Illinois Early Learning Standards: A Comprehensive Guide for Early Childhood Professionals

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The Illinois Early Learning Standards (IELS) for Children Birth to Age 3, often referred to as the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines (IELG), serve as a foundational framework for early childhood professionals and policymakers alike. These standards provide a cohesive understanding of child development, detailing what young children should know and be able to do from birth through their third birthday. The primary aim of the Illinois Early Learning Standards is to equip early childhood professionals with a shared language and set of expectations regarding developmental milestones. Furthermore, these guidelines offer practical strategies and insights into creating enriching early learning experiences that foster holistic development for all children in Illinois. By offering a comprehensive overview of developmental trajectories, the IELS empowers educators to implement developmentally appropriate practices and create environments conducive to optimal early childhood growth. This resource is invaluable for anyone working to support the youngest learners in Illinois, ensuring a strong start in their educational journey.

The Newborn Period: A Foundation of Discovery

Exploring the Newborn Period: A Developmental Perspective on the First Four Months sets the stage by focusing on the crucial first four months of life. This period is marked by rapid adjustment and foundational development as newborns adapt to life outside the womb. Understanding this unique phase is essential for caregivers and educators to provide responsive and nurturing care that supports healthy beginnings.

Self-Regulation: The Cornerstone of Development

Self-Regulation: Foundation of Development is highlighted as a critical element underpinning all aspects of a child’s growth. Self-regulation, the ability to manage emotions, attention, behavior, and physiological responses, is not innate but develops over time through interactions with caregivers and the environment. The Illinois Early Learning Standards meticulously break down self-regulation into key components:

Alt text: A young child joyfully plays with a large, colorful ball, demonstrating physiological regulation through active movement.

Physiological Regulation focuses on the infant’s developing ability to manage bodily functions and responses to sensory input. This includes everything from establishing sleep patterns and feeding routines to responding to touch and sound in a balanced way. Caregivers play a crucial role in co-regulating with infants, helping them to achieve a state of physiological equilibrium.

Emotional Regulation explores the emergence of emotional awareness and management. Infants begin to express a range of emotions and learn to rely on caregivers to help them navigate these feelings. Responsive caregiving, characterized by empathy and consistent support, is vital for fostering healthy emotional development and the ability to self-soothe.

Alt text: A curious toddler looks upwards with focused attention, showcasing developing attention regulation skills.

Attention Regulation examines the development of focus and concentration. From birth, infants are learning to orient to stimuli and gradually lengthen their attention spans. Engaging environments and interactions that capture and sustain a child’s interest are key to nurturing attentional skills.

Behavior Regulation addresses the budding ability to control impulses and actions. As toddlers grow, they begin to understand and internalize limits and expectations, learning to manage their behavior in increasingly complex social situations. Consistent guidance and positive reinforcement are essential for supporting the development of behavioral self-control.

Developmental Domain 1: Social & Emotional Development

Introduction to Social & Emotional Development emphasizes the foundational role of social and emotional skills in a child’s overall well-being and future success. This domain of the Illinois Early Learning Standards encompasses a child’s ability to form relationships, express emotions, develop a sense of self, and interact effectively with others. Positive social-emotional development is crucial for building resilience, empathy, and the capacity for healthy relationships throughout life.

Alt text: Loving parents embrace their child, illustrating the importance of secure attachment relationships in early development.

Attachment Relationships are at the heart of social-emotional development. Secure attachments to primary caregivers provide a safe base from which children can explore the world and build trust in relationships. The Illinois Early Learning Standards underscore the importance of responsive and consistent caregiving in fostering secure attachment bonds.

Emotional Expression delves into how children learn to identify, understand, and express their emotions in healthy ways. This includes recognizing emotions in themselves and others, as well as developing appropriate ways to communicate feelings. Adults play a key role in modeling healthy emotional expression and providing children with the vocabulary to articulate their emotional experiences.

Alt text: A nurturing mother lovingly holds her child, emphasizing the significance of positive relationships with adults.

Relationship with Adults highlights the importance of positive interactions with various adults in a child’s life, beyond primary caregivers. These relationships contribute to a child’s sense of belonging, security, and social competence. The Illinois Early Learning Standards encourage educators to build warm and responsive relationships with all children in their care.

Self-Concept explores the developing sense of self in young children. This includes understanding their own identity, abilities, and place in the world. Positive self-concept is fostered through experiences of competence, encouragement, and acceptance from caregivers and educators.

Alt text: Two young children happily play together with toys, demonstrating the development of peer relationships.

Relationship with Peers focuses on the emergence of social interactions and relationships with other children. As toddlers grow, they begin to engage in play with peers, learning to share, cooperate, and navigate social dynamics. Early childhood settings provide valuable opportunities for fostering positive peer interactions.

