1304.21

Education and Early Childhood Development

(a) Child Development and Education Approach for All Children

(b) Child Development and Education Approach for Infants and Toddlers

Introduction to 1304.21

The objective of 45 CFR 1304.21 is to provide all children with a safe, nurturing, engaging, enjoyable, and secure learning environment, in order to help them gain the awareness, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in their present environment, and to deal with later responsibilities in school and in life. Each child is treated as an individual in an inclusive community that values, respects, and responds to diversity. The varied experiences provided by the program support the continuum of children’s growth and development, which includes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child.

The Education and Early Childhood Development standards, which apply in all program options and settings, are grouped into three parts: (a) the approach for all children; (b) additional requirements for infants and toddlers; and (c) more specific requirements for preschoolers. The rationale and guidance describe a developmentally appropriate model, as defined in 1304.3(a)(7). Throughout this section, the term "adults" refers to all adults with whom children come into contact, including teachers, home visitors, parents, assistant teachers, and other staff. In some instances, specific references to "parents" is made to emphasize the importance of their relationship with the program.

A philosophy shared by the program and the parents, and a planned, organized, consistently implemented curriculum support child development and education for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The curriculum helps the program to meet goals for children’s development and learning by providing experiences to meet such goals, and identifying the roles of staff members and parents, and identifying appropriate materials and equipment.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(1)(i)

(a) Child development and education approach for all children.

(1) In order to help children gain the social competence, skills and confidence necessary to be prepared to succeed in their present environment and with later responsibilities in school and life, grantee and delegate agencies’ approach to child development and education must:

(i) Be developmentally and linguistically appropriate, recognizing that children have individual rates of development as well as individual interests, temperaments, languages, cultural backgrounds, and learning styles;

Rationale: Abilities, interests, temperaments, developmental rates, and learning styles vary among children. The program environment, therefore, is arranged to accommodate a variety of children’s needs and strengths, and to stimulate learning across all domains of development: social, emotional, cognitive, and physical.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(7) for a definition of "developmentally appropriate"; for information on providing an environment of acceptance, see 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(1)(iii); and for information related to equipment, toys, materials, and furniture, see 45 CFR 1304.53(b). For further home-based guidance, see the Head Start Home Visitors Handbook. See 45 CFR 1304.40(e) for a description of parent involvement in child development and education.

Guidance: Program responsiveness to individual children is accomplished through comprehensive curriculum and by providing various materials, activities, and experiences that support a broad range of children’s prior experiences, maturation rates, styles of learning, needs, cultures, and interests. Adults respect diversity among children by being responsive to children’s cues — being especially sensitive to the development of growing infants and toddlers, and the need to design activities reflective of the observed stages and interests of children. Toward that end, the following strategies are useful:

	Supply a variety of materials and planned activities designed to encourage individual and group play;
	Provide continuous opportunities for children of all ages and abilities to experience success;
	Increase the complexity and challenge of activities, as children develop;
	Use a variety of materials found in the home when conducting home visits; and
	Observe children carefully to identify their preferred ways of interacting with the environment, taking into account their

	skills in handling objects and materials,
	frequency of conversation,
	interest in listening to stories and songs, and
	choices to work alone or with others.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(1)(ii)

(ii) Be inclusive of children with disabilities, consistent with their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP) (see 45 CFR 1308.19);

Rationale: Agencies honor the individuality of each enrolled child with disabilities by following the child’s IFSP or IEP and by ensuring that each child receives the specialized education and support he or she requires.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.20(f)(2) and 45 CFR 1308.19 for additional guidance related to the development and implementation of IFSPs and IEPs for children with disabilities.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stipulates that every IFSP for infants and toddlers with disabilities and each IEP for preschoolers with disabilities contain the following information:

	a statement of the child’s present levels of social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and speech and language development, or range of functioning and types of self-help skills,
	a statement of expected outcomes (for IFSPs) or goals and objectives (IEPs) for each child and family,
	a statement of specific early intervention or special education and related services to be provided to each child, and
	an identification of the personnel responsible for planning, delivering, and supervising services, projected dates for the initiation of services, and the expected duration of services.

The IFSP and IEP provide activities that allow all children equal opportunity to develop skills, concepts, autonomy, initiative, independence and self-esteem.

