Ages 4–8 Months

• Look at an object in her hand, mouth it, and then take it out to look at it again.
• Hear footsteps in the darkened nap room and turn his head to try to look.
• Show excitement upon recognizing the color of a favorite food that is offered on a spoon.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Have a range of vision that is several feet.
• Experience the sensation of being touched, and then search for the object or person.
• Listen to the sounds that family members use while talking in the home language, and use these same sounds while babbling.
• Startle when hearing a loud noise.
• Kick feet while lying in the crib, feel the crib shake, and then kick feet again.
• Recognize an object as something she has seen before, even while looking at it from a different perspective.
• Notice the difference between different songs.
• Look confused upon hearing sounds that do not fit with the motions observed (for example, hearing a squeaking noise while seeing a rattle move).
• Explore objects with the mouth.
• See different colors.
• See things from a distance.
• Track moving objects with both eyes together.

• Pay attention to signs that the baby can hear noises and voices and can see lights, colors, and actions. 
• Arrange for regular health and developmental exams (usually part of baby’s well-child visit), including vision and hearing screenings with health care provider.
• Expose the infant to a variety of sensory experiences (e.g., sights, sounds, tastes, textures, movements, smells), both indoors and outdoors.
•  Provide the infant with both calming and stimulating experiences in different environments depending on the baby’s signals.
• Pay attention to noise levels in the baby’s environment making sure to keep loud noises away from the baby’s ear; avoid putting electronic toys in crib or areas where the baby may sleep.
• Gently turn, roll, bounce, and sway the infant to increase her muscle strength and to help develop important connections between the brain and muscles.

• Sit on the floor, legs bent, with one leg closer to the body than the other.
• Use forearms to pull forward on the floor while on her tummy.
• Move from a sitting position onto hands and knees.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Hold head upright and in midline when being held and moved.
• Hold onto a foot while lying on her back.
• Roll from back to stomach.
• Roll from stomach to back.
• Bring both hands to the midline while lying on his back.
• Sit without support and turn to the left or right to reach an object.
• Balance on one side, bearing weight on the lower hip, arm, and leg, leaving the upper arm and leg free to move and to manipulate objects.
• Move from hands and knees into a sitting position.
• Rock on hands and knees, sometimes losing balance.

• Provide opportunities for the infant to move and engage in a variety of physical activities, such as lying on a blanket on the floor in a safe area.
• Avoid prolonged periods (no more than 30 minutes at a time unless eating or during transportation) in devices that restrict movement (e.g., mechanical swings, baby carrier).
• During play, sometimes place the baby on his back and other times on his stomach to provide broader views and encourage the use of legs, arms, and hands.

• Reach for and grasp an object, using one hand.
• Use hand in a raking or sweeping motion to bring a toy closer.
• Hold a small block using the thumb and fingertips.
• Hold a small block in each hand and bang the blocks together.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Transfer a cloth from one hand to another.
• Pull the spoon out of her mouth.
• Reach toward a toy and make grasping motions with the hand.
• Reach for a second toy when already holding one in the other hand.
• Hold one block in each hand, then drop one of them when an adult holds out a third block.
• Have the hands in an open position when relaxed.

• Provide safe (i.e., no small parts or pieces) objects and toys and play games to encourage the infant to move and do things for herself.
• Provide objects to be pushed, pulled, and held.
• Provide and encourage the baby to play with bath toys by scooping and pouring.
• Give the infant appropriate finger foods to eat when they are ready (e.g., dry cereal, cooked vegetables).
• Place objects of interest just beyond the reach of baby to encourage stretching and body coordination.

• Grow proportionally according to height and weight growth charts.
• Anticipate being fed.
• Show they enjoy physically active play by repeating actions (e.g., kick, wave arms, roll over).
• Get sufficient rest and exercise to support healthy development.
• Sleep for longer periods at a time: more at night, and less during the day.
• Cry or fuss to signal hunger
• Smile or gaze at caregiver, or coo during feeding to indicate wanting more
• Move their head toward the spoon or try to swipe food towards mouth
• Reaches for spoon or food
• Points to food

