The Florida Early Learning And Developmental Standards were created as guidelines for raising and teaching children from birth until five-years of age based upon the latest research in child development. Babies are born with the ability to see, feel, smell and hear; these well-developed senses allow them to start learning as early as day one. From 0-5 children rapidly grow and mature as they take in the new world all around them.

A child’s home environment will greatly impact how much or how little they develop in the first few years of life. A home with plenty of love, adequate nutrition, and engaging experiences helps develop a happy child who wants to learn and as a result questions almost everything.  Outside influences, such as preschool or daycare, will also impact your child and who he or she becomes.

In 2007, Florida’s Office of Early Learning created a Steering Committee with the goal of producing guidance regarding education of Florida’s youngest children. These Standards were created by some of our nation’s leading childcare experts and specially apply to appropriate progress depending upon age. 

Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards are broken up into five different areas of development, or 5 standards:

1. Physical development
2. Approaches to learning
3. Social and emotional development
4. Language and communication
5. Cognitive development and general knowledge

These standards are not just helpful to teachers, a variety of different individuals use these standards as well. Such as:

-Standards can help parents or any adult better understand the normal flow of child development to help gauge where a child should be at a certain point in time.

-Standards help teachers, parents, and caregivers plan activities that are age-appropriate, fun and beneficial to a child’s developmental growth. 

-Standards do not just apply to average growth and development; they are also useful tools for helping enrich experiences of special needs children as well.

-The Standards provide a set of common terminology everyone can use. This helps bring anyone involved with raising or caring for a child together for the good of future generations. 

General Guiding Principles Of Early Learning Standards

The collective knowledge we have about child development and best practices relates directly to extensive research produced by leading childcare experts. The following principles are considered among the few predictable things when it comes to raising kids.

-During the first five years of life your child will grow and develop at a rapid rate.

All through life the brain and body grow and change but the first five years of life include some of the fastest paced growth. During this time a child’s brain connections constantly increase in complexity, and every experience has the ability to greatly impact these connections.

–Responsive relationships and proper nurturing create the foundations for health, growth and development. 

When children have unconditional love that they can count on they are more likely to maximize new learning opportunities. A child’s parents are the biggest influence, although other adults may play a large role as well.

–Consistency and continuity spurs development.

A stable and constant environment helps children feel more comfortable and opens them up to trying new things, learning new skills and seeking unique information.

-Although developmental milestones can be predicted, all children develop at a unique pace.

The guidelines for normal child development are just guidelines, they are not set in stone. All children are different and can’t be predicted down to an exact month, day or even year.

–Children don’t just learn at school, they learn all the time and in many different settings.

Children are constantly learning, at school, out in the community and even in your living room. “This learning is enhanced when adults actively guide and expand young children’s play through exploration, encouragement, imitation, and repetition.” (Reference)

-Any adult can create experiences that promote early learning.

Ensuring your child’s basic health and safety needs are met puts your child at an advantage in regards to learning.

A Closer Look At The Five Standards

Each standard is broken up into subcategories for different age groups; birth to 8 months, 8 to 18 months, 18 to 24 months, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds. Under each age group the subcategories are outlined with normal stages of development based on age. 

1. Physical Development

The physical development standard applies to physical aspects that are rapidly growing and changing as your child becomes more physically mobile. This category is broken up into four subcategories.

The first is gross motor development, which relates to a number of milestones like rolling over, crawling, walking, etc.

The next is fine motor development, which includes smaller movements involving the use of your child’s fingers, toes, wrists, lips and tongue.

Self-Help relates to your child’s growing ability to take care of their needs on their own.

Lastly, health relates to physical, dental, visual and auditory development, as well as mental health, nutrition and overall wellness.

2. Approaches To Learning

Approaches to learning is a broad umbrella term that relates to all sorts of areas such as reading, writing, and so forth, but more specifically applies to the ways children direct learning. There are 3 subcategories outlined in relation to learning approaches: eagerness and curiosity, creativity and inventiveness and persistence. How children approach learning changes as they grow. Each age group is defined by how they utilize the strategies described below.

The first strategy children utilize when it comes to learning new things is eagerness and curiosity, or the desire to learn new things and question the world.