Guidance: Adults follow each IFSP and IEP carefully when individualizing the child development and education approach for children with disabilities. Services provided under the IFSPs and IEPs enable teachers, home visitors, and other adults to include children with disabilities in both the overall and individualized education program. Adults:

	Develop learning environments that are varied and interesting so that children can choose from several learning activities;
	Use routines, activities, and experiences in the daily program that achieve the goals of the IFSP or IEP;
	Participate in meetings with experts in disabilities and health, and with other appropriate personnel, to plan and implement the IFSP or IEP; and
	Draw upon the principles of adult education to guide the staff and parents in implementing the IFSP or IEP.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(1)(iii)

(iii) Provide an environment of acceptance that supports and respects gender, culture, language, ethnicity and family composition;

Rationale: Respecting individual children nurtures a positive sense of self in each child, and enhances the development of the skills needed to communicate and interact with others. Encouraging an understanding of human diversity helps children to grow up confident of their identity and to be respectful of the identity of others.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.24(a)(1)(iv) on discussing with parents how to strengthen nurturing and supportive environments. See 45 CFR 1304.53(b) for guidance related to equipment, toys, materials, and furniture.

Guidance: Diversity is a key element to consider in organizing and planning the use of materials, as well as for planning an aesthetic environment, designing space appropriate for children, using a dynamic teaching style, and implementing an engaging program. Furthermore, environments reflect the community and the culture, language, and ethnicity of the children and families. Adults demonstrate respect by listening and responding to each child and by showing appreciation for each child and her or his family.

An environment of respect is provided by adults who:

	Demonstrate through actions a genuine respect for each child’s family, culture, and life-style;
	Provide an environment that reflects the cultures of all children in the program in an integrated, natural way;
	Foster children’s primary language, while supporting the continued development of English;
	Avoid activities and materials that stereotype or limit children according to their gender, age, disability, race, ethnicity, or family composition; and
	Model respect and help children demonstrate appreciation of others.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(1)(iv)

(iv) Provide a balanced daily program of child-initiated and adult-directed activities, including individual and small group activities; and

Rationale: A child’s development is supported by a balanced program of learning experiences. During early childhood, children’s learning and development is enhanced by opportunities to take initiative, make meaningful choices, and to learn the consequences of decision-making. Adults support learning with a curriculum based upon sound principles of child development, and which responds to each child’s needs and interests.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.21(b) for further information related to staff working with infants and toddlers. See 1304.3(a)(5) for a definition of "curriculum"; and see 45 CFR 1304.21(c)(2) regarding strategies for observing children to inform the curriculum.

Guidance: A balanced approach provides materials and opportunities for all children to participate in small group and individual activities and in sustained creative play. Staff:

	Plan for variation in ability levels and individual interests in all activities;
	Observe carefully as children engage in activities, and watch for opportunities to extend their thinking and range of interests, and to develop their problem-solving skills;
	Assist children to develop decision-making skills; and
	Together with parents, identify learning opportunities in the home, including how to adapt activities and household routines in response to children’s interests, strengths, and needs.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(1)(v)

(v) Allow and enable children to independently use toilet facilities when it is developmentally appropriate and when efforts to encourage toilet training are supported by the parents.

Rationale: When developmentally appropriate, toilet training provides opportunities for children to learn self-control, autonomy, and responsibility. Milestones for children in toilet training include: (1) muscle control; (2) emotional readiness and a willingness to cooperate; and (3) the ability to communicate toileting needs.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.22(e)(2)(iii) for further information about hygiene and toilet training, and 45 CFR 1304.53 (a)(10)(xv) about toilet training equipment.

Guidance: To help children use toilet facilities independently, staff work with parents to understand the biological, physical, and emotional stages of toilet training, and provide children with an appropriate child-sized toilet or modified toilet seat. Staff:

	Encourage parents to share information about the child’s experiences with toileting at home and about their preferences and concerns, in order to better plan with parents the approach to and timing of toilet training; and
	Assist children to use a child-sized toilet; invite them to use the toilet; help them, as needed; and positively reinforce their efforts, regardless of outcomes.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(2)(i)

(2) Parents must be:

(i) Invited to become integrally involved in the development of the program’s curriculum and approach to child development and education;

Rationale: Parents are integral partners in the processes of planning and implementing curriculum, as they can share knowledge about their children, and are crucial in reviewing the effectiveness of the curriculum. Parent participation is valuable in assisting parents to increase their knowledge about child development and education, thereby enhancing their ability to serve as their children’s primary teacher and to help staff make the curriculum meaningful for children.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.40(e)(1) about working with parents to develop the program’s curriculum and approach to child development. See 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(5) for a definition of "curriculum." See 45 CFR 1304.51(i) for information regarding program self-assessment.

