AEPS 3 Maryland Early Learning Standards 2024 Alignment FINAL 1.pdf
aeps3
ALIGNMENT
Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-3)
WITH Maryland Early Learning Standards
Alignment of Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS -3)® with Maryland Early Learning Standards
This document aligns the 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and Kindergarten content from the Maryland Early Learning Standards [2024] with the areas, strands, goals, and objectives of Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-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®-3). Brookes Publishing Co. Maryland State Department of Education. (2024). Maryland Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from: https://marylandpublicschools.org/Documents/MD-EarlyLearning-Standards-2024-a.pdf
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 August 2025
| Social and Emotional Development | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE.RA: Relationships with Adults | ||||
| SE.RA.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with familiar adults. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows recognition of familiar adults by smiling, reaching for, or turning their head toward a familiar voice. Initiates interactions and seeks proximity to familiar adults. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Participates in shared experiences, such as routines or games, with a familiar adult. Explores their environment with a familiar adult present. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Interacts with familiar adults in more complex exchanges, such as communicating about ideas. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3.2 Shares accomplishment with familiar caregiver |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages in extended reciprocal interactions with adults that have a specific focus or goal, such as participating in cooperative activities or problem-solving. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| SE.RA.2: Develops close relationships with familiar adults who provide consistent care. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Initiates interactions and seeks close proximity to caregiving adults. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1. Initiates positive social behavior toward familiar adult |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Looks to and shows a preference for familiar caregiving adults for emotional support and encouragement. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.2 Seeks comfort, closeness, or physical contact from familiar adult |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Connects with caregiving adults and engages in positive interactions. Seeks caregiving adults for comfort, support, and help. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3.2 Shares accomplishment with familiar caregiver |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Communicates about emotional connection and attachment to caregiving adults. Turns to caregiving adults for protection, comfort, and getting needs met. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| SE.RC: Relationships With Children | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE.RC.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with other children. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Looks or shows interest in peers by exploring another child's face and body, smiling, or making sounds directed to the child. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Engages in simple interactions with another child. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.2 Responds appropriately to peer social behavior |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Approaches other children for social interaction. Initiates contact and responds to others. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.2 Joins others in cooperative activity |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Initiates and maintains extended interactions with other children, or engages in prosocial behaviors, with or without support from an adult. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| SE.RC.2: Develops relationships with peers through interactions over time. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Looks or shows interest in peers by exploring another child's face and body, smiling, or making sounds directed to another child. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Engages with a few children on a regular basis and knows some of their names, likes, or dislikes. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Develops friendships with a small number of children. Engages in interactions and plays with those friends more often than with other peers. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.1 Initiates cooperative activity |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates preference for playing with peers they identify as friends. Friendships are more reciprocal and consistent. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| SE.RC.3: Engages in play with other children. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator) | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Plays alongside other children. Initiates simple actions of other children. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Joins other children in play by interacting with the same materials or toys, playing with similar activities, and sometimes working together. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3.2 Joins others in cooperative activity |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages with peers in simple, cooperative play, such as complex make-believe play, games, and other extended play with a common goal. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 3. Maintains cooperative activity |
| SE.EF: Emotional Functioning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE.EF.1 Develops an understanding of one's own emotions. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Expresses basic emotions including joy, fear, surprise, anger, and sadness through voice, facial expression, or body movements. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Expresses a range of basic emotions such as joy, fear, surprise, anger, and sadness regularly in a clear, direct way. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Begins to express a range of complex emotions including pride, empathy, guilt, and embarrassment. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 3. Makes positive statements about self or accomplishments |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses words or gestures to identify some of their own basic and complex emotions, including happiness, sadness, anger, pride, and embarrassment. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.2 Identifies/labels own emotions |
| SE.EF.2: Develops an understanding of the emotions of others. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to emotional expressions of others. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Responds to others' emotions, often by sharing the emotion. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others' emotions |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses words or gestures occasionally to identify emotions in others, with the support of an adult. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses words or gestures to describe some emotions in others. Identifies the causes of others' emotions occasionally. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1.1 Identifies/labels emotions in others |
| SE.EF.3: Responds with care and concern toward others. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Reacts to others' distress. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Responds with concern to others' distress. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others' emotions |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Expresses concern for others with words or actions. Tries to help others. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 1. Responds appropriately to others' emotions |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Shows concern for others and tries to help others with an increased range of more complex actions. | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| SE.SR: Emotional Self-Regulation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE.SR.1: Develops the ability to manage own emotions and their expression. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Vocalizes or shows visible signs of distress; calms with soothing from a familiar adult. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses simple actions to self-soothe when distressed. Seeks and accepts comfort from familiar adult when distressed. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.3 Responds appropriately to soothing by adult |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses a range of actions to cope with distress or strong emotions, seeking comfort from adults or engaging in self-soothing. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Manages some emotions or distress with less adult support. Relies on support from familiar adults to cope with intense distress or strong emotions. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| SE.IB: Sense of Identity and Belonging | ||||
