Have a positive approach to activities and events.
Show confidence in linking up with others for support and guidance.
Show increasing independence in selecting and carrying out activities.
Self-confidence and Self-esteem
Show increasing confidence in new situations.
Talk freely about their home and community.
Take pleasure in gaining more complex skills.
Have a sense of personal identity.
Likes to sit, have a cuddle and share events of the day with a familiar adult.
Uses adults as sources of knowledge, comfort and shared activities.
May form a special friendship with another child.
Is more outgoing towards strangers and more confident in new social situations, for example, playgroup, but may be anxious at first.
Able to share and take turns to some extent, but also selfish at times.
Has strong sense of own space and possessions; likes to arrange own toys.
Likes to point out self in photos.
Shows growing autonomy and self-will.
Can sometimes be stubborn or negative and react badly to frustration.
Shows strong personal preferences for food, clothes and so on.
Expresses personal views in conversation.
May argue to achieve own wishes.
More independent in self-care; takes pride in appearance.
Developing independence - In a pre-school, a child works independently with various equipment and materials, indicating her sense of belonging and self-assurance.
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Making Relationships
Feel safe and secure, and show a sense of trust.
Form friendships with other children.
Demonstrate flexibility and adapt their behaviour to different events, social situations and changes in routine.
Enjoys talking about present and recent experiences.
Understands causes of some feelings, for example, feel sad because a toy is broken or feel frustrated because they cannot go outside to play.
Conscious of adult approval or disapproval for own actions, for example, checks to see if adult is looking before being naughty or looks guilty if 'caught in the act'.
Knows own mind and expresses it, for example, objects to having bath, getting dressed or going to bed.
Defends own possessions.
Shows initiative and autonomy in relating with others.
Is curious about others and will modify behaviour to fit in with what others are doing, for example, removing shoes and socks before going on slide after seeing others doing this.
Identifies self with children of same age and sex.
Likes to perform for others.
Behaviour and Self-control
Begin to accept the needs of others, with support.
Show care and concern for others, for living things and the environment.
Self-care
Show willingness to tackle problems and enjoy self-chosen challenges.
Demonstrate a sense of pride in own achievement.
Take initiatives and manage developmentally appropriate tasks.
Dressing:
Puts arms into open-fronted coat or shirt when held up.
Hangs up own coat.
Finds items of clothing in the dressing-up box.
Pulls down own pants when using the toilet.
Independence skills:
Asks for help or support when needed.
Note:
Early Support material relating to feeding, washing and toileting appears in Physical Development: Health and Bodily Awareness
Sense of Community
Make connections between different parts of their life experience.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Development matters
Language for Communication
Use simple statements and questions often linked to gestures.
Use intonation, rhythm and phrasing to make their meaning clear to others.
Join in with repeated refrains and anticipate key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.
Listen to stories with increasing attention and recall.
Describe main story settings, events and principal characters.
Listen to others in one-to-one or small groups when conversation interests them.
Respond to simple instructions.
Question why things happen and give explanations.
Use vocabulary focused on objects and people that are of particular importance to them.
Begin to experiment with language describing possession.
Build up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.
Begin to use more complex sentences.
Use a widening range of words to express or elaborate on ideas.
Understands use of objects, for example "What do we use to cut things with?".
Can identify picture or object with three critical elements, for example, 'big girl jumping'.
Shows understanding of prepositions such as 'under', 'on top', 'behind' and 'next to' by carrying out action or selecting correct picture.
Identifies objects by description, for example, 'the wet one' or 'the dirty one'.
Understands all pronouns: 'they', 'he', 'she', 'him', 'her'.
Uses words to: - give reasons; - say what they want; - play with others; - direct others; - tell others about things.
Can retell a simple past event in correct order, for example, went down slide, hurt finger and later can retell a simple story recalling events and characters.
Provides appropriate information in response to 'what' and 'where' questions.
Can give information about own life and favourite things.
Answers 'yes/no' questions appropriately.
Uses a range of tenses, for example, 'play', 'playing', 'will play' and 'played'.
Asks increasingly detailed questions to find out information.
Answers questions more fully, providing more than one piece of information.
Uses plurals, for example, 'cats'.
Uses possessives, for example, 'the boy's teddy'.
Knows when to wait while others are talking and can control the urge to butt in.
Realises the correct volume to talk at, not too loud or quiet.
Likes saying learned expressions such as name and age or address.
Sings on own.