• Introduce healthy strained foods, then finger foods, as recommended by health care provider.
• Acknowledge the baby’s excitement about eating when getting into a feeding position, smelling the breastfeeding mother, or seeing a bottle.
• Respond to signs of illness with soothing and additional help if needed; communicate these signs to others who care for the baby.
• Provide the infant with periods of unstructured movement every day, allowing the infant to move freely on the floor.
• Engage in physical activities together.
• Encourage participation in gross motor physical activities and limited time (no more than twice a day and no longer than 15 minutes at a time) in confining equipment.
• Respond to signs of hunger (e.g., bringing hands to mouth, rooting reflex (ability that babies are born with to help with breastfeeding; it involves turning their heads toward anything that strokes their cheek or mouth), sucking noises, fast breathing, clenching fingers, flexing arms and legs.
• Respond to signs (e.g., push you away, stop sucking, extend or relax her/his arms, legs, and fingers, or simply fall asleep) that the baby is full and no longer wants to eat

• Turn head away as adult reaches with a tissue to wipe the child’s nose.
• Kick legs in anticipation of a diaper change and then quiet down as the parent wipes the child’s bottom.
• Pay attention to her hands as caregiver      holds them under running water and helps rub them together with soap.
• Fall asleep when tired.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Anticipate being fed upon seeing a bottle.
• Hold onto the bottle while being fed.

• Encourage the baby to focus on caregiving tasks and what will happen next by talking about what you are doing and what you will do next.
• Repeat the same routines over and over so that the baby can begin to anticipate the routine.
• Communicate with other caregivers about child’s preferences and routines (e.g., changes in feeding, napping, sleep, eating).
• Use signs and words to help the baby establish routines and guide them (e.g., “all done,” “more,” “bye-bye,” “night-night”).
• Remove televisions from sleeping spaces which may be disruptive to healthy sleep routines.
• Put baby to bed drowsy to help them learn to fall asleep on their own.
• Aim for newborns to infants 3 months to have 14-17 hours of sleeping (including naps) during a 24 hour period and infants  4-11 months sleeping 12-15 hours/24 hours

• Attend to an unfamiliar adult with interest but show wariness or become anxious when that adult comes too close.
• Take the adult’s hands and rock forward and backwards as a way of asking her to sing a favorite song.
• Engage in games such as pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo.
• Make eye contact with a family member.
• Vocalize to get attention.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Engage in playful, face-to-face interactions with an adult, such as taking turns vocalizing and then smiling or laughing.
• Begin to protest separations from significant adults.

• Make eye contact with the infant during routine times such as feeding, diaper changing, with respect for cultural practices.
• Provide regular and purposeful interactions.
• Talk and coo during interactions with infant; imitate sounds made by the baby.
• Introduce the baby to new adults gradually and follow the baby’s cues when the baby is ready to be held by others.

• Watch other children with interest.
• Touch the eyes or hair of a peer.
• Attend to a crying peer with a serious expression.
• Laugh when an older sibling or peer makes a funny face.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Notice other infants and children while sitting on a parent’s or teacher’s lap.
• Cry when hearing another baby cry.

• Provide time for child to child interaction (e.g., placing infants during tummy time facing one another, sharing a sand box).
• Verbally recognize and label children’s interaction. (e.g., “I see you looking at Sam.”)

• Watch other children with interest.
• Touch the eyes or hair of a peer.
• Attend to a crying peer with a serious expression.
• Laugh when an older sibling or peer makes a funny face.
• Try to get the attention of another child by smiling at him or babbling to him

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Look at another child who is lying on the blanket nearby.
• Turn toward the voice of a parent or older sibling.

• Encourage and model behavior for the infant through respectful responses.
• Provide the infant with opportunities to be around and observe other children, including those slightly older than themselves. Allow older children to talk, smile and laugh with the baby.

• Stop playing and look at a child who is crying.
• Laugh when an older sibling or peer makes a funny face.
• Return the smile of a parent or teacher.
• Grimace when another child cries.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Cry when hearing another baby cry.

• Talk about what other children are feeling or expressing with their sounds, gestures, or facial expressions.
• Observe infant’s expressions and mirror back similar expressions.
• Sing and speak face-to-face with the infant using an expressive face.

1. Know what to expect from familiar people.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of what to do to get another’s attention.
3. Engage in back-and-forth interactions with others.
4. Imitate the simple actions or facial expressions of others.