Guidance: In all program options and settings, the curriculum is enriched by parent and staff communication regarding children’s strengths, interests, learning styles, and needs, supplemented by activities and strategies developed together. Parents are involved in a variety of ways, including:

	Reviewing the curriculum on a regular basis, and participating on program self-assessment committees assigned to review how the curriculum is working;
	Sharing observations with staff concerning children’s developmental patterns and behavior, to help individualize the approach in the home visit and in the program setting;
	Attending related training with staff; and
	Assisting in development and implementation of curricula, which, for infants and toddlers, is based on relationships, routines, and daily experiences.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(2)(ii)

(ii) Provided opportunities to increase their child observation skills and to share assessments with staff that will help plan the learning experiences; and

Rationale: Parents increase their observational skills through participation with their children in group settings and in the home, and through training with staff to become more effective in using child observations to plan the curriculum.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.20(b)(3) on obtaining family input on each child’s development and behavior; see 45 CFR 1304.24(a)(1)(ii) on discussing with parents their child’s behavior and development; and see 45 CFR 1304.51(c) on communication with families.

Guidance: To encourage systematic parent observations of their child and to support shared parent and staff planning of children’s learning experiences, parents and staff review children’s learning goals, discuss children’s behaviors, and note children’s developmental progress. Staff:

	Encourage parental input from observations at home or in the program, so that parents can share information with staff;
	Communicate regularly with parents about children’s everyday routines; and
	Encourage parents to keep a scrap book of their child’s development in the early years.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(2)(iii)

(iii) Encouraged to participate in staff-parent conferences and home visits to discuss their child’s development and education (see 45 CFR 1304.40(e)(4) and 45 CFR 1304.40(i)(2)).

Rationale: Staff-parent conferences and home visits enhance adult’s knowledge and understanding of the developmental progress of children in the program.

Guidance: A consistent approach to child development is achieved through effective staff-parent conferences (see 45 CFR 1304.40(e)(5)) and home visits (see 45 CFR 1304.40(i)(2)). In these experiences, staff:

	Demonstrate the value of the conferences and home visits (see 45 CFR 1304.40(i)(1));
	Communicate informally, as well as formally, with parents about their child’s progress; and
	Schedule home visits and conferences at times convenient for parents and staff (see 45 CFR 1304.40(i)(3)).

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(i)(A)

(3) Grantee and delegate agencies must support social and emotional development by:

(i) Encouraging development which enhances each child’s strengths by:

(A) Building trust;

Rationale: An environment that is responsive to each child, and that is predictable and consistent, strengthens a child’s confidence in approaching new challenges, and enhances the development of trust.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.21(b)(1)(ii) for information about encouraging trust and emotional security in infants and toddlers; and see 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(4) about staffing patterns.

Guidance: Children feel secure when staffing is consistent, relationships are nurturing and room arrangements, scheduling, daily expectations, and home visits are routine. Children also feel secure when adults are aware of the effects of sights, sounds, and motions on young children. Staff and parents, therefore, offer security and comfort to each child by:

	Being responsive to children’s cries and other cues;
	Building continuous trust in infants and toddlers and keeping groups of children and teachers together throughout the child’s program experience; and
	Communicating with children in their home language (see 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(2)).

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(i)(B)

(B) Fostering independence;

Rationale: Children develop independence gradually, through self-initiated behavior supported by adults. Children’s independence is linked to their developing trust and confidence in themselves and others.

Guidance: Staff and parents foster independence when they:

	Encourage the development of self-help skills, such as brushing teeth, washing hands, wiping spills, and setting the table (see 45 CFR 1304.21(b)(1)(iii) and (b)(3)(i) for additional information on infants and toddlers);
	Provide opportunities for the use and development of language (see 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(4)(iii) for additional information about language development); and
	Provide opportunities for choosing materials and engaging in problem-solving activities (see 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(1)(iv) for guidance about a balanced program of child-initiated and adult-directed activities).

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(i)(C)

Rationale: Self-control is one element of social and emotional development that enables children to form friendships, to communicate effectively, to use others as resources for problem-solving, and to gain social competence.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.52(h)(1)(iv) for information about using positive methods of child guidance.

Guidance: Adults need to understand that children have different levels of ability to control their own behavior. Adults, then, can use positive techniques to help children develop self-control, such as modeling expected behavior, redirecting children to acceptable activities, and intervening to enforce consequences for unacceptable or harmful behavior. Adults assist children to develop self-control by:

	Providing activities and a daily schedule that engages the child mentally and physically and which is appropriate for the attention span of each child;
	Utilizing a process of observing, anticipating and redirecting;
	Developing consistent and clear rules, and involving preschool children, where possible, in the development of those rules;
	Reinforcing children’s development of age-appropriate self-control behaviors;
	Assisting children to develop age-appropriate problem-solving skills by guiding them and by modeling how to solve problems and to resolve differences;
	Using books, stories, puppets, and other experiences to reinforce positive social behaviors; and
	Talking with parents about childrearing practices that support the child, and that bridge the home and program environments to provide consistency for the child.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(i)(D)

(D) Encouraging respect for the feelings and rights of others; and

Rationale: Children who are encouraged to respect the feelings and rights of others engage in positive relationships that build social competence.