| SE.IB.1: Develops an understanding of self in relation to others. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Discovers self, including body movements, feelings, and preferences, through exploration and responses of others. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Shows awareness of their own abilities and characteristics through actions, movement, and verbal or nonverbal communication with others. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Identifies their own feelings, needs, characteristics, and preferences as different from others. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Describes themselves and their family using multiple characteristics, including physical features, behaviors, and preferences. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| SE.IB.2: Expresses comfort and a sense of belonging with their family and other familiar people. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Expresses connection through vocalizations or smiling when familiar people are present. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3.1 Vocalizes to another person expressing positive affective state |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Displays comfort and ease with familiar people while engaging in shared activities. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2. Maintains social interaction with familiar adult |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Shows contentment when participating with adults and other children in activities. Anticipates shared rituals and traditions. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Communicates a sense of belonging to a family or other familiar groups through words or other forms of expression. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Approaches to Learning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL.IC: Initiative and Curiosity | ||||
| ATL.IC.1: Shows initiative in interactions, routines, play, and other experiences. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and engages in interactions with others. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores and plays with objects in new ways. Participates and contributes to routines with the support of an adult. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores and plays with objects in new ways. Participates and contributes to routines with the support of an adult. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Starts activities of interest and uses play materials to explore an idea or emerging skill without being prompted. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.3 Entertains self by playing with toys |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Regularly starts and continues some activities, play, and routines independently. Shows enjoyment and interest in engaging in new activities. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3. Initiates and completes independent activities |
| ATL.IC.2: Shows curiosity and interest when engaging with new objects, people, and experiences. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows interest when interacting with others and exploring objects. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Displays excitement and interest in new objects, people, or events by attentively observing and approaching, vocalizing, or gesturing. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4.3 Expresses desire to continue activity |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Seeks out information about new people, objects, and events with interest. Acts on objects, intentionally, to see what happens. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Pursues detailed information about new people, objects, and events. Approaches new experiences with interest, sometimes taking risks to try out new ideas. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| ATL.IC.3: Shows engagement and interest in play. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and engages in interactions with others. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores objects in parallel with peers and engages in simple pretend play based on familiar everyday activities (for example, pretending to feed a baby doll). | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1.3 Plays near one or two peers |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in play with peers, including pretend play, physical play (for example, running, jumping, climbing), and constructive play (for example, building with blocks, playing in the sandbox). | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 1. Maintains interaction with peer |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages in more complex play with peers. Pretend play is more elaborate and may include both real and fantasy elements. Physical play and constructive play may include rules, joint planning, and extended engagement. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| ATL.EF: Executive Functioning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL.EF.1: Develops the ability to persist in actions and behaviors. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows the ability to engage in interactions or explore objects. Repeats an action or vocalization several times to gain an adult's attention or explore an object. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 2.2 Repeats part of interactive game or action in order to continue game and/or action |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Intentionally repeats actions in an effort to achieve a simple goal, even when encountering a challenge. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goal |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Stays engaged on tasks and tries different strategies to achieve a goal, working through challenges with an adult's support. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3.1 Evaluates common solutions to solve problems/reach goals |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Persists on tasks, trying multiple strategies over a sustained period to achieve a goal, sometimes with adult support. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| ATL.EF.2: Develops the ability to keep information in mind active for immediate use (working memory). | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows emerging awareness that familiar people and objects exist even when they are no longer physically present. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1.2 Locates hidden object |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Engages in looking for objects or people that are hidden and follows simple one-step directions with adult support. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 1.1 Locates object in second of two hiding places |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Engages in looking for objects or people that are hidden and follows simple one-step directions with adult support. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in simple play and activities that require maintaining a rule or concept in mind for a brief time and follows simple two-step directions with adult support. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.1 Follows multi-step directions with contextual cues |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in simple play and activities that require maintaining a rule or concept in mind for a brief time and follows simple two-step directions with adult support. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1.2 Responds appropriately to directions during small group activities |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Keeps complex two-step directions or concepts in mind and uses the information for multistep play, performing tasks, and following more complex directions, with limited adult support. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3. Follows multi-step directions without contextual cues |
ATL.EF.3: Develops the ability to manage impulses and reactions (inhibitory control).
| Infants (around 8 months) | Vocalizes or shows visible signs of distress and calms with soothing from a familiar adult. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 1.1 Responds appropriately to familiar adult's affective tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses simple actions to self-soothe when distressed. Seeks and accepts comfort from a familiar adult when distressed. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2.3 Responds appropriately to soothing by adult |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Occasionally manages impulsive behaviors by pausing before reacting, with frequent adult support. | Social-Emotional | B. Social-Emotional Expression and Regulation | 2. Uses appropriate strategies to manage emotional states |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | More consistently and independently manages impulsive behaviors by pausing before reacting. | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.1 Meets behavioral expectations in familiar environments |
| ATL FE 4: Develops the ability to maintain attention and focus (sustained attention) |
| ATL.EF.4: Develops the ability to maintain attention and focus (sustained attention). | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to people or objects of interest in the environment. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Focuses on an activity for brief periods but is easily distracted. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 3.3 Entertains self by playing with toys |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Focuses on an activity and maintains attention for a moderate period of time, with adult support, even with minor distractions. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1.3 Remains with group during small group activities |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Focuses on an activity, intently, for an extended period of time, despite distractions, with adult support. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 1.2 Responds appropriately to directions during small group activities |
ATL.EF.5: Develops flexibility in attention, actions, and behaviors (cognitive flexibility).