• Smile when a teacher or parent pauses, to get her to continue playing peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake.
• Squeal in anticipation during a game of peek-a-boo.
• Learn simple behaviors by imitating a caregiver’s facial expressions, gestures, or sounds.
• Try to get a familiar game or routine started by prompting adult.
• Quiet crying upon realizing that dad is approaching.
• Communicates needs to familiar adults by using a variety of behaviors, such as, crying, looking, smiling, pointing, dropping, reaching, or banging objects.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Make imperative vocal sounds to attract attention.
• Participate in playful, face-to face interactions with an adult, such as taking turns vocalizing.

• Respond to infant’s attempts (crying, looking, smiling, banging, etc.) to gain attention and interact with words and signs.
• Interact with the infant by sitting on the floor, responding to verbalizations and facial expressions.
• Allow the baby to “take the lead” and follow them during interactions.

• Seek comfort from adult by crying and looking for him.
• Cry out or follow after a parent when dropped off at the child care program.
• Lift her arms to be picked up by adult.
• Crawl toward a parent when startled by a loud noise.
• Turn excitedly and raise his arms to greet a family member at pick-up time.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Hold on to a parent’s sweater when being held.
• Babble back and forth with their mother or father.
• Be more likely to smile when approached by a familiar adult than a stranger.
• Cry when an unfamiliar adult gets too close.

• Provide cuddling and holding when the baby is alert.
• Smile, laugh, and play simple games such as peek-a-boo or sound imitations with infant
• Respond consistently to the baby, using warm facial expressions and words.
• Provide a limited number of consistent caregivers who the baby relates to on a regular basis.

• Respond to someone who calls her name.
• Turn toward a familiar person upon hearing his name.
• Look at an unfamiliar adult with interest but show wariness or become anxious when that adult comes too close.
• Wave arms and kick legs when a parent enters the room.
• Cry when a familiar adult leaves the room.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Use hands to explore different parts of the body.
• Examine her own hands and a parent’s hands.
• Watch or listen for an adult to meet his needs. 

• Talk with the infant about body parts and activities during typical routines such as bathing, changing diapers, or feeding (e.g., “You found your toes.”).
• Use the infant’s name frequently.
• Provide opportunities for the baby to see her reflection in a mirror.

• Pat a musical toy to try to make the music come on again.
• Raise arms to be picked up by their grandma.
• Initiate a favorite game; for example, hold out a foot to a parent to start a game of “This Little Piggy.”
• Gesture at a book and smile with satisfaction when it is taken down from the shelf.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Try again and again to roll over, even though not yet able to roll completely over.
• Grasp, suck, or look at a teething ring.
• Shake a toy, hear it make noise, and shake it again.
• Stop crying upon seeing a bottle.

• Talk with the baby about what he is seeing, hearing, and doing.
• Allow the infant to refuse food and bottles and note his disinterest (e.g., “All done now?”).
• Recognize and comment when the infant enjoys an activity, food, or object.
• Recognize infant’s accomplishments. (e.g., “You pulled off your sock!”).
• Provide ample opportunity for repeated activities and exploration.

• Exhibit wariness, cries, or turns away when a stranger approaches.
• Be more likely to react with anger than just distress when accidentally hurt by another child.
• Express fear of unfamiliar people by moving near a familiar person.
• Stop crying and snuggle after being picked up by a parent.
• Show surprise at the start of a game of peek-a-boo.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Get frustrated or angry when unable to reach a toy.
• Express joy by squealing.
• Frown and make noises to indicate frustration.
• Be surprised when something unexpected happens.

• Label the infant’s feelings as they are expressed through actions (e.g., “You seem so sad that mommy had to leave.”).
• Express your feelings with your facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language when interacting with the baby.
• Observe the infant to determine different cries or actions that demonstrate feelings and needs.

• Turn away from an over stimulating activity.
• Vocalize to get a teacher or parent’s attention.
• Lift arms to their mom to communicate a desire to be held.
• Turn toward adult for assistance when crying.
• Cry after her hand was accidentally stepped on by a peer and then hold the hand up to adult to look at it.
• Reach toward a bottle that is up on the counter and vocalize when hungry.
• Make a face of disgust to tell an adult that he does not want any more food.
• Bump head, cry, and look for comfort.
• Suck on a thumb to make self feel better.
• Look at familiar person when an unfamiliar person enters the room.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Suck on hands, focus on an interesting toy, or move the body in a rocking motion to calm self.
• Cry inconsolably less often than in the early months.
• Calm self by sucking on fingers or hands.
• Be able to inhibit some negative emotions.
• Shift attention away from a distressing event onto an object, as a way of managing emotions.
• Fall asleep when feeling overwhelmed.