Guidance: Social skills vary in young children, depending upon development, age, experiences, and situations. Adults individualize their approach to each child, and they anticipate frequent and rapid changes in the behavior of young children. Thus, supportive adults:

	Acknowledge and encourage the understanding and the expression of each child’s feelings;
	Model respect for feelings and rights of others;
	Foster positive social behaviors, such as cooperating, helping, and turn-taking, by using modeling, coaching, and encouragement;
	Use dramatic play to assist children in dealing with their feelings and in developing communication skills; and
	Discuss the consequences of various behaviors and redirect children without using punitive techniques or corporal punishment (see 45 CFR 1304.52(h)(1)(iv) on using positive methods of child guidance).

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(i)(E)

(E) Supporting and respecting the home language, culture, and family composition of each child in ways that support the child’s health and well-being; and

Rationale: Incorporating the home language and culture throughout the curriculum supports the development of social competence and demonstrates respect for the values and beliefs of the family. Understanding and respecting the culture, social background, religious beliefs, composition, and childrearing practices of each family supports social and emotional development.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(9) for a definition of "family," and 45 CFR 1306.3(h) for a definition of "parent." See 45 CFR 1304.53(b) for information related to equipment, toys, and materials. See 45 CFR 1304.40(a)(5) and see 45 CFR 1304.52(h)(1)(i) regarding interactions with families, and 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(2) for ways to support the home language of the child. For information on home-based programs, see the Head Start Home Visitors Handbook.

Guidance: Adults give children a sense of acceptance of diversity by:

	Fostering each child’s language development, including Standard American Sign;
	Using strategies to sustain and expand the home language, while children are in the process of learning English;
	Learning key words from the child’s home language and their English equivalents; and
	Providing books and materials that reflect families’ home languages and culture, as well as that of others in the community.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(3)(ii)

(ii) Planning for routines and transitions so that they occur in a timely, predictable and unrushed manner according to each child’s needs.

Rationale: Predictable, daily schedules incorporate routines that support emotional stability in children; and transition activities throughout the day can be used as learning opportunities to facilitate various changes.

Guidance: Throughout the day and during home visits, programs have well-timed routines. Transitions are planned for and built into the schedule. Transitions occur as infrequently as possible, in order to support uninterrupted activity periods and to reduce disruptions. Consistent routines supportive of the ages, attention spans, abilities, and temperaments of each child are achieved in the following ways:

	Allowing enough time so that routines and transitions are unhurried and purposeful;
	Developing schedules that include predictability and repetition, particularly for infants and toddlers, and responding to a child’s natural timetable;
	Giving all children notice to prepare for change, and explaining to them what is happening and what will happen next;
	Providing children with opportunities to participate in routines, such as picking up toys, setting and cleaning the table; and
	Minimizing waiting time in group settings.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(4)(i)

(4) Grantee and delegate agencies must provide for the development of each child’s cognitive and language skills by:

(i) Supporting each child’s learning, using various strategies including experimentation, inquiry, observation, play and exploration;

Rationale: Through meaningful interactions with adults, other children, and a rich environment, children gain knowledge and understanding of the world. Strategies that support the development of cognitive and language skills allow exploration in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Related Information: For specific information about infants and toddlers, see 45 CFR 1304.21(b) for information related to equipment, toys, and materials, see 45 CFR 1304.53(b).

Guidance: It is essential to provide materials and opportunities for learning, and to design meaningful, concrete experiences that promote children’s interactions. Adults use a variety of teaching strategies to support children’s learning by:

	Providing opportunities to learn through experimentation, inquiry, play, and exploration;
	Planning experiences for children of all ages to learn the functions and properties of objects, and to classify materials into groups;
	Offering a rich variety of experiences, projects, materials, problems, and ideas to extend children’s thinking and to support their interests;
	Supporting children’s cognitive development in the program and in the home by posing problems, asking questions, and making comments and suggestions that stimulate children’s thinking and extend their learning;
	Having conversations with children to expand their thinking and learning; and
	Providing opportunities for children of all ages to acquire knowledge in areas such as science, social studies, the creative arts, numeracy, and language and literacy.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(4)(ii)

(ii) Ensuring opportunities for creative self-expression through activities such as art, music, movement, and dialogue;

Rationale: Children communicate ideas and feelings through gestures, words, pictures, body movements, and sounds. Creative expression in all of these areas helps children to experience success, to develop competence, and to acquire self-confidence.

