aeps3

## ALIGNMENT

**Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System 
for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-3)**

**WITH**
**New York State Early Learning Guidelines**

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# Alignment of <em>Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third</em> ® <em>Edition (AEPS -3)</em> with the New York State Early Learning Guidelines

This document aligns the 0–9 months, 8–16 months, 15–24 months, 24–36 months, 3-year-old, 4-year-old, 5-year-old, 
and 6-year-old levels of the *New York State Early Learning Guidelines* [2019] with the areas, strands, goals, and 
objectives of Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS<sup>®</sup>-3).

### References

Bricker, D., Dionne, C., Grisham, J., Johnson, J.J., Macy, M., Slentz, K., & Waddell, M. (2022). *Assessment, Evaluation, and* 
Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS<sup>®</sup>-3). Brookes Publishing Co.
New York State Early Childhood Advisory Council. (2019). *New York State Early Learning Guidelines: A Child Development 
Resource for Educators of Children Ages Birth Through Eight.* Retrieved from: 
https://www.earlychildhoodny.org/pdi/elg.php

AEPS-3 products can be purchased online at www.brookespublishing.com/aeps or by calling 1-800-638-3775.

AEPS® is a registered trademark of and the AEPS logo is owned by Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Co., Inc.

Created December 2022

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| Approaches to Learning |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A. Curiosity and Interest |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Will gaze at something that has caught their attention (e.g., a fan, pinwheel, or a mobile) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Changes behavior when interested in an object, person, or experience (e.g., by becoming quieter or louder, or by changing facial expressions) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Explores educator's face, hands, or clothing while feeding, by staring and reaching out to touch their features | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Explores the way objects, such as leaves or applesauce, feel | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Finds objects and puts them in their mouth | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Looks at themselves in the mirror and tries reaching their own reflection | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Feels, bangs, gets in, sits on, and throws objects to find out more about them | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 8-16 months | Crawls, cruises, climbs or walks toward objects of interest (e.g., attempts to reach objects that are high up) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 8-16 months | Repeats experiences to develop their understanding. (e.g., learns to crawl up stairs, and subsequently crawls up every set of stairs they find) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 15-24 months | Points to objects, vocalizes, and looks to educator to identify the object | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 15-24 months | Brings objects they are curious about to an educator | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15-24 months | Takes things apart | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 15-24 months | When walking outside, stops to examine objects, such as a leaf | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 15-24 months | Will play with one object again and again (e.g., asks to hear the same book, and books on the same topic, again and again) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |

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**NY Guidelines**
Asks simple questions involving what, where, and why; may

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Social-

**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24-36 months | Asks simple questions involving what, where, and why; may not attend to the answer | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 24-36 months | Asks questions about where people are when they can't be seen | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 24-36 months | Will approach things, or devise ways to reach items of curiosity, such as pulling over a chair to reach a table | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses object to obtain another object |
| 3-year-olds | Often asks "why?" | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 3-year-olds | Makes up stories about objects around them (e.g., observes fish tank and tells a story about the fish's family) | Cognitive | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 3-year-olds | Notices the interests of their peers (e.g., observes their play and then imitates it) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 3-year-olds | Investigates the details of caregiving (e.g., asks to help cook) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 3-year-olds | Compares experiences in one setting and another (e.g., after reading a book about pets, the child says, "I have a dog too.") | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Learns details about a topic of interest, (e.g., after reading a book about sharks, reads more books about sharks and learns the names of many sharks) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 4-year-olds | Collects objects that they are interested in, for example, sticks | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 4-year-olds | Tries to reproduce things they are interested in (e.g., looks at a book about a castle and then tries to build a castle in the block area) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Asks for explanations of how things work, (e.g., asks where the water in the faucet comes from) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Makes connection between their experiences at home and in school, (e.g., says, "I have paints at home too!") | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Recognizes their peers' knowledge and asks them about things that they are experts in | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 5-year-olds | Asks scientific questions, (e.g., what happens to the caterpillar when it is in the chrysalis) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 5-year-olds | Believes that there is one objective truth about a subject and thinks that if others have a different interpretation, they do not know the truth | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 6-year-olds | Locates an informational text in the classroom to find out about topics they are interested in | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3. Investigates to test hypotheses |
| 6-year-olds | Asks questions of experts (e.g., during a field trip to the waste treatment plant, child asks questions about how the pipes are connected) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| B. Initiative |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Actively explores the environment with their senses | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Engages familiar adults in interactions (smiling, approaching, gesturing) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 0-9 months | Rolls or crawls closer to touch an object | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Reaches for something of interest, such as a caregiver’s glasses or a toy | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Tries to hold bottle and feed self | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 4.1 Drinks from cup with spouted lid |
| 8-16 months | Moves toward object or person they are interested in | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Wants to participate in self-care routines (e.g., wants to hold their own toothbrush) | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 3.1 Completes some steps to brush teeth, comb hair, and wipe nose |
| 8-16 months | Crawls or toddles to an educator with a book they have selected | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1. Creeps forward using alternating arm and leg movements |
| 8-16 months | Crawls or toddles to an educator with a book they have selected | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 8-16 months | Holds objects up or out to educator that they are curious about | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15-24 months | Vocalizes to express desire for an object or curiosity about it, with such phrases as “Dis?” | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 15-24 months | Tries activities that their educator suggests they engage in (e.g., goes down the slide after their caregiver suggests it) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.2 Responds to request to begin activity |
| 15-24 months | Is inspired by the activities of their peers (e.g., after seeing another child push a doll stroller, tries to take the doll stroller and push it themselves) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 15-24 months | Looks or points at activities that they are interested in participating in | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 24-36 months | Finds ways to accomplish their own goals, such as climbing onto a table to reach something up high | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses object to obtain another object |
| 24-36 months | Explores on their own and then returns to educator (i.e., runs to see something that looks interesting to them and then circles back to educator) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 24-36 months | Tells an educator what they want to do | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 3-year-olds | Engages in solitary play with a preferred toy | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.3 Entertains self by playing with toys |
| 3-year-olds | Asks educator to read them their favorite book | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 3-year-olds | Watches what another child is doing and then begins to do it alongside them | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 3-year-olds | Chases another child and then turns so that they may have a turn being chased | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1. Maintains interaction with peer |
| 4-year-olds | Gathers the materials that they need for a simple project, such as making imaginary soup | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.3 Entertains self by playing with toys |
| 4-year-olds | Finds their own clothing in their cubby and puts it on | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 2. Selects appropriate clothing and dresses self |
| 4-year-olds | Makes a plan for what they want to create (e.g., plans to draw a house) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Makes a choice about which area of the classroom they want to play in | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 4-year-olds | Makes a new friend by playing alongside or with them and engaging in conversations | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.2 Joins others in cooperative activity |
| 5-year-olds | Takes care of classroom chores without being asked (e.g., throws out napkin after snack). | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Develops a play idea day after day (e.g., child returns to block area to continue a construction and play scenario that has been developed throughout the week) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3. Initiates and completes independent activities |
| 5-year-olds | Advocates for their plot ideas when engaged in dramatic play with peers (e.g., when playing hospital in the dramatic play area, child asserts that the patient should be cured, while peer thinks they should die) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 6-year-olds | Thinks of ideas for stories they want to write about | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Volunteers to help with classroom chores | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 6-year-olds | Talks to an educator about how to solve a social problem (e.g., talks about homeless people they see on the way to school and asks how we might offer shelter to them) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| C. Persistence and Attentiveness |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Repeatedly shakes rattle to produce noise | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 0-9 months | Holds the attention of their caregiver (e.g., smiles, babbles, sustains eye-contact, cries) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Is deeply focused on mastering a new skill for days at a time (e.g., works to get onto all fours and then rocks when learning to crawl) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 8-16 months | Focuses on the same thing as the caregiver (e.g., watches the caregiver's hands and looks at their face as they turn the pages of a book) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1.1 Follows pointing gestures with eyes |
| 8-16 months | Puts blocks in a bucket and then dumps them out and does it again | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 15-24 months | Tries many ways of getting to an object that is out of reach | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses object to obtain another object |
| 15-24 months | Wants to do favorite activities and practice developing skills over and over again (e.g., repeatedly jumps off low step) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.3 Entertains self by playing with toys |
| 15-24 months | Continues to try a difficult task when a caregiver sits close to them | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 24-36 months | Sits on a caregiver's lap while they read a board book from start to finish | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 24-36 months | Maintains their focus on a desired outcome | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 24-36 months | Stacks large cardboard blocks until they balance | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 24-36 months | Completes 3-5 piece puzzle | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.3 Fits variety of shapes into corresponding spaces |
| 24-36 months | Pushes and pulls a wagon up a hill | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 3-year-olds | Focuses on the character and plot when engaged in pretend play (e.g., pretends to be the mother and stays in this role as the doll babies are fed and put to bed) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Listens to a short story from start to finish with a small group of children | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 3-year-olds | Tries several times to put on their own shoes before asking for help | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 2.6 Puts on shoes |
| 3-year-olds | Chooses the same puzzle every day until they can do it with ease | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.1 Assembles toy |
| 4-year-olds | Makes a bead necklace of their name and sorts through all the letters until they find those needed | Literacy | C. Alphabet Knowledge | 1.4 Names letters in own first name |
| 4-year-olds | Puts blocks away in their designated places until every block has been put away | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.1 Responds to request to finish activity |
| 4-year-olds | Listens to a storybook read to the whole group from start to finish | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 4-year-olds | Asks for help from a caregiver to complete a task | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Attends to open-ended tasks that they are interested in for a minimum of 20- 30 minutes | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3. Initiates and completes independent activities |
| 5-year-olds | Pauses work to get up to talk to their peers | Social- Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.1 Uses socially appropriate physical orientation |
| 5-year-olds | Rebuilds their elaborate block structure after it has been knocked down | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| 5-year-olds | Tries several different ways of solving a problem (e.g., tries making a bridge with blocks to drive a car over, and when it falls, tries a new foundation so that it will support the cars) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Sustains interest in a chapter book the educator is reading the class over the course of several weeks | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 6-year-olds | Reflects on their work and makes changes based on feedback from peers or educators | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |

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**D. Creativity and Inventiveness**

| D. Creativity and Inventiveness |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–9 months | Imitates expressions on caregiver's face | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Shakes, mouths, and drops objects | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Imitates unusual uses for objects (e.g., places pot on head as a hat) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.1 Imitates novel simple motor action not already in repertoire |
| 8–16 months | Tries out ways to use objects that they have observed in other places (e.g., bangs on a surface after watching drumming at a cultural event) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.1 Imitates novel simple motor action not already in repertoire |
| 15–24 months | Invents new uses for everyday materials (e.g., bangs on pots and pans) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 15–24 months | Tries different combinations of objects (e.g., tries to fit small blocks into a peg sorter) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 15–24 months | Imitates adult's idea (e.g., following educator's example to makes themselves a necklace by stringing large beads or tubes together) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Imitates novel coordinated motor actions |
| 24–36 months | Uses everyday objects in imaginary play (e.g., picks up sticks and pretends they are swords) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 24–36 months | Experiments with using various materials to solve problems (e.g., places a block on a stack of papers that is blowing away) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 24–36 months | Dresses up as characters, (e.g., wraps scarf around neck and pretends to be a superhero) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Asks adult for assistance with their creations (e.g., child asks educator to make a tent by putting a sheet over a table) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 3-year-olds | Embodies a pretend play character day after day | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Experiments with materials (e.g., dips paint into water and sees what color the water turns) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 3-year-olds | Invents words in play (e.g., says the specks of dirt in the sunlight are "bittle") | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Sings made up songs to themselves | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |
| 3-year-olds | May have an imaginary friend | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Engages in detailed pretend play with peers | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Makes objects that they need for pretend play (e.g., makes a boat out of a cardboard box) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 4-year-olds | Tries several ways to create the object they have in mind. (e.g., child experiments with different foundations until they have found the one that will hold up a block bridge) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Develops techniques for painting and drawing (e.g., makes fast and slow strokes, or thick and thin lines) | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.1 Writes or draws using mixed strokes |
| 4-year-olds | Hears peers speaking a different language and makes up nonsense words and says they are speaking that language | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 2. Imitates novel words |
| 5-year-olds | Adds detail to creations (e.g., makes a clay bird with wings and a beak) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1.1 Interacts appropriately with materials during small-group activities |
| 5-year-olds | Asks more experienced people for advice about their creations (e.g., discusses ways to build stairs with an educator and then uses their advice) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 5-year-olds | Uses writing to add detail to their projects (e.g., includes a stop sign in their block construction) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 5-year-olds | Makes detailed and elaborate costumes for pretend play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 6-year-olds | Uses their knowledge of science or social studies in creating (e.g., finds a beetle and makes a home for it with leaves and sticks) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Collaborates with peers to create a project over time (e.g., works together in a small group to paint the backdrop for a play) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| 6-year-olds | Uses a familiar story as the basis to tell a new version (e.g., learns several Anansi stories and then makes up their own story about a tricky spider) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |

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**Physical Well-Being, Health and Motor Development**

| Physical Well-Being, Health and Motor Development |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A. Large Motor Skills |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Holds head upright and in middle of body when carried | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4.6 Holds head in midline when sitting supported |
| 0-9 months | Brings hands together while lying on their back | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 1.1 Brings hands together near midline |
| 0-9 months | Lies on their back and holds onto their feet | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 1. Turns head, moves arms, and kicks legs independently of each other |
| 0-9 months | Rolls from back to front | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3. Rolls from back to stomach |
| 0-9 months | Rolls from front to back | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3.1 Rolls from stomach to back |
| 0-9 months | Sits unsupported and reaches for objects | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4.3 Regains balanced, upright sitting position after leaning left, right, and forward |
| 0-9 months | Moves from sitting to hands and knees | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4.1 Assumes hands-and-knees position from sitting |
| 0-9 months | Rocks back and forth on their hands and knees | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1.1 Rocks while in creeping position |
| 0-9 months | Pulls body forward while on stomach (commando crawl) | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1.3 Crawls forward on stomach |
| 8-16 months | Moves between lying down, sitting, and balancing on hands and knees | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4.1 Assumes hands-and-knees position from sitting |
| 8-16 months | Moves between lying down, sitting, and balancing on hands and knees | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1.2 Assumes creeping position |
| 8-16 months | Crawls | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1. Creeps forward using alternating arm and leg movements |
| 8-16 months | Pulls to a standing position | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2.3 Pulls to standing position |
| 8-16 months | Sits back down and moves to crawling after sitting down | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4. Assumes balanced sitting position |
| 8-16 months | Sits back down and moves to crawling after sitting down | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4.1 Assumes hands-and-knees position from sitting |
| 8-16 months | Pulls to standing, and uses one hand to manipulate toys | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2.3 Pulls to standing position |
| 8-16 months | Cruises (walks holding on to furniture) | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.4 Cruises |