Language for Thinking
Talk activities through, reflecting on and modifying what they are doing.
Use talk to give new meanings to objects and actions, treating them as symbols for other things.
Use talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next.
Use talk, actions and objects to recall and relive past experiences.
Linking Sounds and Letters
Enjoy rhyming and rhythmic activities.
Show awareness of rhyme and alliteration.
Recognise rhythm in spoken words.
Is able to follow directions (if not intently focused on own choice of activity).
Listens eagerly to stories and requests favourites over and over again.
Notices if adult uses wrong language in familiar story.
Concentrates and listens for more than ten minutes in adult-led activities that they enjoy.
Looks at books independently.
Takes part in 'reading' by filling in words and phrases.
Can remember three or four items shown on a list, for example, a picture shopping list of apples, oranges and bananas.
Can remember a spoken list of three objects or names (with no visual clues).
Speaks in longer sentences.
Shows interest in letter forms.
Can copy letter forms.
Reading
Listen to and join in with stories and poems, one-to-one and also in small groups.
Begin to be aware of the way stories are structured.
Suggest how the story might end.
Show interest in illustrations and print in books and print in the environment.
Handle books carefully.
Know information can be relayed in the form of print.
Hold books the correct way up and turn pages.
Understand the concept of a word.
Writing
Sometimes give meaning to marks as they draw and paint.
Ascribe meanings to marks that they see in different places.
Handwriting
Use one-handed tools and equipment.
Draw lines and circles using gross motor movements.
Manipulate objects with increasing control.
Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
Development matters
Numbers as Labels and for Counting
Use some number names and number language spontaneously.
Show curiosity about numbers by offering comments or asking questions.
Use some number names accurately in play.
Sometimes match number and quantity correctly.
Recognise groups with one, two or three objects.
Calculating
Compare two groups of objects, saying when they have the same number.
Show an interest in number problems.
Separate a group of three or four objects in different ways, beginning to recognise that the total is still the same.
Shape, Space and Measures
Show an interest in shape and space by playing with shapes or making arrangements with objects.
Show awareness of similarities in shapes in the environment.
Observe and use positional language.
Are beginning to understand 'bigger than' and 'enough'.
Show interest in shape by sustained construction activity or by talking about shapes or arrangements.
Use shapes appropriately for tasks.
Begin to talk about the shapes of everyday objects.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Development matters
Exploration and Investigation
Show curiosity and interest in the features of objects and living things.
Describe and talk about what they see.
Show curiosity about why things happen and how things work.
Show understanding of cause/effect relations.
Displays curiosity about the world by looking intently at objects, events and people.
Gives reasons for own actions.
Understands consequences of own actions, for example, if cup is knocked over the juice is spilt or if I throw the toys Mum takes them away.
Shows awareness of danger, for example, is more careful on playground equipment.
Drawings become more identifiable, for example, draws a person with round shape for head and maybe two lines for legs.
Matches two or three primary colours (red, yellow, blue).
Matches objects by size.
Puts three pictures in correct order to represent sequence in familiar activity or story.
Understands concept of 'two', for example, can give two blocks when asked.
Can rote count to five.
Knows whether someone is a boy or girl, but might still be getting them confused.
Uses doll or teddy as partner in play, talking to it and telling it what to do next.
Uses one object to represent many different things, for example, a scarf could be a blanket, a cloak and a dress all during the same play sequence.
Imaginary play involves lots of detail and several linked actions such as getting undressed, bathed, dressed in nightclothes and having a bedtime drink.
Dresses up as different people.
Builds stories around toys, for example, farm animals climbing an armchair 'cliff' and having to be rescued.
Uses construction materials as a means to an end, for example, making road or house to be used as part of game, rather than as something simply to be explored.
Understands they have to share (for example, toys) but might not always be willing to do so.
Joins in make-believe play with other children.
Plays well with two to three children in a group.
Designing and Making
Investigate various construction materials.
Realise tools can be used for a purpose.
Join construction pieces together to build and balance.
Begin to try out a range of tools and techniques safely.
ICT
Know how to operate simple equipment.
Time
Remember and talk about significant events in their own experience.
Show interest in the lives of people familiar to them.
Talk about past and future events.
Develop an understanding of growth, decay and changes over time.
Place
Show an interest in the world in which they live.
Comment and ask questions about where they live and the natural world.
Communities
Express feelings about a significant personal event.
Describe significant events for family or friends.
Enjoy imaginative and role-play with peers.