Guidance: Children need to express themselves creatively. Their experiences with art, music, drama, dance, creative movement, and related conversation enhance their overall development. Because self-expression varies, reflecting the individual’s level of development, adults reinforce children’s creativity by:

	Supporting exploration of arts materials and demonstrating appreciation of each child’s self-expression;
	Engaging in rhythmic activities, singing, and the use of musical instruments;
	Encouraging children to express their thoughts and emotions through dance and creative movement activities;
	Stimulating imagination through drama and other language-rich experiences; and
	Engaging in dialogues to learn about others, to enhance communication skills, and to expand vocabulary.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(4)(iii)

(iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children and between children and adults; and

Rationale: Children develop language skills by communicating with others; and they use verbal and nonverbal communication to share feelings and to express ideas.

Guidance: Adults model communication by listening, by engaging in conversation, and by providing interesting experiences that extend language skills and vocabulary. Adults provide a climate in which children communicate effectively by:

	Recognizing infants’ communication skills and responding to their cues;
	Giving children time to talk to one another and to ask questions;
	Respecting children’s developing skills in English and in their home language;
	Understanding the language development of young children, including the importance of supporting the home language;
	Using simple, clear sentences when conversing with an infant or toddler, and using more complex language with older children;
	Speaking in tones that are pleasant to children;
	Using a variety of strategies for children to learn new and interesting vocabulary, and to expand their language skills through songs, games, poems, and stories from their own and from other cultures;
	Engaging in dramatic play in which children act out familiar activities, such as going to the grocery store or the library, and using the telephone;
	Engaging in meaningful conversations that adults or children initiate;
	Modeling appropriate language use, such as complete sentences and correct grammar; and
	Expanding upon, rather than correcting, children’s speech.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(4)(iv)

(iv) Supporting emerging literacy and numeracy development through materials and activities according to the developmental level of each child.

Rationale: Children need a foundation for reading and mathematics. The development of this foundation results from the interaction of children’s early experiences, relationships with adults and other children, and maturation. The development of skills related to literacy and numeracy is an ongoing part of a child’s cognitive development.

Related Information: For additional information on activities that support the learning of infants and toddlers, see 45 CFR 1304.21(b); and see 45 CFR 1304.40(e)(4), regarding family literacy.

Guidance: Literacy and numeracy materials and activities are developmentally appropriate, interesting, engaging and meaningful. Adults support the development of literacy and numeracy skills through:

	Reading and discussing stories everyday;
	Having reading and writing materials accessible and inviting to children to support their awareness of and emerging skills with letters and numbers;
	Planning opportunities for children to listen to stories read aloud by an adult or on tape;
	Encouraging oral traditions through storytelling;
	Providing stories from children’s own and other cultures;
	Providing opportunities for children to reflect upon experiences and to see their own words being written by adults;
	Providing books and stories with repetitive verses, words, or sounds, or in which the pictures follow the text closely, so that children can relate what they hear to what they see;
	Helping children develop awareness of the sounds of language by using rhymes and by identifying sounds;
	Helping children to see the functional uses of print in the program or in the home; for example, street signs, a shopping list, and names of helpers on a job chart;
	Providing objects for counting, sequencing games, and one-to-one correspondence toys, as age-appropriate;
	Providing playthings in infant and toddler environments to encourage the understanding of cause and effect, the use of tools, learning schemes, and spatial relationships;
	Designing opportunities for children to discover how numerical concepts relate to other concepts, through activities that include food experiences, science, games, dramatic play, fingerplays, puzzles, blocks, calculators and abacuses, and computers;
	Sharing with parents ways that the home environment encourages literacy and numeracy development;
	Planning family activities that provide children with memorable experiences; and
	Supporting the use of libraries, museums, and other community resources.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(5)(i)

(5) In center-based settings, grantee and delegate agencies must promote each child’s physical development by:

(i) Providing sufficient time, indoor and outdoor space, equipment, materials and adult guidance for active play and movement that support the development of gross motor skills;

Rationale: A child’s gross motor development is important to overall health. As such, that development is important to the achievement of cognitive skills, the promotion of agility and strength, neural processing, kinesthetic confidence, general body competence, and overall autonomy. Gross motor development is gained through regular play and movement, both indoors and outdoors.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.20(d) for information about the ongoing care of each child’s growth and development; 45 CFR 1304.21(c)(2) regarding child observation and assessment to promote and support children’s learning and developmental progress; 45 CFR 1304.52(h)(1)(iii) about the supervision of children; 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(4) about separating the physical space used by infants and toddlers from that used by preschool children; 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(9) about the arrangement of indoor and outdoor space and equipment; and 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10)(x) about playground equipment.