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**AEPS-3 Area**

**AEPS-3 Strand**
B. Movement and

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Adjusts body position when moving up or down slopes or along different surfaces | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.3 Gets up and down from low structure |
| 8–16 months | Crawls up the stairs | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.2 Moves up and down stairs |
| 8–16 months | Starts to walk around tables with support | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.2 Walks with one-hand support |
| 8–16 months | Pushes a doll stroller or other wheeled object while walking | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.3 Walks with two-hand support |
| 8–16 months | Walks without support | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 8–16 months | May walk a bit and then suddenly sit down | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4. Assumes balanced sitting position |
| 8–16 months | May walk a bit and then suddenly sit down | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 8–16 months | Stops walking, squats, and stands back up | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2. Stoops and regains balanced standing position |
| 8–16 months | Throws a ball | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.6 Throws or rolls ball at target with two hands |
| 15–24 months | Runs | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5.1 Runs |
| 15–24 months | Kicks a ball | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.4 Kicks ball |
| 15–24 months | Climbs onto an adult-sized couch | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.3 Gets up and down from low structure |
| 15–24 months | Walks up and down stairs while holding onto an educator's hand | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.1 Walks up and down stairs using support |
| 15–24 months | Walks up and down stairs or climbing equipment by stepping with both feet on each step | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.1 Walks up and down stairs using support |
| 24–36 months | Changes speed or direction while moving though may have difficulty stopping with control | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3. Walks avoiding people, furniture, or objects |
| 24–36 months | Walks up stairs, placing one foot on each step | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4.1 Walks up and down stairs using support |
| 24–36 months | Bends over to pick up a toy and stands back up | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2. Stoops and regains balanced standing position |
| 24–36 months | Jumps forward with both feet at the same time | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6. Jumps forward |
| 24–36 months | Walks on tip-toes when asked | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 24–36 months | Climbs a playground ladder | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.2 Climbs play equipment |
| 24–36 months | Catches a medium-sized ball | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.3 Catches ball |
| 24–36 months | Pedals a tricycle | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 3.2 Pedals and steers tricycle |
| 3-year-olds | Walks along curb or beam for short periods | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 3-year-olds | Jumps off a step with both feet together | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6.2 Jumps down from low structure |
| 3-year-olds | Throws ball overhand | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.5 Throws ball overhand at target with one hand |
| 3-year-olds | Catches medium- to large-size balls and similar objects by trapping them against body with straight arms | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.3 Catches ball |
| 3-year-olds | Climbs up playground ladders | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.2 Climbs play equipment |
| 3-year-olds | Gallops | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7.1 Gallops |
| 3-year-olds | Has a smooth walk/run gait | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5.2 Walks fast |
| 3-year-olds | Can stop body before running into other peers or obstacles | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5. Runs while avoiding people, furniture, or other objects |
| 3-year-olds | Runs and stops suddenly without falling | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5. Runs while avoiding people, furniture, or other objects |
| 4-year-olds | Runs smoothly around obstacles, stops and starts, plays tag | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5. Runs while avoiding people, furniture, or other objects |
| 4-year-olds | Jumps for height and distance | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6. Jumps forward |
| 4-year-olds | Hops on one foot | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7.2 Hops forward on one foot |
| 4-year-olds | Balances on one foot for a few moments | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7.2 Hops forward on one foot |
| 4-year-olds | Pedals tricycle while navigating corners and obstacles | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 3.2 Pedals and steers tricycle |
| 4-year-olds | Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet, without support | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4. Alternates feet going up and down stairs |
| 4-year-olds | Climbs down playground ladders | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.2 Climbs play equipment |
| 4-year-olds | Squats without falling over | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2. Stoops and regains balanced standing position |
| 5-year-olds | Skips using alternating feet | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7. Skips |
| 5-year-olds | Walks backwards | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3.1 Walks without support |
| 5-year-olds | Turns somersaults | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Imitates novel coordinated motor actions |
| 5-year-olds | Catches a playground ball from 3 feet away | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.3 Catches ball |
| 5-year-olds | Balances on either foot | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7.2 Hops forward on one foot |
| 5-year-olds | Walks up and down stairs while holding an object | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4. Alternates feet going up and down stairs |
| 5-year-olds | Moves confidently around an obstacle course, maintaining balance while stopping and turning | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5. Runs while avoiding people, furniture, or other objects |
| 6-year-olds | Kicks a ball at a target | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.4 Kicks ball |
| 6-year-olds | Pumps legs to swing | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.1 Moves swing back and forth |
| 6-year-olds | Rides a bicycle without training wheels | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 3. Rides and steers bicycle |
| 6-year-olds | Jumps rope | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6.1 Jumps up and down in place |
| 6-year-olds | Dribbles basketball a few times | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.1 Bounces ball with one hand |

---

| B. Small Motor Skills |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Discovers fingers and toes | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Holds feet in hands or put hands in mouth | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Opens and closes hands | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2.4 Grasps hand-size object using whole hand |
| 0-9 months | Grips caregiver's finger or similar object | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2.4 Grasps hand-size object using whole hand |
| 0-9 months | Coordinates hands and eyes when reaching for and holding a toy, such as a rattle | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 1. Makes directed batting or swiping movements with each hand |
| 0-9 months | Reaches out and pushes ball | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 1. Makes directed batting or swiping movements with each hand |
| 0-9 months | Picks up an object, such as a rattle, turns it over, and drops it | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3.2 Releases object into nondefined space |
| 0-9 months | Grasps objects in each hand and bangs them together | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 1.1 Brings hands together near midline |
| 8-16 months | Uses forefinger and thumb to pick up smaller objects like cereal or pasta | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2. Grasps pea-size object |
| 8-16 months | Picks up small blocks and drops them into a container | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3.1 Releases object into targeted space |
| 8-16 months | Practices placing objects on top of one another, such as blocks or stacking cups | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 8-16 months | Grasps the string of a pull toy | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2.2 Grasps small cylindrical object |
| 8-16 months | Makes holes with one finger in play dough | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 1.1 Uses finger to point or touch |
| 8-16 months | Points, with index finger extended and other fingers in a fist | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 1.1 Uses finger to point or touch |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15–24 months | Holds a truck in one hand and uses the other hand to explore the wheels | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 15–24 months | Pulls toys by tugging on a string | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1.1 Uses part of object or support to obtain another object |
| 15–24 months | Holds on to two blocks while trying to reach for another block | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1.2 Retains one object when second object is obtained |
| 15–24 months | Uses large brush to stand and paint at the easel | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2.2 Grasps small cylindrical object |
| 15–24 months | Holds board book upright and turns the pages | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 2.1 Turns object using either hand |
| 15–24 months | Holds a crayon between fingers and thumb and scribbles with big arm movements | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.4 Scribbles |
| 15–24 months | Uses wrist to rotate knob puzzle pieces to fit them in puzzle board | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 2. Rotates wrist to manipulate object |
| 24–36 months | Use child-safe scissors in one hand to make snips in a piece of paper | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 24–36 months | Strings large wooden beads onto a shoelace | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 24–36 months | Balances 5–6 blocks on top of one another | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 24–36 months | Open a door by turning the round handle | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 2. Rotates wrist to manipulate object |
| 24–36 months | Picks up a cup with one hand to drink from it | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2.4 Grasps hand-size object using whole hand |
| 24–36 months | Turns the pages of a paper book one at a time | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 3-year-olds | Uses crayon, marker, or pencil to draw lines and rough circles and shapes that may resemble letters and people | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.4 Writes using “scribble writing” |
| 3-year-olds | Turns the pages of a book one at a time | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 3-year-olds | Builds a tower of 8 or more small blocks | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 3-year-olds | Cuts across small piece of paper with scissors | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 3-year-olds | Pinches, pounds, rolls, and squeezes clay | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 1.3 Uses fingers to explore object |
| 3-year-olds | Can place and remove a cookie cutter from a mound of clay | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 3-year-olds | Places small pegs in in pegboard | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.3 Fits variety of shapes into corresponding spaces |
| 3-year-olds | Pours water from a small pitcher into a cup with minimal spillage. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 6.1 Pours liquid into variety of containers |
| 3-year-olds | Can use forks, spoons, or chopsticks | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 3. Eats with eating utensils |
| 4-year-olds | Strings small beads onto laces | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 4-year-olds | Builds a tower of 10 or more blocks | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 4-year-olds | Hits nails and pegs with a hammer | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 4-year-olds | Forms shapes and designs out of clay (such as cookies with chips or snakes with eyes) | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 4-year-olds | Buttons medium-large buttons when dressing themselves | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 4-year-olds | Cuts along a line | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 4-year-olds | Pulls tape off a dispenser, then attempts to tape items to a page or form tape into a ball | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 5-year-olds | Consistently uses their right or left hand | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1. Holds writing tool using three-finger grasp to write or draw |
| 5-year-olds | Tears a small piece of tape off a tape dispenser | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 5-year-olds | Uses scissors with one hand to cut out shapes | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 5-year-olds | Uses pencil to copy many shapes and letters; these may be overly large or rough looking but the letter will be apparent | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.1 Writes or draws using mixed strokes |
| 5-year-olds | Spins a top | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 2. Rotates wrist to manipulate object |
| 5-year-olds | Zips up own coat | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 6-year-olds | Cuts out a shape, such as a house, with scissors | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 6-year-olds | Uses a pencil to write letters | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.1 Writes or draws using mixed strokes |
| 6-year-olds | Makes braided chains of yarn or finger-knit | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 6-year-olds | Uses a large needle and thread to sew a pouch or a pattern | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 6-year-olds | Weaves yarn or strips of paper together | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| 6-year-olds | Grips and squeezes a paper punch or pliers | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.4 Holds object with one hand and manipulates object or produces action with other hand |
| 6-year-olds | Ties shoelaces in bow | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| C. Sensory Integration |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Has a range of vision that is several feet by the age of four months | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Calms while being held as educator dances, sways, or rocks | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Tracks objects by moving both eyes together; makes eye contact with educator | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1. Turns and looks toward person speaking |
| 0-9 months | See objects at a distance by seven months | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1.2 Looks toward object |
| 0-9 months | Uses eyes, hands, feet, and mouth together to explore the environment (e.g., picks up an object, looks at it, then mouths it and looks at it again) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Hears door closing and looks to see who is coming | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Falls asleep when moving (e.g., in sling, stroller, or car) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | Nuzzles their face into a freshly washed blanket to smell it | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Moves their body to the rhythm of music | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | When a new food is introduced, makes a face and might spit it out | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | Feels objects in the environment (e.g., mashes and mixes the food on their high chair tray or, when walking, stops to pat a puddle) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Jiggles (e.g., sits on an educator’s knee and bounces up and down or pulls themselves to stand and bounces on their own knees) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.2 Repeats part of interactive game or action in order to continue game or action |
| 15–24 months | Starts to move body to fit into different spaces (e.g., fits their body into boxes, shelves, or laundry baskets) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 15–24 months | Pats, pushes, mounds, and squeezes modeling compound | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 15–24 months | Enjoys (or shows a dislike for) messy activities | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 24–36 months | Notices textures on their clothes (e.g., a lumpy sock or pants made of different fabric than their shirt) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 24–36 months | Tries different positions for walking quickly or running (e.g., leaning forward, rotating arms like propellers, or running sideways) | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5.2 Walks fast |
| 24–36 months | Jumps off a step | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6.2 Jumps down from low structure |
| 24–36 months | Rolls across the floor | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3. Rolls from back to stomach |
| 24–36 months | Rolls across the floor | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3.1 Rolls from stomach to back |
| 24–36 months | Touches everything in their environment | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 3-year-olds | Navigates learning environment, occasionally bumping into tables and chairs | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3. Walks avoiding people, furniture, or objects |
| 3-year-olds | Perceives the difference between similar colors (e.g., red and orange) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 3-year-olds | Turns around and around until dizzy | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2.2 Stands unsupported |
| 3-year-olds | Expresses preferences about the way things feel (e.g., whether the temperature of the air is too hot or too cold) | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 1.1 Communicates internal distress, discomfort, or pain to adult |

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**NY Guidelines**

**AEPS-3 Area**
Cognitive

**AEPS-3 Strand**
E. Scientific Discovery

**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Not able to see close up as well as they can far away | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 4-year-olds | Jumps off platforms | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6.2 Jumps down from low structure |
| 4-year-olds | Experiments with different kinds of slides and ways to slide | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.3 Goes down small slide |
| 4-year-olds | Roughhouses with peers | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4.2 Participates in game |
| 4-year-olds | Swings and holds balance without falling of | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.1 Moves swing back and forth |
| 5-year-olds | Developing left-to-right visual tracking | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2. Demonstrates understanding that text is read in one direction and from top to bottom of page |
| 5-year-olds | Moves around the learning environment easily and successfully | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3. Walks avoiding people, furniture, or objects |
| 5-year-olds | Spends time moving their body into different positions (e.g., upside down) | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3, 4 (all), 5 (all), 6 (all), 7 (all) |
| 6-year-olds | Eye muscles are adequately developed to allow them to move their eyes efficiently across a series of letters | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2. Demonstrates understanding that text is read in one direction and from top to bottom of page |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies and describes sensations they find soothing or disagreeable | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 1. Takes independent action to alleviate distress, discomfort, and pain |
| 6-year-olds | Propels self on swing by pushing off tree or other surface with their feet, and begins to pump their legs | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 2.1 Moves swing back and forth |

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| D. Self-Care |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Roots to find nipple | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Indicates to their family member or caregiver when they want to nurse or eat by using crying, sounds, and gestures | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 0-9 months | Indicates when they are done by turning away from the nipple or bottle | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 0-9 months | Raises legs during diaper changing | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 0-9 months | Responds to educator's language during caregiving activities by making eye contact and smiling | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0-9 months | Assists educator in holding their bottle | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 0-9 months | Reaches for family member or educator when wanting to be hugged or held | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Has a sound or gesture that they use to indicate that they want to nurse or eat (e.g., "Num num") | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 8-16 months | Tries new foods according to the cultural expectations of their family and community | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 2. Eats foods from variety of food groups with variety of textures |
| 8-16 months | For breast-feeding babies, crawls or walks to mother and climbs into lap to nurse when desired | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 8-16 months | Feels and mouths object to distinguish between food and non-food items | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8-16 months | Feeds self-with fingers | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 3.2 Eats with fingers |
| 8-16 months | Removes loose clothing (e.g., socks, hats, or mittens) | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 1.6 Takes off socks |
| 8-16 months | Removes loose clothing (e.g., socks, hats, or mittens) | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 1.7 Takes off hat |

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**NY Guidelines**

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Social-

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 15–24 months | Crawls or toddles toward or away from changing table when educator suggests a diaper change | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15–24 months | Holds out hands or pulls them away when educator brings them to the sink for hand washing | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15–24 months | Opens mouth for educator to brush their gums and teeth, or, if they would not like their gums to be brushed, closes mouth firmly | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15–24 months | Participates in sleeping routines in culturally appropriate ways (e.g., lying down with grandma, gathering blanket and pacifier, or crawling to a rocking chair) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15–24 months | Drinks from an open cup | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 4. Drinks from open-mouth container |
| 15–24 months | Undresses themselves completely | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 1. Undresses self by removing all clothing |
| 24–36 months | Tries a wider range of textures and flavors of food | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 2. Eats foods from variety of food groups with variety of textures |
| 24–36 months | For breastfeeding toddlers, begins to have interactions with their mother about when and how they like to nurse | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.1 Initiates next step of familiar social routine |
| 24–36 months | Anticipates and participates in family and/or childcare sleeping routines | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| 24–36 months | Shows interest in toilet training and may start to use toilet regularly with assistance | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 1.3 Indicates awareness of soiled and wet pants or diapers |
| 24–36 months | Washes and dries hands after toileting and before meals, with assistance | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 2.2 Washes and dries hands |
| 24–36 months | Cooperates and assists educator in tooth-brushing | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 3.1 Completes some steps to brush teeth, comb hair, and wipe nose |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Eats socially, as is appropriate for their family and community's culture (e.g., by taking a portion from a common bowl and passing the bowl to the next child) | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 5. Uses culturally appropriate social dining skills |
| 3-year-olds | Communicates to educator when they need to use the toilet | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 1.1 Indicates need to use toilet |
| 3-year-olds | Begins to follow the steps of using the toilet with assistance | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 1.2 Has bowel and bladder control |
| 3-year-olds | Washes hands before eating and after using the toilet, with reminders | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 2.2 Washes and dries hands |
| 3-year-olds | Puts on their own coat before going outside | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 2.2 Puts on front-opening clothing |
| 3-year-olds | Wipes their own nose with a tissue, with a reminder | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 3.1 Completes some steps to brush teeth, comb hair, and wipe nose |
| 3-year-olds | Brushes their teeth, with help to reach all areas of the mouth | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 3.1 Completes some steps to brush teeth, comb hair, and wipe nose |
| 3-year-olds | Recognizes their own cubby to store personal items | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 4-year-olds | Independently uses the toilet | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 1. Carries out all toileting functions |
| 4-year-olds | Independently washes hands before eating and after using the toilet with minimal reminders | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 2.2 Washes and dries hands |
| 4-year-olds | Dresses themselves, but may need help with zippers, snaps and buttons | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | 2. Selects appropriate clothing and dresses self |
| 4-year-olds | Communicates to educator about their own feelings of being hungry, tired or ill | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 1. Takes independent action to alleviate distress, discomfort, and pain |
| 4-year-olds | Brushes their own teeth | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | 3. Completes all steps for personal hygiene, including brushing teeth, combing hair, and wiping nose |
| 4-year-olds | After a couple of weeks at school, knows the morning routine such as placing their backpack into their cubby and hanging up their coat | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |

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|  | NY Guidelines | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Manages the contents of their backpack (e.g., takes out their folder and hangs it on their hook when they arrive in school) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Gets lunch on their tray or their lunchbox from their backpack and eats without prompting during lunch time | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Safely manages increasing levels of risk in physical play | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| 6-year-olds | Describes the purpose of events at the doctor's office (e.g., says that a vaccine will keep them from getting sick in the future) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 6-year-olds | Discusses consent with educators and peers; for example, says, “I would prefer to shake your hand, not give you a kiss.” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 6-year-olds | Knows to call 911 in an emergency | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 4. Recognizes and reports information regarding safety |
| 6-year-olds | Knows what bullying is and how to report bullying to a trusted adult | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 4.2 Reports inappropriate events, actions, or language by others |
| E. Healthy Sexuality |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Explores body parts, including their genitals | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Prefers to be unclothed | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Looks at body parts on self, others, and in mirror | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Responds positively to healthy touch from loving adults (e.g., is soothed by massage) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0-9 months | Communicates bodily discomfort (e.g., cries during tummy time or gives strong signal that a different position is preferred) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.2 Vocalizes to another person expressing negative affective state |
| 8-16 months | Enjoys sensual, non-sexual experiences (e.g., breast feeding, thumb sucking, rocking to bed, cuddling) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Expresses delight and a sense of pride in the things their body can do independently (e.g., crawling up stairs, and throwing or dropping objects) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.1 Vocalizes to another person expressing positive affective state |
| 8-16 months | Bats at, touches, grasps, or pulls their genitals during diaper changing | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 1. Makes directed batting or swiping movements with each hand |

---

**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15–24 months | Touches or rubs their genitals themselves for pleasure (Note: Children this age are not masturbating to orgasm.) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 15–24 months | Says “no” or walks away when another child tries touch, hit, or kiss them | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 24–36 months | Learns the language for different body parts and their functions (e.g., penis, vagina, or breasts) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Communicates their gender identity (e.g., “I’m a girl!”) and categorizes others by gender | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Expresses curiosity about their own body and the bodies of others (e.g., trying to see other people’s bodies or asking questions like: “Why doesn’t Kayla have a wee wee?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 3-year-olds | Expresses positive feelings about their body and actively explores what it can do (e.g., may experiment with different positions for urinating) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 3-year-olds | Understands that their bodies belong to themselves and that they have a right to say “no” to unwanted touch | Adaptive | D. Personal Safety | 1. Takes independent action to alleviate distress, discomfort, and pain |
| 3-year-olds | Imitates the relationship behavior of adults (e.g., children may engage in “kissing” or “playing house”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Expresses curiosity about their body and the bodies of others (e.g., a child may examine the “bottoms” of pets and stuffed animals) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 4-year-olds | Asks questions about their bodies and the bodies of others | Social-Communication | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Curious about birth, reproduction, and how families are made (e.g., child may ask, “Where did I come from?” or “What makes a baby?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Plays “doctor,” taking off clothes and examining peers’ genitals | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Seeks bodily pleasure (e.g., may want to cuddle when they wake up from nap or enjoy dressing up in silky dresses) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 4-year-olds | Masturbates either with their hands or through rubbing their genitals against surfaces like pillows or chairs | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 4-year-olds | Uses “potty talk” to test limits and make people laugh | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |

---

**NY Guidelines**
Uses correct names for parts of the body

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Cognitive E. Scientific Discovery

**AEPS-3 Items**
2.3 Makes observations

| 5-year-olds | Uses correct names for parts of the body | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | May be familiar with exploring genitals but still have questions about their functions | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 5-year-olds | Understands that certain bodily activities have particular times and places, and accepts limits (e.g., may pick their nose in the bathroom) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 5-year-olds | Explores the idea of family and marriage, and understands that some adults are married and that some are not; is aware that there are lots of different ways to make a family | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 6-year-olds | Less interested in exploring sexuality than they were earlier | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | May continue to masturbate and understand that it is a healthy activity that has a specific time and place | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 6-year-olds | Begins to understand concepts of the body changing as it grows older | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Knows that they have agency over and are the experts on their own bodies and gender identity (i.e. they get to decide if they are a boy, girl, both, or something else) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 6-year-olds | Understands that there are lots of different kinds of loving relationships (e.g. parent, sibling, friend, etc.) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |

---

| Social and Emotional Development |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A. Trusting Relationships with Adults |  |  |  |  |
| 0–9 months | Quiets when comforted by familiar adult, most of the time | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1.1 Quiets to familiar voice |
| 0–9 months | Shows preference for familiar educator through facial expressions and gestures (e.g., smiles or laughs) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 0–9 months | Initiates and maintains interactions with educators (e.g., smiles, gestures, or verbal expression) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| 0–9 months | Cries, makes sounds, or uses body movements to signal caregiver for assistance, attention, or need for comfort | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.2 Vocalizes to another person expressing negative affective state |
| 0–9 months | Looks for educators’ response in uncertain situations (e.g., when stranger enters the room) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Explores environment with guidance from trusting adults | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Seeks security and support from primary educator | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Exhibits separation anxiety by staying close to familiar adult in presence of strangers | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | When in a new situation, will make eye contact with trusted adult to “check in” with them | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Tests and confirms educators’ responses to own behavior (e.g., reaches for a forbidden object and looks at educator to check response) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult’s affective tone |
| 15–24 months | Indicates need for assistance from a trusted adult (e.g., looks to adult and points to ball to indicate they need help when a ball rolls under shelves) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 15–24 months | Periodically checks with caregiver for help or reassurance when playing alone or with peers (e.g., moves body to caregiver to get a hug then goes back to playing) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| 15–24 months | Initiates interactions and plays with adults (e.g., brings book for adult to read) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Responds to adults’ verbal greetings either verbally or nonverbally by, for example, waving or blowing a kiss | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult’s positive social behavior |

---

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24–36 months | Imitates adult activities (e.g., pretends to cook or “reads” next to adult who is reading) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 24–36 months | Communicates with adults about recent activities. (e.g., “Mama and I went to the store.”) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3.2 Relates recent events with contextual cues |
| 24–36 months | May show discomfort with separation or new situations when familiar caregiver is not present (e.g., by protesting loudly, crying, or withdrawing) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 24–36 months | Seeks adult assistance with challenges but may become angry when help is given. (e.g., “Help please, I do it myself.”) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 3-year-olds | Separates with assistance from significant adults and transitions to educator | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| 3-year-olds | Asks for educator’s assistance with an activity they want to do (e.g., asks educator to hold their hand as they balance along a curb) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 3-year-olds | Brings simple problem to adults attention (e.g., informing them a tricycle has gotten stuck) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 4-year-olds | Asks for help in completing projects that they are interested in but that are beyond their physical capabilities (e.g., asks caregiver to tape corners of cardboard construction together) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Carries out actions to please adults at times (e.g., cleans up at clean-up time) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 4-year-olds | Expresses feelings about adults (e.g., “I love Auntie because she always plays with me.”) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Follows educators’ guidelines for appropriate behavior in different environments | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Interacts with significant adults outside of the family and classroom (e.g., speaks with the bus driver and cook) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| 5-year-olds | Seeks guidance from family members, educators, and other familiar adults | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.1 Seeks adult permission when appropriate |
| 5-year-olds | Transitions into unfamiliar settings with the assistance of a familiar adult | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 6-year-olds | Greets educators or other adults when arriving in the learning environment | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 6-year-olds | Engages in informal conversations with adults (e.g., talks with educator every day about what their new kitten is doing) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 6-year-olds | Seeks educator’s assistance when a group of children cannot agree on the rules for a game | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.1 Uses strategies to resolve conflicts |
| 6-year-olds | Seeks educator’s advice on how to deal with a conflict with a friend | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.1 Uses strategies to resolve conflicts |
| B. Sense of Belonging |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Expresses contentment or joy when trusted adult is present | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| 0-9 months | Develops cultural identity through daily caregiving interactions, household smell, sounds | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 0-9 months | Babbles a range of sounds and imitates intonation and sounds of the home language(s) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| 0-9 months | Looks more at faces that resemble the faces of familiar, trusted adults | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | May react to and/or interact differently with others who do not resemble their family members and who speak other languages or language variations | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Plays beside other children | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 8-16 months | Demonstrates ease and comfort when spoken to in their home language | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 8-16 months | Cries when family member leaves | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15-24 months | Displays ease and comfort in a variety of places when with familiar adults | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 15-24 months | Follows familiar routines (e.g., knows what chair is theirs when meal time occurs) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 24-36 months | Identifies self as a member of a family; talks about family members who are not present | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 4.3 Provides given name or nickname of self and others |
| 24-36 months | Is curious about physical characteristics of self and others (e.g., skin color, hair texture, or gender anatomy) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |

---

|  | NY Guidelines | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24–36 months | May begin to use social labels such as race to describe people and “match” them based on physical characteristics | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Asks simple questions about other children. (e.g., “Where’s Tommy?” “What’s he doing?”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 24–36 months | May begin to show fear, discomfort, or dislike toward people who look or speak in unfamiliar ways | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 3-year-olds | Uses pretend play to explore, practice, and understand social roles | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | May assign roles to other children during dramatic play that reflect their lived experience (e.g., “You be the Mama, and I’ll be the Papa with the baby.”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Identifies gender and other similarities and differences between self and others; may draw conclusions based on stereotypes and personal experience | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 3-year-olds | Notices differences, and may ask why (e.g., “Why is he in a wheelchair?”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 3-year-olds | Children may begin using their home language in certain places and times or with certain people | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies self as a member of a group (e.g., refers to our family, our school, our faith, or our culture) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 4-year-olds | Begins to show evidence of internalized superiority or internalized oppression based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, ability status, family structure, body size, and/or language | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Adjusts behavior to different settings (e.g., family vs. learning environment) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 4-year-olds | Compares similarities or differences of others (e.g., height, hair color, or skin tone) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 4-year-olds | Seeks out people and objects in the learning environment that affirm their sense of belonging (e.g., educator who shares their home language, family photo, item from home) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 4-year-olds | Develops their own theories about what causes differences in ability, gender, and skin color | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4. Draws plausible conclusions about events beyond personal experience |
| 4-year-olds | May mask fear of differences with avoidance and/or silliness | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |

---

**NY Guidelines**

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
When a child’s home culture or experience differs from the dominant or mainstream culture, they may:

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 5-year-olds | When a child's home culture or experience differs from the dominant or mainstream culture, they may: |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Reject their home culture and adopt the dominant one | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 5-year-olds | Reject dominant culture and insist on home culture | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 5-year-olds | Learn to adjust behavior and to become bi-cultural | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 5-year-olds | When a child's home culture and experience has been affirmed, they may express pride in their racial, linguistic and cultural identity | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 5-year-olds | When a child's home culture or experience aligns with dominant or mainstream culture, they may: |  |  |  |
| 5-year-olds | Internalize a false sense that they are "normal" or superior | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 5-year-olds | Prefers a child who speaks their own language or language variation as a friend | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| 6-year-olds | Shows evidence of social messages affecting how they feel about their self and group identity (e.g., evidence of internalized superiority or internalized oppression) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 6-year-olds | Knows that insults related to race, gender, and cultural identity are hurtful | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 6-year-olds | May choose to play only with children close to their gender, racial, or cultural identities | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| 6-year-olds | Explores the similarities and differences in the home cultures of their peers | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| C. Sense of Self |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Discovers body parts and explores own body (e.g., observes hands, reaches for toes) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Explores the face and other body parts of others (e.g., touches caregivers' mouth, hair, or hands) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Responds with gestures (waves hands, smiles) or vocalizations (squealing) when name is spoken | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.1 Recognizes own and familiar names |
| 0-9 months | Protests when they do not want to do something (e.g., arches back to avoid sitting in chair) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 0-9 months | Looks at self in mirror | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |

---

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Cognitive A. Sensory Exploration

**AEPS-3 Items**
1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Smiles at self in mirror | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | Makes choices about what toys to play with | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 8–16 months | Plays with one object more often than others | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 8–16 months | Has favorite foods, comfort objects, people, etc. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 15–24 months | Expresses thoughts and feelings by saying “no!” | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15–24 months | Uses name or other family label (e.g., nickname or birth order such as “little sister”) when referring to self | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 4.3 Provides given name or nickname of self and others |
| 15–24 months | Shows pride in accomplishments/achievements (e.g., smiles after making hand print) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3.2 Shares accomplishment with familiar caregiver |
| 15–24 months | Expresses comfort with and preference for foods and songs that are culturally familiar | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 15–24 months | Recognizes and calls attention to self, by pointing, when looking in the mirror or at photographs | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1.2 Looks toward object |
| 24–36 months | Understands that they are a separate person | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.1 Recognizes own and familiar names |
| 24–36 months | Refer to themselves as “me” (e.g., “Me big.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.1 Uses two-word utterances |
| 24–36 months | Tests limits and strives for independence | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| 24–36 months | Communicates with phrases such as “I doing this,” “I don’t do this, “I can do this,” or “I did this” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Identifies objects as belonging to them, such as a lunchbox or a stuffed animal. (e.g., “That’s mine!”) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.2 Claims and defends possessions |
| 24–36 months | Makes choices (e.g., what toys to play with or what clothes to wear) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 24–36 months | Communicates their gender identity (e.g., “I’m a girl!”) and categorizes others by gender | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |

---

**NY Guidelines**
May talk to self and/or engage in conversations with

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Social-

**AEPS-3 Items**
1. Produces multiple-word sentences to

| 3-year-olds | May talk to self and/or engage in conversations with imaginary playmates | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Describes self by physical attributes and gender | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Uses personal pronouns (I, me) rather than referring to self in third person | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 3-year-olds | Chooses preferred activities (e.g., painting, doing puzzles) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3. Initiates and completes independent activities |
| 3-year-olds | Expresses self in different roles during pretend play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Exerts will and preferences with actions and language | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.2 Claims and defends possessions |
| 3-year-olds | Acts as though they are capable of doing new tasks and activities (e.g., copies use of adult tools, tries to sweep the floor with adult sized broom) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Imitates novel coordinated motor actions |
| 4-year-olds | Describes family members and the structure of their family | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Describes self by physical attributes, abilities, and feelings | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Experiments by trying new activities and testing their abilities | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.2 Responds to request to begin activity |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies feelings, likes, and dislikes, and expresses own ideas and opinions; begins to be able to explain why they have them | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Becomes aware of and explores the meaning of their racial, cultural, gender identities; understands that they are a member of various social groups that have names (e.g., White, Black, African American, Dominican, Muslim, boy, transgender, etc.) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 4-year-olds | Children begin to internalize gender stereo-types and may begin to conform to society's gendered expectations for their own behavior and/or express gender biases (e.g., only boys play with blocks or only girls wear dresses) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |

---

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Identifies and expresses own interests, preferences, and abilities | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Confidently expresses likes and dislikes | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Has unrealistic positive overestimations of their own abilities | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 5-year-olds | Compares or contrasts self to others (e.g., physical characteristics, preferences, abilities, and feelings) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 6-year-olds | Shows satisfaction and pride in their work (e.g., expresses joy when they are selected to work on a new science project) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 6-year-olds | Compares abilities to those of their peers | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 6-year-olds | Seeks approval of abilities from peers and adults | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3.1 Explains or shows others how to do tasks mastered |
| 6-year-olds | Can name some of their group identities and express how they feel about being a member of those groups | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |

| D. Empathy |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Smiles when they see a smiling face, especially a familiar one | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0-9 months | Reacts when someone is sad or upset; this reaction may include startling, eye contact, or becoming upset themselves | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Observes other's faces for clues about how they should feel | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Looks to educator to gauge their response to a new person or situation | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Pats and strokes others who are distressed | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Shows guilt when they harm someone or do something forbidden | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |
| 8-16 months | Distinguishes between kind and cruel actions | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Stays nearby and quietly watches a child who is upset | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Orients to events or stimulation |
| 15–24 months | Uses known strategies to try to help other children who are upset or sad (e.g., brings a crying friend to the educator) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others’ emotions |
| 15–24 months | Notices and disapproves of unfair (unequal) distribution of desired objects | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15–24 months | Attempts to help with a perceived need, (e.g., opens a cabinet for someone whose hands are full) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Wants to see good actions rewarded and bad actions punished | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 24–36 months | Understands that people have beliefs that are not true | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| 24–36 months | Understands that just as they have thoughts, feelings, and goals, other people have thoughts, feelings, and goals too | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| 24–36 months | Begins to understand that not everyone likes the same things | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Assigns feelings to dolls or toys and cares for them | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| 3-year-olds | Tells an adult when another child does something unkind or unfair | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.1 Uses strategies to resolve conflicts |
| 3-year-olds | Is more likely to help someone who has previously helped someone else and is less likely to help someone who has been unkind to someone else | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with peers | 1.2 Responds appropriately to peer social behavior |
| 3-year-olds | Adopts a variety of roles and feelings during pretend play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Identifies and responds to the feelings and experiences of the characters in stories | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| 4-year-olds | Expresses how another child might feel (e.g., “I think Tanya is sad because she is crying.”) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| 4-year-olds | Shows concern about fairness within peer group | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with peers | 3.3 Shares or exchanges objects |
| 4-year-olds | Develops awareness that some racial, cultural, gender, and linguistic identities are unfairly valued more than others in society | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Begins to recognize how own actions affect others | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 5-year-olds | Listens to viewpoints of others | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 5-year-olds | Offers support to another child or shows concern when a peer is upset (e.g., “I see you’re sad. Do you want to play with me?”) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others’ emotions |
| 5-year-olds | Develops their own theories about social inequities (e.g., why some groups of people tend to have more money and decision-making power than others) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Dislikes being at a relative disadvantage to others (e.g., would rather that nobody got cookies, then that their friend got two and they got one) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 6-year-olds | Does not object to being at a relative advantage to others (e.g., does not advocate for fairness when they get three cookies and their peer gets one) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 6-year-olds | Notices and describes social inequities | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| E. Cooperation and Negotiation |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Watches babies and other children and imitates their sounds, actions, and motions | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Shows interest and enjoyment in interaction with other children and adults, as expressed in gestures, facial expressions, and vocalizations such as babbling, exclamations, and laughter | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult’s positive social behavior |
| 0-9 months | Engages in back-and-forth interactions with the educator for short periods of time (e.g., rolling a ball, playing peek-a-boo) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.2 Repeats part of interactive game or action in order to continue game or action |
| 0-9 months | Makes judgments about others by observing their helpful and unhelpful actions | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult’s affective tone |
| 0-9 months | Reaches out to touch other children or the toys they are playing with | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Passes a toy or a ball back and forth with an adult or another child, at least once or twice | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.2 Repeats part of interactive game or action in order to continue game or action |
| 8–16 months | Imitates the simple actions of a peer (e.g., banging blocks together) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.2 Imitates familiar simple motor action |
| 8–16 months | Helps educator with caregiving tasks (e.g., holds out their foot so their caregiver can put on their shoe) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 8–16 months | Indicates preferences and intentions by answering yes/no questions (e.g., child nods head yes and hands a doll to teacher when asked if they are finished playing with it) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 15–24 months | Physically removes toys from another child’s grasp that they would like to play with | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 15–24 months | Refuses to give peer a turn | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15–24 months | Accepts adult help to negotiate disputes over toys | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult’s affective tone |
| 15–24 months | Expresses interest in playing with a certain child | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 24–36 months | Responds physically when another child takes a toy (e.g., pushing, hitting, or biting) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.2 Claims and defends possessions |
| 24–36 months | Recognizes there is conflict and seeks out educator’s assistance | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.1 Uses strategies to resolve conflicts |
| 24–36 months | Understands concept of “mine” and is starting to develop the concept of “his/hers/theirs” | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.2 Claims and defends possessions |
| 24–36 months | Seeks out, initiates, and responds to other children for social interactions for short periods of time | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.1 Initiates social behavior toward peer |
| 24–36 months | Plays side by side with another child, making comments to them | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| 24–36 months | Participates in loosely structured group games (e.g., chase, dramatic play, or ring-a-round a-rosie) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4.2 Participates in game |
| 24–36 months | Sometimes accepts and imitates other children’s ideas for play with adult prompts as needed (e.g., takes a shovel that is offered and briefly digs in sandbox beside another child) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.2 Responds appropriately to peer social behavior |
| 3-year-olds | Negotiates with peers (e.g., takes turns, plans play) and communicates disagreement to other children | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| 3-year-olds | Understands the concept of “mine” and “theirs” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 2. Uses plural pronouns to indicate subjects, objects, and possession in multiple-word sentences |
| 3-year-olds | Chases other children and then turns and allows themselves to be chased | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4.2 Participates in game |
| 4-year-olds | Assigns roles in play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| 4-year-olds | Uses different turn-taking strategies (e.g., bartering, trading, or waiting for a turn) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.3 Shares or exchanges objects |
| 4-year-olds | Uses simple strategies to solve problems, either individually or in a group | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4.1 Uses strategies to resolve conflicts |
| 4-year-olds | Negotiates with other children to solve a problem | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4. Resolves conflicts using negotiation |
| 4-year-olds | States a position with reasons. (e.g., “I don’t want to play blocks right now because I want to draw.”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 5-year-olds | Shares, take turns, and cooperates in a group | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1. Interacts appropriately with others during small-group activities |
| 5-year-olds | Shares, take turns, and cooperates in a group | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 2. Interacts appropriately with others during large-group activities |
| 5-year-olds | Listens to others’ ideas and wants; shares own ideas and wants | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| 5-year-olds | Understands that sometimes you are a leader, and sometimes you are a follower | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| 5-year-olds | Plays simple card games that require turn-taking and waiting | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4. Maintains engagement in games with rules |
| 6-year-olds | Negotiates with other children by using words to express ideas and feelings | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4. Resolves conflicts using negotiation |
| 6-year-olds | Plays games that have clear roles for two players (e.g., card games, board games, and computer games) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4. Maintains engagement in games with rules |
| 6-year-olds | May change the rules of structured games to ensure that they win | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Dislikes being corrected or losing at games | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies actions of others as purposeful or accidental | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| 6-year-olds | Sense of friendship with the same child may change abruptly within the same day | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |

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| F. Emotional Self-Regulation |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–9 months | Signals needs with sounds or motions (e.g., turns head and roots or cries when hungry. or reaches for wanted object of comfort) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Relaxes or stops crying when comforted, especially by familiar adult (e.g., when swaddled or spoken to softly) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1.1 Quiets to familiar voice |
| 0–9 months | Responds to emotional cues and social situations (e.g., crying when other babies cry) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Smiles, waves, or laughs in response to positive adult interaction | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0–9 months | Comforts self by clutching, sucking, or stroking when tired or stressed (e.g., calms while stroking or holding soft blanket) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | Seeks educator support and attention when encountering a challenge | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 8–16 months | Imitates adults' facial expressions and moods | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |
| 8–16 months | Uses physical contact to express emotions (e.g., kissing, biting, hugging, or patting) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Rubs comfort object or sucks thumb when upset or tired | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Repeats sounds or words to draw educator's attention to their needs and begins to cry if educator does not respond quickly enough | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 15–24 months | Uses a variety of strategies to manage their feelings, such as withdrawing from the group, seeking a hug from the educator, or holding on to a special object | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| 15–24 months | Tells educator "I'm ok!" after they fall down | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Says phrases like "Mommy bye-bye" and points to the door to communicate that they miss their family | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |

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**NY Guidelines**

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**

**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-5 Area | AEPS-5 Strand | AEPS-5 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24–36 months | Continues to do an action, such as climbing over the top of a table, after an educator has asked them to stop | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.3 Expresses desire to continue activity |
| 24–36 months | Protests loudly, and may have tantrums, in response to limits | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 24–36 months | Names some emotions (e.g., happy, sad, excited, mad, tired, or scared) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 24–36 months | Begins to use pretend play to express/act out emotions | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Expresses strong feelings physically (e.g., kicks, hits, or throws items) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 3-year-olds | May feel overwhelmed by emotions such as excitement or disappointment | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 3-year-olds | Talks to an imaginary friend about their thoughts and feelings | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| 3-year-olds | Assigns certain inanimate objects their own feelings (e.g., the stuffed dog is said to be mad because it can't have a cookie before bed) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 3-year-olds | Talks about their emotions when someone notices they are sad and asks them about it | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 3-year-olds | Asks "why" questions to show effort at understanding effects of behavior | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 4-year-olds | Tries to express strong feelings verbally, but then may resort to physical expression (e.g., breaking toys) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Acts out and resolves emotions in dramatic play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Explains the reason behind their emotions | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Uses vocabulary for complex emotions, such as disappointed, frustrated, embarrassed, or thrilled | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Advocates for what they want and what they like | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies some things that help them feel better when they are upset | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Often expresses strong feelings in socially and culturally accepted ways | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 5-year-olds | Identifies emotions and uses words to describe them | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 5-year-olds | Describes why people may feel differently about the same situation | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Intentionally uses humor (e.g., begins to tell jokes) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |
| 5-year-olds | Begins to understand and explain reactions to certain circumstances | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies socially and culturally acceptable behavior (e.g., listening vs. interrupting) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 6-year-olds | Becomes upset when they lose a game but is able to use a strategy to cope | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| G. Following rhythms, rules and routines |  |  |  |  |
| 0–9 months | Develops increasing consistency in sleeping, waking, and eating patterns | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Anticipates and participates in routine interactions (e.g., lifts arms toward educator to be picked up) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Engages in some regular behaviors (e.g., sings or babbles self to sleep; goes to high chair when hungry) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 8–16 months | Recognizes that certain adult actions are associated with expected behavior (e.g., waits to be buckled into stroller) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 8–16 months | Anticipates familiar routines or activities (e.g., watches for a family member when it is time to go home) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 8–16 months | Recognizes that different behaviors will elicit different reactions from adults | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Makes eye contact with educator when doing something that is off-limits | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Begins to insert self by resisting educator requests | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15–24 months | Reaches to take a toy from a peer, but then pulls back their hand in response to the educator’s look | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult’s affective tone |
| 24–36 months | Follows some consistently set rules and routines (e.g., chooses a book after lunch for quiet time) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 24–36 months | Challenges boundaries and rules while striving for independence | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 24–36 months | experiences difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 24–36 months | Can verbally start to tell what comes next in the routines, and helps guide others in different transitions and activities | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.1 Initiates next step of familiar social routine |
| 3-year-olds | Participates in routine activities such as meal time, snack time, and nap time | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| 3-year-olds | Follows simple rules with few reminders (e.g., handles toys with care, clears plate after lunch, cleans up before moving to another center) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 3-year-olds | Begins to follow basic safety guidelines and requirements, such as walking rather than running inside, but may not do so consistently | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 4-year-olds | Adapts to changes in daily schedule (e.g., “Today is Wednesday, and we have our art lesson with our visiting artist.”) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 4-year-olds | Predicts what comes next in the day, when there is an established and consistent routine (e.g., “After nap we have a snack, then my Mom comes to get me.”) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| 4-year-olds | Demonstrates understanding of the consequences of own actions on others (e.g., “I gave Anna the toy and so she feels better.”) | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others’ emotions |
| 4-year-olds | Waits for turn during group activities | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1. Interacts appropriately with others during small-group activities |
| 4-year-olds | Waits for turn during group activities | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 2. Interacts appropriately with others during large-group activities |
| 5-year-olds | Changes actions to meet expectations of different settings (e.g., takes off shoes at home but wears shoes at school) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Applies familiar rules in new but similar situations (e.g., uses a quiet voice inside) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 5-year-olds | Adapts to new environment by behaving and displaying emotions in expected ways (e.g., goes to a new friend’s house and is able to be calm, share, and take turns) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2. Meets accepted social norms in community settings |
| 6-year-olds | Adheres strongly to rules (e.g., “James isn’t raising his hand to talk, but I am!”) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| 6-year-olds | Follows routines with multiple steps independently (e.g., arrives in the morning and knows what to do to begin day: hangs up belongings, takes out their folders, and chooses an activity until group time is announced) | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| 6-year-olds | Takes turns in group discussion (e.g., raises hands, quietly listens to others, and proposes ideas when it’s their turn to talk) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1. Interacts appropriately with others during small-group activities |
| 6-year-olds | Adapts rules to fit a particular situation or their own desires | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |

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| Communication, Language, and Literacy |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A. Speaking |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Sucks on fingers or pacifiers and moves head and mouth towards milk | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Laughs and chuckles | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.1 Vocalizes to another person expressing positive affective state |
| 0-9 months | Cries when hungry, upset, or in need of attention | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.2 Vocalizes to another person expressing negative affective state |
| 0-9 months | May repeat cooing sounds, such as “ooh” and “ah” | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2.1 Coos and gurgles |
| 0-9 months | Watches caregiver’s mouth closely as they are talking | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1. Turns and looks toward person speaking |
| 0-9 months | May sign “milk” by hand gesture approximating the opening and closing hand | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 0-9 months | Babbles and may make “p,” “b,” and “m” sounds that can begin to seem like “papa,” “baba,” or “mama” | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| 0-9 months | Holds up arms to be lifted up or for a hug | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 8-16 months | Uses facial gestures to engage with adult, such as blinking eyes or sticking out tongue | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Makes physical contact to get educator’s attention, including holding educator’s face in their hands or patting educator’s leg until attention is given | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Uses utterances consistently to refer to people or favorite objects (e.g., “Mama” for mother, “Dada” for father, and “Ba-ba” for blanket) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.4 Uses consistent consonant-vowel combinations |
| 8-16 months | Uses a few words to express needs and wants that are understood in context by adults in the child’s environment (e.g., saying “up” to indicate desire to be held) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| 8-16 months | Note: Expressive language development may pause as a child learns to walk and increases their mobility |  |  |  |