• Observe ways in which the infant is comforted and provide them as needed.
• Maintain a calming attitude.
• Be aware of individual temperament and accommodate the infant as needed.
• Help the baby find ways of calming himself by reducing distractions, bright lights, and loud noises when the baby is tired or upset.
• Notice the baby’s responses to stressful situations and the baby’s ways of seeking comfort and coping with stress.
• Respond to the infant in consistent, predictable ways.

• Explore the feel of hair by pulling it.
• Reach for an interesting toy that another child is mouthing.
• Reach for another child’s bottle that was just set down nearby.
• Turn the head away or push the bottle away when finished eating

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Cry when hungry or tired.
• Fall asleep when tired.

• Respond to infant’s need for comfort by talking to, holding, or patting during times of distress or need.
• Allow and encourage access to special objects for comfort and recognizing the infant’s need for such objects.
• Provide time for expressing emotions while offering a safe secure environment.

• Smile and look toward the door when teacher says, “Daddy’s here.”
• Wave arms and kick legs in excitement when an adult says, “bottle.”
• Smile when an adult uses baby talk and make a worried face upon hearing a stern voice.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Vocalize in response to speech.
• Quiet down when hearing a familiar voice.
• Turn toward the window when hearing a fire truck drive by.
• Quiet down and focus on adult who is taking to the child during a diaper change.
• Look at or turn toward someone who says the child’s name.

• Engage in back and forth conversations with the baby and allow the baby time to respond to you, perhaps by turning to look at you, smiling, or cooing.
• Greet the infant by name and repeatedly use the name in conversations with the infant.
• Repeat familiar words and gestures that accompany your actions when taking care of or interacting with the baby.
• Name familiar and repetitive sounds in the environment (e.g., car horn, doorbell, pet barking) for the infant.
• Learn words and songs from the infant’s primary language.

• Vocalize to get auntie’s attention.
• Repeat sounds when babbling, such as “da dadada” or “babababa.”
• Responds to a wave by waving and saying, “bye-by.”
• Lift arms to adult to communicate a desire to be held.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Squeal when excited.
• Make an angry noise when another child takes a toy.
• Make a face of disgust to communicate that she does not want any more food.

• During caregiving routines, engage baby in back and forth conversations about what you are doing and wait for a response.
• Respond to the baby’s cooing and babbling and converse as if the baby understands everything you are saying.
• Imitate sounds or gestures that the baby makes and allow time for the baby to imitate you.
• Use everyday routines, such leaving, to role-play social language games (e.g., wave goodbye; blow kisses).
• Repeat and expand the infant’s vocalizations.

• Put arms up above head when an adult says, “soooo big.”
• Try to adult to play peek-a-boo by hiding her face behind a blanket, uncovering her face, and laughing.
• Pull adult’s hands away from his face during a game of peek-aboo.
• Try to clap hands to get their grandpa to continue playing pat-a-cake.
• Make sounds in response to a song.
• Interact with adult while singing a song with actions or while doing finger plays.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Respond with babbling when asked a question.
• Laugh when a parent nuzzles her face in the child’s belly, vocalizes expectantly when she pulls back, and laugh when she nuzzles again.
• Move body in a rocking motion to get an adult to continue rocking.
• Babble back and forth with adult during diaper change.

• Engage in back and forth conversations with the baby during play and familiar routines, waiting for baby to respond with coos, babbling, or facial expressions.
• Engage in familiar sound play with the infant (e.g., clap your hands at different tempos).
• Play with words with infant (e.g. “I like to eat, I like to oat, I like to ite.”).
• Read books with rhymes, songs, and repetitive language with the baby.
• Use motions, signs, and gestures familiar to the infant.
• Clap, stomp, dance or finger tap with infant.