Empathy examines the development of empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy is a crucial social-emotional skill that underpins prosocial behavior and compassionate interactions. Adults can nurture empathy by modeling caring behavior and helping children understand the emotional perspectives of others.

Developmental Domain 2: Physical Development & Health

Introduction to Physical Development & Health outlines the importance of physical growth, motor skills, and healthy habits in early childhood. This domain of the Illinois Early Learning Standards addresses both gross and fine motor development, as well as perceptual skills and self-care abilities. Physical development is intrinsically linked to other domains, impacting cognitive, social, and emotional growth.

Alt text: Children joyfully play on a swing set, demonstrating gross motor skills and physical activity.

Gross Motor focuses on the development of large muscle movements, such as crawling, walking, running, jumping, and climbing. Gross motor skills are essential for mobility, exploration, and physical activity. Providing ample opportunities for movement and active play is crucial for supporting gross motor development.

Fine Motor explores the development of small muscle movements, particularly in the hands and fingers. Fine motor skills are essential for tasks such as grasping, reaching, manipulating objects, and eventually writing. Activities that encourage reaching, grasping, and hand-eye coordination are vital for fine motor development.

Alt text: A child engrossed in painting with a brush, showcasing perceptual development and hand-eye coordination.

Perceptual examines the development of sensory processing and interpretation. This includes how children take in and make sense of information from their senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Perceptual development is foundational for learning about the world and interacting with the environment.

Self-Care addresses the development of skills related to personal care and independence. This includes skills such as feeding oneself, dressing, and basic hygiene. Supporting self-care skills fosters a sense of autonomy and competence in young children.

Developmental Domain 3: Language Development, Communication, & Literacy

Introduction to Language Development, Communication, & Literacy highlights the critical importance of communication skills and early literacy foundations in a child’s overall development. This domain of the Illinois Early Learning Standards encompasses social communication, receptive and expressive language, and emergent literacy skills. Language and communication are fundamental for social interaction, cognitive development, and future academic success.

Alt text: Two children interacting socially in a grassy area, illustrating social communication and peer engagement.

Social Communication focuses on the development of communication skills used in social contexts. This includes nonverbal communication like gestures and facial expressions, as well as early verbal interactions. Social communication is essential for building relationships and participating in social exchanges.

Receptive Communication explores the development of the ability to understand language. This includes listening comprehension, understanding words and sentences, and following directions. Receptive language skills are foundational for learning and interacting with the world.

Alt text: A child and adult clapping hands together, demonstrating expressive communication and interaction.

Expressive Communication examines the development of the ability to use language to communicate thoughts and needs. This includes babbling, using single words, combining words into sentences, and engaging in conversations. Expressive language skills empower children to interact with others and express themselves.

Early Literacy addresses the foundational skills that precede reading and writing. This includes phonological awareness, print awareness, and early writing attempts. Exposure to books, language-rich environments, and literacy activities lays the groundwork for future reading and writing success.

Developmental Domain 4: Cognitive Development

Introduction to Cognitive Development underscores the development of thinking, learning, and problem-solving skills in early childhood. This domain of the Illinois Early Learning Standards encompasses concept development, memory, spatial reasoning, symbolic thought, creative expression, logic and reasoning, quantity and number concepts, and science exploration. Cognitive development is the foundation for all future learning and intellectual growth.

Alt text: A child using a rolling pin to play with dough, engaging in concept development through play.

Concept Development focuses on how children learn to categorize, classify, and understand the world around them. This includes understanding concepts like colors, shapes, sizes, and categories of objects. Hands-on experiences and exploration are crucial for concept development.

Memory explores the development of different types of memory, including working memory and long-term memory. Memory skills are essential for learning, problem-solving, and recalling experiences. Engaging activities and routines can support memory development.

Alt text: A baby playing with toys in a bath, exploring spatial relationships within their environment.

Spatial Relationships examines the development of understanding how objects and people are positioned in space. This includes concepts like above, below, in front, and behind. Spatial reasoning is important for navigation, problem-solving, and understanding the physical world.

Symbolic Thought addresses the development of the ability to use symbols to represent objects, ideas, and events. This is evident in pretend play, language, and early literacy. Symbolic thought is a significant cognitive milestone that allows for more complex thinking and learning.

Alt text: Two young children engaged in creative expression at a table, fostering imagination and cognitive skills.

Creative Expression explores the development of creativity and imagination. This includes art, music, dramatic play, and other forms of imaginative expression. Creative expression fosters cognitive flexibility, problem-solving skills, and emotional well-being.

Logic & Reasoning examines the emerging ability to think logically and solve problems. This includes understanding cause and effect, making predictions, and using reasoning skills to figure things out. Play-based learning and problem-solving activities support logic and reasoning development.

Alt text: A girl playing with pails of different sizes, learning about quantity and numbers through hands-on exploration.

