly hair’, you say ‘Yes, Lucy is brushing dolly’s hair.’ language is other than English, to use that language.
• Help children to build their vocabulary by extending the
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• Beginning to use more complex sentences to link thoughts • Talk with children to make links between their body
(e.g. using and, because). language and words, e.g. “Your face does look cross. Has range of their experiences.
• Can retell a simple past event in correct order (e.g. went down something upset you?” • Ensure that all practitioners use correct grammar.
slide, hurt finger). • Introduce new words in the context of play and activities. • Foster children’s enjoyment of spoken and written
• Uses talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and • Use a lot of statements and fewer questions. When language by providing interesting and stimulating play
anticipate what might happen next, recall and relive past you do ask a question, use an open question with many opportunities.
experiences. possible answers.
30-50 months
• Questions why things happen and gives explanations. Asks • Show interest in the words children use to communicate
e.g. who, what, when, how. and describe their experiences.
• Uses a range of tenses (e.g. play, playing, will play, played). • Help children expand on what they say, introducing and
• Uses intonation, rhythm and phrasing to make the meaning reinforcing the use of more complex sentences.
clear to others.
• Uses vocabulary focused on objects and people that are of
particular importance to them.
• Builds up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their
experiences.
• Uses talk in pretending that objects stand for something else
in play, e,g, ‘This box is my castle.’

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 20
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Communication and Language: Speaking

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Communication and Language: Speaking

observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
what adults could do what adults could provide
• Extends vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, • Support children’s growing ability to express a wide range • Give time for children to initiate discussions from shared
exploring the meaning and sounds of new words. of feelings orally, and talk about their own experiences. experiences and have conversations with each other.
• Uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences • Encourage conversation with others and demonstrate • Give thinking time for children to decide what they want
in play situations. appropriate conventions: turn-taking, waiting until to say and how they will say it.
• Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention. someone else has finished, listening to others and using • Set up collaborative tasks, for example, construction,
expressions such as “please”, “thank you” and “can food activities or story-making through role-play.
• Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, I…?”. At the same time, respond sensitively to social
40-60+ feelings and events. • Help children to talk about and plan how they will
months conventions used at home.
• Introduces a storyline or narrative into their play. begin, what parts each will play and what materials they
• Show children how to use language for negotiating, by will need.
saying “May I…?”, “Would it be all right…?”, “I think
that…” and “Will you…?” in your interactions with them. • Decide on the key vocabulary linked to activities, and
Early Learning Goal ensure that all staff regularly model its use in a range of
Children express themselves effectively, showing • Model language appropriates for different audiences, for contexts.
awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present example, a visitor.
• Provide opportunities for talking for a wide range
and future forms accurately when talking about events • Encourage children to predict possible endings to stories of purposes, e.g. to present ideas to others as
that have happened or are to happen in the future. and events. descriptions, explanations, instructions or justifications,
They develop their own narratives and explanations by • Encourage children to experiment with words and sounds, and to discuss and plan individual or shared activities.
connecting ideas or events. e.g. in nonsense rhymes. • Provide opportunities for children to participate in
• Encourage children to develop narratives in their play, meaningful speaking and listening activities. For
using words such as: first, last, next, before, after, all, example, children can take models that they have
most, some, each, every. made to show children in another group or class and
• Encourage language play, e.g. through stories such as explain how they were made.
‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ and action songs that
require intonation.
• Value children’s contributions and use them to inform and
shape the direction of discussions.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 21
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Turns head in response to sounds and sights. • Help babies to become aware of their own bodies through • Encourage babies to explore the space near them by
• Gradually develops ability to hold up own head. touch and movement, e.g. clapping the baby’s hands putting interesting things beside them, such as crinkly
together, gently shaking baby’s foot. paper, or light, soft material.
• Makes movements with arms and legs which gradually
become more controlled. • Play games, such as offering a small toy and taking it • Let babies kick and stretch freely on their tummies and
again to rattle, or sail through the air. backs.
• Rolls over from front to back, from back to front.
• Encourage young babies in their efforts to gradually share • Have well-planned areas that allow babies maximum
Birth - 11 • When lying on tummy becomes able to lift first head and then control of the bottle with you. space to move, roll, stretch and explore in safety
months chest, supporting self with forearms and then straight arms. indoors and outdoors.
• Watches and explores hands and feet, e.g. when lying on • Provide resources that move or make a noise when
back lifts legs into vertical position and grasps feet. touched to stimulate babies to reach out with their
• Reaches out for, touches and begins to hold objects. arms and legs.
• Explores objects with mouth, often picking up an object and • Provide objects to be sucked, pulled, squeezed and
holding it to the mouth. held, to encourage the development of fine motor skills.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Sits unsupported on the floor. • Engage babies in varied physical experiences, such as • Provide novelty in the environment that encourages
• When sitting, can lean forward to pick up small toys. bouncing, rolling, rocking and splashing, both indoors and babies to use all of their senses and move indoors and
outdoors. outdoors.
• Pulls to standing, holding on to furniture or person for
support. • Encourage babies to use resources they can grasp, • Offer low-level equipment so that babies can pull up
squeeze and throw. to a standing position, shuffle or walk, ensuring that
• Crawls, bottom shuffles or rolls continuously to move around. they are safe at all times, while not restricting their
• Encourage babies to notice other babies and children
• Walks around furniture lifting one foot and stepping sideways coming and going near to them. explorations.
8-20 months (cruising), and walks with one or both hands held by adult. • Provide tunnels, slopes and low-level steps to stimulate
• Support and encourage babies’ drive to stand and walk.
• Takes first few steps independently. and challenge toddlers.
• Be aware that babies have little sense of danger when
• Passes toys from one hand to the other. their interests are focused on getting something they • Provide push-along toys and trundle trikes indoors and
• Holds an object in each hand and brings them together in the want. out.
middle, e.g. holds two blocks and bangs them together. • Use feeding, changing and bathing times to share finger • Make toys easily accessible for children to reach and
• Picks up small objects between thumb and fingers. plays, such as ‘Round and Round the Garden’. fetch.
• Enjoys the sensory experience of making marks in damp • Show babies different ways to make marks in dough or • Plan space to encourage free movement.
sand, paste or paint. paint by swirling, poking or patting it. • Provide resources that stimulate babies to handle and
• Holds pen or crayon using a whole hand (palmar) grasp and manipulate things, e.g. toys with buttons to press or
makes random marks with different strokes. books with flaps to open.
• Use gloop (cornflour and water) in small trays so that
babies can enjoy putting fingers into it and lifting them
out.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 22
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
what adults could do what adults could provide
• Walks upstairs holding hand of adult. • Encourage independence as young children explore • Anticipate young children’s exuberance and ensure
• Comes downstairs backwards on knees (crawling). particular patterns of movement, sometimes referred to as the space is clear and suitable for their rapid and
schemas. sometimes unpredictable movements.
• Beginning to balance blocks to build a small tower.
• Tell stories that encourage children to think about the way • Use music to stimulate exploration with rhythmic
• Makes connections between their movement and the marks they move. movements.
they make.
• Treat mealtimes as an opportunity to help children to use • Provide different arrangements of toys and soft play
16-26 months fingers, spoon and cup to feed themselves. materials to encourage crawling, tumbling, rolling and
• Help young children to find comfortable ways of grasping, climbing.
holding and using things they wish to use, such as a • Provide a range of wheeled toys indoors and outdoors,
hammer, a paintbrush or a teapot in the home corner. such as trundle trikes, buggies for dolls, push carts.
• Provide items for filling, emptying and carrying, such as
small paper carrier bags, baskets and buckets.
• Provide materials that enable children to help with
chores such as sweeping, pouring, digging or feeding
pets.
• Provide sticks, rollers and moulds for young children to
use in dough, clay or sand.
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• Runs safely on whole foot. • Be aware that children can be very energetic for short • Plan opportunities for children to tackle a range of
• Squats with steadiness to rest or play with object on the bursts and need periods of rest and relaxation. levels and surfaces including flat and hilly ground,
ground, and rises to feet without using hands. • Value the ways children choose to move. grass, pebbles, asphalt, smooth floors and carpets.
• Climbs confidently and is beginning to pull themselves up on • Give as much opportunity as possible for children to move • Provide a range of large play equipment that can
nursery play climbing equipment. freely between indoors and outdoors. be used in different ways, such as boxes, ladders,
A-frames and barrels.
• Can kick a large ball. • Talk to children about their movements and help them to
explore new ways of moving, such as squirming, slithering • Plan time for children to experiment with equipment
22-36 months • Turns pages in a book, sometimes several at once.
and twisting along the ground like a snake, and moving and to practise movements they choose.
• Shows control in holding and using jugs to pour, hammers, quickly, slowly or on tiptoe. • Provide safe spaces and explain safety to children and
books and mark-making tools. parents.
• Encourage body tension activities such as stretching,
• Beginning to use three fingers (tripod grip) to hold writing tools reaching, curling, twisting and turning. • Provide real and role-play opportunities for children
• Imitates drawing simple shapes such as circles and lines. • Be alert to the safety of children, particularly those who to create pathways, e.g. road layouts, or going on a
• Walks upstairs or downstairs holding onto a rail two feet to a might overstretch themselves. picnic.
step. • Encourage children in their efforts to do up buttons, pour • Provide CD and tape players, scarves, streamers and
• May be beginning to show preference for dominant hand. a drink, and manipulate objects in their play, e.g. ‘Can you musical instruments so that children can respond
put the dolly’s arm in the coat?’ spontaneously to music.
• Plan activities that involve moving and stopping, such
as musical bumps.
• Provide ‘tool boxes’ containing things that make marks,
so that children can explore their use both indoors and
outdoors.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 23
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