Guidance: Agencies provide ample space, appropriate equipment, and adult supervision, as children explore and exercise; and infants, toddlers, and preschoolers have indoor and outdoor space within which to play. In order to support the development of gross motor skills of all children, adults:

	Arrange physical space so that children have room to roll over, crawl, sit, walk, and test new skills;
	Provide climbing structures that are easily accessible and that provide challenges and opportunities for success;
	Provide solitary play equipment, such as swings with cross-bars and low slides;
	Provide padded and safe structures for exploration, and play surfaces that are appropriately cushioned;
	Encourage the use of riding, pushing, and pulling wheeled toys, such as scooters, wagons, and trucks; and
	Provide supervision and guidance during all activities.

Note: Infant walkers and jumpers are not used because their use has been found to considerably increase the risk of major injury to young children.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(5)(ii)

(ii) Providing appropriate time, space, equipment, materials and adult guidance for the development of fine motor skills according to each child’s developmental level; and

Rationale: Fine motor development is important to a child’s arm and hand strength, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, the manipulation and exploration of objects, and the development of other skills necessary for learning.

Guidance: Adults provide daily opportunities for all children to develop fine motor skills through:

	Planning experiences for developing motor skills and physical strength through repetition of actions;
	Increasing the complexity of age-appropriate manipulative materials and activities;
	Fostering self-help skills, such as buttoning, lacing, and zipping;
	Providing time for children to demonstrate and practice new skills;
	Encouraging parents to find developmentally appropriate opportunities to enhance fine motor skills; and
	Providing adult supervision and guidance during all activities, for safe, active learning.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(5)(iii)

(iii) Providing an appropriate environment and adult guidance for the participation of children with special needs.

Rationale: A responsive, inclusive environment supports the needs of all children, and it provides ways for each child to participate in all program activities.

Related Information: For further information on the participation of children with special needs, see 45 CFR Part 1308; and for guidance related to equipment, toys, and materials, see 45 CFR 1304.53(b)(1)(iii).

Guidance: Teachers and home visitors work with parents, content area experts, and other staff to implement an IFSP or IEP. Staff:

	Adapt materials and equipment so that all children can share in activities;
	Provide spaces that make play equipment and materials accessible to all children;
	Assist children, if necessary, in using and playing with materials;
	Are sensitive to parents’ expectations; and
	Adapt activities, make accommodations, and use other strategies that integrate children socially and enable them to participate in all activities, regardless of abilities.

Performance Standard

1304.21(a)(6)

(6) In home-based settings, grantee and delegate agencies must encourage parents to appreciate the importance of physical development, provide opportunities for children’s outdoor and indoor active play, and guide children in the safe use of equipment and materials.

Rationale: Parents need to understand the importance of physical development in a child’s overall development so they will provide opportunities for active play.

Related Information: For further information, see the Head Start Home Visitors Handbook.

Guidance: Home visitors and parents focus on the importance of physical activity by:

	Planning and incorporating age-appropriate, outdoor and indoor physical activities into both home visits and group socialization experiences (see 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(5) about promoting children’s physical development);
	Discussing realistic developmental expectations, individual rates of development, interests, preferences, and temperament;
	Participating in children’s physical activities;
	Identifying equipment and activities appropriate for each child’s age and ability;
	Modeling interactions that guide children’s safe, active indoor and outdoor play;
	Identifying opportunities for dancing, exercising, and creative dramatics in the home and for jumping, hopping, climbing, and running outdoors;
	Involving children in making safety rules, and helping them understand the reasons for such rules;
	Discussing information about community recreational facilities; and
	Developing and implementing curricula, which for infants and toddlers is based on relationships, routines, and daily experiences.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(1)(i)

(b) Child development and education approach for infants and toddlers.

(1) Grantee and delegate agencies’ program of services for infants and toddlers must encourage (see 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(5) for a definition of curriculum):

(i) The development of secure relationships in out-of-home care settings for infants and toddlers by having a limited number of consistent teachers over an extended period of time. Teachers must demonstrate an understanding of the child’s family culture and, whenever possible, speak the child’s language (see 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(2));

Rationale: To support the development of infants and toddlers, the curriculum focuses on relationships, respect, and responsiveness of the child development services. Social and emotional development of infants and toddlers is based upon their relationship with their caregivers. For healthy social and emotional development, infants and toddlers need the attention of consistent caregiving. Staff who understand the child’s family culture and speak the home language reinforce an infant’s or toddler’s emotional security and trust. A safe and secure environment nurtures positive relationships with peers and adults.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(1)(iv) for further information on child-initiated and adult-directed activities; see 45 CFR 1304.24(a)(1)(ii) about discussing a child’s behavior and development with parents, including separation and attachment issues; and see 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(2) about having classroom and family child care staff and home visitors who speak the child’s language.