• Point to or indicate an object that he would like the adult to pay attention to.
• Look intently at photographs of classmates when the teacher talks about the pictures.
• Look at pictures that a parent points to while reading a storybook.
• Hold a book and try to turn the pages.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Chew on a board book.

• Show the baby pictures of family members or photos of other babies and young children.
• Show baby pictures of mothers and animals feeding their babies.
• Provide cloth or cardboard picture books for the baby to hold and look at.
• Read to the baby.

• Shake a toy, hear the sound it makes, and then shake it again.
• Loudly bang a spoon on the table, notice the loud sound, and do it again.
• Watch their grandma wind up a music box and, when the music stops, touch her hand to get her to make it start again.
• Splash hands in water and notice how his face gets wet.
• Push a button on the push-button toy and watch the figure pop up.
• Put objects into a clear container, turn it over and watch the objects fall out, and then fill it up again.
• Clap hands and then look at a parent to get her to play pat-a-cake.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Hear a loud noise and turn head in the direction of the noise.
• Explore toys with hands and mouth.
• Move body in a rocking motion to get their mother to continue rocking.
• Kick legs in the crib and notice that the mobile up above jiggles with the kicking movements.
• Attend to a toy while exploring it with the hands.

• Provide toys that respond when played with (e.g., toys with large switches, toys that light up when pressed or shaken).
• Provide floor space and time for active movement and exploration.
• Provide toys that the baby can grasp and explore.
• Position toys so the baby can kick or grasp and see a response.
• Shake sound toys so the infant can hear and respond.
• Respond to the baby, pointing out the effects of their actions on toys (e.g., “Look how you made the ball move!”)
• Respond to the baby’s babbling with smiles and a similar sound.
• Engage in conversation, describing what you or the infant is doing.

• Use vision or hearing to track the path of someone walking by.
• Watch a ball roll away after accidentally knocking it.
• Hold one stacking cup in each hand.
• Put toys into a clear container, dump them out, and then fill the container up again.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Look at her own hand.
• Reach for a nearby toy and try to grasp it.
• Explore toys with hands and mouth.

• Provide a variety of 2D and 3D objects of different sizes, shapes, colors, and textures for the baby to look at, hold, mouth, and manipulate.
• Allow the baby to play with safe household containers.

1. Imitate simple actions and expressions of others during interactions.

• Copy movements when playing pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo.
• Imitate a familiar gesture, such as clapping hands together or patting a doll’s back, after seeing someone else do it.
• Notice how someone else makes a toy work and then push the same button to make it happen again.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Listen to an adult talk during a diaper change and then babble back when she pauses.
• Copy the intonation of adult speech when babbling.

• Provide time for one-to-one interactions, including games such as “peek-a-boo!”
• Imitate the baby’s faces or noises and watch to see if the baby imitates you.
• Play with familiar toys, such as shaking a rattle or patting a soft toy, and allow time for the baby to imitate your actions.

• Hold one block in each hand, then drop one of them when someone holds out a third block for the child to hold.
• Watch a ball as it rolls away after hitting it with her hand.
• Explore one toy at a time by shaking, banging, or squeezing it.
• Notice when someone walks in the room.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Explore toys with hands and mouth.
• Reach for second toy but may not grasp it when already holding one toy in the other hand.
• Transfer a toy from one hand to the other.
• Reach for, grasp, and hold onto a toy with one hand when already holding a different toy in the other hand.
• Track visually the path of a moving object.

• Use vocabulary words or gestures that indicate quantity (e.g., all done, more).
• Show the young infant how to sign “more” (e.g., putting their finger tips together).
• Offer the infant another similar toy while she is holding a toy to encourage her to begin to hold two items at the same time.
• Talk about quantity with the baby (e.g., “Now you have two.”).

• Explore how one toy feels and then explore how another toy feels.
• Stare at an unfamiliar person and move toward a familiar person.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Explore toys with hands and mouth.
• Bang a toy on the table.
• Touch different objects (e.g., hard or soft) differently.

• Provide toys of various size, shape, color, and texture for the baby to explore.
• Share books with pictures of different people and animals and name each one as you or the baby touches it.

• Cause toys to make noise by shaking, banging, and squeezing them.
• Roll car back and forth on floor.

Behaviors leading up to indicators:

• Explore toys with hands and mouth.

