Child Development Checklist

(From Observing Development of the Young Child by Janice J. Beaty)

Childs Name:

Observer:

DOB:
Directions:
Put a for items you see the child perform regularly. Put N for items where there is
no opportunity to observe. Leave all others blank.

Item

Evidence

Date

1. Self-Esteem
Separate from primary
caregivers without difficulty
___ Develop a secure
attachment with teacher
___ Complete a task
successfully
___ Make activity choices
without teachers help
___ Stand up for own rights
___ Display enthusiasm about
doing things for self
___ Be observed by using
running record and checklist

2. Emotional Competence
___ Release stressful feelings
in appropriate manner
___ Experss anger in words
rather than negative actions
___ Be calmed in frightening
situations
___ Shows fondness, affection,
love toward others
___ Shows interest/attention in
classroom activities
___ Smiles seems happy much
of the time
___ Be observed by using
sampling and checklist

3. Social Competence
__ Plays by self with own
toys/materials
___ Plays parallel to others
with similar toys/materials
___ Plays with others in group

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Item

Evidence

Date

play
___ Gains access to play in a
positive manner
___ Makes friends with other
children
___ Resolves play conflicts in a
positive manner
___ Be observed by using
running records and checklist

4. Physical Development
___ Runs with control over
speed and direction
___ Climbs up and down
climbing equipment with ease
___ Throws, catches and kicks
___ Turns knobs, lids, and
eggbeaters
___ Pick up and insert objects
with dexterity
___ Use tools (scissors,
hammers) with control
___ Be observed by using
rating scales and checklist

5. Cognitive Development
___ Classify objects by shape,
color, size
___ Places objects in a
sequence or series
___ Counts by rote up to 20
___ Display 1-to-1
correspondence with numbers
___ Problem solve with
concrete objects
___ Make thinking visible
____ Be observed by using
rating scales and checklist

6. Spoken Language
___ Listens but does not speak
___ Gives single word, short
phrase response
___ Takes part in
conversations
____ Speaks in expanded
sentences
____ Asks questions

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Item

Evidence

Date

____ Can tell a story

___ Be observed by using
recordings and checklist

7. Emergent Writing and

Reading Skills
___ Pretends to write with
drawings and scribbles
__ Makes horizontal lines of
scribbles
___ Makes some letters, prints
name or initial
___ Holds book right-side up;
turns pages left to right
___ Pretends to read using
pictures to tell the story
___ Show awareness that print
in books tells the story
___ Be observed by using
rubrics and checklist

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