Quantity & Numbers addresses the development of early mathematical concepts, including number sense, counting, and understanding quantity. Early math skills are foundational for later mathematical learning and problem-solving.

Science Concepts & Exploration explores the development of scientific thinking and curiosity about the natural world. This includes observation, experimentation, and asking questions about how things work. Science exploration in early childhood lays the groundwork for future scientific literacy.

Alt text: A mother holding her child securely, representing safety and well-being as crucial aspects of cognitive development.

Safety & Well-Being emphasizes the importance of safety and security for optimal cognitive development. Children need to feel safe and secure in order to explore, learn, and thrive. Creating safe and nurturing environments is paramount for early childhood development.

Approaches to Learning: How Children Engage with the World

Introduction to Approaches to Learning focuses on the ways children engage in learning, rather than specific content areas. This section of the Illinois Early Learning Standards highlights curiosity, initiative, problem-solving, confidence, risk-taking, persistence, effort, attentiveness, creativity, inventiveness, and imagination. These approaches to learning are crucial for lifelong learning and success.

Approaches to Learning: Curiosity & Initiative emphasizes the importance of fostering a child’s natural curiosity and encouraging them to take initiative in their learning. Curiosity drives exploration and discovery, while initiative empowers children to be active learners. Creating environments that spark curiosity and support child-directed exploration is key.

Alt text: A teacher guiding a child with a toy, fostering problem-solving skills and learning engagement.

Approaches to Learning: Problem Solving explores the development of problem-solving skills in young children. This includes identifying problems, exploring solutions, and trying different strategies. Play-based learning and open-ended activities provide opportunities for developing problem-solving abilities.

Approaches to Learning: Confidence & Risk-Taking highlights the importance of building confidence and encouraging healthy risk-taking in young children. Confidence empowers children to try new things and persevere through challenges, while appropriate risk-taking fosters resilience and adaptability. Supportive and encouraging environments help children develop confidence and a willingness to take calculated risks.

Alt text: A child persistently watering plants with a watering can, demonstrating effort and attentiveness in learning.

Approaches to Learning: Persistence, Effort, & Attentiveness examines the development of persistence, effort, and attentiveness in learning tasks. These qualities are essential for sustained engagement and achieving learning goals. Providing challenging but achievable tasks and offering encouragement can foster persistence and effort.

Approaches to Learning: Creativity, Inventiveness, & Imagination emphasizes the importance of nurturing creativity, inventiveness, and imagination in young children. These qualities are vital for innovation, problem-solving, and self-expression. Providing open-ended materials and opportunities for imaginative play fosters creativity and inventiveness.

Introductory Letter: A Message from the Illinois Early Learning Council

Dear Reader,

It is with immense pleasure that we present the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for children from birth to three years of age. These guidelines represent the culmination of two years of dedicated effort by numerous individuals and organizations, all united in the goal of creating comprehensive developmental learning standards for our youngest learners. We believe these standards will form a robust foundation for all future learning and development. The diverse stakeholders involved in this project were driven by a shared vision for the utilization of these guidelines:

• We aspire for these Guidelines to resonate with you, articulating the developmental progress you witness daily in children from birth to three.
• We intend for these Guidelines to empower you in deepening your understanding and facilitating discussions about child development.
• We hope these Guidelines better equip you to plan intentional and meaningful interactions with children in this age group.
• We aim for these Guidelines to reinforce your commitment to responsive, developmentally appropriate practices when working with young children.
• We trust these Guidelines will strengthen your understanding of the individual nature of each child’s developmental journey and the critical influence of family and context.

We have been privileged to lead the development process for these Early Learning Guidelines, ensuring they are responsive to the existing early childhood infrastructure and address the current needs within Illinois. Operating under the guidance and management of the Illinois Early Learning Council, we were able to harness the collective expertise of our colleagues and stakeholders in knowledge, practice, and cross-system collaboration. Through this collaborative endeavor, we established a shared understanding of what children from birth to three should know and be able to do, and affirmed our collective responsibility in achieving these outcomes for every child.

Throughout this two-year project, we placed significant demands on everyone involved, including ourselves. However, a shared dedication to young children propelled us to strive for the highest quality developmental guidelines possible. A core element of our definition of quality was the imperative for this work to span all service systems and sectors serving children from birth to three and their families. Each of these systems and sectors has contributed to the creation of these Early Learning Guidelines, carefully considering the role of this content in their respective work with children and families. We are enthusiastic about continuing to learn from one another and supporting each other in the implementation of these Guidelines to enhance the quality of services provided to children and families across Illinois.

