A rigorous curriculum for the first five years.

Observes, describes, and compares phenomena

6–60 months

Gathers information with senses and actions, describes properties and events, and compares objects, trials, and changes over time.

Investigates material properties and changes

12–60 months

Tests how physical properties affect what materials do, and how materials change through mixing, heating, cooling, dissolving, or other actions.

Observes living things and their needs

18–60 months

Observes how plants and animals behave, grow, and change, what they need, and what their parts help them do.

Plans and runs simple investigations

18–60 months

Carries out actions to explore a question, repeats tests, changes one condition at a time, plans steps with support, and fixes a procedure that fails to answer the question.

Asks questions about phenomena

18–60 months

Seeks information about objects and events, then asks questions that a test or observation can answer, including follow-up questions after a result.

Makes predictions and checks them against results

24–60 months

States an expected outcome before an event, links the expectation to experience or current conditions, and afterward says whether the result matched.

Explains results using evidence

24–60 months

Tells what was done and found, offers explanations based on observations, points to supporting evidence, and changes an idea when new evidence disagrees.

Records observations with tools and representations

24–60 months

Uses simple observation and measurement tools, records what was seen, and organizes records or models to show patterns or change.

Perceives small quantities without counting

0–60 months

Discriminates small visible quantities in infancy, then recognizes quantities up to about four at a glance.

Compares quantities

16–60 months

Determines whether two collections have more, fewer, or the same number of items, with or without counting as appropriate.

Recites and navigates the count sequence

24–60 months

Produces an increasingly long and stable sequence of number words and begins moving forward within that sequence.

Uses one-to-one counting

24–60 months

Assigns exactly one number word to each object, action, sound, or event being counted.

Understands cardinality and counting principles

30–60 months

Understands that the final number word gives the total and that quantity is preserved across counting order and arrangement.

Connects written numerals and quantities

36–60 months

Recognizes written numerals and connects them with the quantities they represent.

Understands ordinal position

36–60 months

Identifies relative positions such as first, second, third, and later positions within an ordered set.

Matches and discriminates visual features

6–48 months

Matches identical objects and pictures and tells apart items that differ in a visual feature.

Classifies objects and phenomena by attributes

18–60 months

Sorts objects, materials, organisms, or events into groups by observable attributes and explains the rule.

Understands and creates repeating patterns

36–60 months

Copies, extends, completes, describes, and creates simple repeating patterns.

Tracks quantity changes

8–48 months

Notices when items are added or removed, including changes that happen out of view, and keeps track of how many remain.

Solves joining and separating problems

36–60 months

Determines totals and remainders when small visible quantities are joined or separated.

Composes and decomposes quantities

42–60 months

Builds a target quantity from smaller parts and identifies the missing part needed to reach a target.

Recognizes and describes two-dimensional shapes

18–60 months

Matches, names, and describes two-dimensional shapes across changes in size and orientation.

Uses spatial language and follows routes

24–60 months

Understands and uses position and direction words and follows and describes movement routes and sequences.

Composes and decomposes shapes and structures

36–60 months

Combines shapes or spatial pieces into larger forms and identifies component shapes within a whole.

Reasons by exclusion

30–48 months

Sees one location empty and concludes the object sits in the other possible location.

Combines attributes with "and" and "or"

30–54 months

Finds an item that meets two attributes at once, or either of two attributes.

Applies if-then rules

36–60 months

Follows a conditional rule such as "if the card is red, put the card in the box" and predicts where a new item will go.

Identifies the item that breaks a rule

36–60 months

Finds the odd one out in a set and states the rule the other items share.

Compares measurable attributes

24–60 months

Directly compares length, height, size, weight, or capacity and uses the corresponding comparison language.

Orders objects by measurable attribute

30–60 months

Orders three or more objects by length, height, size, weight, or another measurable attribute.

Measures with nonstandard units

42–60 months

Measures an attribute using repeated equal units and interprets the resulting count.

Estimates and checks quantities or measurements

48–60 months

Makes a reasonable estimate for a small quantity or measurement, then checks it by counting or measuring.

Distinguishes certain, possible, and impossible outcomes

42–60 months

Identifies whether an observable outcome is certain, possible but uncertain, or impossible and uses appropriate uncertainty language.

Compares likelihood from visible quantities

48–60 months

Uses visibly unequal quantities to identify which outcome is more likely while recognizing that another outcome may remain possible.

Persists when a task is difficult

8–60 months

Continues working toward a goal after manageable difficulty, seeks help, or returns to an unfinished task.

Imitates actions, gestures, and expressions

0–60 months

Copies body actions, object actions, facial expressions, and movements modeled by adults or peers. Communicative gestures such as waving or a high five belong to Imitates and uses communicative gestures.