| Infants (around 8 months) | Repeats actions and behaviors. (May try more than one approach to reach a goal.) | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on a variety of objects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Shifts focus to attend to new information or participate in new activities. Explores new and creative ways of using objects. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Adjusts actions and behaviors to solve a problem or to adapt to changes in routines, with the assistance of an adult. | Social-Emotional | E. Meeting Social Expectations | 2.2 Adjusts behavior based on feedback from others or environment |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates flexibility in thinking and behavior, considers alternatives to solving a problem, and switches approaches with the support of an adult. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| MD Indicator | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language and Literacy | ||||
| L.LU: Listening and Understanding | ||||
| L.LU.1: Attends and responds to others and develops the ability to engage in joint attention with another person. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Develops the ability to follow adult gaze to look at objects of interest. Note that a child who is blind may follow other adult cues, such as sound or touch. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Follows another person’s gaze looking back and forth between a conversational partner and an object of shared attention. Uses own gesture and language skills to direct the gaze of others. Note that a child who is blind may follow other adult cues, such as sound or touch. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 1. Follows person’s gaze to establish joint attention |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Attends to an object described in a conversation between two other speakers and, through only listening, learns to express a new word. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Attends to what others say while interacting with them for an extended period of time, showing understanding by responding with words, phrases, or sentences over several back-and-forth exchanges or by doing a series of actions related to the conversation. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| L.LU.2: Understands and follows directions. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows understanding when someone says familiar words related to the immediate situation. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.2 Responds to single word directive |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Follows simple one-step instructions relating to the immediate environment. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.3 Follows one-step direction with contextual cues |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Understands simple instructions with more than one part. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3.1 Follows multi-step directions with contextual cues |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Follows directions with several parts, even if some of the steps refer to something that isn’t in the immediate environment. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 3. Follows multi-step directions without contextual cues |
| L.LU.3: Understands increasingly complex sentences and utterances. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to speech, showing recognition of familiar words related to the immediate situation. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 1. Turns and looks toward person speaking |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Attends to longer and more complex speech, showing understanding of an increasing number of words. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Comprehends simple sentences, phrases, and questions, which are demonstrated through words or actions. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3.5 Responds to contingent questions from others |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Understands longer and more complex sentences and utterances such as wh- questions, short stories, or multiple sentences strung together. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing with others using words, phrases, or sentences |
| L.CS: Communicating and Speaking | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.CS.1: Uses increasingly complex grammar to communicate. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Communicates using simple words or signs, often accompanied by gestures. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Puts words together into sentences or phrases of two or three words, with the correct use of some grammar rules such as pluralization of regular words, personal pronouns (I, you, he), and regular verb conjugations (for example, I build, he builds, she is building). | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple word sentences to communicate |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses more complex grammatical structures, such as using sentences with multiple connected clauses, speaking about the past and future, and using contractions (for example, I'm, don't). | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 2 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses more complex grammatical structures, such as using sentences with multiple connected clauses, speaking about the past and future, and using contractions (for example, I'm, don't). | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 3 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses more complex grammatical structures, such as using sentences with multiple connected clauses, speaking about the past and future, and using contractions (for example, I'm, don't). | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 4 (all) |
| L.CS.2: Expresses interests, wants, and needs through nonverbal and increasingly verbal communication. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Communicates wants and needs through vocalizations such as cooing and babbling, facial expressions, and gestures. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Communicates interests, wants, and needs through a combination of gestures, signs, vocalizations, or single words. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Combines words or signs into phrases of two or three words to express interests, wants, and needs. (A child who is learning more than one language may combine words across languages.) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses sentences combining three or more words to express interests, wants, and needs. (A child who is learning more than one language may combine words across languages.) | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing with others using words, phrases, or sentences |
| L.CS.3: Develops the capacity to speak or sign clearly. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Says or signs at least a few words or approximation of words that familiar adults understand. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Speaks or signs more clearly so that familiar adults understand most of the child's words, but speech may contain pronunciation errors. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1. Produces multiple word sentences to communicate |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Speaks or signs clearly enough that most words are free of errors and can be understood both by familiar and unfamiliar adults. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing with others using words, phrases, or sentences |
| L.CS.4: Learns to engage in conversation. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Coos and babbles to an adult in response to spoken language, taking turns similar to a conversation. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social communication | 2. Produces speech sounds |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Babbles and uses early vocabulary to respond to questions from adults. | Social-Communication | A. Early Social communication | 3. Engages in vocal exchanges |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in conversations with multiple back and forth turns. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 1. Uses language to initiate and sustain social interaction |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Initiates, continues, or extends conversations with others, using meaningful and appropriate responses and questions. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 3. Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| L.VO: Vocabulary | ||||
