The Early Years Foundation Stage: Setting the Standards for Learning, Development and Care for children from birth to five

• Shows sense of own autonomy.
• Assertive of own wishes and needs; is sometimes confrontational.
• Starts to know their own mind and expresses this through action, gesture or spoken words, for example, "No want bath" or "No go bed".
• Strong sense of ownership of toys, but will also share at times.
• Shows active sense of humour; does things to make others laugh.
• Very aware of others' reactions; likes to demonstrate prowess.
• Responds positively to a variety of familiar adults.
• Searches out adult when hurt or distressed.
• Is jealous of sharing parents' attention.
• Shows affection towards other children and younger siblings.
• Demonstrates concern for others when they are upset, for example, offers favourite toy, pats arm or back, offers cuddle and so on.
• Shy with strangers, especially adults; may hide against a more familiar adult when introduced.

• Maintains attachments with special people, for example, shows affection, prefers them for interaction and uses them for comfort and security.
• Enjoys conversation with carers.
• Engages in play with other children.
• Enjoys gaining attention of others and sustaining interaction.
• Seeks to comfort others, for example, with hugs or offering toy.
• Complies with requests, although may also be stubborn.
• Shows understanding of some rules and routines.
• May intentionally hurt another person if angry, for example, may hit another child if they take a toy away.
• May have a tantrum if frustrated or misunderstood.
• Shows embarrassment.

Dressing:

• Puts on hat independently.
• Puts on shoes independently, but may not get the right feet or do them up.
• Takes off loose coat or shirt when undone.
• Can undo large buttons and Velcro fasteners.
• Removes shirt.
• Removes 'pull-down' garments.
• Pulls up own trousers.
• Pulls zipper up once fastened at the bottom.

Independence skills:

• Participates and helps with familiar routines with help from adults such as dusting, setting table or putting away toys.
• Enjoys responsibility of carrying out small tasks such as carrying a bag for Mum.

• Points to and names simple pictures.
• Uses 'me' to refer to self.
• Asks simple questions using speech with a quizzical face.
• Talks aloud when playing with others.
• Says "Please" and "Thank you" with prompts.
• Uses words to alert adults to needs, for example, when hungry, thirsty or tired.
• Understands 'who', 'what', 'where' in simple questions.
• Understands more complex sentences such as "Put your toys away and we'll read a book".
• Responds appropriately to simple two-part instructions or requests such as "Get your shoes and put on your coat" or "Pick up the ball and give it to me".
• Identifies action words by pointing to the right picture, for example, "Who's jumping?".
• Shows understanding of prepositions 'in', and 'on', for example, by carrying out action "Put dolly in the box" or selecting correct picture.
• Will point to smaller parts of the body (such as chin, elbow or eyebrow) when asked to do so.
• Rapid growth in spoken vocabulary from at least 50 words rising steadily to over 200 words.
• Begins to make little 'sentences' by joining two words together such as "Daddy gone" and then making short phrases such as "Me got one".
• Later, makes longer sentences of three to four words such as "Mummy go shops now".
• Uses words to ask and find out about things.
• Uses words during play and almost all activities.
• Uses words to ask for help, for example, when washing hands or going to the toilet.
• Answers simple questions, for example "Where's Mum?".
• Uses several pronouns correctly, such as 'I', 'me' and 'you'.
• Indicates 'no' through gestures or speech.
• Uses between ten and 15 action words such as 'eat', 'drink', 'sleep', 'wash', 'play' and 'finish'.
• Uses words to describe things such as "It's wet" or "It's too hot".
• Uses appropriate intonation to ask questions.
• Talks aloud to self when playing alone.

• Picks out a familiar sound even when there is background noise, for example, "Dinner time", "No!" or "Stop now".
• Listens to and carries out simple directions.
• Recognises and joins in with songs and actions, such as 'The Wheels on the Bus'.
• Frequently repeats words or signs that they hear or see with one or more key words repeated.
• Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they read stories.
• Recognises and responds to many familiar sounds, for example, responding to a knock on the door by turning, looking at or going to the door.
• Listens to music and responds when it is turned off, for example, stops singing or dancing or turns to look at the stereo.
• Fills in the missing word or phrase in a known rhyme, story or game, for example, 'Humpty Dumpty sat on a... '.
• Notices a deliberate mistake in story telling or a rhyme.
• Builds vocabulary rapidly, understands more words than are in active vocabulary.
• Shows sustained interest in picture books.
• Recognises own name when written.
• Majority of words are intelligible to people the child does not know well.
• Produces six to eight consonant sounds in words, for example, 'p', 'b', 't', 'd', 'k', 'g', 'm', 'n', 'w'.
• Produces a wide range of vowels more accurately in words, for example, 'ou' as in bout, 'ea' as in bear, 'ou' as in bought, 'oa' as in boat.
• Tries to repeat many things adults say either saying the actual word or making a close match, such as "Um-beya" for umbrella.
• Adults who know the child understand what they are saying when words are joined into sentences.