With our sincerest gratitude,

Jeanna M. Capito
Executive Director
Positive Parenting DuPage

Karen Yarbrough
Director, Policy Planning and Knowledge
Ounce of Prevention Fund

Acknowledgments: Recognizing the Collaborative Spirit

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Robert R. McCormick Foundation Board and staff for their generous support of this project. Their commitment reflects a profound respect for the development process, the Illinois stakeholders involved, and most importantly, a deep reverence for the critical importance of supporting children from birth to three years old. The McCormick Foundation remains a valued and steadfast partner in our ongoing efforts to advance a high-quality early learning system for our youngest children in Illinois.

We also offer heartfelt thanks to the Early Learning Guidelines Workgroup members for their substantial dedication of time and expertise in guiding a process that remained consistently focused on the needs of children from birth to three. Furthermore, we acknowledge the tireless commitment of the Writing Team members, whose dedication ensured the content was both accurate and effectively communicated.

• Barbara Abel, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Jennifer Alexander, Metropolitan Family Services
• Vincent Allocco, El Valor
• Casey Amayun, Positive Parenting DuPage
• Jeanne M. Anderson, Nurse Family Partnership – National Office
• Gonzalo Arroyo, Family Focus – Aurora
• Anita Berry, Advocate Health Care
• Jill Bradley, Illinois Action for Children
• Sharonda Brown, Illinois State Board of Education
• Ted Burke, Illinois EI Training
• Stephanie Bynum, Erikson Institute
• Jennett D. Caldwell, Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, Inc.
• Jill Calkins, Tri-County Opportunities Council
• Alexis Carlisle, Department of Children and Family Services
• Lindsay Cochrane, Robert R. McCormick Foundation
• Kimberly Dadisman, Chapin Hall Center for Children
• Kathy Davis, Springfield SD 186
• Elva DeLuna, Illinois Department of Human Services
• Claire Dunham, Ounce of Prevention Fund
• Bridget English, Jacksonville SD 117
• Mary English, Jacksonville SD 117
• Jana E. Fleming, Erikson Institute
• Mary Jane Forney, Illinois Department of Human Services
• Phyllis Glink, The Irving Harris Foundation
• Julia Goldberg, Childcare Network of Evanston
• Pat Gomez, La Voz Latina
• Marsha Hawley, Kendall College
• Theresa Hawley, Educare of West DuPage
• Lynda Hazen, Head Start DuPage
• Artishia Hunter, Postive Parenting DuPage
• Jean Jackson, Community Child Care Connection, Inc.
• Raydeane James, Illinois State Board of Education
• Leslie Janes, Carole Robertson Center for Learning
• Jamilah R. Jor’dan, Jor’dan Consulting Group, Inc.
• Susan Kaplan, Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health
• Leslie Katch, National-Louis University
• Joanne Kelly, Illinois Department of Human Services
• Kathy Kern, Parenthesis, Inc.
• Ashleigh Kirk, Voices for Illinois Children
• Rebecca Klein, Ounce of Prevention Fund – Hayes Center
• Jon Korfmacher, Erikson Institute
• Linda Langosch, Community & Economic Development Association of Cook County
• Rima Malhotra, Chicago Public Schools
• Janet Maruna, Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
• Jean Mendoza, Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative
• Paulette Mercurius, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services
• Susan R. Miller, Consultant
• Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, Illinois Head Start Association
• Heather Moyer, Teen Parent Connection
• Christina Nation, Parents as Teachers – Springfield School District
• Nara Nayar, Advance Illinois
• Kristie Norwood, Chicago Commons
• Sessy Nyman, Illinois Action for Children
• Gregory O’Donnell, Ounce of Prevention Fund
• Marcia Orr, Before and After School Enrichment, Inc.
• Patricia Perez, City Colleges of Chicago
• Christy Poli, Bensenville Birth to Three Program
• Rosaura Realegeno, Family Focus – Aurora
• Susan Reynolds, Chicago Public Schools
• Vanessa Rich, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services
• Kate Ritter, Illinois Action for Children
• Jessica Roberts, Voices for Illinois Children
• Celena Roldan, Erie Neighborhood House
• John Roope, Chaddock Child and Family Center
• Allen Rosales, Christopher House
• Gina Ruther, Illinois Department of Human Services
• Christine Ryan, Chicago Public Schools
• Andrea Sass, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
• Linda Saterfield, Illinois Department of Human Services
• Joni Scritchlow, Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
• Mary Self, Make A Difference – Bradley Elementary School District
• Cherlynn Shelby, Department of Children and Family Services
• Kathleen M. Sheridan, National-Louis University
• Heather Shull, Early Explorations, Inc.
• Julie Spielberger, Chapin Hall Center for Children
• Lauren Stern, El Valor
• Mary Lee Swiatowiec, Childcare Network of Evanston
• Barbara Terhall, Easter Seals Joliet Region, Inc.
• Dawn V. Thomas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Victoria Thompson, Children’s Home Association of Illinois
• Marsha Townsend, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
• Sharifa Townsend, Illinois Action for Children
• Melissa Veljasevic, 4-C: Community Coordinateed Child Care
• Rebecca Waterstone, SGA Youth and Family Services
• Xiaoli Wen, National-Louis University
• Deb Widenhofer, Baby TALK, Inc.
• Candace Williams, Positive Parenting DuPage
• Katie Williams, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Cass Wolfe, Infant Welfare Society of Evanston
• Janice Woods, Chicago Commons – New City
• Tweety Yates, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Throughout this process, the Work Group benefited immensely from the insights and experiences shared by numerous stakeholders within Illinois and from colleagues in other states. We sincerely thank everyone who dedicated their time to provide extensive feedback during interviews and conversations.