Physical Development: Moving and Handling

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
• Moves freely and with pleasure and confidence in a range of ways, such as • Encourage children to move with controlled • Provide time and space to enjoy energetic
slithering, shuffling, rolling, crawling, walking, running, jumping, skipping, sliding effort, and use associated vocabulary such play daily.
and hopping. as ‘strong’, ‘firm’, ‘gentle’, ‘heavy’, ‘stretch’, • Provide large portable equipment that
• Mounts stairs, steps or climbing equipment using alternate feet. ‘reach’, ‘tense’ and ‘floppy’. children can move about safely and
• Walks downstairs, two feet to each step while carrying a small object. • Use music of different styles and cultures to cooperatively to create their own structures,
create moods and talk about how people move such as milk crates, tyres, large cardboard
• Runs skilfully and negotiates space successfully, adjusting speed or direction to when they are sad, happy or cross. tubes.
30-50 months avoid obstacles.
• Motivate children to be active through games • Practise movement skills through games with
• Can stand momentarily on one foot when shown. such as follow the leader. beanbags, cones, balls and hoops.
• Can catch a large ball. • Talk about why children should take care when • Plan activities where children can practise
• Draws lines and circles using gross motor movements. moving freely. moving in different ways and at different
• Uses one-handed tools and equipment, e.g. makes snips in paper with child • Teach children the skills they need to use speeds, balancing, target throwing, rolling,
scissors. equipment safely, e.g. cutting with scissors or kicking and catching
• Holds pencil between thumb and two fingers, no longer using whole-hand grasp. using tools. • Provide sufficient equipment for children to
• Holds pencil near point between first two fingers and thumb and uses it with good • Encourage children to use the vocabulary of share, so that waiting to take turns does not
control. movement, e.g. ‘gallop’, ‘slither’; of instruction spoil enjoyment.
• Can copy some letters, e.g. letters from their name. e.g. ‘follow’, ‘lead’ and ‘copy’. w • Mark out boundaries for some activities, such
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES • Pose challenging questions such as ‘Can you as games involving wheeled toys or balls, so
• Experiments with different ways of moving. get all the way round the climbing frame without that children can more easily regulate their
your knees touching it?’ own activities.
• Jumps off an object and lands appropriately.
• Talk with children about the need to match their • Provide activities that give children the
• Negotiates space successfully when playing racing and chasing games with other opportunity and motivation to practise
children, adjusting speed or changing direction to avoid obstacles. actions to the space they are in.
manipulative skills, e.g. cooking, painting,
• Travels with confidence and skill around, under, over and through balancing and • Show children how to collaborate in throwing, clay and playing instruments.
climbing equipment. rolling, fetching and receiving games,
40-60+ encouraging children to play with one another • Provide play resources including small-
• Shows increasing control over an object in pushing, patting, throwing, catching or once their skills are sufficient. world toys, construction sets, threading and
months
kicking it. posting toys, dolls’ clothes and material for
• Introduce and encourage children to use the collage.
• Uses simple tools to effect changes to materials. vocabulary of manipulation, e.g. ‘squeeze’ and
• Handles tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with ‘prod.’ • Teach children skills of how to use tools and
increasing control. materials effectively and safely and give them
• Explain why safety is an important factor in opportunities to practise them.
• Shows a preference for a dominant hand. handling tools, equipment and materials, and
• Begins to use anticlockwise movement and retrace vertical lines. have sensible rules for everybody to follow. • Provide a range of left-handed tools,
especially left-handed scissors, as needed.
• Begins to form recognisable letters.
• Support children with physical difficulties with
• Uses a pencil and holds it effectively to form recognisable letters, most of which nonslip mats, small trays for equipment, and
are correctly formed. triangular or thicker writing tools.
Early Learning Goal • Provide a range of construction toys of
different sizes, made of wood, rubber
Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. or plastic, that fix together in a variety of
They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They ways, e.g. by twisting, pushing, slotting or
handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing. magnetism.
Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 24
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Health and self-care

Physical Development: Health and self-care

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Responds to and thrives on warm, sensitive physical contact • Encourage babies gradually to share control of food and • Plan to take account of the individual cultural and
and care. drink. feeding needs of young babies in your group.
• Expresses discomfort, hunger or thirst. • Talk to parents about the feeding patterns of young • There may be considerable variation in the way parents
• Anticipates food routines with interest. babies. feed their children at home. Remember that some
• Talk to young babies as you stroke their cheeks, or pat parents may need interpreter support.
their backs, reminding them that you are there and they • Trained staff can introduce baby massage sessions that
Birth - 11 are safe. make young babies feel nurtured and promote a sense
months • Notice individual baby cues when spending special one- of well-being. Involving parents helps them to use this
to-one time with them to ensure they are ready to engage. approach at home.
• Discuss the cultural needs and expectations for
skin and hair care with parents prior to entry to the
setting, ensuring that the needs of all children are met
appropriately and that parents’ wishes are respected.
• Be aware of specific health difficulties among the babies in
the group.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
• Opens mouth for spoon. • Talk to parents about how their baby communicates • Provide a comfortable, accessible place where babies
• Holds own bottle or cup. needs. Ensure that parents and carers who speak can rest or sleep when they want to.
languages other than English are able to share their views. • Plan alternative activities for babies who do not need
• Grasps finger foods and brings them to mouth.
• Help children to enjoy their food and appreciate healthier sleep at the same time as others do.
• Attempts to use spoon: can guide towards mouth but food choices by combining favourites with new tastes and
often falls off. • Ensure mealtime seating allows young children to have
textures.. feet firmly on the floor or foot rest. This aids stability
• Can actively cooperate with nappy changing (lies still, helps • Be aware that babies have little sense of danger when and upper trunk control supporting hand-to-mouth co-
8-20 months hold legs up). their interests are focused on getting something they ordination.
• Starts to communicate urination, bowel movement. want. • Provide safe surroundings in which young children have
freedom to move as they want, while being kept safe
by watchful adults.

• Develops own likes and dislikes in food and drink. • Encourage efforts such as when a young child offers their • Ensure that there is time for young children to complete
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Willing to try new food textures and tastes. arm to put in a coat sleeve. a self-chosen task, such as trying to put on their own
• Be aware of and learn about differences in cultural shoes.
• Holds cup with both hands and drinks without much spilling.
attitudes to children’s developing independence. • Establish routines that enable children to look after
• Clearly communicates wet or soiled nappy or pants. themselves, e.g. putting their
• Discuss cultural expectations for toileting, since in some
• Shows some awareness of bladder and bowel urges. cultures young boys may be used to sitting rather than clothes and aprons on hooks or washing themselves.
• Shows awareness of what a potty or toilet is used for. standing at the toilet. • Create time to discuss options so that young children
16-26 months
• Shows a desire to help with dressing/undressing and hygiene • Value children’s choices and encourage them to try have choices between healthy options, such as
routines. something new and healthy. whether they will drink water or milk.
• Place water containers where children can find them
easily and get a drink when they need one.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 25
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Health and self-care

Physical Development: Health and self-care

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Feeds self competently with spoon. • Respond to how child communicates need for food, • Allow children to pour their own drinks, serve their own
• Drinks well without spilling. drinks, toileting and when uncomfortable. food, choose a story, hold a puppet or water a plant.
• Clearly communicates their need for potty or toilet. • Support parents’ routines with young children’s toileting • Offer choices for children in terms of potties, trainer
by having flexible routines and by encouraging children’s seats or steps.
• Beginning to recognise danger and seeks support of efforts at independence.
significant adults for help. • Create opportunities for moving towards independence,
• Support children’s growing independence as they do e.g. have hand-washing facilities safely within reach.
• Helps with clothing, e.g. puts on hat, unzips zipper on jacket, things for themselves, such as pulling up their pants after
22-36 months takes off unbuttoned shirt. • Provide pictures or objects representing options to
toileting, recognising differing parental expectations. support children in making and expressing choices.
• Beginning to be independent in self-care, but still often needs • Involve young children in preparing food.
adult support. • Choose some stories that highlight the consequences
• Give children the chance to talk about what they like to of choices.
eat, while reinforcing messages about healthier choices. • Ensure children’s safety, while not unduly inhibiting their
• Remember that children who have limited opportunity to risk-taking.
play outdoors may lack a sense of danger. • Display a colourful daily menu showing healthy meals
and snacks and discuss choices with the children,
reminding them, e.g. that they tried something
previously and might like to try it again or encouraging
them to try something new.
• Be aware of eating habits at home and of the different
ways people eat their food, e.g. that eating with clean
fingers is as skilled and equally valued as using cutlery.
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• Can tell adults when hungry or tired or when they want to rest • Talk with children about why you encourage them to rest • Provide a cosy place with a cushion and a soft light
or play. when they are tired or why they need to wear wellingtons where a child can rest quietly if they need to.
• Observes the effects of activity on their bodies. when it is muddy outdoors. • Plan so that children can be active in a range of ways,
• Understands that equipment and tools have to be used safely. • Encourage children to notice the changes in their bodies including while using a wheelchair.
after exercise, such as their heart beating faster. • Encourage children to be active and energetic by
• Gains more bowel and bladder control and can attend to
toileting needs most of the time themselves. • Talk with children about the importance of hand-washing. organising lively games, since physical activity is
• Help children who are struggling with self-care by leaving important in maintaining good health and in guarding
30-50 months • Can usually manage washing and drying hands.
a last small step for them to complete, e.g. pulling up their against children becoming overweight or obese in
• Dresses with help, e.g. puts arms into open-fronted coat or trousers from just below the waist. later life.
shirt when held up, pulls up own trousers, and pulls up zipper
once it is fastened at the bottom.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 26
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Physical Development: Health and self-care

Physical Development: Health and self-care

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Eats a healthy range of foodstuffs and understands need for • Acknowledge and encourage children’s efforts to manage • Plan opportunities, particularly after exercise, for
variety in food. their personal needs, and to use and return resources children to talk about how their bodies feel.
• Usually dry and clean during the day. appropriately. • Find ways to involve children so that they are all able
• Shows some understanding that good practices with regard • Promote health awareness by talking with children to be active in ways that interest them and match their
to exercise, eating, sleeping and hygiene can contribute to about exercise, its effect on their bodies and the positive health and ability.
good health. contribution it can make to their health.
40-60+ • Shows understanding of the need for safety when tackling • Be sensitive to varying family expectations and life
months new challenges, and considers and manages some risks. patterns when encouraging thinking about health.
• Shows understanding of how to transport and store • Discuss with children why they get hot and encourage
equipment safely. them to think about the effects of the environment, such
as whether opening a window helps everybody to be
• Practices some appropriate safety measures without direct cooler.
supervision.

Early Learning Goal

Children know the importance for good health of physical
exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep
healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene
and personal needs successfully, including dressing and
going to the toilet independently.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 27
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Literacy: Reading
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Enjoys looking at books and other printed material with • Use finger play, rhymes and familiar songs from home to • Collect a range of board books, cloth books and stories
familiar people. support young babies’ enjoyment. to share with young babies.

Literacy: Reading
Birth - 11
months
• Handles books and printed material with interest. • Notice and support babies’ developing responses as they • Let children handle books and draw their attention to
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learn to anticipate and join in with finger and word play. pictures.
• Tell, as well as read, stories, looking at and interacting
with young babies.
• Make family books using small photo albums with
photos of family members, significant people in the
child’s life, familiar everyday objects.
8-20 months

• Interested in books and rhymes and may have favourites. • Encourage and support children’s responses to picture • Provide CDs of rhymes, stories, sounds and spoken
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books and stories you read with them. words.
• Use different voices to tell stories and encourage young • Provide picture books, books with flaps or hidden
children to join in wherever possible. words, books with accompanying CDs and story
sacks.
• Provide story sacks for parents to take them home to
16-26 months encourage use of books and talk about stories.

• Has some favourite stories, rhymes, songs, poems or jingles. • Encourage children to use the stories they hear in their • Create an attractive book area where children and
• Repeats words or phrases from familiar stories.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES play. adults can enjoy books together.
• Fills in the missing word or phrase in a known rhyme, story or • Read stories that children already know, pausing at • Find opportunities to tell and read stories to children,
game, e.g. ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a …’. intervals to encourage them to ‘read’ the next word. using puppets, soft toys, or real objects as props.
• Provide stories, pictures and puppets which allow
children to experience and talk about how characters
feel.
22-36 months

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 28
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Literacy: Reading
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
• Enjoys rhyming and rhythmic activities. • Focus on meaningful print such as a child’s name, • Provide some simple poetry, song, fiction and non-fiction
• Shows awareness of rhyme and alliteration. words on a cereal packet or a book title, in order to books.
discuss similarities and differences between symbols. • Provide fact and fiction books in all areas, e.g.

Literacy: Reading
• Recognises rhythm in spoken words.
• Help children to understand what a word is by using construction area as well as the book area.
• Listens to and joins in with stories and poems, one-to-one names and labels and by pointing out words in the
and also in small groups. • Provide books containing photographs of the children
environment and in books. that can be read by adults and that children can begin to
• Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and • Provide dual language books and read them with all ‘read’ by themselves.
phrases in rhymes and stories. children, to raise awareness of different scripts. Try to
30-50 months • Add child-made books and adult-scribed stories to the
• Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured. match dual language books to languages spoken by book area and use these for sharing stories with others.
• Suggests how the story might end. families in the setting.
• Create an environment rich in print where children can
• Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall. • Remember not all languages have written forms and learn about words, e.g. using names, signs, posters.
not all families are literate either in English, or in a
• Describes main story settings, events and principal characters. different home language. • When children can see the text, e.g. using big books.
• Shows interest in illustrations and print in books and print in model the language of print, such as letter, word, page,
• Discuss with children the characters in books being beginning, end, first, last, middle.
the environment. read.
• Recognises familiar words and signs such as own name and • Introduce children to books and other materials that
• Encourage them to predict outcomes, to think of provide information or instructions. Carry out activities
advertising logos. alternative endings and to compare plots and the using instructions, such as reading a recipe to make a
• Looks at books independently. feelings of characters with their own experiences. cake.
• Handles books carefully. • Plan to include home language and bilingual story • Ensure access to stories for all children by using a range
• Knows information can be relayed in the form of print. sessions by involving qualified bilingual adults, as well of visual cues and story props.
as enlisting the help of parents.
• Holds books the correct way up and turns pages.
• Knows that print carries meaning and, in English, is read from
left to right and top to bottom.
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• Continues a rhyming string. • Discuss and model ways of finding out information • Encourage children to add to their first-hand experience
• Hears and says the initial sound in words. from non-fiction texts. of the world through the use of books, other texts
• Provide story sacks and boxes and make them with and information, and information and communication
• Can segment the sounds in simple words and blend them technology (ICT).
together and knows which letters represent some of them. the children for use in the setting and at home.
• Encourage children to recall words they see frequently, • Help children to identify the main events in a story and to
• Links sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of enact stories, as the basis for further imaginative play.
the alphabet. such as their own and friends’ names.
• Model oral blending of sounds to make words in • Provide story boards and props which support children to
40-60+ • Begins to read words and simple sentences. talk about a story’s characters and sequence of events.
everyday contexts, e.g. ‘Can you get your h-a-t hat?’
months • Uses vocabulary and forms of speech that are increasingly • When children are ready (usually, but not always, by the
influenced by their experiences of books. • Play games like word letter bingo to develop children’s
phoneme-grapheme correspondence. age of five) provide regular systematic synthetic phonics
• Enjoys an increasing range of books. sessions. These should be multisensory in order to
• Model to children how simple words can be capture their interests, sustain motivation and reinforce
• Knows that information can be retrieved from books and segmented into sounds and blended together to make
computers. learning.
words.
• Demonstrate using phonics as the prime approach to
Early Learning Goal • Support and scaffold individual children’s reading as decode words while children can see the text, e.g. using
opportunities arise. big books.
Children read and understand simple sentences. They
use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read • Provide varied texts and encourage children to use all their
them aloud accurately. They also read some common skills including their phonic knowledge to decode words.
irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when • Provide some simple texts which children can decode to
talking with others about what they have read. give them confidence and to practise their developing skills.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 29
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas
Literacy: Writing
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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Literacy: Writing
Birth - 11
months Children’s later writing is based on skills and understandings See Communication and Language See Communication and Language
which they develop as babies and toddlers. Before they
can write, they need to learn to use spoken language to
communicate. Later they learn to write down the words they
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can say. (See the roots of Writing in Communication and

language).

