Domains of

Child Development

C E

Information adapted from Foundations: Early Learning Standards for North Carolina
Preschoolers and Strategies for Guiding Their Success, NC Department of Public
B-4.01-Domains
Instruction,
2005

Oh, the

PLACES

Youll Grow
B-4.01-Domains

Domains
are
types or
areas of
growth
or
development.

Physical development &

health

Language development &

communication

Approaches to learning
Cognitive development
Emotional development
Social development

B-4.01-Domains

Physical Development and Health

This domain includes:

Self-care
Safety awareness
Motor skills
Physical health and
growth
B-4.01-Domains

Self-Care
Awareness of hygiene
Basic hygiene practices
Basic self-help skills
Ability to care for
personal belongings
Routine care of the
environment

B-4.01-Domains

Safety Awareness
Importance of personal
safety
Basic health and safety
rules
Comfortable, safe
environment
Harmful persons,
objects, substances,
activities, and
environments
B-4.01-Domains

Motor Skills
Small muscle control
Experimenting with handheld tools
Activities to enhance hand-eye
coordination
Developing body strength, balance,
flexibility, and stamina
Large muscle control
Enhancing gross motor development
Increasing the ability to move their
bodies in space
B-4.01-Domains

Physical Health and Growth

Participating in physical activities for longer periods
Transition from high-energy to low-energy activities
Recognition and eating of nutritious foods
Awareness of personal health and fitness
Participation in games,
outdoor play, other exercise
Adaptive physical activities
as appropriate
Better use of vision and
hearing

B-4.01-Domains

Language Development
and Communication

This domain includes:

Receptive language
Expressive language
Foundations for
reading
Foundations for
writing
B-4.01-Domains

Receptive Language
Understanding increasingly complex sentences
Understanding/using a growing vocabulary
Attending to language for longer periods
Consistently responding to requests for
information or action
Comprehending and using language for multiple
purposes, both cognitive and social
Developing familiarity with sounds and words
Understanding that people
communicate in many ways

B-4.01-Domains

Expressive Language

Using verbal and nonverbal language to communicate

Using language in pretend play
Using language to establish/maintain relationships
Initiating and engaging in conversations
Creating and telling simple stories
Asking questions, making comments
Communicating with expression
Using more complex words
and sentences

B-4.01-Domains

Foundations for Reading

Motivation for reading

Show interest in books

Enjoy storybooks, information
books, and poetry read aloud
Independently read (turn
pages, point to words, tell the
story)
Independently write (write
symbols for names)
Show preferences for favorite
books
Use books to learn about the
world
B-4.01-Domains

Foundations for Reading

Vocabulary and comprehension
Develop knowledge about what things are, how
they work
Respond to questions about stories
Predict what will happen next
Relate personal experiences to stories
Ask questions about whats in a book
Imitate the special
language in books
B-4.01-Domains

Foundations for Writing

Using a variety of writing tools and materials
Using a variety of writing in their play
Representing thoughts/ideas through marks
Learning to tell their thoughts for adults to write
Playing with writing letters, their names
Using letters/approximations to write their
names
Attempting to connect
word sounds with
letter forms

B-4.01-Domains

Approaches to Learning

This domain includes:

Pondering, processing, and applying
experiences
Curiosity, information-seeking, and
eagerness
Risk-taking, problem-solving, and flexibility
Persistence, attentiveness, and
responsibility
Imagination, creativity, and invention
Aesthetic sensibility

B-4.01-Domains

Pondering, Processing,
and Applying Experiences
Drawing on everyday experiences
and applying knowledge to everyday
situations
Seeking information to better
understand
Generating ideas and making
predictions
Describing or acting out a memory
Forming hypotheses about cause
and effect
B-4.01-Domains

Curiosity, InformationSeeking, and Eagerness

Using multiple strategies
and senses to explore
Choosing to participate in
experiences
Demonstrating eagerness
and interest