• Allow the baby time to explore and examine toys, as well as everyday objects and new things.
• Demonstrate with a doll or stuffed animal actions such as hugging or rocking.

• Shake, bang, and squeeze toys repeatedly to make the sounds happen again and again.
• Reach for a ball as it rolls away.
• Vocalize to get an adult’s attention.
• Pull the string on a toy to make it come closer.
• Focus on a desired toy that is just out of reach while repeatedly reaching for it
• Turn the bottle over to get the nipple in his mouth.
• Lift up a scarf to search for a toy that is hidden underneath.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Explore toys with hands and mouth.
• Reach for a second toy when already holding on to one toy.
• Hold a toy up to look at it while exploring it with the hands.

• Allow the baby time to explore and examine objects and new things.
• Watch, but don’t interrupt, when the baby is busy exploring toys or other objects.
• Occasionally place objects far enough away so the baby has to move to get them.
• Allow time for the infant to solve problems by observing before intervening.
• Comment positively on the baby’s attempts and successes in solving problems.

• Turn toward the front door when hearing the doorbell ring or toward the phone when hearing the phone ring.
• Look for the father after he briefly steps out of the room.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Explore toys with hands and mouth.
• Find a rattle hidden under a blanket when only the handle is showing.
• Look toward the floor when the bottle falls off table.

• Play games that involve repetition (e.g., peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, finger rhymes).
• Name people and items in the room.
• Play hiding games with the infant by partially hiding a toy under a blanket or cloth.
• Provide family photos to look at and name for the infant.

• Play with one toy for a few minutes before focusing on a different toy.
• Focus on a desired toy that is just out of reach while repeatedly reaching for it.
• Show momentary attention to board books with bright colors and simple shapes.
• Attend to the play of other children.
• Put toy animals into a clear container, dump them out, and then fill the container up again.
• Stop moving, to focus on an adult who is starting to interact with the child.

Behaviors leading up to indicator:

• Remain calm and focused on people, interesting toys, or interesting sounds for a minute.
• Explore a toy bay banging, mouthing, or looking at it.

• While playing on the floor, position hanging toys or mobiles so the infant can kick repeatedly.
• Share attention with the infant looking and exploring the same toy together for a few minutes before moving on.
• Keep the environment relatively quiet and not visually overloaded so the baby can notice sounds and changes in stimuli.
• Put words to actions, explain what you are doing and why (e.g., while changing diapers, preparing food).

• Quiet or calm down, when a familiar adult feeds or comforts them during moments of transition or distress.
• Develop an awareness of transitions, schedules, and routines with adult prompts 
• Express desires and feelings by using gestures and actions

• Observe ways in which the infant is comforted (soft voice, touch) and provide them as needed.
• Recognize children’s behavioral cues and respond in ways that are effective for a given child. Be aware of individual temperament and accommodate the infant as needed.
• Maintain a calming attitude.
• Help the baby find ways of calming himself by reducing distractions, bright lights, and loud noises when the baby is tired or upset.
• Respond to the infant in consistent, predictable ways.

• Initiate play and conversations with familiar adults through expressions, actions, or behaviors.
• Show excitement when engaged in play and routines, such as smiling, laughing after batting at a mobile, or knocking over a toy.
• Show budding interest in how objects work
• Try a variety of approaches to get desired outcomes
• Physically explore new ways to use objects and observe results

• Follow the infant’s lead in activities and conversations.
• Encourage the infant to participate in routines as much as possible (e.g., lift their legs up when getting a diaper changed).
• Offer age-appropriate, open-ended toys and materials and place them where the infant can reach them.
• Place one or two colorful toys within an infant’s reach during tummy time.
• Watch and listen for clues (e.g., body movements, facial expressions, vocalizations) that reflect what children might be wondering, thinking, or trying to share. Share their excitement and delight!
• Narrate descriptions of what they are doing.

• Uses a variety of ways to interact with other people. Modifies expressions, actions, or behaviors based on responses of others.

• Imitate sounds, gestures, and facial expressions to support the infant in using a variety of ways to interact with other people.
• Participate in infants’ play, modeling positive social interactions such as taking turns.
• Engage in pretend play with infants by asking questions such as, “What happens next?” or “Oh look, here is a shell. I wonder if we can use this in our story?”