Early mark-making is not the same as writing.It is a sensory

8-20 months and physical experience for babies and toddlers, which they do
not yet connect to forming symbols which can communicate
meaning.(See roots of mark-making and handwriting in Playing
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD and exploring
PARTY RIGHTS Physical Development).
andISSUES
OR OTHER LEGAL

16-26 months

• Distinguishes between the different marks they make. • Listen and support what children tell you about the marks • Draw attention to marks, signs and symbols in the
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES they make. environment and talk about what they represent.
Ensure this involves recognition of English and other
relevant scripts.
• Provide materials which reflect a cultural spread, so that
children see symbols and marks with which they are
familiar, e.g. Chinese script on a shopping bag.
22-36 months

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 30
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Literacy: Writing
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Sometimes gives meaning to marks as they draw and paint. • Notice and encourage the marks children make and the • Write down things children say to support their
• Ascribes meanings to marks that they see in different places. meanings that they give to them, such as when a child developing understanding that what they say can
covers a whole piece of paper and says, “I’m writing”. be written down and then read and understood by

Literacy: Writing
• Support children in recognising and writing their own someone else. Encourage parents to do this as well.
names. • Model writing for a purpose, e.g. a shopping list,
• Make books with children of activities they have been message for parents, or reminder for ourselves.
doing, using photographs of them as illustrations. • Model writing poems and short stories, writing down
30-50 months
ideas suggested by the children.
• Provide activities during which children will experiment
with writing, for example, leaving a message.
• Include opportunities for writing during role-play and
other activities.
• Encourage the children to use their phonic knowledge
when writing.
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• Gives meaning to marks they make as they draw, write and • Talk to children about the letters that represent the sounds • Provide word banks and writing resources for both
paint. they hear at the beginning of their own names and other indoor and outdoor play.
• Begins to break the flow of speech into words. familiar words. • Provide a range of opportunities to write for different
• Continues a rhyming string. • Demonstrate writing so that children can see spelling in purposes about things that interest children.
action. • Resource role-play areas with listening and writing
• Hears and says the initial sound in words.
• Demonstrate how to segment the sounds(phonemes) in equipment Ensure that role-play areas encourage
40-60+ • Can segment the sounds in simple words and blend them simple words and how the sounds are represented by writing of signs with a real purpose, e.g. a pet shop.
months together. letters (graphemes). • Plan fun activities and games that help children
• Links sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of • Expect them to apply their own grapheme/phoneme create rhyming strings of real and imaginary words,
the alphabet. knowledge to what they write in meaningful contexts. e.g. Maddie, daddy, baddie, laddie.
• Uses some clearly identifiable letters to communicate • Support and scaffold individual children’s writing as • When children are ready (usually, but not always, by the
meaning, representing some sounds correctly and in opportunities arise. age of five) provide regular systematic synthetic phonics
sequence. sessions. These should be multisensory in order to
• Writes own name and other things such as labels,captions. capture their interests, sustain motivation and reinforce
• Attempts to write short sentences in meaningful contexts. learning.

Early Learning Goal

Children use their phonic knowledge to write words
in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also
write some irregular common words. They write simple
sentences which can be read by themselves and
others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are
phonetically plausible.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 31
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Mathematics: Numbers
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
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what adults could do what adults could provide
• Notices changes in number of objects/images or sounds in • Sing number rhymes as you dress or change babies, e.g. • Display favourite things so that a young baby can see

Mathematics: Numbers
group of up to 3. ‘One, Two, Buckle My Shoe’. them.
• Move with babies to the rhythm patterns in familiar songs • Provide a small group of the same objects in treasure
and rhymes. baskets, as well as single items, e.g. two fir cones or
• Encourage babies to join in tapping and clapping along to three shells.
simple rhythms. • Create a mobile, occasionally changing the number of
Birth - 11 items you hang on it.
months • Collect number rhymes which are repetitive and are
related to children’s actions and experiences, for
• Develops an awareness of number names through their example, ‘Peter Hammers with One Hammer’.
enjoyment of action rhymes and songs that relate to their
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experience of numbers. • Use song and rhymes during personal routines, e.g.
‘Two Little Eyes to Look Around’, pointing to their eyes,
• Has some understanding that things exist, even when out of one by one.
sight.
• Collect number and counting rhymes from a range of
cultures and in other languages. This will benefit all
8-20 months children and will give additional support for children
learning English as an additional language.
• Knows that things exist, even when out of sight. • Use number words in meaningful contexts, e.g. ‘Here is • Provide varied opportunities to explore ‘lots’ and ‘few’
• Beginning to organise and categorise objects, e.g. putting all
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES your other mitten. Now we have two’. in play.
the teddy bears together or teddies and cars in separate piles. • Talk to young children about ‘lots’ and ‘few’ as they play. • Equip the role-play area with things that can be sorted
• Says some counting words randomly. • Talk about young children’s choices and, where in different ways.
appropriate, demonstrate how counting helps us to find • Provide collections of objects that can be sorted and
out how many. matched in various ways.
16-26 months • Talk about the maths in everyday situations, e.g. doing up • Provide resources that support children in making one-
a coat, one hole for each button. to-one correspondences, e.g. giving each dolly a cup.
• Tell parents about all the ways children learn about
numbers in your setting. Have interpreter support or
translated materials to support children and families
learning English as an additional language
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• Selects a small number of objects from a group when asked, • Encourage parents of children learning English as an • Make a display with the children about their favourite
for example, ‘please give me one’, ‘please give me two’. additional language to talk in their home language about things. Talk about how many like apples, or which of
• Recites some number names in sequence. quantities and numbers. them watches a particular TV programme at home.
• Creates and experiments with symbols and marks • Sing counting songs and rhymes which help to develop • Provide props for children to act out counting songs
representing ideas of number. children’s understanding of number, such as ‘Two Little and rhymes.
Dickie Birds’. • Provide games and equipment that offer opportunities
• Begins to make comparisons between quantities.
• Play games which relate to number order, addition and for counting, such as skittles.
22-36 months • Uses some language of quantities, such as ‘more’ and ‘a lot’.
subtraction, such as hopscotch and skittles and target • Plan to incorporate a mathematical component in areas
• Knows that a group of things changes in quantity when games. such as the sand, water or other play areas.
something is added or taken away.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 32
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Mathematics: Numbers
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Uses some number names and number language • Use number language, e.g. ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’, ‘lots’, • Give children a reason to count, e.g. by asking them to

