Toddlers

(14 months to 3 years)

1. Social
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

1.1 Social Interest • observing and imitating peers Incorporate singing games into play and routines.
• beginning to play “follow the peer” games Engage one child at a time where other toddlers can
• observing and playing briefly with peers observe.
– may turn into struggle for possession Toddlers’ natural social interest in adults and children
• offering toys helps to focus their attention.
• engaging in short group activities Observing the shared joy of the singing game will
motivate involvement when a new game is being
introduced.

1.2 Perspective Taking • in simple situations beginning to take During snack routines, keep waiting to a minimum
the point of view of others but use the brief periods of waiting to pair one
toddler’s waiting with another toddler’s turn:
“Prya, you’re waiting while Josh picks his fruit.
It’s your turn next!”
Engaging the waiting toddler supports her behaviour
regulation while she waits.
She also hears information that helps her understand
the point of view of others balanced with her own
viewpoint.

1.3 Parallel Play • playing in proximity of peers with similar Set out duplicate materials in a play space large
playthings without an exchange of ideas enough for two toddlers to play side by side
or things – i.e., parallel play. When toddlers engage in parallel
play, join them in play with your own materials.
This provides context for toddlers’ social play where
interest in others is expressed by being close and
playing with similar materials.

A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings 35

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

2. Emotional
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

2.1 Expression of • expressing aggressive feelings Respond to toddlers’ emotional experience with
Feelings and behaviour comments that affirm their emotional experience, for
• beginning to show self-conscious emotions example, “Wow! You worked hard on your tower!”
(shame, embarrassment, guilt, pride) Toddlers need adults who are emotionally available
• expressing feelings in language and and who maintain their connection with them.
pretend play Sharing in the toddler’s emotional experience
reinforces and elaborates the child’s emotions and
motivation.

2.2 Self-regulation
Emotion Regulation • beginning to use language to assist Acknowledge the child’s feelings.
in emotion regulation Adult: “I see you are sad. It’s hard when Mom goes to
• beginning to recover from emotion work.” Pause, look at the child.
in the presence of familiar adults
“Mom always picks you up after snack in the
• being overwhelmed and recovering
afternoon.” Pause and look at the child. “I can play
• elevating positive emotions
with you.”
• seeking out adults as secure base
The empathy of acknowledging feelings can create a
connection between the toddler and the adult and it
also can absorb some of the toddler’s emotional energy.

Behaviour Regulation • responding to cues to stop actions Move close to toddlers whose activity level is rising.
• showing emerging impulse control Being close to toddlers may provide toddlers with the
with peers secure base that assists them in regulating their
• waiting for peers’ increases behaviour.

Attention Regulation • attending may be interrupted by actions Participate in play and move your materials slowly
of others into the toddler’s visual frame when she is distracted.
• attending distracted by several objects This can slow the action down, enabling her to solve a
to focus on problem or avoid distraction.
• focusing attention, making choices
and avoiding distractions

2.3 Empathy • showing awareness of own feelings Describe the facial expressions of toddlers as
and the feelings of others they happen. Match the facial expression with the
• showing concern for others demonstrated associated feeling: “Look at Jessie’s big eyes and his
with caring behaviour wide-open mouth. He’s surprised to see the puppy.”
• beginning to recognize the rights of others As the toddler’s awareness of his feelings is emerging,
this draws his attention to important non-verbal
information and the feelings that accompany them.

36 A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

2. Emotional (cont’d)
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

2.4 Sense of Self • saying “no” in response to adult requests Place a box of self-help items in front of a wall-
• seeing self as “doer” who is powerful mounted Plexiglass mirror. When a toddler pretends
• saying “good” and “bad” (shows with a facecloth say, “You’re washing your ears.”
emerging self-evaluation) Playing in front of a mirror allows the toddler to see
• using name of self and others what her body is doing.
• recognizing self in mirror When the adult “broadcasts” her actions (describes
• pointing to parts of own body and them aloud while they are happening), the language
the corresponding parts of others and actions reinforce the toddler’s understanding of
herself and her body.