| L.VO.1: Understands an increasing number and variety of words heard in familiar environments, play, and routines. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Understands a small number of words or signs for familiar people or objects, demonstrating understanding by looking at the person or object when named. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2.1 Recognizes own and familiar names of people or pets |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Understands an increasing number of words that identify familiar people or objects used in conversation with others focused on the current place and time. Demonstrates understanding by looking, gesturing, or responding with an appropriate action, sign, or verbal response. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 2. Locates common objects, people, and/or events |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Understands an increasing number of words used in simple sentences during conversation and play with others. Demonstrates understanding by looking, gesturing, or responding with an appropriate action, sign, or verbal response. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4.1 Answers "who," "what," and "where" questions |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Understands vocabulary words describing familiar actions, ideas, and emotions, as well as words used to categorize objects (such as fruits or animals). Understands increasingly longer sentences containing a variety of words. Demonstrates understanding by looking, gesturing, or responding with an appropriate action, sign, or verbal response. | Social-Communication | B. Communicative Understanding | 4. Responds to comprehension questions related to "why," "how," and "when" |
L.VO.2: Uses an increasing number and variety of words when communicating with others.
| Infants (around 8 months) | Babbles with combinations of consonant and vowel sounds, mimicking the sounds of the language or languages the child experiences in the environment. Note that a child who is deaf or hard of hearing may produce sounds during early vocal play, but may not produce clear syllables such as “ba-ba-ba” around 8 months of age. A child who is learning American Sign Language will also babble by moving their hands in sign-like shapes. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.4 Uses consistent consonant-vowel combinations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Says or signs a few words to communicate about familiar objects or people. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses an increasing number of words or signs to convey thoughts, feelings, or information, and occasionally speaks about personal past. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Speaks or signs in multi-word phrases or sentences, using nouns, verbs, and adjectives. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2. Provides and seeks information while conversing with others using words, phrases, or sentences |
| L.VO.3: Uses an increasing number of words to describe people and objects in the environment. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Babbles with combinations of consonant and vowel sounds, mimicking the sounds of the language or languages the child experiences in the environment. Note that both hearing and Deaf children typically produce sounds during early vocal play. However, by 8 months of age, many hearing children will produce clear syllables such as “ba-ba-ba,” while this indicator appears later, or not at all, in children who are Deaf or hard of hearing. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.4 Uses consistent consonant-vowel combinations |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses single words to refer to objects or people in the environment, often using a word they already know to refer to a similar object. | Social-Communication | C. Communicative Expression | 1.3 Uses consistent approximations for words or signs |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses simple descriptive words to talk about the characteristics of people or objects, such as size or color. | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses an increasingly wide variety of words to describe, with greater specificity, different characteristics of people or objects (for example, tall, long, hard, soft, fast, slow). | Social-Communication | D. Social Use of Language | 2.2 Describes objects; people; and past, present, and future events as part of social exchange |
| L.EL: Early Literacy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.EL.1: Interacts with books, developing an understanding of book-handling behaviors and print conventions. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Demonstrates interest in exploring and looking at picture books with an adult. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Interacts with books or pictures by touching them or turning pages, or naming or pointing to familiar objects and people. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Demonstrates an understanding of book-handling behaviors such as speaking or signing while turning pages as if reading. | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2.1 Turns pages from book front toward book end |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates an understanding of basic print conventions and book-handling behaviors, such as looking at the title of a book, orienting a book, and turning the pages in a single direction. | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 2. Demonstrates understanding that text is read in one direction, and from top to bottom of page |
| L.EL.2: Demonstrates interest and attention to language and structure used in books, rhymes, and storytelling. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to books, pictures, or rhymes recited by an adult. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Participates actively in storytelling, reading, or singing by pointing at pictures and saying, signing, or repeating one or two of the words. | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading with adult or older child |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Says or signs, with modeling and support, repetitive phrases or refrains from favorite stories, songs, or rhymes. | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play with caregivers and/or peers |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Says or signs a few familiar words, phrases, or repetitive refrains from favorite stories, songs, or rhymes, often imitating the intonation of adult readers or speakers. | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play with caregivers and/or peers |
| L.EL.3: Understands meaning communicated through stories, pictures, and informational books. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to pictures and drawings while being read to by an adult. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Participates actively in storytelling, reading, or singing by pointing at pictures and saying, signing, or repeating one or two words. | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 1.1 Participates in shared one-on-one reading with adult or older child |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Demonstrates understanding of a book's meaning after reading. (May relate the book to something in their own life or use the new vocabulary learned from a book.) | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2.2 Answers and asks questions related to story |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Retells, reenacts, or draws events from a story. Names, describes, plays, or creates art to demonstrate something learned in an informational text. | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 2. Retells simple story |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to pictures and drawings in books while being read to by an adult. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1. Orients to events or stimulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Points at, says, or signs the names of familiar people, animals, or objects in a picture. | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 1.2 Locates familiar objects, people, events, and actions in picture books |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Shows some understanding of the distinction between pictures and text, words, or letters. | Literacy | D. Vocabulary and Story Comprehension | 1. Demonstrates understanding that pictures represent text |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates understanding that letters or other linguistic characters (for example, Chinese hanzi) are a distinct kind of symbol that can be read to convey meaning. | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 3. Recognizes print words for common or familiar people, objects, or pictures |