Learns a procedure by observing another person

24–60 months

Reproduces a demonstrated procedure and applies an observed strategy to a similar task.

Holds and updates information in working memory

18–60 months

Keeps locations, sequences, goals, and task information in mind while acting and updates them when conditions change.

Tries and evaluates multiple strategies

12–48 months

Tries alternatives, evaluates results, and reuses strategies that previously worked.

Plans and carries out multi-step solutions

24–60 months

Identifies needed materials and carries out solution steps in a workable order.

Solves problems within constraints

30–60 months

Recognizes constraints and selects solutions that satisfy one or more requirements.

Explores and seeks new challenges

6–60 months

Initiates purposeful exploration of objects and spaces, then seeks new information and challenges at a manageable level.

Follows task and game rules

8–60 months

Maintains and applies one or more task or game rules across turns or repetitions, including spoken game rules.

Waits and inhibits responses when a cue or rule calls for it

18–60 months

Delays or withholds an immediate response until a cue, turn, or rule permits the action.

Shifts attention, rules, or strategy flexibly

24–60 months

Changes focus, rules, or strategy when task demands change.

Engages in pretend and dramatic play

9–60 months

Uses objects, gestures, and imagined items to stand for other things, takes on roles, and builds pretend actions into stories and scenarios, alone or with other children.

Generates multiple ideas and novel combinations

18–60 months

Uses materials in varied ways, combines materials, actions, or ideas in new ways, and produces more than one possible solution or design.

Follows spoken directions

9–60 months

Carries out spoken or signed directions, from a single familiar direction with a gesture to multi-step sequences that use order words such as first, then, before, and after.

Understands questions and increasingly complex sentences

18–60 months

Interprets common question forms and sentences containing grammatical and conceptual relationships.

Sustains and repairs conversation

18–60 months

Maintains a shared topic and repairs communication when a partner does not understand.

Adapts communication to listener and context

36–60 months

Adjusts information, wording, volume, and social conventions for a listener or situation.

Develops speech sounds from babbling to intelligible speech

0–60 months

Expands vocal sounds from early cooing and babbling to a growing inventory of speech sounds and increasingly intelligible connected speech.

Interprets pictures, symbols, and simple stories

9–48 months

Identifies what pictures and symbols show, recognizes familiar signs and logos, and uses illustrations to answer questions about simple stories.

Expands vocabulary across semantic categories

18–60 months

Uses increasingly varied and specific words for categories, actions, attributes, and locations.

Understands and uses relational and concept words

24–60 months

Understands and uses spatial, comparative, quantity, and temporal vocabulary.

Organizes and explains word meanings

30–60 months

Relates words through categories, opposites, attributes, functions, and contextual learning.

Makes marks, letter-like forms, and letters

12–60 months

Makes marks that stand for meaning, then produces letter-like forms, letters, and own name.

Uses writing or dictation to communicate

36–60 months

Creates or dictates written messages for recognizable purposes and explains their meaning.

Combines words into longer sentences

15–60 months

Combines two words or symbols, then builds longer sentences with connectors and more than one clause.

Asks, answers, and explains

24–60 months

Uses questions and explanations to obtain information, answer others, give reasons, and describe procedures.

Recalls and sequences story information

24–60 months

Recalls literal information and organizes important story events in sequence.

Tells and retells coherent narratives

30–60 months

Relates personal or fictional events with characters, sequence, connections, and an ending.

Predicts, infers, and explains from text

36–60 months

Uses stated and illustrated information to predict, infer motivations, and justify interpretations.

Understands the functions and conventions of print

24–60 months

Understands that print communicates and follows conventional book and page organization.

Recognizes and names letters

30–60 months

Identifies and names increasingly many letters across forms and contexts.

Connects letters with speech sounds

42–60 months

Associates familiar letters with the speech sounds they commonly represent.

Recognizes rhyme and alliteration

30–60 months

Notices and produces words sharing ending or beginning sound patterns.

Segments and blends larger word parts

36–60 months

Segments and combines compound words and syllables.

Identifies and manipulates onset and initial sounds

48–60 months

Identifies, matches, blends, separates, and changes the beginning sound units of words.

Creates with intention across art forms

0–60 months

Explores materials and actions for their effects, makes deliberate creative choices, revises toward an intention, works within simple constraints, and combines art forms to express an idea.

Participates in and makes music

0–60 months

Attends and responds to music, plays sounds on purpose, keeps a beat, sings familiar songs, notices musical contrasts, makes music with others, and invents short musical ideas.

Makes visual art in two and three dimensions

0–60 months

Responds to images, uses color, line, shape, and texture on purpose, builds three-dimensional forms, makes representational artwork, and plans and explains a piece.

Responds to art and creates with others

12–60 months

Takes part in family and community art traditions, describes and interprets artistic works, collaborates on shared creative work, and discusses creative choices.

Moves expressively and dances

18–60 months

Moves in time with music, varies movement qualities, uses space and direction on purpose, and creates and repeats movement sequences.

Stabilizes with one hand while the other manipulates

10–48 months

Uses one hand to hold material or an object steady while the other hand performs a precise action.

Develops a consistent hand preference

36–60 months

Shows an increasingly consistent preference for one hand in precision tasks while the other assists.

Makes and controls marks with drawing tools

6–60 months

Explores mark-making materials, makes deliberate marks, varies them by tool and stroke, and controls drawing and writing tools.

Copies simple forms and letter-like shapes

24–60 months

Imitates basic strokes after a model, then copies simple forms and letter-like shapes.

Tears, folds, and positions paper

24–60 months

Uses coordinated hand movements to tear, fold, align, crease, and reposition paper.

Uses scissors with increasing precision

30–60 months

Coordinates the cutting hand and supporting hand to open, close, and guide scissors through paper.

Performs in-hand manipulation

12–60 months

Rotates and repositions objects, then moves, shifts, and turns small objects within one hand.

Aligns and fits pieces into spaces

12–48 months

Coordinates vision and hand movements to orient, align, and insert pieces into openings or spaces.

Joins and separates construction pieces

12–60 months

Connects and separates construction materials using coordinated pressure and precise hand movements.

Threads, strings, and laces materials

18–60 months

Coordinates both hands and visual attention to place materials onto or through a cord, stem, or opening.

Adjusts grasp and force to the object or tool

12–60 months

Scales grip and force to an object's weight, fragility, and resistance, and to the tool in use.

Uses eating and transfer utensils with increasing control

15–60 months

Uses spoons, forks, tongs, chopsticks, or similar utensils to pick up and transport material.

Pours, transfers, and serves materials with control

24–60 months

Pours and scoops materials, food, and drink from one container to another while monitoring the receiving container.

Manipulates clothing and everyday fasteners

30–60 months

Opens and closes clothing fasteners and everyday closures such as velcro, snaps, zippers, and buttons.

Supports, pushes, and pulls body weight

5–60 months

Uses large muscles of the arms, shoulders, trunk, and legs to support, push, or pull the body and stable objects.

Climbs on furniture, steps, ladders, and play structures

12–60 months

Climbs on and off low furniture, then up and down steps, ladders, and play structures.

Sustains active physical play

24–60 months

Maintains participation in active gross-motor play for increasingly sustained periods.

Adapts movement to obstacles, spaces, and surface changes

6–60 months

Notices depth, surface, and spatial changes and plans and adjusts movement to get around, over, and through them.

Runs with increasing coordination

18–60 months

Runs, starts, stops, and changes direction with increasing balance and reciprocal coordination.

Maintains static balance

12–60 months

Maintains stable upright positions as the base of support becomes progressively smaller.

Jumps and hops with increasing control

24–60 months

Jumps with both feet, jumps forward, down, and over obstacles, and hops on one foot.

Maintains dynamic balance

24–60 months

Maintains balance while moving along lines, narrow paths, and low balance surfaces.

Performs varied locomotor patterns

36–60 months

Coordinates galloping, side-sliding, and emerging skipping patterns.

Kicks a ball with increasing control

18–60 months

Kicks stationary and moving balls while maintaining balance and direction.

Throws with increasing direction and force

18–60 months

Throws objects forward and toward targets using underhand and overhand actions.

Catches a ball with increasing control

24–60 months

Receives tossed or bounced balls using the body and hands with increasing control.

Strikes objects with a hand or implement

24–60 months

Contacts stationary, suspended, or slowly moving objects using a hand or short implement.

Bounces and dribbles a ball

36–60 months

Directs a ball downward and regains control through repeated bounces.

Recognizes and communicates body needs and states

0–60 months

Notices and signals hunger, thirst, fullness, tiredness, elimination needs, pain, illness, and other body states.

Participates in routine health care

12–60 months

Participates in familiar basic-care routines and communicates a need to pause or adjust.

Seeks help for health and practical needs

24–60 months

Recognizes when adult help is needed, communicates the need, and persists in seeking support.

Participates in a familiar sleep or rest routine

0–60 months

Takes part in a predictable sleep or rest routine and uses familiar objects or quiet activities to move from play to rest.

Follows morning and evening personal-care routines

24–60 months

Completes ordered personal-care steps within familiar morning and evening routines.

Dresses and undresses with increasing independence

6–48 months

Helps with dressing, then removes and puts on simple clothing with increasing independence.

Manages personal clothing and belongings

24–60 months

Stores, retrieves, and gathers personal clothing and belongings for familiar routines.

Selects clothing for familiar conditions

36–60 months

Chooses clothing for familiar weather and activities and requests changes when needed.

Participates in familiar mealtime routines

12–60 months

Prepares for meals, follows eating-area expectations, and participates in cleanup.

Responds to safety cues and limits

9–48 months

Stops, waits, or stays within a boundary when an adult gives a safety cue or limit.

Uses familiar protective equipment

24–60 months

Participates in putting on and appropriately using familiar protective equipment.

Recognizes common household and environmental hazards

30–60 months

Identifies familiar hazards, selects safe responses, and alerts an adult.

Uses personal-safety and trusted-adult strategies

36–60 months

Communicates refusal, identifies trusted helpers, and seeks help when separated or unsafe.

Cleans spills and surfaces

24–60 months

Notices small messes and uses child-safe tools to wipe or sweep them.

Completes a recurring household responsibility

36–60 months

Completes familiar one- and multistep household responsibilities using available cues.

Discriminates sound qualities

12–60 months

Distinguishes sounds by qualities such as loudness, pitch, speed, and duration.

Finds relevant sounds amid competing input

24–60 months

Selects and shifts attention to relevant sounds when other sounds are present.

Uses one sensory cue to predict another

18–60 months

Uses information from one sense to predict and check information available through another.

Discriminates smells and tastes

0–60 months

Notices when a smell or taste changes and tells apart contrasting odors and tastes.

Recognizes and describes smells and tastes

12–60 months

Recognizes familiar odors and flavors, then describes and matches their qualities.

Explores, discriminates, and identifies objects through touch

0–60 months

Uses touch to explore materials, notices and matches tactile properties, adjusts handling to how an object feels, and identifies objects by touch alone or by combining touch with sight and sound.

Locates visual targets in increasingly complex displays

3–60 months

Shifts visual attention and scans the surroundings, then finds target items among increasingly busy displays.

Recognizes visual constancy across changes

18–60 months

Recognizes familiar forms across changes in orientation, size, color, or partial view.

Uses body-position sense to guide movement

3–60 months

Uses information about body position and movement to adjust posture, move body parts without watching them, and reproduce positions.

Identifies body parts and their locations

12–48 months

Identifies major body parts on self and others and understands their locations.

Locates objects relative to self and other objects

18–60 months

Uses relative-location information to find and place objects.

Uses direction and distance information to guide action

30–60 months

Adjusts actions and paths using direction, distance, and visible results.

Uses perceptual information during daily routines

9–60 months

Uses how objects and materials look, feel, and sound to choose how to handle them during play and daily routines.

Coordinates action with visual or auditory cues

12–60 months

Starts, stops, changes, and times actions in response to visual or auditory cues.

Corrects actions using ongoing sensory feedback

12–60 months

Uses what is seen or felt during an action, and changes in sensory conditions, to correct position, force, or direction.

Expresses and names own emotions

0–60 months

Expresses pleasure, interest, frustration, and distress in recognizable ways, then names personal emotions and their intensity.

Understands others' emotions and perspectives

4–60 months

Notices and names other people's emotions, connects emotions to their causes, and recognizes that others may want, know, or prefer something different.

Regulates emotions with decreasing adult support

0–60 months

Moves from calming with adult soothing and routines to recovering from frustration and disappointment, then to choosing coping strategies independently.

Builds secure relationships with trusted adults

0–60 months

Seeks comfort from trusted adults, uses them as a base for exploration, manages separation and reunion, and forms relationships with familiar nonparent adults.

Develops self-awareness, agency, and identity

0–60 months

Recognizes self as a distinct person, makes and states choices, identifies family and group membership, and keeps a realistic, positive view of own abilities.

Plays with peers and builds friendships

3–60 months

Moves from noticing other children to parallel, associative, and cooperative play, and forms and keeps preferred friendships.

Helps, shares, and comforts others

12–60 months

Helps others, shares materials, offers comfort to someone in distress, and contributes toward shared outcomes.

Resolves conflicts and repairs harm

24–60 months

Communicates problems, considers solutions with and then without adult support, and repairs an interaction after causing harm.

Follows routines and adapts behavior to context

18–60 months

Follows familiar routines and expectations, moves between activities, and adjusts voice, movement, and actions to the setting.

Participates in groups fairly and responsibly

18–60 months

Joins group routines, completes a role in shared tasks, recognizes unfair outcomes, includes others, and respects personal boundaries.