2.5 Autonomy • initiating activities Provide a building area with blocks and a collection
• setting own goals and persisting of cans and boxes of different sizes and shapes.
in achieving them As a toddler builds, pay attention to his actions.
• rejecting the intrusion of redirection, When appropriate, describe his building.
saying “no” and “I do” This provides an opportunity for the child to direct
• seeking to control others, saying “mine” his own play, have choices and make decisions. The
• making choices and avoiding distractions collection of cans and boxes requires more decisions
increases to create a stable building.
• distinguishing own intended actions Adult attention and comments help the child feel
from unintended ones good about his achievements.

2.6 Identity Formation • identifying self and in relation to others Use family photos to encourage story telling.
Point to the toddler and then to others in the photo.
Ask open-ended questions. “What did you do at the
park?” “What did you do with your dad?”
Telling stories about his family helps the toddler see
his place in relation to others and to feel that he is an
important member of his family.

A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings 37

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

3. Communication, language and literacy

Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

3.1 Receptive • listening to stories Broadcast the child’s actions while they are
Language • responding to names of body parts, happening. Adult: “Bobby, you’re building so high!”
commands and personal pronouns Pairing language with the child’s actions provides
• responding to longer sentences a rich context for a toddler’s understanding of the
and commands spoken language.

3.2 Expressive Language

Words • combining words Invite a toddler to add to your description of a
• using common verbs and adjectives photo. “Look at Ned’s big hat.” Pause. “What else is
he wearing?”
This invites the toddler to notice photo details and
respond in expressive language.

Sentences • using simple sentences Reflect back language and expand when a child
• using compound sentences misspeaks. For example: “Daddy wented away.”
• engaging in pretend play that Adult response: “Your daddy went away.” (Reflecting
includes language back.) “Where did he go?” (Invitation to expand.)
This provides a correct language model and
encourages the toddler to continue to talk.

Vocabulary • increasing vocabulary Pair functions with nouns when describing play:
• identifying functions of household items “You’re talking to Mommy on the phone.”
This increases understanding in a rich context of
meaning and action.

Questions • asking simple “what” and “where” During dressing routines take turns with the toddler
questions in finding items of clothing.
This give-and-take game gives him an opportunity to
ask and answer questions.

Conversation • observing and attempting to join “Here’s Nelofer. She knows about birthday cakes.”
conversations This acknowledges a toddler’s interest in interaction
and creates an opportunity for her to join in
conversation.

38 A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

4. Cognition
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

4.1 Self-regulation
Attention Regulation • maintaining attention for increasing Offer toddlers materials with contrasting properties;
periods of time e.g., add solid shapes to stacking rings.
• ignoring distracting variables This will provide the challenge of ignoring forms with
no holes when stacking rings.

4.2 Problem Solving • setting goals and acting to achieve them Use cognitive dissonance (violating expectation).
• solving problems in actions by trial and error For example, during play, place people figures
• seeking out adults to help meet goals in the garage and cars in the house.
• using objects as tools to solve problems Ask: “What’s wrong? How can you fix it?”
• figuring out who is missing from a group Dissonance promotes thought and problem solving
by looking at those in attendance and can be humorous to toddlers.

4.3 Cause-and-Effect • responding with joy to the predictable Invite exploratory actions with predictive questions.
Exploration outcomes of exploration e.g., “What will happen when you drop the ball?”
• exploring the functions of objects; or “What would happen if you pushed the car?”
opening and shutting doors Be prepared for toddlers to answer with actions.
Predictive questions promote the cause-and-effect
explorations of toddlers.

4.4 Spatial Exploration • exploring containment by putting objects When a toddler is scooping and dumping, you
in containers and by dumping them can scoop and dump objects of different sizes using
• putting things together and taking identical containers. Ask him, “Will that toy fit into
them apart that cup?”
Toddlers are parallel players and when you play along­
side them at their level, you can reinforce and extend
their explorations in an unobtrusive manner.