| L.EL.5: Develops ability to recognize highly familiar text and a few letters. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Recognizes, with modeling and support, highly familiar print in the environment (for example, their own name, product logos, STOP signs). | Literacy | A. Awareness of Print Concepts | 3.2 Recognizes common signs and logos |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Names a few letters of the alphabet with adult modeling and support. | Literacy | C. Alphabet Knowledge | 1.4 Names letters in own first name |
| L.EL.6: Develops an understanding of the sounds that make up words (phonological awareness). | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Recognizes similarities in the sounds of words, such as noticing rhyming sounds or matching words that have the same first sound, with adult support. | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.1 Identifies rhyming words |
| L.EL.7: Draws or writes marks with increasing control. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Makes marks or uncontrolled scribbles on paper using a full-fist grasp. | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.4 Scribbles |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Scribbles with greater control and draws lines, circle-like shapes, or other deliberate marks. The child grasps the writing tool using all five fingers pointed downward toward the tip of the utensil and uses whole-arm movements. | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.2 Writes and/or draws using curved lines |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Scribbles with greater control and draws lines, circle-like shapes, or other deliberate marks. The child grasps the writing tool using all five fingers pointed downward toward the tip of the utensil and uses whole-arm movements. | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.3 Writes and/or draws using straight lines |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Produces or copies lines or approximations of letters or characters. Their letters or characters may not be recognizable (for example, may appear as squiggles). With adult support, the child uses a modified three- or four-finger grasp near the tip of the writing tool and uses forearm movements. | Fine Motor | C. Mechanics of Writing | 1.1 Writes and/or draws using mixed strokes |
| L.EL.8: Makes marks or scribbles on paper with the intention to convey meaning. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Makes marks intended to represent a person, object, concept, or letters/numbers, even if the image produced is not recognizable to an adult. | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.4 Writes using “scribble writing” |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses drawings and early attempts at writing alphabet letters along with an explanation to convey meaning, demonstrating an understanding of the difference between the drawings and letters. | Literacy | E. Writing | 3.1 Writes using developmental spelling |
| MD Indicator | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Cognition and STEAM | |||
| C.GCD: General Cognitive Development | |||
| C.GCD.1: Develops the ability to store, recall, and share information about people, objects, and previous experiences. | |||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Recognizes differences between familiar and unfamiliar people and objects. Shows emerging awareness that familiar people and objects exist even when they are no longer physically present. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Remembers information about recent events or interactions with people. Remembers how to use objects from a previous experience. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 3.3 Relates events immediately after they occur |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Remembers information over an extended period of time with more detail. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 3.2 Relates recent events with contextual cues |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Communicates about past experiences. Uses time-related vocabulary (for example, before, yesterday, morning) when trying to describe when things happen. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 3. Relates past events |
| C.GCD.2: Uses memories to anticipate what will happen and engages in more complex actions. | |||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Anticipates simple and familiar actions or routines. | Cognitive A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Anticipates parts of more complicated routines (and may take action that follows the routine). | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Anticipates a series of steps in a routine and remembers how to complete all steps of the routine. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Recreates a series of steps from a familiar activity or routine, or even from books or stories. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play |
| C.GCD.3: Observes people and imitates their behaviors, sounds, or words. | |||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Observes people and occasionally mimics their emotional expressions, simple gestures, and other subtle behaviors. | Cognitive A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Attends to the actions of other people and imitates some simple actions, words, or sounds. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 1.2 Imitates familiar simple motor action |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Attends to the actions of other people and imitates some simple actions, words, or sounds. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 2.2 Imitates familiar vocalization |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Imitates actions involving multiple parts. Imitates words or gestures in order to communicate. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 1.1 Imitates novel simple motor action not already in repertoire |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Imitates actions involving multiple parts. Imitates words or gestures in order to communicate. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 2. Imitates novel words |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Imitates complex actions and behaviors involving multiple steps to solve problems and achieve goals. | Cognitive B. Imitation and Memory | 1. Imitates novel coordinated motor actions |
| C.GCD.4: Develops an understanding that certain objects, actions, or symbols can represent other objects or actions. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Becomes familiar with objects and actions through exploration. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses objects to represent actions with other objects. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2. Uses object to represent another object |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in pretend play involving several ordered steps and assigned roles. Uses objects flexibly so that one object can represent multiple other objects (for example, a block becomes a car, then a cookie). Engages in pretend play by imagining an object without needing any concrete object present (for example, pretending to hold an invisible phone). | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Develops an understanding of symbols and how they can be used to represent objects, actions, or ideas. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 2.1 Recognizes symbols |