A total of 24 interviews were conducted; we extend our gratitude to representatives from the following Illinois entities for their invaluable time and expertise:

• Advocate Healthy Steps for Young Children
• Chicago Department of Family and Support Services
• Erikson Institute
• Illinois Birth to Three Training Institute
• Illinois Chapter of the American Association of Pediatrics
• Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership
• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Care Licensing
• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), including the Bureaus of Child Care and Development, Child and Adolescent Health, and Early Intervention; the Head Start Collaboration Office; the Healthy Families Program; and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start
• Illinois Early Intervention Training Program
• Illinois Head Start Association
• Illinois Home Visiting Task Force
• Illinois Infant Mental Health Association
• Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
• Illinois State Board of Education’s Early Childhood Division
• Kendall College
• Professional Development Advisory Council
• Western Illinois University

We also express our appreciation to the following states, whose representatives participated in in-depth interviews, sharing their experiences and insights:

• California
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Washington

To our esteemed Illinois state agency partners, we convey our sincere appreciation for your commitment not only to the creation of Early Learning Guidelines for birth to three but also to the long-term impact that will result from the implementation of this content across all programs in Illinois.

• Illinois Department of Child and Family Services
• Illinois Department of Human Services
• Illinois State Board of Education

Project management teams from the Ounce of Prevention Fund and Positive Parenting DuPage wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their integral roles in this project: Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, for project coordination and staffing; Barbara Dufford, our talented communications designer; Jessica Rodriguez Duggan, our dedicated technical writer; and Catherine Scott Little, a national expert on early learning guidelines and processes, for her invaluable guidance on process design and review of the comprehensive content.

Overall Introduction to the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines

The experiences children have in their first three years are profoundly influential, shaping how they develop, learn, and interact with the world around them. This period is characterized by an extraordinary pace of growth, laying the essential groundwork for a child’s future learning trajectory and ongoing development. The Illinois Early Learning Standards are meticulously crafted to serve as a guiding compass for early childhood professionals and policymakers. They offer a robust framework for understanding the intricacies of early childhood development by providing detailed information on what children are expected to know and do at different stages, and illustrating how development manifests in everyday life.

These Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are not just about milestones; they are also a practical toolkit. They offer concrete suggestions and innovative ideas on how to design early experiences that are universally beneficial, enriching the learning and developmental journey of every child. The overarching goal is to provide early childhood professionals with a cohesive and insightful analysis of children’s development, grounded in shared expectations and a common professional language. This shared understanding is crucial for creating consistent and high-quality early learning environments across Illinois.

During the development of these guidelines, several core principles were consistently prioritized and thoughtfully integrated. These principles are not merely theoretical; they are the bedrock of the guidelines, providing a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate lens through which to view children’s growth. The core principles are:

• The Primacy of Early Relationships: Early relationships are not just important; they are central to young children’s development. These formative relationships are the crucible in which children learn to trust, interact, and thrive.
• Interconnected Domains of Development: Development is not linear or isolated. It occurs across multiple and interdependent domains—social-emotional, physical, language, and cognitive—in a dynamic and simultaneous manner. Growth in one area invariably influences and is influenced by progress in others.
• Individualized Developmental Pathways: Children are unique individuals. They develop and learn at their own distinct pace, shaped by the rich tapestry of their family, culture, and community contexts. Recognizing and respecting this individuality is paramount.
• The Power of Play: Play is not just recreation; it is the most meaningful and effective way children learn and master new skills. It is through play that children explore, experiment, and make sense of their world.

Relationships: The Heart of Early Learning

Early learning is fundamentally relational. It flourishes within the context of positive and secure relationships. These relationships are not just beneficial; they are the bedrock for children’s healthy development across all domains. They serve as powerful models for future relationships, shaping how children will connect and interact with others throughout their lives. Nurturing relationships provide children with the essential security and unwavering support they need to confidently explore their environment, eagerly attempt new skills, and successfully accomplish developmental tasks.

Children who are fortunate enough to have strong, positive attachments with significant adults in their lives leverage these relationships as vital tools for communication, behavior guidance, and the sharing of both emotions and accomplishments. These meaningful interactions and deep relationships are indispensable for children’s holistic development, fostering a profound sense of self-efficacy and demonstrating that they have a meaningful impact on their world and the people within it.