Mathematics: Numbers
spontaneously. ‘fewer’, ‘hundreds’, ‘how many?’ and ‘count’ in a variety select enough wrist bands for three friends to play with
• Uses some number names accurately in play. of situations. the puppets.
• Recites numbers in order to 10. • Support children’s developing understanding of • Enable children to note the ‘missing set’, e.g. ‘There
abstraction by counting things that are not objects, such are none left’ when sharing things out.
• Knows that numbers identify how many objects are in a set. as hops, jumps, clicks or claps. • Provide number labels for children to use, e.g.
• Beginning to represent numbers using fingers, marks on paper • Model counting of objects in a random layout, showing by putting a number label on each bike and a
30-50 months or pictures.
the result is always the same as long as each object is corresponding number on each parking space.
• Sometimes matches numeral and quantity correctly. only counted once. • Include counting money and change in role-play
• Shows curiosity about numbers by offering comments or • Model and encourage use of mathematical language e.g. games.
asking questions. asking questions such as ‘How many saucepans will fit on • Create opportunities for children to separate objects
• Compares two groups of objects, saying when they have the the shelf?’ into unequal groups as well as equal groups.
same number. • Help children to understand that one thing can be shared • Provide story props that children can use in their play,
• Shows an interest in number problems. by number of pieces, e.g. a pizza. e.g. varieties of fruit and several baskets like Handa’s in
• Separates a group of three or four objects in different ways, • As you read number stories or rhymes, ask e.g. ‘When the story Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne.
beginning to recognise that the total is still the same. one more frog jumps in, how many will there be in the
• Shows an interest in numerals in the environment. pool altogether?’
• Shows an interest in representing numbers. • Use pictures and objects to illustrate counting songs,
rhymes and number stories.
• Realises not only objects, but anything can be counted,
including steps, claps or jumps. • Encourage children to use mark-making to support their
thinking about numbers and simple problems.
• Talk with children about the strategies they are using,
e.g. to work out a solution to a simple problem by using
fingers or counting aloud.
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• Recognise some numerals of personal significance. • Encourage estimation, e.g. estimate how many • Provide collections of interesting things for children to
• Recognises numerals 1 to 5. sandwiches to make for the picnic. sort, order, count and label in their play.
• Counts up to three or four objects by saying one number • Encourage use of mathematical language, e.g. number • Display numerals in purposeful contexts, e.g. a sign
name for each item. names to ten: ‘Have you got enough to give me three?’ showing how many children can play on a number
• Ensure that children are involved in making displays, e.g. track.
• Counts actions or objects which cannot be moved.
making their own pictograms of lunch choices. Develop • Use tactile numeral cards made from sandpaper, velvet
40-60+ • Counts objects to 10, and beginning to count beyond 10. this as a 3D representation using bricks and discuss the or string.
months • Counts out up to six objects from a larger group. most popular choices. • Create opportunities for children to experiment with a
• Add numerals to all areas of learning and development, number of objects, the written numeral and the written
e.g. to a display of a favourite story, such as ‘The Three number word. Develop this through matching activities
Billy Goats Gruff’. with a range of numbers, numerals and a selection of
objects.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 33
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Mathematics: Numbers
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
• Selects the correct numeral to represent 1 to 5, then 1 to 10 • Make books about numbers that have meaning for the • Use a 100 square to show number patterns.

Mathematics: Numbers
objects. child such as favourite numbers, birth dates or telephone • Encourage children to count the things they see and
• Counts an irregular arrangement of up to ten objects. numbers. talk about and use numbers beyond ten
• Estimates how many objects they can see and checks by • Use rhymes, songs and stories involving counting on and • Make number games readily available and teach
counting them. counting back in ones, twos, fives and tens. children how to use them.
• Uses the language of ‘more’ and ‘fewer’ to compare two sets • Emphasise the empty set and introduce the concept of • Display interesting books about number.
of objects. nothing or zero.
• Play games such as hide and seek that involve
• Finds the total number of items in two groups by counting all • Show interest in how children solve problems and value counting.
of them. their different solutions.
• Encourage children to record what they have done, e.g.
• Says the number that is one more than a given number. • Make sure children are secure about the order of numbers by drawing or tallying.
before asking what comes after or before each number.
• Finds one more or one less from a group of up to five objects, • Use number staircases to show a starting point and
then ten objects. • Discuss with children how problems relate to others they how you arrive at another point when something is
have met, and their different solutions. added or taken away.
• In practical activities and discussion, beginning to use the
vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting. • Talk about the methods children use to answer a problem • Provide a wide range of number resources and
they have posed, e.g. ‘Get one more, and then we will encourage children to be creative in identifying and
• Records, using marks that they can interpret and explain. both have two.’ devising problems and solutions in all areas of learning.
• Begins to identify own mathematical problems based on own • Encourage children to make up their own story problems
interests and fascinations. • Make number lines available for reference and
for other children to solve. encourage children to use them in their own play.
• Encourage children to extend problems, e.g. “Suppose • Big number lines may be more appropriate than
Early Learning Goal there were three people to share the bricks between counters for children with physical impairments.
Children count reliably with numbers from one to 20, instead of two”.
• Help children to understand that five fingers on each
place them in order and say which number is one more • Use mathematical vocabulary and demonstrate methods hand make a total of ten fingers altogether, or that two
or one less than a given number. Using quantities and of recording, using standard notation where appropriate. rows of three eggs in the box make six eggs altogether.
objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers • Give children learning English as additional language
and count on or back to find the answer. They solve opportunities to work in their home language to ensure
problems, including doubling, halving and sharing. accurate understanding of concepts.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 34
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Mathematics: Shape, space and measure

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Mathematics: Shape, space and measure

observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
what adults could do what adults could provide

Babies’ early awareness of shape, space and measure grows

from their sensory awareness and opportunities to observe See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and
objects and their movements, and to play and explore. Exploring, and Physical Development. Exploring, and Physical Development.

See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and

Birth - 11 Exploring, and Physical Development.
months
• Recognises big things and small things in meaningful contexts. • Play games that involve curling and stretching, popping • Provide a range of objects of various textures and
• Gets to know and enjoy daily routines, such as getting-up
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES up and bobbing down. weights in treasure baskets to excite and encourage
time, mealtimes, nappy time, and bedtime. • Encourage babies’ explorations of the characteristics of babies’ interests.
objects, e.g. by rolling a ball to them. • Look at books showing objects such as a big truck and
• Talk about what objects are like and how objects, such as a little truck; or a big cat and a small kitten.
a sponge, can change their shape by being squeezed or • Use story props to support all children and particularly
stretched. those learning English as an additional language.
8-20 months

• Attempts, sometimes successfully, to fit shapes into spaces on • Use ‘tidy up time’ to promote logic and reasoning about • Encourage children, when helping with domestic tasks,
inset boards or jigsaw puzzles.
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where things fit in or are kept. to put all the pieces of apple on one dish and all the
• Uses blocks to create their own simple structures and • Talk to children, as they play with water or sand, to pieces of celery on another for snacks.
arrangements. encourage them to think about when something is full, • Use pictures or shapes of objects to indicate where
• Enjoys filling and emptying containers. empty or holds more. things are kept and encourage children to work out
• Help young children to create different arrangements in where things belong.
• Associates a sequence of actions with daily routines.
the layout of road and rail tracks. • Provide different sizes and shapes of containers
16-26 months • Beginning to understand that things might happen ‘now’.
• Highlight patterns in daily activities and routines. in water play, so that children can experiment with
quantities and measures.
• Help children use their bodies to explore shape, through
touching, seeing and feeling shape in art, music and • Offer a range of puzzles with large pieces and knobs
dance. or handles to support success in fitting shapes into
spaces.
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• Notices simple shapes and patterns in pictures. • Talk about and help children to recognise patterns. • Collect pictures that illustrate the use of shapes and
• Beginning to categorise objects according to properties such • Draw children’s attention to the patterns e.g. square/ patterns from a variety of cultures, e.g. Arabic designs.
as shape or size. oblong/square which emerges as you fold or unfold a • Provide opportunities for children to measure time
• Begins to use the language of size. tablecloth or napkin. (sand timer), weight (balances) and length (standard
• Use descriptive words like ‘big’ and ‘little’ in everyday play and non-standard units).
• Understands some talk about immediate past and future, e.g.
‘before’, ‘later’ or ‘soon’. situations and through books and stories. • Vary the volume and capacity equipment in the sand,
• Be consistent in your use of vocabulary for weight and water and other play areas to maintain interest.
22-36 months • Anticipates specific time-based events such as mealtimes or
home time. mass. • Use coins for sorting on play trays and into bags,
purses and containers.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 35
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Mathematics: Shape, space and measure

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Mathematics: Shape, space and measure