| C.MT: Mathematics | ||||
| C.MT.1: Develops a sense of numbers and demonstrates some basic knowledge of counting. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and attends to quantity. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Attends to changes in quantity when interacting with objects and uses gestures and/or basic words to refer to quantity (for example, more, all gone). | Social-Communication | A. Early Social Communication | 4. Uses intentional gestures, vocalizations, and objects to communicate |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses number words to refer to numbers or quantity. Recites part of the number list or count small sets of objects but frequently makes mistakes. | Math | A. Counting | 1.1 Counts 3 items to determine “How many?” |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Recites the number list to ten with increasing accuracy. Shows an emerging understanding that numbers represent “how many,” and uses one-to-one correspondence to count small sets. | Math | A. Counting | 2.1 Counts 10 items to determine “How many?” |
| C.MT.2: Develops spatial understanding and explores how objects and their own bodies move and fit in space. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores the movement of their own body and objects. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores how objects fit together in space. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people and objects |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Understands and uses some spatial vocabulary to describe the position (for example, under, in, on) or direction (for example, up, down) of an object. Predicts how objects interact or move through space. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.1 Identifies common concepts |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates increased understanding of spatial vocabulary to describe the relative position of objects and people in space (for example, above, below, next to, behind). Follows spatial directions involving their own body. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| C.MT.3: Identifies and recognizes a few basic shapes. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores the shape of objects. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores how objects of different shapes fit or do not fit together. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people and objects |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Recognizes and matches simple shapes (for example, circles, squares, triangles) especially if they are the same size. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Recognizes, matches, and names simple shapes varying in size (for example, circles, squares, triangles). | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| C.MT.4: Explores the similarities and differences between objects and compares, sorts, and creates simple patterns with objects. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and notices similarities and differences between objects. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Matches two objects that are the same and/or selects objects with similar visual properties (for example, shape, color, size, material). | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects and/or people using common attributes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Sorts objects into two or more groups based on one property such as shape, color, size, or their function, though sometimes inaccurately. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Sorts objects into two or more groups based on one property such as shape, color, size, or their function, though sometimes inaccurately. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.2 Classifies according to physical attributes |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Sorts objects into two or more groups based on one property such as shape, color, size, or their function with increasing accuracy. Notices and creates simple patterns. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Sorts objects into two or more groups based on one property such as shape, color, size, or their function with increasing accuracy. Notices and creates simple patterns. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |
| C.MT.5: Demonstrates some knowledge of the measurable properties of objects such as size, length, and weight. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and attends to the most noticeable properties of objects (for example, size). | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores objects and notices how they differ by size and other properties (for example, length, weight). | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects and/or people using common attributes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Understands and uses some words to describe the measurable properties of objects such as size and length (for example, big, little, long). | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4.2 Identifies concrete concepts |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Understands and uses words to describe differences in size, length, or weight of objects (for example, bigger, longer, heavier). With adult support, compares and orders objects by size or length. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 4. Uses early conceptual comparisons |
| C.STE: Science, Technology and Engineering | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.STE.1: Demonstrates curiosity about the world through exploration and investigation of physical objects and materials. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Focuses attention on things that happen in the environment and explores objects through the senses and a variety of simple actions. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores and learns about objects and events in their environment through repeated intentional actions. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Seeks information through explorations with objects, observations, and by asking others. Uses trial and error to investigate objects and events. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Asks simple questions, makes predictions, and engages in sustained explorations and investigations of objects and events. Explains or describes observations. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| C.STE.2: Develops an understanding of the causes and effects of actions and events. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Focuses attention on the effects of their actions on objects and repeats simple actions to make things happen. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.2 Uses simple actions on a variety of objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Interacts purposefully with objects to explore cause and effect. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Predicts outcomes of actions or events and identifies what caused something to happen. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3. Investigates to test hypotheses |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Asks questions about why things happen. Explains the impact of specific actions on objects and events. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 4. Transfers knowledge |
| C.STE.3: Explores the characteristics of the natural world, including living things, earth materials, the weather, and objects in the sky. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Focuses attention on the sounds, light, movements, and earth materials in their environment. Notices and explores their own body. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1.2 Uses senses to explore |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores the characteristics of living things (plants and animals) and the physical properties of materials. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Explores and makes observations about familiar objects, living things (plants and animals), and materials. Makes observations about the weather and about objects in the sky (sun, moon, stars, and clouds). | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.3 Makes observations |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Describes the needs of living things and how living things (plants and animals) change over time, the properties of materials and objects, and how the weather and objects in the sky (sun, moon, stars, and clouds) appear to move and change. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings |
| C.STE.4: Takes action, uses tools, and carries out solutions to achieve goals or solve problems. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Uses own actions and movements to achieve an immediate goal or solve simple problems that involve their body or objects. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2.1 Tries different simple actions to achieve goals |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses repeated, intentional actions to achieve goals or solve everyday problems. Uses objects as tools, watches others for possible solutions, or gestures or vocalizes for others to help. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses objects to obtain another object |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Uses prior experience with a situation to reach goals or solve problems that are increasingly challenging. Uses tools and asks for help when needed. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | With adult support, designs and tests solutions for solving a problem or reaching a goal using a sequence of multiple steps and a variety of tools. Collaborates with peers and adults to plan and carry out solutions. | Cognitive | E. Scientific Discovery | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| C.A: Arts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.A.1: Demonstrates interest in and increasing capacity to create visual art. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Shows interest in visual art such as pictures, photographs, or sculptures. Explores sensory materials related to visual art. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Creates marks and textures* through experimentation with a variety of visual art materials. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people and objects |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Creates drawings and paintings and experiments with three-dimensional art (for example, collages, sculptures) using a variety of materials. Sometimes creates with the intention to represent objects, people, or scenes, although their representations may not be recognizable. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Creates drawings and paintings and experiments with three-dimensional art (for example, collages, sculptures) using a variety of materials. Sometimes creates with the intention to represent objects, people, or scenes, although their representations may not be recognizable. | Literacy | E. Writing | 2.1 Makes representational drawings |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Creates drawings and paintings using controlled lines and three-dimensional forms using a variety of materials. Demonstrates the ability to create a few basic representations of objects, people, or scenes. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Creates drawings and paintings using controlled lines and three-dimensional forms using a variety of materials. Demonstrates the ability to create a few basic representations of objects, people, or scenes. | Literacy | E. Writing | 2.1 Makes representational drawings |
| C.A.2: Demonstrates interest in and increased capacity to explore, create, and respond to vocal and instrumental music. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Attends to a variety of sounds, vocalizations, and vibrations. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Experiments with a variety of sounds, vocalizations, and vibrations using objects, instruments, or voices. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2. Combines simple actions to examine people and objects |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in extended exploration of vocal and instrumental music, responding to tempo (speed) and dynamics (loudness). | Literacy | B. Phonological Awareness | 1.2 Participates in repetitive verbal play with caregivers and/or peers |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates increased vocal and physical control when exploring and responding to rhythm, tempo (speed), and dynamics (loudness). Produces simple rhythms and short tunes using objects, instruments, or voices. | Social-Emotional | D. Independent and Group Participation | 2.2 Responds appropriately to directions during large group activities |
| C.A.3: Develops the ability to engage in role-play. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | (No indicator). | |||
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Engages in simple pretend play by themselves or with others. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages in role-play*, acting out characters or scenes by themselves or with others using a few simple gestures, expressions, and props to convey emotions or characteristics. | Social-Emotional | C. Interactions with Peers | 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play |
| Physical Well-Being and Motor Development | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.PS: Perception and Sensory Integration | ||||
| P.PS.1: Uses and integrates information from the senses to explore and learn about objects, people, and experiences and to navigate own movement and actions. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Uses the senses to learn about objects and people in the environment. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Uses sensory and perceptual information to adapt their movement and actions. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 2. Coordinates actions with objects to achieve new outcomes |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Coordinates information across senses and adjusts their interactions with objects and materials to successfully accomplish a goal in play or daily routines. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3.1 Evaluates common solutions to solve problems/reach goals |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Integrates information across all the senses and uses perceptual information about objects and their own body in space to problem-solve and accomplish increasingly complex behaviors. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| P.GM: Gross Motor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.GM.1: Demonstrates increased control and movement of the body using large muscles (involving the use of head, trunk, legs, and arms). | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls head, arms, trunk, and legs, and maintains or changes their physical position. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 1 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls head, arms, trunk, and legs, and maintains or changes their physical position. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 2 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls head, arms, trunk, and legs, and maintains or changes their physical position. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls head, arms, trunk, and legs, and maintains or changes their physical position. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4 (all) |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Coordinates whole body movement to locomotor (for example, crawling through a fabric tunnel, walking). | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1 (all) |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Coordinates whole body movement to locomotor (for example, crawling through a fabric tunnel, walking). | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 2 (all) |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Coordinates whole body movement to locomotor (for example, crawling through a fabric tunnel, walking). | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3 (all) |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Coordinates and controls large muscles to move and explore in a greater variety of ways. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4 (all) |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Coordinates and controls large muscles to move and explore in a greater variety of ways. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5 (all) |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Coordinates and controls large muscles to move and explore in a greater variety of ways. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Moves with ease and has greater balance and coordination of large muscles to accomplish complex movements. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 4. Alternates feet going up and down stairs |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Moves with ease and has greater balance and coordination of large muscles to accomplish complex movements. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 5 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Moves with ease and has greater balance and coordination of large muscles to accomplish complex movements. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 6 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Moves with ease and has greater balance and coordination of large muscles to accomplish complex movements. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 7 (all) |