Domains of Development: A Holistic View

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines approach children’s development through the lens of four core developmental domains: social and emotional development, physical development and health, language development, communication, and literacy, and cognitive development. It is crucial to understand that children develop across these four domains concurrently. These areas are not siloed; each domain is intricately interwoven with and dependent upon growth in all the others. This interconnectedness highlights the holistic nature of child development.

While development is holistic, there may be periods when children appear to concentrate their energy on one particular area of development, seemingly experiencing slower growth in another. For instance, a 12-month-old child intensely focused on mastering language skills might exhibit less interest in walking independently. However, this apparent “stall” in one area is often followed by a surge of progress. Weeks later, the same child might suddenly begin walking. This example beautifully illustrates the fluid and dynamic nature of development. Despite outward appearances of uneven progress, children are continuously growing and learning in all developmental areas, albeit at their own unique rhythm and pace.

Influences on Development and Learning: A Multifaceted Perspective

Children’s developmental journeys follow a general continuum, yet each child’s path is uniquely shaped by a multitude of influences. Every child will reach their developmental milestones at their individual pace, guided by their personal experiences and relationships. Development is not a uniform process; it is richly influenced by various factors:

Culture: Shaping Development

Culture is a profoundly influential force in shaping children’s development. It permeates families’ practices, deeply held beliefs, and core values concerning young children. Importantly, goals for children’s learning and development are not universal; they vary significantly across different cultures. Therefore, it is imperative for early childhood professionals to cultivate cultural competence – to know, genuinely recognize, and sensitively respond to the vast array of cultural and linguistic variations that families and children bring to the early learning environment. To effectively support healthy development, it is essential to provide culturally appropriate activities and experiences that are intentionally responsive to children from diverse backgrounds. This culturally responsive approach ensures that all children feel seen, valued, and supported in their unique developmental journeys.

Toxic Stress: Understanding and Mitigating its Impact

Stress is an unavoidable part of the human experience, and children are no exception. While positive stress (such as the excitement of starting preschool) and tolerable stress (like adjusting to a new sibling) are normal aspects of healthy development, toxic stress is fundamentally different and potentially detrimental to a developing child. Toxic stress arises from experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, extreme poverty, persistent parental substance abuse, and exposure to family and community violence.

Toxic stress is defined by the prolonged activation of children’s stress response systems in the absence of buffering support or protection from caring adults. Extended and repeated exposure to these intense stressors can disrupt the delicate architecture of children’s developing brains and significantly impact their overall development, potentially leading to lifelong negative health outcomes. However, because the brain is remarkably plastic, especially during the first three years of life, the damaging effects of toxic stress are not immutable. They can be buffered, and in some cases even reversed, through the presence of supportive and responsive relationships with nurturing adults. Early intervention and the provision of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships are crucial for mitigating the impact of toxic stress and promoting resilience in young children.

Differences in Children’s Learning Abilities: Celebrating Neurodiversity

Children exhibit a wide spectrum of developmental abilities and diverse learning styles, which profoundly influence when and how they reach their developmental milestones. It is essential to recognize and celebrate that all children are unique individuals, and these differences are not deficits but rather integral aspects of their individuality. When caring for young children, it is crucial to tailor the structure of the learning environment to accommodate varying abilities. Interactions between children and caregivers should be intentionally meaningful and developmentally appropriate, taking into account each child’s unique strengths and needs. Furthermore, it is vital to cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance and genuine appreciation for the diversity of learning abilities within the early childhood setting. Partnering collaboratively with caregivers to align individual goals for children is also a key component of inclusive and effective early childhood practice.

Temperament: Recognizing Individual Personalities

Temperament refers to the innate, unique personality traits that children are born with. It is their individual style of interacting with the world. Temperament significantly influences how children respond to their environment and, in turn, how others interact with them. Some children are naturally outgoing, assertive, and eager to embrace new experiences. In contrast, others may be more reserved, slower to warm up, and require additional time and support from adults to comfortably engage in new activities. Effective early childhood professionals are attuned to children’s individual temperaments. They interact with children in a manner that is sensitively tailored to their temperament, fostering feelings of security, nurturing, and understanding. This temperament-sensitive approach enhances the child-caregiver relationship and optimizes the child’s developmental experience.

Birth Order: A Potential Influence

Birth order, while not deterministic, can subtly influence children’s personality development and their interactions within their family system. While each child possesses their own unique set of personality traits, birth order may contribute to the way these traits are expressed and manifested. For instance, middle children, by virtue of their position in the family, may develop more outgoing and social personalities due to their ongoing interactions with an older sibling. Conversely, youngest children might exhibit greater persistence, potentially because they have learned to work harder to gain undivided attention within the family. It is important to remember that these are general observations and not universally applicable to all children. However, recognizing that birth order can be one of many contributing factors to personality development can provide valuable insights. Furthermore, birth order can also impact the caregiver’s role and their approach to parenting and interacting with each child. For example, a caregiver’s approach to parenting their youngest child may differ from their approach with their oldest child, often due to increased confidence and experience in their parenting skills gained over time.