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
• Measure for a purpose, such as finding out whether a
teddy will fit in a bed.
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• Shows an interest in shape and space by playing with shapes • Demonstrate the language for shape, position and • Organise the environment to foster shape matching,
or making arrangements with objects. measures in discussions, e.g. ‘sphere’, ‘shape’, ‘box’, e.g. pictures of different bricks on containers to show
• Shows awareness of similarities of shapes in the environment. ‘in’, ‘on’, ‘inside’, ‘under’, long, longer’, ‘longest’, ‘short’, where they are kept.
shorter’, ’shortest’, ‘heavy’, ‘light’, ‘full’ and ‘empty’. • Have large and small blocks and boxes available for
• Uses positional language.
• Find out and use equivalent terms for these in home construction both indoors and outdoors.
• Shows interest in shape by sustained construction activity or languages.
by talking about shapes or arrangements. • Play games involving children positioning themselves
• Encourage children to talk about the shapes they see and inside, behind, on top and so on.
30-50 months • Shows interest in shapes in the environment.
use and how they are arranged and used in constructions. • Provide rich and varied opportunities for comparing
• Uses shapes appropriately for tasks. • Value children’s constructions, e.g. helping to display length, weight, capacity and time.
• Beginning to talk about the shapes of everyday objects, them or taking photographs of them. • Use stories such as Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins to
e.g. ‘round’ and ‘tall’. talk about distance and stimulate discussion about
non-standard units and the need for standard units.
• Show pictures that have symmetry or pattern and talk
to children about them.
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• Beginning to use mathematical names for ‘solid’ 3D shapes • Ask ‘silly’ questions, e.g. show a tiny box and ask if there • Make books about shape, time and measure: shapes
and ‘flat’ 2D shapes, and mathematical terms to describe is a bicycle in it. found in the environment; long and short things; things
shapes. • Play peek-a-boo, revealing shapes a little at a time and at of a specific length; and ones about patterns, or
• Selects a particular named shape. different angles, asking children to say what they think the comparing things that are heavier or lighter.
• Can describe their relative position such as ‘behind’ or shape is, what else it could be or what it could not be. • Have areas where children can explore the properties of
‘next to’. • Be a robot and ask children to give you instructions to get objects and where they can weigh and measure, such
40-60+ to somewhere. Let them have a turn at being the robot for as a cookery station or a building area.
• Orders two or three items by length or height.
months you to instruct. • Plan opportunities for children to describe and compare
• Orders two items by weight or capacity. shapes, measures and distance.
• Introduce children to the use of mathematical names
• Uses familiar objects and common shapes to create and for ‘solid’ 3D shapes and ‘flat’ 2D shapes, and the • Provide materials and resources for children to observe
recreate patterns and build models. mathematical terms to describe shapes. and describe patterns in the indoor and outdoor
• Uses everyday language related to time. • Encourage children to use everyday words to describe environment and in daily routines.
• Beginning to use everyday language related to money. position, e.g. when following pathways or playing with • Provide a range of natural materials for children to
• Orders and sequences familiar events. outdoor apparatus. arrange, compare and order.
• Measures short periods of time in simple ways.

Early Learning Goal

Children use everyday language to talk about size,
weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to
compare quantities and objects and to solve problems.
They recognise, create and describe patterns. They
explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes
and use mathematical language to describe them.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 36
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: People and communities

Understanding the world: People and communities

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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Birth - 11 The beginnings of understanding of People and communities See Personal, Social and Emotional Development and See Personal, Social and Emotional Development and
months lie in early attachment and other relationships. See Personal, Communication and Language. Communication and Language.
Social and Emotional Development and Communication and
Language.
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8-20 months

• Is curious about people and shows interest in stories about • Help children to learn each other’s names, e.g. through • Provide opportunities for babies to see people and
themselves and their family.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES songs and rhymes. things beyond the baby room, including the activities of
• Enjoys pictures and stories about themselves, their families • Be positive about differences between people and older children.
and other people. support children’s acceptance of difference. Be aware • Collect stories for, and make books about, children in
that negative attitudes towards difference are learned from the group, showing things they like to do.
examples the children witness. • Provide books and resources which represent children’s
• Ensure that each child is recognised as a valuable diverse backgrounds and which avoid negative
16-26 months
contributor to the group. stereotypes.
• Celebrate and value cultural, religious and community • Make photographic books about the children in the
events and experiences setting and encourage parents to contribute to these.
• Provide positive images of all children including
those with diverse physical characteristics, including
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disabilities.
• Has a sense of own immediate family and relations. • Talk to children about their friends, their families, and why • Share photographs of children’s families, friends, pets
• In pretend play, imitates everyday actions and events from they are important. or favourite people.
own family and cultural background, e.g. making and drinking • Support children’s understanding of difference and of
tea. empathy by using props such as puppets and dolls
• Beginning to have their own friends. to tell stories about diverse experiences, ensuring that
negative stereotyping is avoided.
• Learns that they have similarities and differences that connect
22-36 months them to, and distinguish them from, others.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 37
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: People and communities

Understanding the world: People and communities

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Shows interest in the lives of people who are familiar to them. • Encourage children to talk about their own home and • Plan extra time for helping children in transition, such
• Remembers and talks about significant events in their own community life, and to find out about other children’s as when they move from one setting to another or
experience. experiences. between different groups in the same setting.
• Recognises and describes special times or events for family or • Ensure that children learning English as an additional • Provide activities and opportunities for children to share
friends. language have opportunities to express themselves in experiences and knowledge from different parts of their
their home language some of the time. lives with each other.
• Shows interest in different occupations and ways of life.
• Encourage children to develop positive relationships with • Provide ways of preserving memories of special events,
30-50 months • Knows some of the things that make them unique, and can
community members, such as fire fighters who visit the e.g. making a book, collecting photographs, tape
talk about some of the similarities and differences in relation to setting recording, drawing and writing.
friends or family.
• Invite children and families with experiences of living
in other countries to bring in photographs and objects
from their home cultures including those from family
members living in different areas of the UK and abroad.
• Ensure the use of modern photographs of parts
of the world that are commonly stereotyped and
misrepresented,
• Help children to learn positive attitudes and challenge
negative attitudes and stereotypes, e.g. using puppets,
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES Persona Dolls, stories and books showing black heroes
• Enjoys joining in with family customs and routines. • Encourage children to share their feelings and talk about or disabled kings or queens or families with same sex
why they respond to experiences in particular ways. parents, having a visit from a male midwife or female
Early Learning Goal • Explain carefully why some children may need extra help fire fighter.
Children talk about past and present events in their own or support for some things, or why some children feel • Visit different parts of the local community,
lives and in the lives of family members. They know that upset by a particular thing. including areas where some children may be very
other children don’t always enjoy the same things, and • Help children and parents to see the ways in which their knowledgeable, e.g. Chinese supermarket, local
40-60+ are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and cultures and beliefs are similar, sharing and discussing church, elders lunch club, Greek café.
months differences between themselves and others, and among practices, resources, celebrations and experiences. • Provide role-play areas with a variety of resources
families, communities and traditions. reflecting diversity.
• Strengthen the positive impressions children have of
their own cultures and faiths, and those of others in • Make a display with the children, showing all the people
their community, by sharing and celebrating a range of who make up the community of the setting.
practices and special events. • Share stories that reflect the diversity of children’s
experiences.
• Invite people from a range of cultural backgrounds to
talk about aspects of their lives or the things they do
in their work, such as a volunteer who helps people
become familiar with the local area.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 38
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: The world

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Understanding the world: The world

observing what a child is learning
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what adults could do what adults could provide
• Moves eyes, then head, to follow moving objects. • Encourage young babies’ movements through your • Provide a range of everyday objects for babies to
• Reacts with abrupt change when a face or object suddenly interactions, e.g. touching their fingers and toes and explore and investigate such as treasure baskets.
disappears from view. showing delight at their kicking and waving. • Provide novelty – make small changes in the
• Looks around a room with interest; visually scans environment predictable environment.
for novel, interesting objects and events. • Provide spaces that give young babies different views
• Smiles with pleasure at recognisable playthings. of their surroundings, such as a soft play area, with
Birth - 11 different levels to explore.
months • Repeats actions that have an effect, e.g. kicking or hitting a
mobile or shaking a rattle.
See also Characteristics of Effective Learning – Playing and
Exploring, and Physical Development
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• Closely observes what animals, people and vehicles do. • Play hiding and finding games inside and outdoors. • Provide lift-the-flap books to show something hidden
• Watches toy being hidden and tries to find it. • Plan varied arrangements of equipment and materials that from view.
• Looks for dropped objects. can be used with babies in a variety of ways to maintain • Provide a variety of interesting things for babies to see
interest and provide challenges. when they are looking around them, looking up at the
• Becomes absorbed in combining objects, e.g. banging two ceiling or peering into a corner.
objects or placing objects into containers. • Draw attention to things in different areas that stimulate
interest, such as a patterned surface. • Display and talk about photographs of babies’ favourite
• Knows things are used in different ways, e.g. a ball for rolling places.
8-20 months or throwing, a toy car for pushing.