Guidance: Adults help infants and toddlers develop positive and secure relationships by:

	Assigning a teacher or home visitor to each infant (see 45 CFR 1304.52(g)(4) about staffing patterns). Staff changes, when they must occur, are gradual, to maintain the emotional security of infants and toddlers;
	Valuing continuity in language and culture when assigning staff to a child;
	Communicating frequently with family members about the child; and
	Encouraging families to volunteer in the program, to increase staff understanding of a child’s culture and home routines.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(1)(ii)

(ii) Trust and emotional security so that each child can explore the environment according to his or her developmental level; and

Rationale: Children’s feelings of security and attachment influence all aspects of development, including the curiosity and confidence necessary to explore the environment.

Guidance: Responsive, nurturing caregiving is crucial to infants’ and toddlers’ feelings of security within relationships and within the environment, and is a foundation for later development. Each child needs to feel secure and to know that there is an adult who responds sensitively to his or her cues and developmental changes, and who:

	Feeds infants when they are hungry and comforts them when they are distressed (see 45 CFR 1304.23(b)(1)(iv) and 1304.23(c)(5) regarding feeding infants);
	Supports and encourages infants to learn by observing them as they interact with the environment;
	Interacts with infants and toddlers by gently holding, talking, and gesturing with them;
	Provides an emotionally secure and physically safe environment that allows mobile infants and toddlers to explore and to develop independence and control; and
	Nurtures the individuality of infants and toddlers by giving them choices and by providing opportunities for them to do things for themselves.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(1)(iii)

(iii) Opportunities for each child to explore a variety of sensory and motor experiences with support and stimulation from teachers and family members.

Rationale: Adults enhance all areas of development by supporting infants and toddlers with a broad array of experiences that are interesting to the child and promote sensory and motor exploration.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.53(b) for information related to equipment, toys, and materials.

Guidance: Adults promote sensory and motor development by:

	Changing the area of play by moving infants from one area or position to another;
	Changing or rotating objects to stimulate and challenge infants and toddlers;
	Encouraging movement and playfulness;
	Engaging infants and toddlers through their senses with physical contact, making sounds, feeling textures, and tasting or smelling foods; and
	Interacting face to face during all kinds of routine activities, including diapering and feeding times.

Note: Cribs, high chairs, and car seats are used only for their intended purposes.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(2)(i)

(2) Grantee and delegate agencies must support the social and emotional development of infants and toddlers by promoting an environment that:

(i) Encourages the development of self-awareness, autonomy, and self-expression; and

Rationale: The social and emotional growth of infants and toddlers develops through their relationships with caregivers. A safe and secure environment nurtures positive relationships with peers and adults.

Guidance: Teachers, home visitors, and parents provide experiences that encourage young children to develop self-awareness, autonomy, trust, and exploration, by:

	Affirming each child as an individual;
	Responding to the child’s sense of pleasure in his or her own successes;
	Establishing face-to-face contact and engaging in playful exchanges of sounds and simple games;
	Using pictures and photographs of infants and toddlers with their families;
	Responding to children’s behaviors associated with fears or needs; and
	Developing activities that match children’s developmental levels and honor their preferences.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(2)(ii)

(ii) Supports the emerging communication skills of infants and toddlers by providing daily opportunities for each child to interact with others and to express himself or herself freely.

Rationale: Children acquire and develop communication skills through observation and practice. They learn verbal and nonverbal means of communicating needs, thoughts, and feelings by imitating the behaviors of others.

Guidance: Adults encourage language development by engaging children in a variety of songs, stories, poems, books, and games.

Adults develop realistic expectations of children’s speech and language by:

	Engaging children in the use of verbal and nonverbal methods of communication;
	Providing opportunities for appropriate interactions with peers and in daily activities, such as at meal times;
	Using descriptive language and behaviors during routine activities, such as diapering, to build a foundation for the use of language;
	Responding to young children’s first attempts at conversation by expanding on their vocalizations or gestures; and
	Reading stories, singing songs, reciting rhymes and encouraging children to hold and manipulate books.

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(3)(i)

(3) Grantee and delegate agencies must promote the physical development of infants and toddlers by:

(i) Supporting the development of the physical skills of infants and toddlers including gross motor skills, such as grasping, pulling, pushing, crawling, walking, and climbing; and

Rationale: A comprehensive program for infants and toddlers encourages play and active exploration to support the development of gross motor skills which enhance self-confidence, independence, and autonomy.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.20(d) for information about the ongoing care of each child.

