Social and Emotional Development: Birth-5

Self-Concept and Social Identity

Attachment

Social Competence

Emotional Competence

Self-esteem

Self-confidence

Social identity

Relationships with primary caregivers:

Relationships with less familiar adults:

Relationships and social skills with peers

Recognition of others’ feelings

Behavioral regulation

Emotional expression

Emotional regulation

Birth to Nine Months: Smile or are comforted when a trusted caregiver speaks kindly to them

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Show likes and dislikes in ways that are consistent with the family’s cultural expectations (E.g. Brady vocalizes pleasure while playing, but cries while having a diaper changed.)

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Show awareness of being seen by others such as repeating an action when someone is watching (E.g. Whenever she sees a camera, Ruby smiles and poses.)

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Show delight in their abilities

Thirty Months to Three Years: Call attention to themselves in photographs or videos

Three Years: Draw adult’s attention to their actions and creations (E.g. On the playground Luna keeps telling her father, “Watch me, watch me!”)

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Continue to seek adult attention and recognition of what they know and can do

Boast about what they know and can do (E.g. Quinn says, “I am really good at drawing rainbows.”)

Birth to Nine Months: Smile and laugh when imitating an adult (E.g. 8-month-old Ashton smiles when he imitates his teacher clapping.)

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Take actions in the expectation of getting a response from an adult (E.g. 11-monthold Carolyn lifts her arms up knowing that her caregiver will pick her up.)

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Show more awareness of their abilities

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Perform the tasks requested of them and may initiate tasks on their own (E.g. Kyle’s nana spoons food onto his plate and Kyle says, “Me do it!” and reaches for the spoon.)

Thirty Months to Three Years: Show independence and competence

Three Years: Begin to experiment with their own potential and show confidence in their own abilities

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Are confident, self-directed, purposeful and inventive in play

Birth to Nine Months: By 9 months, recognize that they are separate and distinct from primary caregivers (E.g. 8-month-old Taniesha cries whenever her mother leaves the room.)

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Show preference for their family members and primary caregivers

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Mimic adult behavior and responses to other people

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Point out or comment on differences in gender and physical characteristics, using social labels (E.g. Eddie points to each classmate and labels each as “boy” or “girl.”)

Thirty Months to Three Years: Identify or point to characters that resemble themselves or their family members in books or magazines

Three Years: Continue to develop awareness of differences and their own gender and cultural identity (E.g. Delia says to her teacher, “I’m a girl, so I can be a mommy someday.”)

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Notice differences and make comparisons between their physical characteristics and others’ and the way things are done in different settings (E.g. Consuela says “My abuela talks Spanish and my grandma talks English.”)

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Express or describe their own characteristics and preferences (E.g. Jacob only chooses brown sweatpants when clothes shopping with his mother.)

Birth to Nine Months: Demonstrate interest in familiar adults and develop strong attachment to primary caregivers

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Rely on trusted adults to feel secure trying new activities

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Continue to need the security of a trusted adult; ask for help, if needed, in verbal and non-verbal ways

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Imitate and attempt to please familiar adults (E.g. Rylee joins in singing when her caregiver sings a silly song with her.)

Thirty Months to Three Years: Continue to need adult approval and validation but show more competence

Three Years: Respond appropriately to social and emotional cues of adults

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Interact easily with familiar adults, but may be hesitant to approach or respond to less familiar adults

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Seek adult help when needed for emotional support, physical assistance, social interaction, and approval

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Imitate familiar adults in culturally appropriate ways in everyday situations

Birth to Nine Months: Are able, over time, to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar adults

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Show strong preference for familiar adults and may demonstrate fear or rejection responses to unfamiliar adults

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Continue to show hesitation around unfamiliar adults (E.g. Billie hides behind his father when the store clerk says “hi” to him.)

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Dependent on experience, may show more interest in unfamiliar adults, but are still cautious

Thirty Months to Three Years: Are more comfortable around unfamiliar adults

Three Years: May initiate contact with unfamiliar adults, when familiar adults are nearby

Birth to Nine Months: Demonstrate increasing awareness of other children (E.g. While lying on a blanket close to her, Carlos reaches for Becca’s arm.)

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Show interest in other children

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Play alongside other children, with or without acknowledging their presence

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Engage in brief or momentary interactions with other children, but may need adult support (E.g. Siddarth yells, “Run, run,” to several other children on the playground.)

Thirty Months to Three Years: Begin to play cooperatively for brief periods with other children

Three Years: Play cooperatively with other children and show preference for some children over others (E.g. Jose and Chris are playing together. When Martin comes over, Chris says, “No, go away.”)

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Approach others with expectations of positive interactions

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Build skills needed to participate successfully as a member of a group, such as taking turns

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Sustain interaction by cooperating, helping, sharing, and expressing interest, though they may need adult guidance

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Develop friendships, sometimes based on shared interests or characteristics

Birth to Nine Months: May cry when another baby cries

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Show awareness in other people’s emotions

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Demonstrate interest in the feelings of another child

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: May try to comfort children who are distressed (E.g. Filomena gives her teddy bear to Ellen, who is crying.)

Thirty Months to Three Years: Begin to display empathy towards other children

Three Years: Begin to label others’ feelings and recognize reasons for those feelings

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Begin to understand the reasons for others’ emotions and respond appropriately (E.g. Audrey says to a friend who is upset over not getting the toy she wanted during play, “You’ll get to play with it next time.”)

Birth to Nine Months: Calm themselves (E.g. 9-month-old Vinod babbles in his crib until his father comes to get him up from his nap.)

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Need adult support to regulate physical expressions of emotions (E.g. Marigold pulls another baby’s hair until the teacher takes her hand and shows her how to pat the baby gently.)

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: With guidance, demonstrate they can use some classroom materials appropriately (E.g. The teacher shows her toddlers how to handle books gently and Clara turns the pages carefully.)

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: With adult guidance, can begin to tone down aggressive behaviors.

Thirty Months to Three Years: Show increased self-regulation and awareness of how their actions affect others

Three Years: Follow classroom rules and routines with guidance

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Begin to be able to stop undesirable behaviors on their own or with a gentle reminder (E.g. Xavier starts to grab Zach’s car, but stops himself and asks, “Can I use that when you’re done?”)

Birth to Nine Months: Express enjoyment and unhappiness in their environment

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Begin to express a variety of feelings through vocalizations, facial expressions, and body movements

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: May express their feelings strongly including extended episodes and may not be easily distracted

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Share their feelings through talking and pretend play

Thirty Months to Three Years: Verbally relate their needs, wants, and feelings to others

Three Years: Express their feelings verbally with greater frequency

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Demonstrate increasing competencies in recognizing and describing their own emotions

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Explore emotions in various ways (through play, art, music, and dance)

Birth to Nine Months: By 9 months, stop crying when their needs are met or they expect their needs to be met

Nine Months to Eighteen Months : Follow their caregiver to keep him/her in sight

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months: Use comfort objects or certain behaviors to calm themselves (E.g. Finn finds and holds his blanket to calm himself.)

Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Have difficulty regulating strong feelings

Thirty Months to Three Years: Begin using words to describe their feelings while still expressing strong emotions

Three Years: Begin to respond to an adult’s cues about regulating their emotions (E.g. At drop-off time, Sage begins to control his crying when his teacher says, “I know you’re sad, would you like to see what your friends are doing?”)

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: May still have difficulty regulating strong emotions

Four- and Five-Year-Olds: Increasingly use words instead of actions to express their emotions