• Explores objects by linking together different approaches: • Talk with children about their responses to sights, sounds • Develop the use of the outdoors so that young children
shaking, hitting, looking, feeling, tasting, mouthing, pulling,
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and smells in the environment and what they like about can investigate features, e.g. a mound, a path or a wall.
turning and poking. playing outdoors. • Provide a collection of sets of items for children to
• Remembers where objects belong. • Encourage young children to explore puddles, trees and explore how objects can be combined together in
• Matches parts of objects that fit together, e.g. puts lid on surfaces such as grass, concrete or pebbles. heuristic play sessions.
teapot.
16-26 months

• Enjoys playing with small-world models such as a farm, a • Tell stories about places and journeys. • Make use of outdoor areas to give opportunities for
garage, or a train track.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES investigations of the natural world, for example, provide
• Notices detailed features of objects in their environment. chimes, streamers, windmills and bubbles to investigate
the effects of wind.
• Provide story and information books about places,
such as a zoo or the beach, to remind children of visits
to real places.
22-36 months

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 39
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: The world

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Understanding the world: The world

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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• Comments and asks questions about aspects of their familiar • Use parents’ knowledge to extend children’s experiences • Use the local area for exploring both the built and the
world such as the place where they live or the natural world. of the world. natural environment.
• Can talk about some of the things they have observed such as • Support children with sensory impairment by providing • Provide opportunities to observe things closely
plants, animals, natural and found objects. supplementary experience and information to enhance through a variety of means, including magnifiers and
• Talks about why things happen and how things work. their learning about the world around them. photographs.
• Developing an understanding of growth, decay and changes • Arouse awareness of features of the environment in the • Provide play maps and small world equipment for
over time. setting and immediate local area, e.g. make visits to children to create their own environments.
30-50 months shops or a park.
• Shows care and concern for living things and the environment. • Teach skills and knowledge in the context of practical
• Introduce vocabulary to enable children to talk about their activities, e.g. learning about the characteristics of
observations and to ask questions. liquids and solids by involving children in melting
chocolate or cooking eggs.
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• Looks closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. • Help children to notice and discuss patterns around them, • Give opportunities to record findings by, e.g. drawing,
e.g. rubbings from grates, covers, or bricks. writing, making a model or photographing.
Early Learning Goal • Examine change over time, for example, growing plants, • Provide stories that help children to make sense of
and change that may be reversed, e.g. melting ice. different environments.
Children know about similarities and differences in
relation to places, objects, materials and living things. • Use appropriate words, e.g. ‘town’, ‘village’, ‘road’, • Provide stimuli and resources for children to create
They talk about the features of their own immediate ‘path’, ‘house’, ‘flat’, ’temple’ and ‘synagogue’, to help simple maps and plans, paintings, drawings and
40-60+ environment and how environments might vary from children make distinctions in their observations. models of observations of known and imaginary
months one another. They make observations of animals and • Help children to find out about the environment by talking landscapes.
plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about to people, examining photographs and simple maps and • Give opportunities to design practical, attractive
changes. visiting local places. environments, for example, taking care of the
• Encourage children to express opinions on natural and flowerbeds or organising equipment outdoors.
built environments and give opportunities for them to hear
different points of view on the quality of the environment.
• Encourage the use of words that help children to express
opinions, e.g. ‘busy’, ‘quiet’ and ‘pollution’.
• Use correct terms so that, e.g. children will enjoy naming
a chrysalis if the practitioner uses its correct name.
• Pose carefully framed open-ended questions, such as
“How can we…?” or “What would happen if…?”.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 40
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: Technology

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Understanding the world: Technology

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
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Birth - 11 The beginnings of understanding technology lie in babies See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and
months exploring and making sense of objects and how they behave. Exploring and Creating and Thinking Critically Exploring and Creating and Thinking Critically
See Characteristics of Effective Learning - Playing and Exploring
and Creating and Thinking Critically
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8-20 months

• Anticipates repeated sounds, sights and actions, e.g. when an • Comment on the ways in which young children investigate • Have available robust resources with knobs, flaps, keys
adult demonstrates an action toy several times.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES how to push, pull, lift or press parts of toys and domestic or shutters.
• Shows interest in toys with buttons, flaps and simple equipment. • Incorporate technology resources that children
mechanisms and beginning to learn to operate them. • Talk about the effect of children’s actions, as they recognise into their play, such as a camera.
investigate what things can do.

16-26 months

• Seeks to acquire basic skills in turning on and operating some • Support children in exploring the control technology of • Provide safe equipment to play with, such as torches,
ICT equipment.
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toys, e.g. toy electronic keyboard. transistor radios or karaoke machines.
• Operates mechanical toys, e.g. turns the knob on a wind-up • Talk about ICT apparatus, what it does, what they can do • Let children use machines like the photocopier to copy
toy or pulls back on a friction car. with it and how to use it safely. their own pictures.

22-36 months

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 41
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Understanding the world: Technology

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:

Understanding the world: Technology

observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
• Knows how to operate simple equipment, e.g. turns on CD • Support and extend the skills children develop as they • When out in the locality, ask children to help to press
player and uses remote control. become familiar with simple equipment, such as twisting the button at the pelican crossing, or speak into an
• Shows an interest in technological toys with knobs or pulleys, or turning a knob. intercom to tell somebody you have come back.
or real objects such as cameras or mobile phones. • Draw young children’s attention to pieces of ICT
• Shows skill in making toys work by pressing parts or lifting apparatus they see or that they use with adult supervision.
flaps to achieve effects such as sound, movements or new
images.
30-50 months
• Knows that information can be retrieved from computers
• Completes a simple program on a computer. • Encourage children to speculate on the reasons why • Provide a range of materials and objects to play with
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• Uses ICT hardware to interact with age-appropriate computer
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES things happen or how things work. that work in different ways for different purposes,
software. • Support children to coordinate actions to use technology, for example, egg whisk, torch, other household
for example, call a telephone number. implements, pulleys, construction kits and tape
recorder.
Early Learning Goal • Teach and encourage children to click on different icons to
cause things to happen in a computer program. • Provide a range of programmable toys, as well as
Children recognise that a range of technology is used in equipment involving ICT, such as computers.
40-60+ places such as homes and schools. They select and use
months technology for particular purposes.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 42
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Expressive arts and design: media and materials

Expressive arts and design: Exploring and using media and materials
A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

Babies explore media and materials as part of their exploration See Characteristics of Effective Learning – Playing and See Characteristics of Effective Learning – Playing and
of the world around them. See Characteristics of Effective Exploring, Physical Development, Understanding the World Exploring, Physical Development, Understanding the
Learning – Playing and Exploring, Physical Development, – The World World – The World
Understanding the World – The World

Birth - 11
months
• Explores and experiments with a range of media through • Encourage babies to join in tapping and clapping along to • Have a range of puppets that can glide along the table,
sensory exploration, and using whole body.
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES simple rhythms. or dance around on the end of a fist in time to some
• Move their whole bodies to sounds they enjoy, such as music • Notice the different ways babies move in response to lively music.
or a regular beat. sounds, e.g. patting the floor when on their tummy, flexing • Place big sheets of plastic or paper on the floor so that
• Imitates and improvises actions they have observed, e.g. and relaxing their legs, or opening and closing their palms. babies can be near or crawl on to it to make marks.
clapping or waving. • Encourage babies to make marks and to squeeze and • Provide materials to encourage large motor
• Begins to move to music, listen to or join in rhymes or songs. feel media such as paint, gloop (cornflour and water), movements, e.g. sprinkling, throwing or spreading
8-20 months
dough and bubbles. paint, glue, torn paper or other materials.
• Notices and is interested in the effects of making movements
which leave marks. • Listen with children to a variety of sounds, talking about • Make a sound line using a variety of objects strung
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favourite sounds, songs and music. safely, that will make different sounds, such as wood,
• Introduce children to language to describe sounds and pans and plastic bottles filled with different things.
rhythm, e.g., loud and soft, fast and slow. • Provide a wide range of materials, resources and
• Accept wholeheartedly young children’s creations and sensory experiences to enable children to explore
help them to see them as something unique and valuable colour, texture and space.
• Make notes detailing the processes involved in a child’s • Provide space and time for movement and dance both
creations, to share with parents. indoors and outdoors.
16-26 months