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**NY Guidelines**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15–24 months | Points to items that they want or want the caregiver to give attention to | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Uses two words together to express wants, needs, or ideas, such as “Papi, go.” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.1 Uses two-word utterances |
| 15–24 months | Shakes head “no” in response to questions | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 15–24 months | Uses made-up words to refer to familiar objects and experiences that family members and educators understand | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| 15–24 months | Uses some words to refer to more than one thing (e.g., “wowa” may mean both sitting in the stroller and going outside) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| 15–24 months | Adds new words to their vocabulary every day. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.2 Uses 50 single words, signs, or symbols |
| 15–24 months | Socializes and interacts with peers using nonverbal (gestural) means, along with words or phrases (e.g., making a motion to push another child away and saying, “Go Away.”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interaction with Peers | 1.1 Initiates social behavior toward peer |
| 24–36 months | Puts two or more words together to express more complex thoughts (e.g., “All gone bubbles,” “Mommy eat,” “I want,” or “I no want.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Uses past tense in simple sentences that may contain errors, such as “I go to school.” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 3.2 Uses regular past tense of common verbs |
| 24–36 months | Uses the possessive, though not always correctly, (e.g., “Her Julia.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Starts to label different items with an adjective such as a big chair or blue ball. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Emergent multilingual learners will play with using more than one language in a single sentence or conversation (e.g., “More leche please.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 3-year-olds | Asks questions such as “¿Quieres jugo?” (“Do you want juice?”) along with “when” and “how” questions. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 3-year-olds | Answers “who,” “what,” “where,” and “when” questions in preferred language (e.g., “Vivo en Nueva York.” [“I live in New York.”]) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4. Responds to comprehension questions related to why, how, and when |
| 3-year-olds | Uses some pronouns correctly, such as “I,” “you,” “me,” “he,” and “they” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 3-year-olds | Uses some plural words, like “toys,” “birds,” and “buses” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 2.2 Uses regular plural nouns |

**AEPS-3 Items**
2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with

---

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Social-

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Uses past and future tenses (“Yesterday we went to the park, where I’m gonna have my birthday party!”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 3.2 Uses regular past tense of common verbs |
| 4-year-olds | Talks about a variety of topics for different purposes | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 4-year-olds | Demonstrates more complex sentences and precise vocabulary in areas of interest, explaining, for example, “No, that’s not a digger, it’s an excavator!” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Emergent multilingual learners may ask to participate in activities using short sentences or approximations, for example, “Can I play?” or “I play?” | Social-Emotional | C. Interaction with Peers | 3.2 Joins others in cooperative activity |
| 5-year-olds | Initiates and maintains a conversation with peers for exchanges over longer periods of time | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| 5-year-olds | Talks about language, as in “I know Spanish,” or “I think that is what you said.” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 5-year-olds | Responds to the question, “What did you say?” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.5 Responds to contingent questions from others |
| 5-year-olds | Uses increasingly complex sentence structure to express thoughts (“I am going to the hospital, but I’m pretending. I’m not going to have the baby. The mommy is going to have the baby.”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 5-year-olds | Talks in different ways depending on place and listener | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |
| 5-year-olds | Tells simple stories | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |
| 6-year-olds | Speaks clearly so that others understand | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 6-year-olds | Tells a joke to a friend | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |
| 6-year-olds | Uses most parts of speech or grammar correctly (e.g., uses a contraction) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 6-year-olds | Uses vocabulary specific to science, math, social studies, and the arts | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |

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**B. Listening and understanding**

| B. Listening and understanding |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–9 months | Responds to sounds in the environment (e.g., startles or cries when there is a siren or an unexpected sound) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Leans intentionality towards a familiar person's voice | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1. Turns and looks toward person speaking |
| 0–9 months | Makes frequent eye contact while listening, and gestures in response | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0–9 months | Turns and looks toward familiar sounds and/or words (e.g., when name is called) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.1 Recognizes own and familiar names |
| 8–16 months | Responds to “yes” and “no” | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |
| 8–16 months | Responds to requests such as “wave bye-bye” | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| 8–16 months | Looks toward door when doorbell rings and educator asks, “Who is it?” | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1. Follows gaze to establish joint attention |
| 8–16 months | Responds to simple requests or statements accompanied by gestures, such as when the caregiver asks for a specific toy while pointing at it | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| 8–16 months | Shows understanding of the names of most familiar objects and people by looking toward them when they are mentioned | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 15–24 months | Points to familiar people when asked where they are | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.1 Recognizes own and familiar names |
| 15–24 months | Shows joint attention with adults (e.g., looks at and points to elephant with daddy at the zoo) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1. Follows gaze to establish joint attention |
| 15–24 months | Shows understanding of pronouns such as “my” and “your” (e.g., points to their belly button when asked, “Where is your belly button?”) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 15–24 months | Identifies people, objects, and actions when asked | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24–36 months | Answers/asks simple questions (Note: child’s answer may not be a response to what was asked, but may instead involve what they want to talk about in the moment) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4.1 Answers who, what, and where questions |
| 24–36 months | Demonstrates understanding of simple directions in familiar context by responding appropriately (e.g., “Give daddy the cup, please.”) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| 24–36 months | Responds to directions that include verbs (e.g., run, jump, reach, open) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| 24–36 months | Understands statements with descriptive words for time (e.g., “After we clean up, we’ll go to the bathroom.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| 24–36 months | Understands words and phrases associated with family life in their home language | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Answers questions that show knowledge of events | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 4.1 Answers who, what, and where questions |
| 3-year-olds | Asks questions that show attention to activities (e.g., “Why did the boy run away?”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 3-year-olds | Follows two-step directions (e.g., “Please put the blocks away, then sit on the rug.”) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.1 Follows multistep directions with contextual cues |
| 3-year-olds | Begins to understand opposites (e.g., hot and cold, stop and | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people |
| 4-year-olds | Answers open-ended questions | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4. Responds to comprehension questions related to why, how, and when |
| 4-year-olds | Follows directions that involve a two- or three-step sequence of actions, which may not be related (e.g., “Please pick up your toys, and then get your shoes.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 3. Follows multistep directions without contextual cues |
| 4-year-olds | Extends/expands the thought or idea expressed by another | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 4-year-olds | Engages in conversation that develops a thought or idea (e.g., talks about a past event) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 4-year-olds | Listens to others in a group discussion for a short period; gains information through listening | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1. Interacts appropriately with others during small-group activities |
| 5-year-olds | Responds to multi-step directions or requests (e.g., “First, wash your hands. Then bring me the green towel, and then we will have snack.”) | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3. Follows multistep directions without contextual cues |
| 5-year-olds | Observes and interprets details about environment, events, or speakers | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Understands words for time, like “yesterday,” “today,” and “tomorrow” | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| 5-year-olds | Role plays familiar events described by others, such as a friend’s story | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 5-year-olds | Understands forms of social speech from their family, culture and community | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1.1 Follows social conventions of language |
| 6-year-olds | Remembers a story that a friend told yesterday | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 6-year-olds | Responds and can follow a sequence of two- or three-step directions in a row | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3. Follows multistep directions without contextual cues |
| 6-year-olds | Listens to a peer’s idea and participates in a conversation with a partner | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 6-year-olds | Compares or uses specific traits to describe characters in a story that the educator has told | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.2 Answers and asks questions related to story |

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| C. Social Communication |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Looks at a caregiver as they are speaking | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1. Turns and looks toward person speaking |
| 0-9 months | Uses sounds and whole-body gestures to engage in interactions with educator | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 0-9 months | Repeats and imitates cooing sounds | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| 0-9 months | Uses facial gestures to engage with adult (e.g., blinking eyes, sticking out tongue, clapping, covering face with hands) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 0-9 months | Makes sounds when educator is singing | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.1 Vocalizes to another person expressing positive affective state |
| 0-9 months | Waves bye-bye | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Participates in a conversation by making sounds or using words in response to adult (e.g., educator says, “Mmm” when feeding the baby, and the baby says, “Mmm” back) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| 8-16 months | Begins to demonstrate turn-taking in conversation by babbling and then pausing and looking to educator to respond | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| 8-16 months | Makes eye contact when vocalizing or being spoken to, as appropriate to cultural context | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| 8-16 months | Initiates conversations by bringing objects to show caregivers | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Differentiates between tones of voice (angry, friendly) and smiles back at caregiver as appropriate | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |

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**AEPS-3 Area**
Social-

**AEPS-3 Strand**

| 15–24 months | Starts to shake head “Yes” or “No” in answer to simple questions | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15–24 months | Makes requests by pointing and vocalizing | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 15–24 months | Repeats themselves if the educator does not respond or understand them | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 15–24 months | Talks into pretend phone and then pauses, as if to listen to the other person | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 15–24 months | Makes related comments (e.g., when adult says, “Here is your water,” child says, “cup,” “agua,” or “water cup.”) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Sustains conversation about a single topic for one or two turns | Social-Emotional | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| 24–36 months | Makes a request or response (e.g., “I can,” “Yo quiero”, or “I want.”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.1 Uses two-word utterances |
| 24–36 months | Repeats part of what the educator said to continue the conversation | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 24–36 months | Uses translanguaging, such as “That’s my abuelita.” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Uses single and paired words to command, indicate possession, express problems, and gain attention | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| 24–36 months | Answers questions such as “What’s that?” and “Where is it?” | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4.1 Answers who, what, and where questions |
| 24–36 months | Begins using language to engage others in pretend play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 3-year-olds | Asks questions about the current activity (“Can I have a brown crayon?”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 3-year-olds | Begins to take turns during conversations | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.4 Alternates between speaker and listener roles during conversations with others |
| 3-year-olds | Makes formal requests or responses, such as “May I please...” and “Thank you.” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1.1 Follows social conventions of language |
| 3-year-olds | Recognizes what rising and falling speech sounds mean and attempts to answer questions | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 3-year-olds | Acknowledges a partner’s message using fillers, such as “yeah” and “ok.” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 3-year-olds | Begins code-switching and uses simpler language when talking to very young children | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Adds to a conversation by retelling a similar experience (“I love ice cream too, and I had some vanilla yesterday.”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 4-year-olds | Initiates an exchange to provide information or to clarify (“My teacher said today is Monday. On Mondays I go to karate!”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| 4-year-olds | Takes turns on topic in an extended exchange, and shows knowledge of the speaker/listener role | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.4 Alternates between speaker and listener roles during conversations with others |
| 4-year-olds | Switches language or mode of communication as appropriate with family member or person with whom they are speaking | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| 4-year-olds | Tells stories with chains of events and actions | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Uses terms that have meanings that are dependent on context, such as “this,” “that,” “here,” and “there” | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple-word sentences to communicate |
| 4-year-olds | Experiments with the effects some words (such as “Poo-poo head”) can have on others | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |
| 5-year-olds | Pays attention to speaker in a conversation | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.1 Uses socially appropriate physical orientation |
| 5-year-olds | Takes turns during group conversations, raising hand to speak, with reminders | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 3.2 Follows established social rules in familiar environments |
| 5-year-olds | Emergent multilingual children gauge and then speak in the dominant language of communication used by the person with whom they are speaking | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 5-year-olds | Provides additional information to clarify when listener does not understand the child's meaning | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.5 Responds to contingent questions from others |
| 5-year-olds | Uses language to persuade or to state an opinion | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 5-year-olds | Uses body language, facial expressions, and tone to predict behavior | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| 5-year-olds | Tells stories with characters and a more complex sense of structure to events and actions | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 6-year-olds | Understands the body language or facial expression of a peer and uses it to check in with or to modify language and/or behavior with that child | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| 6-year-olds | Converses with a partner taking a number of turns and building on and extending the topic | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| 6-year-olds | Shares knock-knock and other jokes with peers | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.2 Varies voice to impart meaning and recognize social or environmental conditions |

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**D. Engaging with Stories and Books**

| 0-9 months | Smiles, babbles, and laughs when the educator reads, sings, or tells stories to them | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.2 Responds to familiar adult's positive social behavior |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Touches, feels, manipulates, and tastes books | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Looks at books presented by the educator | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Looks at a picture book with an educator and makes sounds | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| 8-16 months | Shows preference for certain stories or texts, such as lift-the-flap books | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 8-16 months | Smiles, dances, or sings along to familiar songs | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.3 Expresses desire to continue activity |
| 8-16 months | Shows pleasure when caregiver shares an image, tells a story, or sings a lullaby (e.g., smiles or vocalizes) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.1 Vocalizes to another person expressing positive affective state |
| 15-24 months | Points to and names familiar people and objects in photos or books | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 15-24 months | Points to pictures related to the text the educator is reading | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 1.2 Locates familiar objects, people, events, and actions in picture books |
| 15-24 months | Holds board books upright and turns pages | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2.1 Turns pages of book from beginning toward end |
| 15-24 months | Imitates gestures that go with rhymes or simple songs, such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” or “Pin Pon | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 15-24 months | Listens to a story or looks at books for a short period of time | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 15-24 months | Responds to storytelling and texts with short questions, comments, or movements (e.g., flapping their arms when a bird appears in a book) | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 24-36 months | Contributes language from the text at the expected time (e.g., calls out “Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!” during a group reading of that book) | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 24-36 months | Asks for or picks out favorite story to read at bedtime or during play | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 24-36 months | Starts to point to words in the book and pretends to “read” them aloud | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 24-36 months | Spends time looking at books by themselves | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3. Initiates and completes independent activities |

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|  | NY Guidelines | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Makes connections between their experience and the experience of a character in a story or text (e.g., telling a friend at the park, “I’m planting seeds, just like Harold.”) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Delights in stories and texts (e.g., looks at books independently, laughs at a humorous story, has a favorite book of poems, or treasures a birthday party invitation) | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 3-year-olds | Demonstrates emergent reading behavior (e.g., holds a book and reads aloud to dolls or stuffed animals; shows pictures or repeats memorized part of text) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.3 Tells story associated with series of pictures |
| 3-year-olds | Turns pages of a familiar book in the direction that print follows in their home language | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2.1 Turns pages of book from beginning toward end |
| 3-year-olds | Demonstrates understanding of narratives by telling and retelling stories nonverbally and/or verbally | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.3 Tells story associated with series of pictures |
| 3-year-olds | Asks and answers “what,” “where,” “who,” and “why” questions about books and during read-aloud sessions | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.2 Answers and asks questions related to story |
| 3-year-olds | Uses background knowledge to connect with culturally relevant stories or pictures | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4.1 Draws conclusions about causes of events based on personal experience |
| 4-year-olds | Looks for and finds texts that are enjoyable to look at or read from a library | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 3.3 Demonstrates understanding of vocabulary associated with early literacy concepts |
| 4-year-olds | Participates in dialogue about stories, images, or texts in preferred language (e.g. says, “También me gusta.”) | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 4-year-olds | Talks about characters in stories or texts, such as something funny that characters said or did | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 3. Demonstrates understanding of abstract story vocabulary |
| 4-year-olds | Retells a favorite story or text in play, imitating the rhythm or structure of the story/text (e.g., creating a coconut tree from a paper towel roll and using letter magnets to retell the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |
| 4-year-olds | Asks and answers open-ended questions about the meaning of pictures or texts (e.g., “How do the colors that the illustrator used make you feel?”) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.2 Answers and asks questions related to story |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Expresses an opinion about a story | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Compares stories with one another (e.g., “In all the Skippy Jon Jones books, Skippy goes on adventures in his closet.”) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 3. Demonstrates understanding of abstract story vocabulary |
| 5-year-olds | Asks questions about the stories and texts | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.2 Answers and asks questions related to story |
| 5-year-olds | Makes predictions about what will happen in stories or texts based on adult modeling | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.1 Makes predictions about what will happen next in story |
| 5-year-olds | Responds to stories or texts by incorporating characters and narratives from them into dramatic play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 5-year-olds | Uses books to learn more about topics of interest (e.g., creates a map of the subway system based on text and their lived experience) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 6-year-olds | Listens to a nonfiction book and shares a personal connection (e.g., connects with text about a family from Mexico and the United States by stating, “I am from both places too.”) | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1. Participates in shared group reading |
| 6-year-olds | Understands and responds to a favorite part of a book during buddy reading | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading |
| 6-year-olds | Retells a story from a picture book (e.g., summarizes a plot about how a neighborhood transforms with mural art) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |
| E. Phonological awareness |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Listens, attends to, and reacts to speech sounds in the environment | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Babbles and makes sounds exploring different ways to vocalize (e.g., “ba-ba” and “eee”) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2.1 Coos and gurgles |
| 0-9 months | Imitates sounds heard in familiar spoken language(s) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| 0-9 months | Is more attuned to the speech sounds of their home language than those of other languages | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1.1 Quiets to familiar voice |
| 0-9 months | Reacts differently to an unfamiliar sound by gazing or attempting to recreate sound | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |

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**NY Guidelines**

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Social-

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 8–16 months | Produces lengthy consonant-vowel-consonant-vowel babbles (e.g., a-ga-a-ga a-ga) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Makes animal sounds from their home language | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 2.2 Imitates familiar vocalizations |
| 8–16 months | Changes tone when babbling so that their babbles sound more like the speech sounds of their home language | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.4 Uses consistent consonant–vowel combinations |
| 8–16 months | Demonstrates understanding that a word is a combination of sounds by creating own words to represent something (e.g., calls their brother “Buba”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| 15–24 months | Speech shows their ability to use a variety of sounds and syllables from their home language | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| 15–24 months | Imitates sounds of adult speech to quickly learn new words | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 2.1 Imitates novel vocalizations |
| 15–24 months | Attends to, repeats, and uses a few words from culturally and linguistically familiar rhymes, phrases, or refrains from stories or songs | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 15–24 months | Laughs when adult makes up rhymes containing nonsense words | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult’s affective tone |
| 24–36 months | Imitates substitution of the first sound in a word to rhyme (e.g., substitutes the initial sound of the name of friends to play a rhyming game or sing “Willaby Wallaby Woo.”) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 24–36 months | Plays with sounds of words in context, and makes silly substitutions | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 3-year-olds | Repeats simple familiar rhymes or sings favorite songs | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 3-year-olds | Shows enjoyment of rhyme and alliteration (e.g., sings to themself, “Mee, gee, fee, tee”) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1. Produces rhyming words given oral prompt |
| 3-year-olds | Participates in a read-aloud with a rhyming pattern, filling in the missing rhyming word | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1. Produces rhyming words given oral prompt |

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**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Demonstrates rhyme recognition, such as identifying which words rhyme from a group of three like hat, log, and cat | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.1 Identifies rhyming words |
| 4-year-olds | Recognizes phonemic changes in words, such as noticing the change in “Old McDonald had a charm” | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.1 Identifies rhyming words |
| 4-year-olds | Provides a rhyming word such as “clay!” when given the clue “I’m thinking of something like play dough that we have out at the art area that rhymes with play.” | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.1 Identifies rhyming words |
| 4-year-olds | Notices and identifies words that start with the same sound | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 4.5 Produces words that begin with specified sound |
| 5-year-olds | Demonstrates awareness that spoken language is composed of smaller sound segments (e.g., labels a drawing using initial sounds) | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.1 Writes using developmental spelling |
| 5-year-olds | Shows word awareness by isolating a single word from a sentence | Literacy | C. Alphabet Knowledge | 2.2 Reads frequently occurring sight words |
| 5-year-olds | Produces one or more words that rhyme with another word (e.g., “What rhymes with log?”) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1. Produces rhyming words given oral prompt |
| 5-year-olds | Provides a word that fits with a group of words sharing an initial sound (e.g., “Sock, Sara, and Song all start with the /s/ sound. What else starts with the /s/ sound?”) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 4.5 Produces words that begin with specified sound |
| 5-year-olds | Produces the sounds made by many letters | Literacy | C. Alphabet Knowledge | 2.3 Produces correct sounds for 20 letters of alphabet |
| 5-year-olds | Uses initial and some final sounds in invented spelling (e.g. writes, “IATK” For “I ate cake”) | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.1 Writes using developmental spelling |
| 5-year-olds | Emergent multilingual children show awareness of sounds from home language(s) | Literacy | C. Alphabet Knowledge | 2.3 Produces correct sounds for 20 letters of alphabet |
| 6-year-olds | Generates a group of rhyming words from one word | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1. Produces rhyming words given oral prompt |
| 6-year-olds | Segments simple words into their initial, middle, and ending sounds | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 4. Segments CVC words into individual sounds |
| 6-year-olds | Taps out the number of syllables in a multisyllabic word | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 3.2 Claps for each syllable in two- and three-syllable words |
| 6-year-olds | Changes the middle sound of a short word to make a new word (e.g., changes dog to dig by substituting the “i” sound for the “o” sound) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 4.2 Identifies middle sounds in CVC words |
| 6-year-olds | Uses first, last, and some middle sounds in invented spelling (e.g., writes, I WNT TO THE PRK for “I went to the park.”) | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.1 Writes using developmental spelling |
| 6-year-olds | Begins to explore and identify blends such as “pl” in play and “br” in brown | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 4.1 Blends separate CVC sounds into simple words |
| F. Composing |  |  |  |  |
| 15-24 months | Makes decisions about how to manipulate and order objects in the environment (e.g., drops crayons into a paper towel tube) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 24-36 months | Uses objects such as stuffed animals or action figures to act out simple stories (e.g., going to bed and waking up) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 24-36 months | Organizes visual materials (e.g., play dough, paint, collage); may not intend to represent something or may change what they are representing throughout the process | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 24-36 months | Pretends to be a character (e.g., puts on cape and flies like Superman) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Uses stuffed animals or small figures to recreate events from their lived experience or from media | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Draws to represent an idea or experience; drawing may not be recognizable | Literacy | E. Writing | 2.1 Makes representational drawings |
| 3-year-olds | Scribbles, or draws letter-like shapes and says they are writing | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.4 Writes using “scribble writing” |
| 3-year-olds | Dictates a short story to be read aloud and acted out (e.g., “Daddy came home and made dinner. Batman ate dinner too.”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Plans dramatic play with peers (e.g., “You be the baby and I’ll be the mommy. And I’ll go to work, ok?”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Uses visual art materials (e.g., drawings, paintings, sculptures, and collages) to express ideas, knowledge, and feelings | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Begins to form letter shapes that resemble the script of their home language | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.4 Writes using “scribble writing” |
| 4-year-olds | Attempts to write own name | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.2 Prints first name |
| 4-year-olds | Combines drawing and emergent writing (e.g., child draws their friends and labels them with rows of scribbles and shapes that resemble home language or English) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 4-year-olds | Narrates a storyline that involves multiple characters and actions that occur in a specific setting (e.g., pretend family takes a trip to the beach) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 4-year-olds | Dictates a story to an adult to transcribe in their home language | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 4-year-olds | Uses environmental print to communicate (e.g., draws orange circle with an “M” inside to tell about their trip to the Met’s game) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2.1 Makes representational drawings |
| 5-year-olds | Collaborates on shared writing (e.g., contributes a sentence to a class letter thanking the custodial staff) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 5-year-olds | Uses drawing and invented spelling to tell an original story of connected events or related ideas on a topic | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 5-year-olds | Shares expertise about a topic of interest though a verbal presentation, drawing, and/ or writing | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 5-year-olds | Collaborates with peers to recount an event, each child adding to the story | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 5-year-olds | Plans and extends dramatic and symbolic play with peers | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 5-year-olds | Develops characters and settings within dramatic play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 5-year-olds | Composes messages that approximate the features and qualities of scripts in more precise ways (e.g., writes more recognizable letters; writes from left to right in English) | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 6-year-olds | Uses drawing and invented spelling to write about an experience, idea, or topic | Literacy | E. Writing | 2. Writes and draws for a variety of purposes |
| 6-year-olds | Follows some social rules for composition (e.g., begins messages with “Dear” or “To” and concludes with “Love” or “From”) | Literacy | E. Writing | 3. Writes words using conventional spelling |
| 6-year-olds | Adds their own ideas to a story their peers are making up | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.3 Responds to topic initiations from others |
| 6-year-olds | References known stories and styles in their own composing (e.g., reads several versions of Jack and the Beanstalk and dictates their own version.) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |
| G. Creating and interpreting multimedia texts |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Tracks people or objects by moving their head or eyes | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Reacts differently to a video of themselves than to a video of another familiar person | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | When talking to a family member on a video chat, crawls behind the laptop to see where the person is | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1. Maintains search for object not in its usual location |
| 8-16 months | Tries to climb inside or take objects out of images (e.g., positions foot as if to climb inside a car depicted in a book) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 15-24 months | Identifies themselves and familiar people in photographs | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 15-24 months | Notices and identifies pictures, road signs, and graphics | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2. Recognizes symbols |
| 24-36 months | Makes connections between a display of objects or images of personal experiences. | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3.2 Relates recent events with contextual cues |
| 3-year-olds | Collects and shares objects with others (e.g., on a nature walk collects acorns and leaves to show educators and peers) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 3-year-olds | Makes connections between documentation boards, drawings, and charts and past events (e.g., the child looks at a documentation board of the class trip to the fire station and says, “We saw the big hose.”) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3.2 Relates recent events with contextual cues |
| 4-year-olds | Uses documentation of previous experiences in the learning environment to plan their play (e.g., looks at a photograph of a block building from the day before and tries to recreate the building) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Plans to use multimedia documentation to record and extend their work in the learning environment | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Reflects on accuracy of visual documentation (e.g., looks at a picture of a dinosaur and says, “I think they were even bigger than that.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 6-year-olds | Views a slideshow of documentation from the learning environment and selects an image of an experience for further investigation | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Responds to the visual work of a peer using observations, comments, and questions | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |

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| Cognitive Development |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A. Understanding Stability and Change |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | When something is dropped and make a sound, looks towards that sound | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Looks for educator after they step out of the room | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Looks for or orients toward a pacifier that they have just dropped | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Finds a rattle that is hidden under a blanket when only part of the handle is showing | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1.2 Locates hidden object |
| 8-16 months | Tests the stability of physical objects, for example, patting, | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve |
| 8-16 months | Looks for a toy that has been hidden under a blanket | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1.2 Locates hidden object |
| 15-24 months | Uses a variety of strategies to find missing people or objects, including looking in multiple locations for things that have been missing for some time | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1. Maintains search for object not in its usual location |
| 15-24 months | Waits or watches at window for the return of a family member | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1. Maintains search for object not in its usual location |
| 15-24 months | Thinks that they may go down the toilet or bathtub drain | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 24-36 months | Is curious about physical objects that appear to be stable but whose properties change, such as ice and sand | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 24-36 months | Reacts to puppets and adults in costume as if they were real | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 3-year-olds | Hides own eyes but leaves parts of their body exposed while playing hide-and-seek | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4.2 Participates in game |
| 3-year-olds | Uses phrases to initiate and identify make-believe play with others ("Let's pretend..." or "I was just pretending!") | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Asks about the permanency of their gender and racial identity (e.g., "Will I always be a boy/girl? Will I always have my skin color?) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 3-year-olds | Offers magical explanations for change (e.g., says that a fairy puts the moon in the sky every night) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Uses language about death, without necessarily thinking it is a permanent state | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |

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**AEPS-3 Items**

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Plays hide-and-seek, fully hiding body, but laughing or otherwise staying in touch with playmates through sound | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 4.2 Participates in game |
| 4-year-olds | Plays with their shadow, trying to step on it or get away from it | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 4-year-olds | Has difficulty imagining that their adult family members were once children | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 4-year-olds | Investigates the permanence of death through observation of insects and animals and in dramatic play; will ask questions about where the insect or animal may go | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 5-year-olds | Begins to understand death as a biological event | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 5-year-olds | Begins to understand how the body functions to sustain life | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | May be anxious about death | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| 6-year-olds | Discusses the physical changes that accompany age | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Can imagine their adult family members growing old | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Compares the life cycles of different organisms (e.g., says that people live longer than dogs) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Becomes conscious of time, but is not yet able to tell time on the clock ("Is it three o'clock? My grandma is coming to get me.") | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |

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| B. Representing |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Rolls a toy car back and forth on the floor | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8–16 months | Uses two objects that go together to pretend (e.g., puts a spoon in a bowl and stirs) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 8–16 months | Uses a bottle and pretends it contains a favorite drink (e.g., “leche”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 15–24 months | Substitutes similar objects in dramatic play (e.g., uses a block as a phone) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2.1 Uses object to represent another object |
| 15–24 months | Imitates a few steps of adult behavior in dramatic play (e.g., puts doll in bed and says, ‘night-night.’) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 24–36 months | Uses objects flexibly for symbolic play (e.g., a stick becomes a spoon then a wand; a box is a boat then a house) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2.1 Uses object to represent another object |
| 24–36 months | Animates and interacts with objects (puppets, toys, sticks, or dolls) as characters who speak aloud and have feelings | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| 24–36 months | Talks to self during dramatic play even when no playmates are around | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 24–36 months | Completes a series of actions related to a theme in dramatic play, such as listening to a doll’s heart, then giving the doll a shot and a bandage | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 24–36 months | -Makes marks on paper and says they represent something (“I drew Mommy.”) | Literacy | E. Writing | 1.3 Verbally labels nonrepresentational drawings |
| 3-year-olds | Assigns peers, adults, or objects roles as characters in play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Plans with other children what they are going to pretend before starting to play (e.g., “Let’s play doggies!”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 3-year-olds | Uses objects to make arrangements and represent a storyline; may repeat the story over and over again (e.g., uses blocks to make a house, then uses a toy fire truck to put out a fire in the house) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Constructs and experiments with longer, complicated storylines in dramatic play | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Invents storyline and initiates play with a peer (e.g., “Are you coming to my restaurant? Can I take your order?”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Negotiates roles with peers (e.g., “I’ll be the papa and you are baby bear.” “NOOO. I’m the sister bear. And you are my brother.”) | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 4. Resolves conflicts using negotiation |
| 5-year-olds | Adds details from a scene to its visual representation (e.g., the landscape or the weather) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Differentiates fantasy from reality | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| 6-year-olds | Assigns roles and acts out scenes from the economy (e.g., child dramatizes a farmer’s market and has peers work at different stalls and be customers) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 6-year-olds | Uses art to reflect on their experiences (e.g., uses musical instruments to make a song about an experience they had) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Shares stories and symbols from their own families and cultures | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| C. Memory and History |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Can anticipate familiar activities (e.g., kicking legs and cooing when shown bottle, nipple, or spoon before feeding) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Turns toward the front door after hearing the doorbell ring | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Remembers information about recent event (e.g., continuing to play peek-a-boo after caregiver has stopped playing) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.2 Repeats part of interactive game or action in order to continue game or action |
| 8-16 months | Uses gestures or single words for a family member after morning drop-off (e.g., going to the door and saying, “Mama?”) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 8-16 months | Imitates actions that they have observed in the past (e.g., watching caregiver blow on hot food before eating, then blowing on own food-hot or cold) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.2 Imitates familiar simple motor action |
| 15–24 months | Knows where familiar objects are stored (e.g., looks at the shoe bin when educator says, “We’re going for a walk, where are your shoes?”) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15–24 months | Gives another child an object that belongs to them | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.3 Shares or exchanges objects |
| 15–24 months | Acts out caregiving sequences within dramatic and pretend play (e.g., breastfeeding a doll and then pretending to burp it) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| 15–24 months | Anticipates, acknowledges, and participates in the steps of caregiving routines (e.g., after eating says, “All Done. Wash Hands”) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| 24–36 months | Recreates experiences in dramatic play (e.g., after going to the grocery store, pretends to put food in a cart and checkout) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 24–36 months | Tells about a significant event they remember from the past, such as a time they jumped in a big puddle | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 24–36 months | Shares information about recent experiences with trusted adults (e.g., telling a family member about the bee at the school playground) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| 3-year-olds | Uses time-related words and concepts (e.g., first/last, morning/night, yesterday/today), though not always accurately | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| 3-year-olds | Although the child’s birthday was a month ago, they may describe looking forward to their birthday, which they tell an educator “is coming soon.” | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 3-year-olds | Uses phrases that suggest awareness of the past (e.g., “When I was a baby…”) “When I was a baby…”) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 3-year-olds | Identifies changes in themselves over time (“I’m bigger now. I don’t wear diapers anymore.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 3-year-olds | Retells a simple story or event in roughly sequential order (“Gabby took my soccer ball. I took it back. That’s why she’s crying.”) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 3-year-olds | In dramatic play, reenacts everyday experiences and events from books, television, or observations | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Reenacts multiple sequential scenes from personal experience, books, and media | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Includes specific details of events when recreating them (e.g., pretending to add turmeric and paprika when cooking in the sand box) | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| 4-year-olds | Knows significant events from their family history (e.g., “Abuelito came from the Dominican Republic.”) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 4-year-olds | Describes significant changes in their own lives over time (e.g., “I used to live with my Auntie. Now I live in Mommy’s house in Buffalo.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 4-year-olds | Understands that things were different a very long time ago, but is unsure how long ago this was (e.g., “When grandma was little, were dinosaurs alive?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 5-year-olds | Retells an important life event in sequential order (e.g., draws a picture about something they did during summer vacation) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| 5-year-olds | Believes that they can remember much more than they really can | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| 5-year-olds | Describes how memory works (e.g., says, “It’s easier to remember something that happened yesterday than something that happened last month.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Begins to understand that history describes the collective memories of people and events from other times and places | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Asks questions of elders about how life was different in the past | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 6-year-olds | Shares significant events from their own family history with peers | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |

| D. Investigating and Exploring |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Child uses senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste) to interact and gain information about people and environment | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Explores objects with hands (grasping object) and mouth (bringing object to mouth) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Expresses a sense of wonder about their surroundings (e.g., looks at an object or person intently) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |

---

**NY Guidelines**
Brings familiar or new objects they are curious about to a

**AEPS-3 Items**
2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Brings familiar or new objects they are curious about to a trusted adult | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8–16 months | Laughs at unexpected events, such as when a ball they have rolled up an incline begins to roll back | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 15–24 months | Investigates new phenomena (e.g., when walking past a pile of leaves, stops and feels them with their hands) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 15–24 months | Is curious about items that appear in nature, such as worms, moss, and puddles | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 15–24 months | Repeats experiences | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 15–24 months | Points to objects and signals to ask what they are | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 24–36 months | Makes guesses about what might happen next based on previous experiences (e.g., pushes doorbell and waits for someone to come to the door) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation |
| 24–36 months | Asks simple questions about the natural world (e.g., asks “Where did the rainbow go?” or “Why is it wet outside?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| 3-year-olds | Experiments with mixing different materials together (e.g., sand and water) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 3-year-olds | Asks many “why” questions (e.g., “Why do we have to put our jackets on?”) | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4.1 Asks wh- questions |
| 3-year-olds | Makes simple predictions (e.g., says they think the water in the sprinklers will be cold today) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation |
| 3-year-olds | Observes and wonders (e.g., watches a turtle and asks, “Why is it hiding inside? When is it coming out?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 3-year-olds | Applies their knowledge to understand observations (e.g., watches a snail and asks, “Which part are the eyes?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 4-year-olds | Uses feelings and imagination to understand the results of a science experiment (e.g., “Maybe the caterpillar just felt like becoming a butterfly.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Uses sources other than the adult to gather information, such as books and peers | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Brainstorms solutions based on background knowledge (e.g., “Be quiet so the birds will come!”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations |
| 4-year-olds | Asks a series of questions about their observations (e.g., when observing a worm on the sidewalk the child asks, “Where did it come from? Why doesn’t it have eyes? How will it find its way home to its family?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Asks “why?” but then rejects answers not to their liking | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing using words, phrases, or sentences |
| 5-year-olds | Asks “how” things were made (e.g., “How does a pigeon build a nest?”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation |
| 5-year-olds | Generates ideas about how to find the answers to their questions (e.g., when wanting to learn more about trucks, the child decides to ask a family member who drives a truck) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Lists materials needed for an experiment | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3. Investigates to test hypotheses |
| 5-year-olds | Records information from an experience (e.g., drawing, writing, storytelling, photographing) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Uses non-fiction books to find answers to questions | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 6-year-olds | Develops hypotheses (e.g., If a hermit crab prefers a particular shell, the child says, “I think it’s because he has more room to grow in there.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Describes a strategy for finding out if their hypothesis is true | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3. Investigates to test hypotheses |
| 6-year-olds | Uses prior knowledge to make generalizations about what might happen (e.g., The child says, “Fruits grow on trees, so I think if I plant this orange seed, a tree will grow.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |

---

**E. Understanding Cause and Effect**

| E. Understanding Cause and Effect |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–9 months | After dropping an item, looks for or turns body toward item | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0–9 months | Acts on an object to make a pleasing sight, sound, or effect (e.g., shakes rattle to make sound) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 0–9 months | Moves body in a rocking motion in order to get the educator to keep rocking them | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.3 Responds to familiar game or action |
| 8–16 months | Watches for reactions from other people when an event has occurred, such as an adult answering the phone when it rings | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 8–16 months | Repeats actions many times to cause an effect, such as dropping an object for a caregiver to pick up | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 8–16 months | Puts objects into a container, turns it over, watches the objects fall out, and then fills it up again | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 8–16 months | Approaches objects with an intent to cause a certain effect (e.g., pats a drum, twists a knob, turns on a light switch) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 15–24 months | Examines toy if it is not producing the desired effect, or tries new ways to manipulate toy | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people, animals, and objects |
| 15–24 months | Knows that playing with certain forbidden objects will get adult's attention | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | When radio is turned on, says, “Dance, Mama.” | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| 15–24 months | Builds a tower of big cardboard blocks and then knocks it down to watch it fall | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 24–36 months | Says, “She needs her blanket,” when a peer becomes upset | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others’ emotions |
| 24–36 months | Says “shhh” and tiptoes when a child is still sleeping | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| 24–36 months | When a child has a Band-Aid, other child points at it and asks what happened | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.1 Responds appropriately to soothing by peer |

---

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Asks "why" questions to show effort at understanding causation | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.1 Asks questions to obtain information |
| 3-year-olds | Explains the effects that simple actions have on objects. ("It will be dark when you turn out the light.") | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4.1 Draws conclusions about causes of events based on personal experience |
| 3-year-olds | Sees themselves at the center of causation ("I have my own moon. I bring it with me wherever I go.") | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4. Draws plausible conclusions about events beyond personal experience |
| 3-year-olds | Offers magical explanations of causes ("The frost fairy came in the night and turned the grass white.") | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Assigns human characteristics to inanimate objects ("The leaves fell off the tree because the wind told them to.") | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 4-year-olds | Uses clues and background knowledge to find causes ("She's wearing a coat so it must be cold outside.") | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4.1 Draws conclusions about causes of events based on personal experience |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies objects or conditions that affect other objects ("The food coloring makes the water blue" or "The cold turned the water to ice.") | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 4-year-olds | Makes predictions, sometimes using unrelated information ("I think the gold car will win. Gold is for winners.") | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation |
| 4-year-olds | Uses the word "because" to show relationship between past and future events | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 4. Draws plausible conclusions about events beyond personal experience |
| 4-year-olds | Distinguishes between some magical and scientific causes, but still believes in magical causes | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 5-year-olds | Predicts an outcome based on previous effects they have observed ("If we leave the seeds on the top of the dirt, the birds will come eat them.") | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations |
| 5-year-olds | Seeks but does not readily accept scientific causes for things | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 6-year-olds | Believes their own theory about the cause of an event, regardless of the evidence | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation |
| 6-year-olds | Discusses how rules impact people and the environment (e.g., recycling) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4.1 Communicates results of investigations |
| 6-year-olds | Reflects on how some actions can help others feel better (e.g., cheering up a sad friend by sharing their snack) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |

---

**F. Engineering: Problem-solving with Materials**

| 0-9 months | Reaches for an object that has rolled far away | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-9 months | Uses a trusted caregiver as a tool to solve a physical problem (e.g., child watches the educator wind up a music box and, when the music stops, touches their hand to get them to make it start again) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.1 Initiates simple social interaction with familiar adult |
| 0-9 months | Shakes and bangs materials to make a sound happen repeatedly | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 8-16 months | Uses objects as a means to an end (e.g., uses a bucket to transport blocks from one room to another) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 8-16 months | Crawls around a chair to get an object that has rolled behind it | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1.2 Locates hidden object |
| 8-16 months | Keeps turning a container around to find the side with the lid or opening | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 8-16 months | Attempts to unscrew lids to get objects out of them | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 8-16 months | Undoes materials such as fasteners on shoes or tape on surfaces | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 15-24 months | Uses adult as a resource to solve problems with materials (e.g., child hands a toy car to an educator after it stops moving, and the child cannot figure out how to make it move again) | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 15-24 months | Uses trial and error to solve problems with materials (e.g., tries different orientations of a three-piece knob puzzle before fitting the pieces in place) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 15-24 months | Imitates a problem-solving method they have previously observed an adult use (e.g., going to the door and turning the knob to try to open it) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Initiates novel coordinated motor actions |
| 15-24 months | Uses an object to reach another object (e.g., uses the handle of a broom to get an object stuck under the couch) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses object to obtain another object |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 24–36 months | Intentionally selects objects to use as tools in play (e.g., chooses a thick stick over a thin one to use as a “spoon” to stir mud in make-believe soup) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.1 Uses simple tools to gather information |
| 24–36 months | Puts a circular piece into a puzzle without having to try the other areas | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.3 Fits variety of shapes into corresponding spaces |
| 24–36 months | Verbally and physically asks for help from an adult or peer by saying “Help,” grabbing their hand, and leading them over to the problem | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.1 Makes requests of others |
| 3-year-olds | Adjusts plans based on prior experience (e.g., when rolling cars down a ramp, tries a smaller car when bigger ones keep falling off) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations |
| 3-year-olds | Imitates accepted solutions to problems with materials (e.g., moves hands on laces as if to tie shoes, although they are unable to successfully do so) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.1 Imitates novel simple motor action not already in repertoire |
| 4-year-olds | Uses blocks or boxes to build bridges | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | When using materials, compares results to initial predictions and tries again (e.g., after discovering that the slime breaks if stretched quickly, stretches it more slowly) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4.2 Demonstrates knowledge of properties of change resulting from investigations |
| 5-year-olds | Uses blocks to build stairs | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Sticks with a problem-solving strategy that has been successful before, without considering other alternatives | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations |
| 5-year-olds | Plans how to make a functional object from materials (e.g., a spinning top from Lego pieces) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Replicates engineering solutions from life in play (e.g., creating a door with a latch for a cardboard house) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 6-year-olds | Investigates the motion and movement of objects when solving problems with materials (e.g., notices and compares how different balls bounce higher than others) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies and describes tools made for different purposes | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 6-year-olds | Uses sophisticated strategies to make their block buildings more stable | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| G. Math 1. Comparing and Categorizing |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Distinguishes between objects they suck and those they do not | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Smiles when they see or hear familiar caregiver | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Gazes at unfamiliar object or person for longer period of time | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Shows preferences for particular activities, such as being carried rather than pushed in the stroller | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Explores how various toys feel and touches different objects in different ways | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8-16 months | Shows preference for particular items such as toys, cups, or clothing | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 8-16 months | Knows trash can is something you place items in, but may put objects other than trash in it | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1.2 Imitates familiar simple motor action |
| 8-16 months | Selects a duck when educator asks, “Where’s the duck?” | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, or events |
| 8-16 months | When unfamiliar adult enters the room, may cry or move toward familiar person | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Begins to understand the similarities and differences in speech sounds and distinguishes and imitates patterns of speech | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.4 Uses consistent consonant-vowel combinations |
| 8-16 months | Chooses to play with the red car even though there is a blue one just like it | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.2 Makes choices to express preferences |
| 8-16 months | Knows some objects that go together (e.g., puts the doll in a toy stroller) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 15–24 months | Helps clean up environment by putting materials in their places; puts books in basket, for example, or blanket in cubby | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15–24 months | Arranges objects in lines (e.g., makes a row of blocks) | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.2 Aligns objects |
| 15–24 months | Points to a duck in a book when the educator asks, “Which one says, ‘quack?’” | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2. Recognizes symbols |
| 15–24 months | Identifies two identical toys by putting them together (or in response to the question, “Can you find one like this?”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 15–24 months | Calls all the four-legged animals on a farm “cows,” although some are sheep and some are horses | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.2 Uses 50 single words, signs, or symbols |
| 15–24 months | Connects objects and ideas, such as using a broom for sweeping or a shovel or cup to scoop sand or water | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.1 Uses simple tools to gather information |
| 24–36 months | Collects a single type of object (e.g., picks up pinecones on a walk in the park) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| 24–36 months | Calls a big animal “Papi” (“Daddy”) and a small animal “Bebe” (“Baby”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Begins to sort similar items into categories such as color or shape (e.g., retrieves blue ball when asked, “Could you please get the blue one?”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24–36 months | Identifies small, medium, and big objects when arranged in a series | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 24–36 months | Uses one-to-one correspondence with objects (e.g., puts one straw in each cup.) objects (e.g., puts one straw in each cup) | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 1.2 Creates equivalent sets of 5 items |
| 3-year-olds | Shows understanding of the words “same” and “different” | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 3-year-olds | Remarks on physical differences that they notice among members of the community | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 3-year-olds | Recognizes and labels aspects of an experience (tall, long, fun) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 3-year-olds | Identifies categories of objects, for example, knows that dogs, cats, and cows are all animals | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |

---

**NY Guidelines**
Sorts by a given attribute, forming categories

**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
Cognitive C. Conceptual Knowledge

**AEPS-3 Items**
3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute

| 4-year-olds | Sorts by a given attribute, forming categories | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4-year-olds | Uses comparative words (e.g., faster, slower, louder) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies the measurable attributes of objects such as length or weight and describes them using the appropriate vocabulary (e.g., small, big, short, tall, empty, full, heavy, light) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 4-year-olds | Lines up objects in order to determine which is longer | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 4-year-olds | Fills large containers with cups of water and counts how many cups fit in each container | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.1 Uses simple tools to gather information |
| 5-year-olds | Sorts by a single attribute and reclassifies according to another attribute (e.g., sorts writing implements by type and then re-sorts them by color) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |
| 5-year-olds | Arranges 5-10 objects shortest to longest, biggest to smallest, or heaviest to lightest | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 5-year-olds | Compares number of objects by counting, even when one of the objects is bigger, up to 10 | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 1. Compares items in sets to 5 by counting |
| 5-year-olds | Compares number of objects by counting, even when one of the objects is bigger, up to 10 | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 2. Compares items in sets of 6 to 10 by counting |
| 6-year-olds | Compares several aspects of something (e.g., compares animals, identifying similarities and differences between the ways they move, eat, and defend themselves) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| 6-year-olds | Notices and compares changes over time. (e.g., compares the length of the day at different times of the year, saying, “It used to be dark when I was picked up.”) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| 6-year-olds | Uses a repeating unit to measure length (e.g., uses a line of small blocks to measure a book) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.1 Uses simple tools to gather information |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies similarities and differences among the lives of people in different families and communities | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3. Classifies using multiple attributes |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| G. Math |  |  |  |  |
| 2. Number Sense and Quantity |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Holds one object in each hand and then drops one when someone holds out a third object | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1.2 Retains one object when second object is obtained |
| 0-9 months | Explores one toy at a time by holding and mouthing it | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 8-16 months | Tries to hold onto two large balls while reaching for third ball | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1.2 Retains one object when second object is obtained |
| 8-16 months | Fills a bucket with objects and dumps it out | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 8-16 months | Holds a block in each hand and bangs them together | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on objects |
| 8-16 months | Shakes head “no” when asked if they want more food | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.4 Expresses negation or protests |
| 8-16 months | Puts multiple blocks in each cup of a muffin tin | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.1 Releases object into targeted space |
| 15-24 months | Puts three animals in a row when playing | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.2 Aligns objects |
| 15-24 months | Understands and communicates the concepts of “more” and “all done” through words or gestures | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| 15-24 months | Identifies which group has “more” with collections in which one has much more than the other | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 1.3 Uses quantity comparison words |
| 15-24 months | Names groups of one or two (e.g., when shown a pair of shoes, says “two shoes.”) | Math | A. Counting | 1.1 Counts 3 items to determine “How many?” |
| 24-36 months | Starts counting with “one” | Math | A. Counting | 1.1 Counts 3 items to determine “How many?” |
| 24-36 months | Says all the number words they know when counting objects, even when the quantity of objects is small | Math | A. Counting | 2.2 Recites numbers 1-10 |
| 24-36 months | Reuses the number words they know if the quantity of objects is greater than the number words they know | Math | A. Counting | 2.2 Recites numbers 1-10 |
| 24-36 months | Uses “a little” and “a lot” to describe quantity | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 24-36 months | When told, “Give me one,” hands educator just one object | Math | A. Counting | 1. Counts out 3 items |
| 24-36 months | When educator says, “Just take two,” takes only two slices of apple from the bowl | Math | A. Counting | 1. Counts out 3 items |
| 24-36 months | Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence with objects (e.g., puts one block in each muffin tin) | Math | A. Counting | 1.1 Counts 3 items to determine “How many?” |

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**NY Guidelines**
Recognizes and names some numerals when pointing to

**AEPS-3 Area**

**AEPS-3 Strand**
C. Reading and Writing

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 3-year-olds | Recognizes and names some numerals when pointing to them | Math | C. Reading and Writing Numbers | 1.2 Labels numerals 1–5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Recognizes that numerals can be written and pretends or attempts to write some | Math | C. Reading and Writing Numbers | 1. Reads and writes numerals for quantities to 5 |
| 3-year-olds | verbally counts to 10 with some correspondence, but skips some objects and counts others twice | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| 3-year-olds | Produces sets of three (e.g., “Bring me three paint brushes from the art center”) | Math | A. Counting | 1. Counts out 3 items |
| 3-year-olds | When asked for five of something, counts out three and says, “One, two, five.” | Math | A. Counting | 1.1 Counts 3 items to determine “How many?” |
| 3-year-olds | Changes word order or gives up on one-to-one correspondence to make the answer the one they had predicted or their favorite number (e.g., “one, two, three, four, 100!”) | Math | A. Counting | 3.2 Recites numbers 1–20 |
| 3-year-olds | Matches small sets (one to four) of different items and shows they are the same quantity | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 1.1 Compares items in sets to 5 by matching |
| 4-year-olds | Attempts to count to 20 by ones | Math | A. Counting | 3.2 Recites numbers 1–20 |
| 4-year-olds | Recognizes the number of objects in groups of four without counting | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| 4-year-olds | Accurately counts five to 10 objects in a line and answers the “how many” question with the last number counted | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| 4-year-olds | Can match a number of objects with a written numeral 0 to 5 (0 representing a count of no objects) | Math | C. Reading and Writing Numbers | 1.1 Demonstrates understanding of mathematical meaning of written numerals 1–5 |
| 4-year-olds | When asked for five of something, counts out five objects | Math | A. Counting | 2. Counts out 10 items |
| 4-year-olds | Compares groups of one to six objects by matching (e.g., gives each child a bagel and says that there are the same number of bagels as children) | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 2.1 Compares items in sets of 6 to 10 by matching |
| 4-year-olds | Counts the number of objects in a group so they can compare and say which has more, up to five objects; however, if the objects in one group are larger, may say that group has more (e.g., says three large trucks are more than five small cars | Math | B. Quantitative Relations | 1. Compares items in sets to 5 by counting |

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| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5-year-olds | Quickly names the number of objects in groups of five without counting | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| 5-year-olds | Tells what number comes after any number between one and 20 | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.4 Says number after 1-10 |
| 5-year-olds | Explains that numbers tell “how many” of something | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| 5-year-olds | Recognizes and writes numerals 1 through 10 | Math | C. Reading and Writing Numbers | 1. Reads and writes numerals for quantities to 5 |
| 5-year-olds | Recognizes and writes numerals 1 through 10 | Math | C. Reading and Writing Numbers | 2. Reads and writes numerals for quantities 6-10 |
| 5-year-olds | Divides up to 20 objects between four or five people by dealing out an object to each person | Math | A. Counting | 3.1 Counts 20 items to determine “How many?” |
| 5-year-olds | Uses the words “first,” “second,” “third,” up to and including “tenth” (e.g., says, “I came in fourth” when describing a race with classmates | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 5-year-olds | Counts on their fingers | Math | A. Counting | 3.2 Recites numbers 1-20 |
| 5-year-olds | Keeps track of objects that have and have not been counted (e.g., slides objects they have already counted to the side) | Math | A. Counting | 3.1 Counts 20 items to determine “How many?” |
| 5-year-olds | Counts backward from 10 by taking away objects | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 2.1 Solves picture or object subtraction problems with set of 10 or less |
| 6-year-olds | Understands that 10 is always 10, whether it is made by adding 6+4 or 7+3 | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.1 Solves picture or object addition problems using shortcut sum strategy |
| 6-year-olds | Starts counting with numbers other than one (e.g., asked to count from four to seven, counts four, five, six, seven) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.2 Counts forward to 10 |
| 6-year-olds | Answers questions about quantity such as, “How many more?” “How many fewer?” by counting up or down (e.g., when asked how many is three more than six? The child responds, “Six, seven [puts up a finger], eight [puts up another finger], nine [puts up a third finger]) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.1 Solves picture or object addition problems using shortcut sum strategy |
| 6-year-olds | Answers questions about quantity such as, “How many more?” “How many fewer?” by counting up or down (e.g., when asked how many is three more than six? The child responds, “Six, seven [puts up a finger], eight [puts up another finger], nine [puts up a third finger]) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 2.1 Solves picture or object subtraction problems with set of 10 or less |
| 6-year-olds | Understands place value; understands value of a digit according to the place of the digit within a number | Math | A. Counting | 4. Skip counts by tens to 100 |
| 6-year-olds | Makes whole objects from parts when counting (Given three whole plastic eggs and four plastic egg halves, knows they have five whole eggs) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.1 Solves picture or object addition problems using shortcut sum strategy |
| G. Math |  |  |  |  |
| 3. Patterning |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Associates objects and actions with their daily rhythm (e.g., reaches for favorite blanket when tired) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Begins to show understanding of what comes next (e.g., burping after bottle, holding legs up for diapering) | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 8-16 months | Hands object back and forth to educator | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| 8-16 months | Demonstrates understanding of what comes next in their daily routines (e.g., goes to get shoes after breakfast because the group always goes outside at this time) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| 15-24 months | Anticipates and follows familiar sequences of events (e.g., washes hands, sits at the lunch table) | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.1 Initiates next step of familiar social routine |
| 24-36 months | Calls a striped shirt with no repeating unit a “pattern” | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 24-36 months | Copies simple repeating patterns. (e.g., if the educator squats then stands repeatedly, the child continues this motion) | Cognitive | B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Imitates novel coordinated motor actions |
| 3-year-olds | Recognizes patterns in their environment (e.g., looks at a striped scarf and says, “It’s a pattern.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 3-year-olds | Plays with patterns in language. (e.g., sings, “La di dee, la dee da, la dee di.”) | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play |
| 4-year-olds | Describes simple AB patterns (e.g., when the teacher claps then stomps, child names whether to clap or stomp next) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| 4-year-olds | Extends visual patterns; continues building a line of blocks that an older child has begun (e.g., triangle, triangle, square, triangle, triangle, square) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute |
| 4-year-olds | Identifies repeating patterns in numbers (“10, 20, and 30 all end in 0.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects or people using common attributes |
| 5-year-olds | Creates and identifies simple repeating patterns (e.g., draws a pattern of hearts and stars around the edge of their picture) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute |
| 5-year-olds | Creates and extends simple growing patterns (e.g., stacks one, then two, then three blocks to make a staircase) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 5-year-olds | Explains growing patterns such as the pattern of “plus one” in addition (“If I add one, I get the next number.”) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.5 Demonstrates understanding of concept of addition |
| 5-year-olds | Describes a “jump, jump, clap” movement as two of something then one of something | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects, people, and events as part of social exchange |
| 5-year-olds | Pays attention to the linguistic patterns in the names of numbers, “Four, forty, and four hundred all sound like four!” | Math | A. Counting | 4.2 Recites numbers 1-30 |
| 5-year-olds | Pays attention to the linguistic patterns in the names of numbers, “Four, forty, and four hundred all sound like four!” | Math | A. Counting | 4.1 Recites numbers 31-100 |
| 6-year-olds | Identifies the smallest unit of a pattern | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 6-year-olds | Skip counts by tens, fives, and twos | Math | A. Counting | 4. Skip counts by tens to 100 |
| 6-year-olds | Explains the rule for a number pattern. For example, 5, 10, 15, 20 is the “plus five” number pattern | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Looks for and explains patterns in a number chart | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| 6-year-olds | Understands the commutative principle of addition (2+3 = 5, 3+2 = 5) | Math | D. Addition and Subtraction | 1.5 Demonstrates understanding of concept of addition |
| G. Math4. Spatial Sense and Geometry |  |  |  |  |
| 0-9 months | Looks at own hands and feet as they move through space | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Watches a ball rolling away after accidentally knocking it | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| 0-9 months | Observes a ball bounce up and down | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| 0-9 months | Uses vision and hearing to track the path of someone walking by | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |

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**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**
A. Body Control and Weight

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 8–16 months | Attempts to roll body over | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3 (All) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8–16 months | Puts smaller object inside larger one, such as placing small toy in a bucket | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3.1 Releases object into targeted space |
| 8–16 months | Uses trial and error to play with objects that can fit inside openings (e.g., tries to put different sized balls into the top of a large jug) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 8–16 months | Repeatedly puts things in and takes them out (e.g., sticks a peg in a hole and pulls it out again) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| 8–16 months | Takes rings off a stacking ring and then puts one or two back on | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3.1 Releases object into targeted space |
| 8–16 months | Stacks blocks on each other, but may put bigger block on smaller one or try to balance a square on a triangle | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 8–16 months | Gets in and out of things (e.g., climbs into a large laundry basket and then climbs back out) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 15–24 months | Rolls ball back and forth with educator | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | 1.6 Throws or rolls ball at target with two hands |
| 15–24 months | Puts together a knob puzzle with two or three separate pieces | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.3 Fits variety of shapes into corresponding spaces |
| 15–24 months | Uses trial and error to place a group of nesting objects, such as boxes of different sizes, inside one another | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| 15–24 months | Makes a line of blocks next to one another | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.2 Align objects |
| 15–24 months | Turns a book right side up after looking at the pictures and realizing it is upside down | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2.2 Holds book or other printed material with pictures correctly oriented |
| 24–36 months | Matches shapes with similar sizes and orientations | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute |
| 24–36 months | Completes three or four piece puzzles | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.3 Fits variety of shapes into corresponding spaces |
| 24–36 months | Stacks rings on a post with the biggest on the bottom and the smallest on the top | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 24–36 months | Understands words related to position. (e.g., “Please put the basket on the table” or “Please get under the covers.”) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| 24–36 months | Understands the words “longer,” “shorter,” “big,” and “little” | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 24–36 months | Places blocks on one another to make a stack, lining up the edges | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |

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**AEPS-3 Area AEPS-3 Strand**

**AEPS-3 Items**

| 3-year-olds | Uses words to indicate direction and position, but not always accurately | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-olds | Builds vertical and horizontal components within a block building | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 3. Stacks objects |
| 3-year-olds | Identifies and names circles and squares | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 3-year-olds | Calls two shapes the same, if they have similar parts but are not identical (e.g., when both shapes have pointy parts) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 3-year-olds | Plays with combining shapes and pulling them apart | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 4-year-olds | Uses blocks to build in multiple directions, with multiple points of contact between components | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Builds arches, enclosures, corners, and crosses | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 4-year-olds | Follows a model to create simple shapes out of lines (e.g., organizes sticks to make a triangle or rectangle) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 4-year-olds | Slides and turns pieces to make them fit in a simple puzzle | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.1 Assembles toy |
| 4-year-olds | Calls a shape a rectangle because it "looks like a door," rather than naming sides and angles | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 4-year-olds | Calls a variety of open or closed pointy shapes "triangles" | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 4-year-olds | Experiments with combining shapes to make a new shape (e.g., in the block area, accidently puts two triangles together to make a square, and then repeats this action intentionally) | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 5-year-olds | Correctly uses position words such as "beside," "under," and "inside" to describe objects | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| 5-year-olds | Slides, flips and turns pieces to make them fit in a puzzle, but does not always move them in the right direction at first | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3.1 Assembles toy |
| 5-year-olds | Recognizes that there are other shapes that are not common (e.g., rhombus and hexagon) | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 5-year-olds | Spontaneously creates symmetrical buildings in the block area | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 5-year-olds | Builds complex bridges with multiple arches, ramps, and stairs at the ends | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| 5-year-olds | Intentionally puts pattern block shapes together to make another shape for a picture | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |

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**NY Guidelines**
Uses maps with picture clues to determine paths and find

| NY Guidelines |  | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Items |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 6-year-olds | Uses maps with picture clues to determine paths and find objects | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2. Recognizes symbols |
| 6-year-olds | Discriminates and names most common shapes, including rhombuses, without making mistakes such as calling ovals circles | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| 6-year-olds | Moves one shape on top of another to check if it fits exactly | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attribute |
| 6-year-olds | Divides circles and rectangles into halves or fourths to develop understanding of part/whole | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change |
| 6-year-olds | Uses blocks to make complex towers or other structures involving multiple levels with ceilings | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |