Note: For young children, learning is an integrated experience. The examples below may include multiple areas of learning and development.
Responding Earlier
Calms when comforted by an adult
Possible Examples
Lessens or stops crying when picked up by an adult.
Relaxes in an adult’s arms when being held.
Quiets to the voice of a familiar adult.
Source: California Department of Education. 2009. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations Series. https://www.cdevideos.org/.
Responding Later
Seeks a familiar adult when distressed, and responds when physically comforted by a familiar adult
Possible Examples
Reaches toward a familiar adult to be comforted and nestles into the adult when held.
Vocalizes to a familiar adult and calms when the adult reaches over to pat child’s stomach.
Looks toward a familiar adult when startled, and relaxes when picked up.
Source: California Department of Education. 2009. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations Series. https://www.cdevideos.org/.
Exploring Earlier
Calms self when a
familiar adult initiates contact, moves close, or offers a special thing
Possible Examples
Gets up and looks for an adult after falling down, and then resumes play when the adult gives a reassuring look.
Stops crying after an adult offers a toy similar to the toy another child took.
Calms when an adult moves to sit closer on the floor.
Source: California Department of Education. 2009. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations Series. https://www.cdevideos.org/.
Exploring Later
Relies on communication or guidance from a familiar adult to regulate emotional or behavioral reactions in moderately stressful situations
Possible Examples
Lets go of another child’s toy and accepts a different toy after a familiar adult communicates, “She’s playing with the blue truck. You can use the red one.”
Gets a towel when an adult suggests that they work together to clean up a spill that the child is upset about.
Accepts an adult’s invitation to move closer, after noticing child’s worried look when an unfamiliar adult enters the room.
Source: California Department of Education. 2009. California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations Series. https://www.cdevideos.org/.
Building Earlier
Demonstrates capacity
to regulate emotional
or behavioral reactions
in some moderately
stressful situations,
occasionally needing
adult supportPossible Examples
Waits to ride a favorite tricycle without trying to take it from another child.
Pauses and sighs after tower falls down, and then starts to rebuild it when an adult asks “Do you want to make it again?”
Frowns, but goes to play with something else, when an adult communicates that it is not yet time to go outside.
Source: California Department of Education. 2016.
Building Middle
Expresses strong
feelings through
constructive forms
of communication,
seeking the assistance of familiar adults when needed
Possible Examples
Insists that another child return a favorite doll, but when refused, asks a familiar adult for help.
Communicates feelings of anger, through words or gestures, to a familiar adult when another child takes a toy without asking.
Communicates, “Tôi muốn ngồi ở đây,” [“I want to sit here,” in Vietnamese], when upset that there are no empty chairs near a friend.
Source: California Department of Education. 2016.
Building Later
Uses simple strategies (e.g., leaving a difficult situation, offering an alternative toy to a friend) to regulate own feelings or behaviors
Possible Examples
Offers a toy in exchange when another child has a desired toy.
Asks another child who is painting at an easel, “When is it my turn? I’ve been waiting.”
Leaves the block area after unsuccessfully attempting to join peers, and then moves to the dramatic play area to join other children in play.
Source: California Department of Education. 2016.
Integrating Earlier
Uses socially appropriate strategies (e.g., negotiation, compromise, verbal reminders to self) to regulate own feelings or behaviors
Possible Examples
Communicates, “I want a turn. Can I use the scooter after you go around two times?” after watching another child ride for a while.
Communicates, “Don’t push!” to another child trying to fit at the water table, and then says, “Here’s a place,” and moves over.
Communicates to self, in words or signs, that the monsters are just pretend, when attending to a scary story.
Uses a communication device to suggest a strategy to share the limited number of popular art materials during a collage project.