• Joins in singing favourite songs. • Help children to listen to music and watch dance when • Invite dancers and musicians from theatre groups, the
• Creates sounds by banging, shaking, tapping or blowing.
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opportunities arise, encouraging them to focus on how locality or a nearby school so that children begin to
sound and movement develop from feelings and ideas. experience live performances.
• Shows an interest in the way musical instruments sound.
• Encourage and support the inventive ways in which • Draw on a wide range of musicians and story-tellers
• Experiments with blocks, colours and marks. children add, or mix media, or wallow in a particular from a variety of cultural backgrounds to extend
experience. children’s experiences and to reflect their cultural
heritages.
22-36 months
• Choose unusual or interesting materials and resources
that inspire exploration such as textured wall coverings,
raffia, string, translucent paper or water-based glues
with colour added.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 43
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Expressive arts and design: Exploring and using media and materials

Expressive arts and design: media and materials

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Enjoys joining in with dancing and ring games. • Support children’s responses to different textures, e.g. • Lead imaginative movement sessions based on
• Sings a few familiar songs. touching sections of a texture display with their fingers, children’s current interests such as space travel, zoo
or feeling it with their cheeks to get a sense of different animals or shadows.
• Beginning to move rhythmically. properties. • Provide a place where work in progress can be kept
• Imitates movement in response to music. • Introduce vocabulary to enable children to talk about safely.
• Taps out simple repeated rhythms. their observations and experiences, e.g. ’smooth’ ‘shiny’ • Talk with children about where they can see models
• Explores and learns how sounds can be changed. ‘rough’ ‘prickly’ ‘flat’ ‘patterned’ ‘jagged’, ‘bumpy’ ‘soft’ and plans in the environment, such as at the local
30-50 months and ‘hard’.
• Explores colour and how colours can be changed. planning office, in the town square, or at the new
• Understands that they can use lines to enclose a space, and • Talk about children’s growing interest in and use of colour apartments down the road.
then begin to use these shapes to represent objects. as they begin to find differences between colours. • Demonstrate and teach skills and techniques associated
• Beginning to be interested in and describe the texture of • Make suggestions and ask questions to extend children’s with the things children are doing, for example, show
things. ideas of what is possible, for example, “I wonder what them how to stop the paint from dripping or how to
would happen if…”. balance bricks so that they will not fall down.
• Uses various construction materials.
• Support children in thinking about what they want to make, • Introduce children to a wide range of music, painting
• Beginning to construct, stacking blocks vertically and the processes that may be involved and the materials and sculpture.
horizontally, making enclosures and creating spaces. and resources they might need, such as a photograph to • Encourage children to take time to think about painting
• Joins construction pieces together to build and balance. remind them what the climbing frame is like. or sculpture that is unfamiliar to them before they talk
• Realises tools can be used for a purpose. about it or express an opinion.
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• Begins to build a repertoire of songs and dances. • Talk to children about ways of finding out what they can • Provide resources for mixing colours, joining things
• Explores the different sounds of instruments. do with different media and what happens when they put together and combining materials, demonstrating
• Explores what happens when they mix colours. different things together such as sand, paint and sawdust. where appropriate.
• Experiments to create different textures. • Encourage children to notice changes in properties of • Provide children with opportunities to use their
media as they are transformed through becoming wet, skills and explore concepts and ideas through their
• Understands that different media can be combined to create
new effects. dry, flaky or fixed. Talk about what is happening, helping representations.
40-60+ them to think about cause and effect. • Have a ‘holding bay’ where models and works can be
• Manipulates materials to achieve a planned effect.
months • Constructs with a purpose in mind, using a variety of retained for a period for children to enjoy, develop, or
resources. refer to.
• Uses simple tools and techniques competently and • Plan imaginative, active experiences, such as ‘Going on
appropriately. a bear hunt’. Help them remember the actions of the
• Selects appropriate resources and adapts work where story (We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
necessary. and Helen Oxenbury) and think about the different ways
• Selects tools and techniques needed to shape, assemble and of moving.
join materials they are using.

Early Learning Goal

Children sing songs, make music and dance, and
experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use
and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques,
experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and
function.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 44
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Expressive Arts and Design: Being imaginative

Expressive arts and design: Being imaginative

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES
what adults could do what adults could provide

Birth - 11 Babies and toddlers need to explore the world and develop a See Characteristics of Effective Learning; Communication See Characteristics of Effective Learning; Communication
months range of ways to communicate before they can express their and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social and and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social
own ideas through arts and design. See Characteristics of Emotional Development and Emotional Development
Effective Learning; Communication and Language; Physical
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD Development; Personal,
PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES Social and Emotional Development

8-20 months

• Expresses self through physical action and sound. • Show genuine interest and be willing to play along with a • Provide a variety of familiar resources reflecting
• Pretends that one object represents another, especially when
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young child who is beginning to pretend. everyday life, such as magazines, real kitchen items,
objects have characteristics in common. telephones or washing materials.

16-26 months

• Beginning to use representation to communicate, e.g. drawing • Observe and encourage children’s make-believe play in • Provide story boxes filled with interesting items to spark
a line and saying ‘That’s me.’
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES order to gain an understanding of their interests. children’s storytelling ideas.
• Beginning to make-believe by pretending. • Sometimes speak quietly, slowly or gruffly for fun in • Offer additional resources reflecting interests such as
pretend scenarios with children. tunics, cloaks and bags.
• Be interested in the children’s creative processes and talk
to them about what they mean to them.
22-36 months

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children. 45
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development.
 Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

Expressive arts and design: Being imaginative

Expressive arts and design: Being imaginative

A Unique Child: Positive Relationships: Enabling Environments:
observing what a child is learning what adults could do what adults could provide
PHOTO REDACTED DUE TO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR OTHER LEGAL ISSUES

• Developing preferences for forms of expression. • Support children’s excursions into imaginary worlds by • Tell stories based on children’s experiences and the
• Uses movement to express feelings. encouraging inventiveness, offering support and advice on people and places they know well.
• Creates movement in response to music. occasions and ensuring that they have experiences that • Offer a story stimulus by suggesting an imaginary event
stimulate their interest. or set of circumstances, e.g., “This bear has arrived in
• Sings to self and makes up simple songs.
the post. He has a letter pinned to his jacket. It says
• Makes up rhythms.
‘Please look after this bear.’ We should look after him in
• Notices what adults do, imitating what is observed and then our room. How can we do that?.”
30-50 months doing it spontaneously when the adult is not there.
• Engages in imaginative role-play based on own first-hand
experiences.
• Builds stories around toys, e.g. farm animals needing rescue
from an armchair ‘cliff’.
• Uses available resources to create props to support role-play.
• Captures experiences and responses with a range of media,
such as music, dance and paint and other materials or words.
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• Create simple representations of events, people and objects. • Help children to gain confidence in their own way of • Extend children’s experience and expand their
• Initiates new combinations of movement and gesture in order representing ideas. imagination through the provision of pictures, paintings,
to express and respond to feelings, ideas and experiences. • Be aware of the link between imaginative play and poems, music, dance and story.
• Chooses particular colours to use for a purpose. children’s ability to handle narrative. • Provide a stimulus for imagination by introducing
• Create imaginary words to describe, for example, atmospheric features in the role play area, such as the
• Introduces a storyline or narrative into their play. sounds of rain beating on a roof, or placing a spotlight
monsters or other strong characters in stories and poems.
40-60+ • Plays alongside other children who are engaged in the same to suggest a stage set. Provide curtains and place
theme. • Carefully support children who are less confident. dressing-up materials and instruments close by.
months
• Plays cooperatively as part of a group to develop and act out • Help children communicate through their bodies by • Make materials accessible so that children are able to
a narrative. encouraging expressive movement linked to their imagine and develop their projects and ideas while they
imaginative ideas. are still fresh in their minds and important to them.
• Introduce descriptive language to support children, for • Provide children with opportunities to use their
Early Learning Goal example, ‘rustle’ and ‘shuffle’.
Children use what they have learnt about media and skills and explore concepts and ideas through their
materials in original ways, thinking about uses and representations.
purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts • Provide opportunities indoors and outdoors and
and feelings through design and technology, art, music, support the different interests of children, e.g.in role-
dance, role play and stories. play of a builder’s yard, encourage narratives to do with
building and mending.

Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways. The development statements and their order should not be taken as necessary steps for individual children.
They should not be used as checklists. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. 46
Early Education would like to acknowledge Helen
Moylett and Nancy Stewart, Associates of Early
Education for their work in producing this document
and is grateful to all the early years practitioners,
Early Education
academics and organisations who generously gave
136 Cavell Street
them such helpful support, challenge, advice and
London
feedback during the process.
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