The second strategy relates to the unavoidable obstacles children will face and the persistence to carry on even when facing something challenging.

Imaginative children will also rely on the strategies of creativity and inventiveness. For instance, trying a series of different solutions to find one that works.

3. Social And Emotional Development

Humans are rather complex creatures when it comes to social and emotional development. Children that are raised with unconditional love and support are better able to develop positive relationships in the future. Attending preschool further helps this development by giving kids first hand experience interacting and cooperating with their peers.

The Social and Emotional Development standards are ruled by three primary concepts:

-Trust and emotional security

This component includes how a child feels about his/herself, and how safe they feel in their regular environments and relationships. Positive relationships with teachers, caregivers and parents help produce a child that will continue to develop positive relationships in the future.  This should be a focus with children so that they grow to better understand others, themselves and interpret emotions in a safe and healthy manner. 

-Self-regulation

This component is in regards to how well your child is able to control their needs and emotions. Clearly, younger children are not nearly as good at this as they will grow up to be with proper guidance. Many different factors impact a child’s ability to self-regulate including relationships with parents, caregivers and teachers, culture, maturity, and the integration of several potent areas of the brain.

-Self-concept

Children that are properly raised and nourished will develop a sense of confidence and competence. As children accomplish more challenging tasks with the help of teachers, parents and caregivers they will realize how much they are capable of, increasing their confidence and willingness to try new things.

4. Language And Communication

Children are constantly learning new words as their vocabulary rapidly expands. It starts with one, then two-word sentences and before you know it children are speaking full sentences. Preschool children adapt language skills to communicate their needs, interact with others, and share their thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Language and Communication is broken up into four subcategories:

-Listening and understanding

This relates to ‘receptive language,’ or language children frequently hear parents, caregivers and teachers using and as a result develop the ability to understand and react to. The richer vocabulary children are exposed to the more this part of the brain is stimulated.

-Communicating and speaking

This relates to ‘expressive language,’ or rather what a child says to others. Both spoken and sign language reveals a unique layer of elements such as the sounds, signs, rules and social aspects of communication.

-Early reading

Children start learning to read long before they can even recognize the word ‘the.’ Children learn to read through hearing others read and learning how to speak at home. Eventually, reading includes recognition and understanding of language symbols as they represent objects, feelings, relationships, people, ideas and events.

-Early Writing

Using symbols to represent language and communicate thoughts, ideas, etc. is the basic definition of writing. Although, the ability to write starts off as early as when small toddlers use a paintbrush to swipe a line across the page. “Writing includes both the physical and cognitive elements of language and communication.”

5. Cognitive Development And General Knowledge

Cognitive development standards relate directly to a child’s ability to explore and learn about their world while working to solve any challenges or problems that arise along the way.

From 0-3 children grow rapidly in regards to cognitive growth and overall general knowledge. Recent brain development research has found a sure link connecting nurturing early experiences and healthy cognitive development. A safe, healthy and supportive environment is fundamental to any infant or toddler’s development.

The Cognitive Development standard is broken up into three important subcategories.

-Exploration and discovery

Children first learn about the world through senses and reflexes. As children become mobile this exploration greatly increases as do new brain connections that fuel development.

-Concept and memory

This relates to the ability for a child to relate objects and experiences. Memories are what fuel our ability to label and understand people and objects. Concepts such as color and size help promote a toddlers’ ability to approach new experiences.

-Problem-solving and creative expression

As infants and toddlers get older they look for new ways to have their needs met. Toddlers learn how to defy challenges in their environment for a certain reward. These measures are calculated through previous experiences, trial and error, and perseverance to try something new.

How Does All Of This Apply To Your Child?

Your child is growing and learning rapidly and you can help fuel this development further by understanding the well-researched fundamentals outlined by the Florida Standards.  Providing enriching activities for your child at home and beyond is key to their development. According to well-documented research enrolling your child at a quality daycare or preschool has a huge impact on growth and development.

Learn more about Florida’s Early Learning Standards here: View PDF

ABC Learning provides activities in the classroom and out on the playground that are age-appropriate, fun and full of beneficial learning to promote healthy growth and development for children 12 months to 5 years.  Contact us today to learn more!