• Displays curiosity about the world by asking questions and looking intently at objects, events and people.
• Recognises and anticipates everyday routines, for example, looks for coat or gets in buggy when adult is getting ready to go out.
• Joins in with learning activities led by more able partner and can imitate some actions after they have seen them demonstrated.
• Remembers a sequence of activities and events and 'tells' parents what they have done or seen, for example, "Mummy train ice-cream".
• Begins to self-correct during an activity without adult prompting, for example, tries to fit a puzzle piece in the wrong space and then changes to the right space without adult prompting.
• Matches sets of identical objects, developing understanding of the concept of 'the same'.
• Begins to develop sense of time, understands terms such as 'later', 'tomorrow' and 'yesterday'.
• Uses and understands the logic of 'if... then', for example, 'If I stand on a step, then I can reach the toy', 'If I eat my sandwich, then I can have some chocolate pudding' and so on.
• Understands simple explanations and reasons given by others.
• May invent imaginary person and treat them as a friend.
• Demonstrates some understanding of quantity, for example, 'Take one biscuit', 'There are many blocks', and so on.
• Understands size differences (big, small and so on), for example, selects the big or small object or picture when asked.
• Matches simple shapes (circle, square, triangle).
• Matches simple pictures of familiar objects such as spoon, dog, banana, shoes and so on.
• Matches objects to pictures, for example, matches shoe to a picture of a shoe.
• Is more organised, gathering together the toys they want to play with before starting play. For example, getting the doll and the tea set before starting to play tea-parties; getting the train and tracks and setting them out before playing trains.
• Fits three or four nesting cups together, showing understanding of size differences and how they fit together.
• Completes a two- to four-piece puzzle.
• Shares books with adult or other child, making 'comments' about the events and pictures.
• Builds a simple bridge using blocks.
• Participates in creative activities, telling you what they have made, for example, using dough, paint, blocks, cutting and pasting, cooking, drawing, making music or sounds.
• Waits when asked to.
• Will imitate unfamiliar ways of behaving when these seem appropriate to them, for example, takes off shoes and socks to join in 'feet painting' at nursery if sees other children doing this.
• Plays lots of interactive games with adult or older child, often involving running or chasing.
• Plays alongside other children and occasionally allows them into play, for example, hands toys to them.
• Begins to copy the actions and sequences of play of other children.
• Plays with dough, makes different shapes and will tell you what they have made.
• Imitates longer sequences in play, for example, copies adult pouring tea, putting in sugar, stirring and then giving to doll.
• Uses one object to represent another in pretend play, for example, uses a lid as a cup, brick as a car or puts block on a plate as if it is a cake.
• Uses other people's belongings in pretend play, for example, Mum's bag and brush.
• Creates imaginary objects, characters and scenes in play, for example, talks to an imaginary shopper as if they are the shop assistant.
• Adopts voice or manner of another person or animal in play, for example, moves like a cat and 'miaows'.
• Includes another child in their play sequence and may talk to them as they do so, for example, gives child a cup to drink from.

• Runs safely on whole foot, stopping and starting with ease and avoiding obstacles.
• Squats with steadiness to rest or play with object on the ground, rises to feet without using hands.
• Stands on one foot while kicking ball with other foot.
• Pushes and pulls large toys, has difficulty steering around obstacles.
• Jumps with two feet together from floor.
• Can stand on tiptoe when holding onto something.
• Can kick and catch a large ball.
• Climbs confidently and is beginning to use nursery play climbing equipment.

Feeding:

• Asks, or searches for food when hungry.
• Feeds self competently with spoon.
• Drinks well without spilling.
• Replaces cup on table without difficulty.
• Keeps most food in bowl or on plate.

Toileting:

• Indicates need for toilet by behaviour (such as dancing movements or holding self).
• Tolerates sitting on potty or toilet.