Playing & Learning (birth - 33 months)

Learning Guidelines

Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers

The Playing and Learning workshop has been designed to meet the Massachusetts Early Learning Guides for Infants and Toddlers. The purpose for these guidelines, developed by the Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children for the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) in 2010, is to provide a comprehensive view of the development of infants and toddlers while documenting the experiences that support this development. The guidelines are for parents as well as early education and care professionals.

The first three years of life are a time of rapid brain development and learning. This time becomes critically important for infants and toddlers as they develop foundations for learning. As their children’s first teachers, parents have the greatest impact on their children’s lives.

Early learning and development are multidimensional. Developmental domains (categories or dimensions of children’s learning and development) are highly interrelated. Development in one domain influences development in other domains.

For more information about the guidelines, including definitions of terms, visit http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/curriculum-and-learning/.

The Playing and Learning workshop aligns with the following guidelines:

For Babies (0–15 months)

Language and Communication Development

• Demonstrates the meaning of language by listening.
• Develops expressive language.
• Engages in social communication.
• Develops in multiple language acquisitions when considered a dual language learner.

Cognitive Development

• Refines reflexes into purposeful actions.
• Develops memory skills
• Performs simple actions to make things happen and displays a beginning understanding of cause and effect.
• Discovers creative expression through music, drama, dance, and art experiences.

Social and Emotional Development

• Relates to, trusts, and becomes attached to consistent educators.
• Acts as a social being by engaging with others and the world around her.
• Experiences and expresses a range of emotions.
• Begins to regulate own feelings and behavior.
• Develops a positive sense of self.

Approaches to Learning

• Shows eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
• Becomes intentional and persistent in their learning and discovery.

For Toddlers (12–33 Months)

Language and Communication Development

• Demonstrates understanding of spoken (or signed) language.
• Develops expressive language.
• Engages in social communication.
• Uses language to ask questions and tell stories.

Cognitive Development

• Develops increasing memory of past events and knowledge.
• Demonstrates an awareness that predictable things happen as a result of actions.
• Experiments with a variety of problem solving strategies.
• Discovers creative expression through music, drama, dance, and art experiences.

Social and Emotional Development

• Relates to, trusts, and becomes attached to consistent educators.
• Notices and interacts with toddlers their own age.
• Experiences and expresses a range of emotions.
• Progresses in regulating own feelings and behavior.

Approaches to Learning

• Shows eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
• Becomes intentional and persist