4.5 Spatial Problem • pushing obstacles out of the way Move relevant materials, such as tools, close to
Solving • using tools to overcome barriers where the toddler is playing.
Movement attracts attention, and toddlers may
not see some materials when they are busy at play.
Moving tools that can expand play when a toddler is
stuck, can encourage him to include those materials
in his play, thereby expanding his exploration or
problem solving.

A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings 39

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

4. Cognition (cont’d)
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

4.6 Temporal • using terms related to time: Match temporal terms with blocks of time that
“tomorrow” and “yesterday” are part of the toddler’s daily life.
• understanding of “now” versus “Later we will go outside, after snack.”
“later” emerges This allows the child to connect temporal terms such
as “later” with a sequence of time that he knows.

4.7 Symbolic Thought,

Representation and
Root Skills of Literacy
Pretend Play • using objects to stand for other things Be a partner in pretend play by taking on a role.
• acting out simple themes in pretend play: When the toddler is cooking and serving food, eat
cooking, caring for babies the food and say, “Such good food. Thank you for
taking care of me.”
When adults are partners in play, toddlers elaborate
their pretend play themes and representation.

Representation • identifying objects in photos After looking at and pointing to pictures in books,
• pointing to objects in books on request invite the toddler to search back through the book:
• identifying objects in books “Find the bear with his socks on his ears.”
This encourages her to identify and recall
representations in books.

4.8 Memory • increasing memory capacity Establish routines. When routines are well
• following routines established, ask the toddler while you are dressing
• establishing rituals him, “What comes next?”
This requires his recall of repeated events in the
context of the routine.

4.9 Sorting • sorting and labeling objects by Use simple open-ended questions that invite
characteristics, such as hard and soft or responses that can be actions, e.g., “What else can
big and small you add to the basket of flowers?”
• matching items by function Open-ended questions allow the toddler to give a
(e.g., spoon with bowl) personally meaningful response, and when he can
respond with actions, it allows him to communicate
his thinking even when he may not use his expressive
language.

40 A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings

 Toddlers
(14 months to 3 years)

5. Physical
Domain and Skills Indicators of the Skill Interactions

5.1 Gross Motor

Balance • standing on one foot Take advantage of toddlers’ enjoyment of carrying
• taking a few steps on raised surface objects, marching and following others. Sing a parade
song and make up lyrics that invite toddlers to march
on different surfaces.
As toddlers move from one surface to another, they
must adjust their balance.

Jumping • jumping up and down on the spot Include toddler-safe risers in outdoor and indoor
• jumping down from short heights environments. Support toddler’s emerging skills by
standing as close as required and admiring her
stepping up, jumping and confidence.

Walking and Running • balancing and coordination increase Play stop-and-start games in environments with
• stopping while running improves enough space.
Playful practice of running and then stopping improves
the toddler’s increasing control of these skills.

Climbing • climbing stairs one foot at a time Admire toddler’s emerging skills,
• climbing on climbing equipment e.g., “Mark, you climbed up to the top!”
and furniture This reinforces his accomplishments and encourages
him to continue.

Riding Toys • moving riding toys forward by pushing Give toddlers a reason to ride tricycles forward
with feet by setting up play stations on the riding path.
Then engage the toddler in riding.
“Marcus, drive to the store and buy some milk.”
This motivates the continued practice of riding skills.

5.2 Fine Motor

Dressing • doing up buttons During dressing, break down the job of doing up a
• pulling up zippers zipper by attaching the sides of the zipper. Invite the
toddler to pull up the zipper while you hold the bottom.
This reduces frustration and supports the toddler’s
active involvement in dressing.

Eating • using utensils and cup independently Make suitable utensils available as the toddler’s
skills emerge. Present them along with opportunities
to eat finger foods.
This provides choices for independence and
promotes success.

A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings 41