Show interest in different occupations and ways of life.
Physical Development
Development matters
Movement and Space
Move freely with pleasure and confidence in a range of ways, such as slithering, shuffling, rolling, crawling, walking, running, jumping, skipping, sliding and hopping.
Use movement to express feelings.
Negotiate space successfully when playing racing and chasing games with other children, adjusting speed or changing direction to avoid obstacles.
Sit up, stand up and balance on various parts of the body.
Demonstrate the control necessary to hold a shape or fixed position.
Operate equipment by means of pushing and pulling movements.
Mount stairs, steps or climbing equipment using alternate feet.
Negotiate an appropriate pathway when walking, running or using a wheelchair or other mobility aids, both indoors and outdoors.
Judge body space in relation to spaces available when fitting into confined spaces or negotiating openings and boundaries.
Show respect for other children's personal space when playing among them.
Persevere in repeating some actions or attempts when developing a new skill.
Collaborate in devising and sharing tasks, including those which involve accepting rules.
Walks upstairs using alternating feet, one foot per step.
Walks downstairs, two feet to each step while carrying a toy.
Jumps down a single step.
Negotiates obstacles when running and pushing toys.
Walks backwards, forwards and sideways.
Walks forward on a straight line.
Rides tricycle using pedals.
Can walk on tiptoe.
Kicks ball forcibly.
Can stand momentarily on one foot when shown.
Health and Bodily Awareness
Show awareness of own needs with regard to eating, sleeping and hygiene.
Often need adult support to meet those needs.
Show awareness of a range of healthy practices with regard to eating, sleeping and hygiene.
Observe the effects of activity on their bodies.
Feeding:
Eats individual pieces of food from tub or box with lid.
Able to blow, for example, candles or when cooling food.
Pours drink from jug with some spillage.
Eats with a fork and a spoon.
Beginning to use a knife for spreading.
Washing:
Helps wash self and own hair.
Helps dry self after washing.
Uses taps on hand basin.
Washes and dries own hands.
Turns taps on and off.
Brushes own teeth with help.
Blows nose when tissue is held up.
Toileting:
Asks for toilet using voice, gesture or action, for example, leads adult to toilet and asks verbally or makes a sign.
Mostly dry during the day with occasional accidents.
Usually able to control bowel with occasional accidents.
Pulls down own pants when using the toilet.
Flushes toilet with support.
Waits to be wiped after using toilet or potty.
Using Equipment and Materials
Engage in activities requiring hand-eye coordination.
Use one-handed tools and equipment.
Show increasing control over clothing and fastenings.
Show increasing control in using equipment for climbing, scrambling, sliding and swinging.
Demonstrate increasing skill and control in the use of mark-making implements, blocks, construction sets and small-world activities.
Understand that equipment and tools have to be used safely.
Can build tower of ten or more cubes.
Imitates making a train of cubes.
Threads large beads onto shoelace.
Cuts paper with scissors.
Holds pencil near point between first two fingers and thumb and uses it with good control.
Writes an 'X' form and a horizontal line.
Imitates drawing a circle.
Draws spontaneous and unrecognisable forms.
Draws person with head and one or two other features or parts.
Creative Development
Development matters
Being Creative - Responding to Experiences, Expressing and Communicating Ideas
Use language and other forms of communication to share the things they create, or to indicate personal satisfaction or frustration.
Explore and experience using a range of senses and movement.
Capture experiences and responses with music, dance, paint and other materials or words.
Develop preferences for forms of expression.
Exploring Media and Materials
Begin to be interested in and describe the texture of things.
Explore colour and begin to differentiate between colours.
Differentiate marks and movements on paper.
Use their bodies to explore texture and space.
Understand that they can use lines to enclose a space, and then begin to use these shapes to represent objects.
Create 3D structures.
Begin to construct, stacking blocks vertically and horizontally, making enclosures and creating spaces.
Creating Music and Dance
Enjoy joining in with dancing and ring games.
Sing a few familiar songs.
Sing to themselves and make up simple songs.
Tap out simple repeated rhythms and make some up.
Explore and learn how sounds can be changed.
Imitate and create movement in response to music.
Developing Imagination and Imaginative Play
Notice what adults do, imitating what is observed and then doing it spontaneously when the adult is not there.
Use available resources to create props to support role-play.
Develop a repertoire of actions by putting a sequence of movements together.
Engage in imaginative play and role-play based on own first-hand experiences.