Guidance: Adults promote the physical development of infants and toddlers by:

	Assisting children when tasks become frustrating, rather than by doing the tasks for them;
	Recognizing developmental milestones that indicate children’s changing needs for independence;
	Allowing infants and toddlers to play with and explore objects in a safe environment;
	Bringing objects and activities to young infants; and
	Providing open and accessible indoor and outdoor space for children to practice skills, such as crawling, walking, and reaching activities (see 45 CFR 1304.53 (a)(4) for information about providing space for mobile infants and toddlers).

Performance Standard

1304.21(b)(3)(ii)

(ii) Creating opportunities for fine motor development that encourage the control and coordination of small, specialized motions, using the eyes, mouth, hands, and feet.

Rationale: Infants and toddlers develop fine motor skills through sensory exploration and opportunities to practice the coordination of specialized motions.

Guidance: Infants and toddlers develop physical skills and strength through repetition. Adults aid such development through:

	Activities and materials that involve grasping, dropping, pulling, pushing, throwing, touching, and mouthing;
	Opportunities for hand-eye coordination, such as fitting objects into a hole in a box, and self-feeding; and
	Opportunities for infants and toddlers to interact.

Performance Standard

1304.21(c)(1)

(1) Grantee and delegate agencies, in collaboration with the parents, must implement a curriculum (see 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(5)) that:

Rationale: A philosophy shared by the program and the parents, and a planned, organized, consistently implemented curriculum support child development and education, meet the goals for children’s development and learning, provide experiences to meet such goals, identify the roles of staff members and parents, and identify appropriate materials and equipment.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(2) and 1304.40(e)(1) and (e)(2) for information about parent involvement in child development and education; see 45 CFR 1304.53(b) for information related to selecting materials, equipment, and toys; see 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(7) for a definition of "developmentally appropriate"; and see 45 CFR 1304.21(c)(2) regarding strategies for observing children to inform the curriculum.

Guidance: Staff, in collaboration with parents, implement a curriculum that is consistent with the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Agencies develop their own curriculum or select and adapt from among a variety of curriculum approaches or frameworks, which support each child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development, as well as the educational aspects of other program areas. The daily implementation of the curriculum is responsive to ongoing observations of children. Staff work with parents to support the goals of the curriculum in the home.

In developing or selecting and adapting curriculum, agencies and parents jointly ensure that the curriculum is comprehensive, and is:

	based upon sound child development principles,
	well-grounded in its approach and methods,
	specific in goals and objectives for children’s development and learning that are achievable, but also challenging,
	inclusive of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities,
	supportive of spontaneous learning opportunities;
	responsive to a system for observing and documenting children’s progress in all areas of development,
	intellectually engaging and personally meaningful to children, and
	informed by the community, cultural beliefs, and the language of those being served.

Performance Standard

1304.21(c)(1)(i)

(i) Supports each child’s individual pattern of development and learning;

Rationale: The curriculum is based upon sound principles of child growth and development, and is responsive to each child based upon what staff and parents know about individual children.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.53(b) for information about equipment, materials, and toys.

Guidance: The environment, curriculum, and learning approach support children’s individual patterns of development. Staff, together with parents, discuss what they observe about the child’s progress, interests, development, learning style, attention span, temperament, and problem-solving abilities. To support individualizing the curriculum, they:

	Plan periods of time for children’s sustained involvement in teacher planned and/or self-chosen tasks;
	Plan opportunities for children to work alone and with other children;
	Recognize and respond to children’s individual interests and learning styles, including visual, tactile, or auditory; and
	Plan activities that enable children to develop emerging skills and practice existing skills.

Performance Standard

1304.21(c)(1)(ii)

(ii) Provides for the development of cognitive skills by encouraging each child to organize his or her experiences, to understand concepts, and to develop age appropriate literacy, numeracy, reasoning, problem solving and decision-making skills which form a foundation for school readiness and later school success;

Rationale: Children expand their knowledge and skills through a variety of experiences and interactions with other children and adults. Intellectual development is reinforced and extended through opportunities to engage in meaningful work that stimulates questioning, forming ideas, and represent what is being learned.

Related Information: See 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(4) for information about the development of cognitive and language skills for all children.

Guidance: Adults support children’s cognitive development and eagerness to learn by:

	Providing a learning environment that offers children experiences which vary in complexity as well as support individual interests and abilities;
	Asking questions that have more than one answer and extend children’s thinking;
	Supporting play as a way for children to organize their experiences and understand concepts;
	Incorporating developmentally appropriate strategies for children to learn concepts and skills related to science, social studies, language, literacy, numeracy, art, music, and movement;
	Using books, games, and computers, as well as other concrete materials, to raise questions and solve problems;
	Engaging children in creative activities and problem solving; and
	Encouraging children to interpret and represent their experiences, understanding, and ideas through drawing, writing and other art media; language; movement; and music.