| P.GM.2: Use large muscles and whole-body movements to explore their environment and interact with others. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls their head, arms, trunk, and legs to interact with objects and people. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 1 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls their head, arms, trunk, and legs to interact with objects and people. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 2 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls their head, arms, trunk, and legs to interact with objects and people. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 3 (all) |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Controls their head, arms, trunk, and legs to interact with objects and people. | Gross Motor | A. Body Control and Weight Transfer | 4 (all) |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Coordinates their whole body to move to and from people, places, and objects. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 1. Creeps forward using alternating arm and leg movements |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Coordinates their whole body to move to and from people, places, and objects. | Gross Motor | B. Movement and Coordination | 3 (all) |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Combines a variety of whole-body movements to initiate play with others. | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | All |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Coordinates a variety of complex whole-body movements as part of play and interactions with others (for example, dancing) and in navigating more challenging environments. | Gross Motor | C. Active Play | All |
| MD Indicator | AEPS-3 Area | AEPS-3 Strand | AEPS-3 Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.FM: Fine Motor | ||||
| P.FM.1: Demonstrates increased control and coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers to allow for more precise actions on objects. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Grasps and holds onto objects to explore their properties. | Fine Motor | A. Reach, Grasp, and Release | 2 (all) |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Manipulates objects with increased precision and coordinates both hands at the same time to perform various simple actions on an object. | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 1 (all) |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Coordinates both hands to act on objects in complex ways to accomplish a variety of everyday activities (for example, eating, building, painting, or making crafts). | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3 (all) |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Demonstrates highly precise, refined, and coordinated use of fingers to accomplish everyday activities. | Fine Motor | B. Functional Skill Use | 3. Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different action |
| P.FM.2: Uses tools as a way to extend the abilities of their body and accomplish goals more efficiently. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Explores objects and learns about their properties. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 2.1 Uses sensory means to explore people, animals, and objects |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Explores using objects as a way to more efficiently complete tasks. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 1. Uses object to obtain another object |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Adapts to using a wider variety of tools (for example, a fork, a bucket, a shovel) to complete tasks with more precision. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3.1 Evaluates common solutions to solve problems/reach goals |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Uses tools to attempt to accomplish tasks that require careful attention to detail. | Cognitive | D. Reasoning | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies |
| P.RH: Daily Routines, Health & Nutrition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.RH.1: Develops increasing independence around daily routines and self-care. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Depends on adults for help with the majority of daily activities but is responsive during personal care routines. | Cognitive | A. Sensory Exploration | 1.1 Reacts to events or stimulation |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Occasionally shows signs of autonomy and ability to cooperate during daily routines and wants to help others. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3.2 Follows familiar social routines with familiar adults |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Consistently demonstrates some autonomy and ability to cooperate during self-care and needs less help during daily routines. | Social-Emotional | A. Interactions with Adults | 3. Participates in familiar social routines with caregivers |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages in routine self-care, such as trips to the bathroom, dressing and undressing, and toothbrushing, with limited help. | Adaptive | B. Personal Care Routines | All |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Engages in routine self-care, such as trips to the bathroom, dressing and undressing, and toothbrushing, with limited help. | Adaptive | C. Dressing and Undressing | All |
| P.RH.2: Shows an interest in healthy eating habits and nutritious food. | ||||
| Infants (around 8 months) | Eats a variety of solid foods, including self-feeding small, soft finger foods. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 2.3 Eats soft and dissolvable foods |
| Infants (around 8 months) | Eats a variety of solid foods, including self-feeding small, soft finger foods. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 3.2 Eats with fingers |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Shows increased ability to feed self, using a spoon to bring food to their mouth, and chewing foods of a variety of textures. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 2. Eats foods from variety of food groups with variety of textures |
| Younger Toddlers (around 18 months) | Shows increased ability to feed self, using a spoon to bring food to their mouth, and chewing foods of a variety of textures. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 3.1 Brings food to mouth using eating utensil |
| Older Toddlers (around 36 months) | Shows food preferences, including favorite foods, and picks between two foods when offered. Note that children may refuse to eat certain foods, even if they have eaten those foods in the past. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.3 Discriminates between objects and/or people using common attributes |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Eats a variety of foods and demonstrates understanding that eating different types of food will help their body grow and be healthy. | Adaptive | A. Eating and Drinking | 2. Eats foods from variety of food groups with variety of textures |
| Pre-K3 (around 48 months) | Eats a variety of foods and demonstrates understanding that eating different types of food will help their body grow and be healthy. | Cognitive | C. Conceptual Knowledge | 3.1 Classifies according to function |