B-4.01-Domains

Risk-Taking, ProblemSolving, and Flexibility

Demonstrating a willingness to
choose both familiar and new
experiences
Demonstrating ability to tell
the difference between safe
and dangerous risk-taking
Trying several ways to solve a
problem
Being resilient (bouncing
back) when challenged
B-4.01-Domains

Persistence, Attentiveness,
and Responsibility
Remaining engaged in an experience
Working to complete a task in spite of distractions
Seeking and
accepting help
Developing a
sense of purpose
Ability to follow
through

B-4.01-Domains

Imagination, Creativity,
and Invention
Taking on pretend
roles
Approaching tasks
with more flexibility
and imagination
Using materials in
new ways
Thinking more openly
and creatively

B-4.01-Domains

Aesthetic Sensibility
Appreciating
and using humor
Demonstrating
a sense of
wonder
Taking delight
in beauty

B-4.01-Domains

Cognitive Development

This domain includes:

Mathematical thinking and
expression
Scientific thinking and
invention
Social connections
Creative expression
B-4.01-Domains

Mathematical Thinking
and Expression

Using numbers and counting

Recognizing shapes
Understanding words for places (in, out)
Duplicating simple patterns in the environment
Sorting objects based on one or two attributes
Describing a sequence of events
Understanding size and volume/comparisons
Using non-standard measurement
Understanding the passage of time
Using a variety of strategies to solve problems
Making and checking predictions
B-4.01-Domains

Scientific Thinking and Invention

Expanding knowledge of the environment
Comparing physical characteristics of
objects
Using the senses to observe and learn
Caring for pets and plants
Asking questions and seeking answers
Using simple tools to investigate
Manipulating the environment for
desired effects
Understanding discoveries
Making estimates
Thinking about things that are not present
Understanding uses of technology
Sharing responsibility in the care of the
environment
B-4.01-Domains

Scientific Thinking and

Invention (contd.)
Showing awareness of

Their bodies
Seasons and weather
Time
Changes in the
environment
(freezing)

B-4.01-Domains

Social Connections
Identifying similarities/differences among people
Understanding roles and relationships
Participating in a democratic community
Talking about changes in themselves/their families
Making sense of their world by asking questions
Showing awareness of different cultures
Identifying characteristics of the places they live
Recognizing roles of
community helpers
Helping others
Learning about people

B-4.01-Domains

Creative Expression
Participating in art, music, and other
creative activities
Using a variety of materials and activities
Creating drawings, paintings, and models
Using learning in all curricular areas to
reinforce learning in other areas
Sharing ideas about artistic creations
Showing respect for others creations
Showing creativity and imagination
Showing awareness of musical patterns
Imitating musical tones, songs, rhythms
Moving in response to beats and rhythms
B-4.01-Domains

Emotional Development

This domain
involves
developing
a sense of self.

B-4.01-Domains

Developing a Sense of Self

Showing self-confidence as they develop
Demonstrating persistence, a can-do
attitude
Showing greater self-direction
Being better able to express/regulate
emotions
Enjoying playing alone or near other children
Developing coping skills for change/adversity
Managing anger
Showing awareness of personal uniqueness
Recognizing that they are members of groups
Using pretend play to express feelings
B-4.01-Domains

Social Development

This domain involves

developing a sense
of self with others

B-4.01-Domains

Developing a Sense of
Self with Others
Approaching others easily, expecting positive
interactions
Seeking out others
Being aware of the effects of their behavior
on others
Balancing their needs with the needs of others
Working to resolve conflicts
Playing cooperatively with other children
Showing interest in others points of view
Responding to others feelings and showing
empathy
B-4.01-Domains

Developing a Sense of Self with Others

(cont.d)
Realizing the difference between
intentional and unintentional actions
Showing ease with familiar people
Forming positive relationships
Accepting differences among
people
Following social rules and routines
Recognizing the classroom as a
caring community with respect for
safety and rights of others
B-4.01-Domains

1. Can you name the

domains of child development?
2. Can you give at least
one example of each?

C E
B-4.01-Domains