Cognitive Development

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Cognitive Development
Babies are motivated, curious and competent learners right from Relationships are at the center of early cognitive development.
the start. They are natural scientists. Cognitive development is Young infants are fascinated with their caregivers’ faces and voices.
the building of concept knowledge and thinking skills. Children They learn through give and take interaction. As infants grow older,
come into the world eager to learn. Through relationships, active they use attachment relationships as a secure base for exploration.
exploration and experiences, infants and toddlers make discoveries They also become interested in showing and giving things to
about the world, figure out how things work, imitate others, try adults. At the toddler age, children ask questions and share
out new behaviors, share meaning, learn social rules and solve meaning with their caregivers.
problems. Like scientists, young children uncover the mysteries
of the world. Through play and self-initiated practice, they build To promote cognitive development, caregivers should take cues
concepts and develop their thinking skills. from infants and be responsive to the children’s interests and
needs. Research has documented that responsive care has a
Cognitive development grows hand in hand with the other positive influence on children’s long range cognitive development.
developmental domains. Healthy and emotionally secure infants In addition, caregivers need to set up an environment that is both
can focus on exploration and learning. Infants’ growing ability appropriate and challenging for the age and stage of each child.
to move their bodies allows them to explore environments and For children with disabilities or other special needs, specific
manipulate materials in increasingly complex ways. As infants and adaptations to their abilities are necessary. The environment
toddlers build concepts, language gives them a means to represent should be well organized and predictable. Providing a rich 45
ideas and share meaning with others. Symbolic play not only selection of age appropriate, easily accessible materials allows
enables children to experiment with concepts, it also gives them all infants and toddlers to pursue their passion for learning
a means to explore social roles and feelings. The knowledge and and discovery.
thinking skills that children build during the first three years of life
prepare them to continue to learn during the preschool years and
become ready for school.

Cognitive development is the building of thinking skills.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Discoveries of Infancy
The child will develop an understanding of his or her world through exploration and discovery while developing strategies to
solve problems.
Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Group and categorize: In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period,
The child will learn I automatically respond in I can tell the difference between I can group objects into two
to group people and distinguishing between familiar familiar and unfamiliar people, distinct classes. By the end of this
objects based on their and unfamiliar people. By the objects and places. By the end of period, I can sort multiple objects
attributes. end of this period, I can tell the this period, I can group objects by their properties and uses.
difference between familiar and into two distinct groups.
unfamiliar people, objects For example, I may…
and places. For example, I may… …put toy cars in one pile and air-
…demonstrate anxiety or fear planes in another.
For example, I may… toward unfamiliar faces or people. …point out all of the blue plates at
…turn toward the sight, smell …indicate that birds, dogs and the lunch table.
or sound of my mom. horses are all animals, while cars …label the big animals "mama" and 46
…look back and forth between are not. the small animals "baby."
people or objects, as if …remember the steps that make up …put all of the red pegs in one
comparing them. my nightly bath routine: clothes bowl, the white pegs in another
…be able to tell the difference off, wash hair, wash body, dry off. bowl and the green pegs in a
between friendly and unfriendly …put toy cars in one pile and third bowl.
voices. airplanes in another.
…explore objects by mouthing,
banging, shaking or hitting
them.
…snuggle happily with my special
blanket when I find it in a pile of
fresh laundry.
…demonstrate anxiety or fear
toward unfamiliar faces or people.
…bat or kick at water, then act
surprised by the splash.
…shake a rattle repeatedly to make
the sound continue.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Discoveries of Infancy
The child will develop an understanding of his or her world through exploration and discovery while developing strategies to
solve problems.

Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Cause and effect: In the beginning of this period, I In the beginning of this period, I In the beginning of this period,
The child will make respond automatically to things use simple actions to make things I purposefully try behaviors to
things happen and that happen in my environment. happen. By the end of this period, I make things happen. By the end
understand the causes By the end of this period, I use purposefully try behaviors to make of this period, I think of ways to
of some events. simple actions to make things things happen. solve problems and don't have to
happen. act out possible solutions. I also
For example, I may… understand that events have
For example, I may… …shake a rattle repeatedly to make a cause.
…explore objects by mouthing, the sound continue.
banging, shaking or hitting them. …use a wooden spoon, pots and For example, I may…
…look at my own hand. pans, in various combinations, to …touch different parts of a musical
…grasp a toy in my hand. make sounds over and over again. toy to make the music start again. 47
…bat or kick at water, then act …engage in trial-and-error learning. …choose only rings with holes
surprised by the splash. …drop objects from different when playing with a
…shake a rattle repeatedly to make heights and positions. ring-stacking toy.
the sound continue. …pull a string attached to a toy to …say, "Lucile fall down" when I
bring the toy closer. see a peer crying.
…touch or bang the handle of a …communicate about what makes
jack-in-the-box, then hand it back a pop-up toy go.
to my caregiver to make it pop.
…touch different parts of a musical
toy to make the music start again.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Discoveries of Infancy
The child will develop an understanding of his or her world through exploration and discovery while developing strategies to
solve problems.
Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Problem solving: In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, I In the beginning of this period,
The child will use the I respond automatically to my actively use my body to find out I use simple strategies to solve
self, objects or others environment. By the end of this about my world. By the end of problems. By the end of this
to attain a goal. period, I actively use my body to this period, I use simple strategies period, I can solve problems
find out about my world. to solve problems. without having to try every
possibility, while avoiding
For example, I may… For example, I may… solutions that clearly won't work.
…cry to get my needs met. …touch or mouth the hair of
…explore objects by mouthing, another person. For example, I may…
banging, shaking or …move around to the side of the …try several ways to reach a ball
hitting them. aquarium so I can see the fish better. that is stuck under the couch.
…drop a toy and watch it fall. …squeeze onto my mom's lap, even …turn a puzzle piece to make it fit 48
…touch or mouth the hair of when my sibling is already there. into its space.
another person. …twist a shape until it fits into a …choose a yogurt container instead
…transfer a rattle from one hand hole in a container. of a strainer to carry water across
to the other. …use a stick to reach a toy. the yard.
…try several ways to reach a ball …use a fork or spoon.
that is stuck under the couch. …use a play cup from the house-
keeping corner to roll out my clay.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Discoveries of Infancy
The child will develop an understanding of his or her world through exploration and discovery while developing strategies to
solve problems.
Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Memory: In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, I
The child will remember I respond automatically to my I notice people and things and hold in my mind an image of my
people, objects and environment. By the end of this their features. My ability to attachment figure, which I can
events. period, I notice people and remember depends greatly on use to comfort myself. I also
things and their features. My repeated experience. Later, I recall more information over
ability to remember depends understand that people and a longer period of time. By
greatly on repeated experience. objects continue to exist even the end of this period, I can
when I can't see them. By the end communicate about some
For example, I may… of this period, I hold in my mind of the events in my life.
…not look for a toy that has been an image of my attachment figure,
hidden. which I can use to comfort myself. For example, I may…
…kick my feet in anticipation of I also recall more information over …say, "Mama," when my caregiver 49
being fed when my mother a longer period of time. rocks me to sleep at naptime, as
positions me on her lap. a way of reminding myself that
…remember how to kick to make For example, I may… Mama rocks me to sleep at
my mobile move when it is …show signs of wariness or distress home.
hanging over my crib. toward unfamiliar people or places. …say, "Meow," when Daddy points
…look longer at a new picture …search for a partially hidden toy. to a picture and asks, "What does
than at one I have seen before. …look over the edge of the table for a kitty cat say?"
…track an object that moves out a cloth I have dropped. …watch you take a cloth out of the
of my line of sight. …search for my blanket after I see drawer, wipe down the table, and
…search for a partially hidden toy. you hide it. put the cloth in the hamper, then
…watch you wipe down the table try it myself a week later.
with a cloth one day, then try it …imagine the whereabouts of
myself the next day. an object or person that is out
…say, "Mama," when my caregiver of my sight.
rocks me to sleep at naptime, as …communicate about my aunt's
a way of reminding myself that visit last summer.
Mama rocks me to sleep at home.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Discoveries of Infancy
The child will develop an understanding of his or her world through exploration and discovery while developing strategies to
solve problems.

Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Imitation: In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, I In the beginning of this period, I
The child will be able I automatically imitate facial match the simple actions and can imitate something I saw at an
to mirror, repeat and expressions. By the end of this expressions of others. By the earlier time, even though it is no
practice the actions period, I match the simple actions end of this period, I can imitate longer happening right in front
modeled by another. and expressions of others, even something I saw at an earlier time, of me. By the end of this period, I
when a short time has passed. even though it is no longer can imitate a complex sequence
happening right in front of me. of events that I observed quite a
For example, I may… long time ago.
…stick out my tongue when you For example, I may…
stick out yours. …imitate an adult's sounds when For example, I may…
…become quiet and stop moving babbling. …take a toy phone and put it in my
my body to watch an adult as …take a drink from my cup today, play purse, copying what I saw 51
she interacts with me. set it down, and say, "Aah" after my caregiver do last week.
…play pat-a-cake. I saw you do it yesterday. …pretend to make a cake, wrap
…imitate an adult's facial …take a toy phone and put it in my gifts and decorate the living
expressions. play purse, copying what I saw room, like I saw my grandma do
…imitate an adult's sounds my caregiver do last week. for my last birthday party.
when babbling.
Cognitive Development

Guideline: Attention and Persistence
The child will develop the ability to choose to participate and persist in a growing number of activities.

Birth - 8 months 6 - 18 months 16 - 36 months
• Attention and persistence: In the beginning of this period, In the beginning of this period, I In the beginning of this period,
The child will be able to I automatically respond to things respond to different things in the I need order, ritual, routine and
remain focused on a task in the environment. By the environment in different ways, notice when changes occur.
or object and to persist end of this period, I respond and I'm able to spend more time By the end of this period, I can
in the face of obstacles. to different things in the focusing on things I find interesting. pay attention to more than one
environment in different ways, By the end of this period, I need thing at a time. I monitor my
and I am able to spend more order, ritual, routine and notice progress in trying to achieve a
time focusing on things I find when changes occur. goal and try to correct mistakes
interesting. along the way.
For example, I may…
For example, I may… …discover that I can kick a mobile For example, I may…
…cry until I'm fed or changed or and make it move, or shake a rat- …expect my favorite songs to be
made comfortable. tle and make a sound. sung the same way each time 52
…gaze at faces and objects. …fill a bucket with sand or stack and protest if my caregiver
…become quiet when feeding blocks again and again. changes the words.
begins, even before I am …be easily distracted. …engage in solitary play for a
offered food. …attend to a short picture book by short time.
…show more interest in a new toy looking at the pictures or listening …have frequent tantrums out of
than an old one. to the words. frustration when goals are
…look back and forth between …expect my favorite songs to be difficult to reach.
people or objects, as if sung the same way each time, …listen to a story that a caregiver
comparing them. and protest if my caregiver is reading to a small group of
…turn away from interactions that changes the words. children while playing with trucks
I find to be too intense, then in a nearby corner of the room.
turn back to continue interacting …continue to look for a hidden toy,
when I'm ready. without being distracted by the
…discover that I can kick a mobile soft blanket that covers it.
and make it move, or shake a …realize during clean-up time that
rattle and make a sound. I have put a car in the block bin
and return to put it in the
proper place.
…look for and find a favorite book,
and ask a caregiver to read it.