Differences in abilities, language backgrounds, cultural heritage, personality, and life experiences should not be viewed through a deficit lens. Instead, these variations should be recognized and celebrated as the unique characteristics that define each child’s individuality and contribute to the rich diversity of the early childhood community. The paramount goal for early childhood professionals during this critical period is to thoughtfully and effectively support children’s diverse needs, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.

Play: The Essential Work of Childhood

Play is frequently and aptly described as “a child’s work.” It is far more than mere amusement; it is the central mechanism through which children learn, explore, and make profound sense of the world around them. Play is often characterized by spontaneity, intrinsic motivation (chosen by the child), and inherent enjoyment. It involves active engagement and is driven by the process itself, not by any external reward or goal. It is critically important to emphasize that the concept of play, in the context of early childhood development, does not encompass passive activities such as television viewing or playing games on computers or other technology devices. These screen-based activities, while sometimes entertaining, do not provide the same rich, active, and multi-sensory learning experiences that characterize true play.

Through play, children actively learn about their physical world, gain self-awareness, and develop an understanding of others. Play serves as a vital outlet for children to process and sort out their feelings, explore relationships, and experiment with roles and scenarios that are meaningful to them. The nature of play evolves dramatically throughout the first three years of life, reflecting children’s rapidly developing abilities. For example, a six-month-old infant might engage in play with an object simply by touching it, grasping it, and mouthing it – exploring its sensory properties. An 18-month-old toddler, in contrast, might purposefully manipulate an object to make it move in a specific way, demonstrating intentionality and problem-solving. By 34 months of age, a child’s play becomes even more sophisticated, often incorporating language and complex actions while playing with an object, indicating symbolic thinking and imaginative engagement. This developmental progression vividly illustrates how play becomes increasingly complex and nuanced, aligning with and supporting children’s expanding cognitive, social, and physical abilities.

Who, me? A Professional Brain Developer? Yes, Absolutely!

Parenting and caregiving are undeniably the most important job in society, and also among the most challenging and rewarding. All caregivers, whether parents, family members, or early childhood professionals, are fundamentally tasked with the incredible responsibility of developing and shaping the brains of society’s youngest members – our future scientists, artists, leaders, and citizens. Brain development during the first three years of life is nothing short of extraordinary. While children’s brains are not fully mature at birth, the early experiences they encounter in their lives exert a profound influence on the rapid growth and intricate development of their brain architecture.

Positive and nurturing interactions and enriching experiences are not just beneficial; they are essential for promoting the formation of neural connections in the brain. These neural connections are the very foundation of healthy development and lifelong growth. Caregivers, through consistent, nurturing, and responsive care, are not merely shaping how children think; they are actively building the very foundation for how children learn, interact with their world, and navigate their lives.

So, who are these “professional brain developers”? The answer is clear: It is any person who is responsible for the care of children! Within the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines, you will find various terms used to describe these crucial individuals, including caregivers, familiar others, attachment figures, and primary caregiver(s). All of these individuals play a significant role and exert a powerful influence on children’s brain development. Below is a brief clarification of each term as used within the guidelines:

• Caregivers and Primary Caregivers: These terms generally refer to those individuals who bear primary responsibility for the daily care and well-being of a child. Caregivers can encompass a wide range of individuals, including parents, grandparents, other relatives, and childcare providers.
• Attachment Figures: This term, primarily used within the Social and Emotional Development domain, specifically denotes the select few caregivers with whom children form deep and enduring attachment relationships. Attachment figures are typically those who provide consistent, responsive, and nurturing care. They can include parents, grandparents, close relatives, and sometimes childcare providers, particularly those who provide consistent care over time.
• Familiar Others: This term encompasses a broader circle of individuals who are a regular and recognizable presence in a child’s life. Familiar others may include extended family members, additional childcare providers beyond the primary caregiver, other birth-to-three professionals who work with the family (such as therapists or home visitors), close family friends, occasional caregivers (like babysitters), and even trusted neighbors.

Throughout the Real World Stories and Strategies for Interactions sections of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines, you will find concrete examples and practical suggestions for how caregivers, in all these roles, can effectively promote healthy brain development in young children through everyday interactions and experiences.

Notes

1. Brazelton, T. B. (1992). Touchpoints: Your child’s emotional and behavioral development. New York: Perseus.
2. Shulman, Bernard H. & Mosak, Harold H. (1977). Birth order and ordinal position. Journal of Individual Psychology, 33(1), 114–121.
3. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2007). The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do (pp. 9–11).
4. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2007). The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do (pp. 9–11).
5. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2007). The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do (pp. 9–11).
6. Class Lecture, Erikson Institute (2002). Course: Cognition, Language, and Play. Professor Jie-Qi Chen, Ph.D. Chicago, Ill.
7. Hawley, Theresa, Ph.D. (2000). Starting Smart: How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development. Zero to Three.

Development of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: A Collaborative Process

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are not the product of isolated effort; they were meticulously developed through a robust collaboration with key Illinois stakeholders deeply invested in the infant-toddler field. Early childhood leaders, experienced educators, dedicated practitioners, and informed policy experts came together in a united effort. Their collective goal was to create an accessible and user-friendly document, grounded in evidence-based research and up-to-date information on infant-toddler development. This resource is designed to be invaluable for a wide audience, including parents, caregivers, early childhood professionals across various settings, and policymakers shaping early childhood initiatives in Illinois.

The organizational structure for this collaborative endeavor originated from the Illinois Early Learning Council—Infant Toddler Committee. Within this committee, a dedicated Workgroup was formed, tasked with crafting the overarching vision for the Guidelines. The Workgroup’s vision was ambitious: to create a document that would seamlessly align with and effectively integrate into the complex network of services for children birth to three across Illinois. Furthermore, they aimed to produce guidelines that would ultimately fulfill the critical goals of enhancing program quality, expanding provider capacity, and strengthening the existing early childhood systems within the state.

The leadership group of the Workgroup then assumed responsibility for coordinating the multifaceted development process of the Guidelines. This coordination involved ongoing input and collaboration with both the larger Workgroup and six specialized writing teams. These writing teams were intentionally designed as smaller sub-groups within the Workgroup, allowing for focused expertise and in-depth discussions. The writing teams were specifically tasked with providing expert input and rigorous review of the developmentally appropriate content that formed the core of the Guidelines. This intentionally collaborative approach to writing the Guidelines was a key strength, enabling important decisions to be informed by a diverse spectrum of professionals representing various sectors and areas of expertise within the early childhood field. This rich collaboration yielded Guidelines that are designed to:

1. Establish a Foundational Understanding: Create a shared and comprehensive understanding among families, providers, and professionals in the field regarding what children from birth to age three are generally expected to know and be able to do across multiple developmental domains. This shared knowledge base is crucial for consistent and effective support of young children.
2. Enhance the Quality of Care and Learning: Significantly improve the quality of early care and learning experiences through the promotion of more intentional and developmentally appropriate practices specifically designed to support optimal development from birth to three years of age.
3. Develop a More Qualified Workforce: Contribute to the development of a more highly qualified and knowledgeable early childhood workforce in Illinois, equipped with a deep understanding of infant-toddler development and best practices.
4. Strengthen the Early Childhood Service System: Enhance the existing system of early childhood services in Illinois by strategically aligning birth-to-three developmental standards with established standards and practices for older children and across various components of the early childhood system. This alignment promotes coherence and continuity of care.
5. Serve as a Resource for Policymakers: Function as a valuable resource for those who inform decision-makers involved in the crucial task of developing and implementing effective policies and initiatives for children from birth to three years old.

It is essential to understand what the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are not. They are explicitly not intended to replace any existing valuable resources currently utilized in birth-to-three programs across Illinois. Furthermore, they are not designed to be an exhaustive resource or a rigid developmental checklist for children’s progress. Specifically, the Guidelines are not a:

• Curriculum: They do not prescribe specific teaching methods or learning activities.
• Program Model: They do not represent a specific program design or service delivery approach.
• Developmental Screening Tool: They are not intended for identifying children who may have developmental delays or disabilities.
• Developmental Assessment Tool: They are not designed for in-depth evaluation of individual children’s development.
• Professional Development Curriculum: While they inform professional development, they are not a standalone training curriculum.

Instead, the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are thoughtfully designed to complement these essential educational tools and resources. Their primary purpose is to provide a cohesive and insightful analysis of children’s development, grounded in common expectations and a shared professional language. They are intended to be a unifying framework that strengthens and enhances, rather than replaces, the valuable work already being done in early childhood settings throughout Illinois.

How to Use the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: A Practical Guide

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are structured to be user-friendly and readily applicable to a variety of early childhood settings and professional roles. The guidelines begin with a dedicated section on The Newborn Period, which specifically addresses the unique developmental characteristics and experiences of infants in their first four months of life. This section provides essential insights into this foundational stage.

Following this, the first of the six core sections is Self-Regulation: Foundation of Development. This section emphasizes the critical importance of self-regulation as a cornerstone of overall healthy development and effective learning. Self-regulation, as defined within the guidelines, refers to children’s burgeoning capacity to regulate or effectively manage their attention, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Understanding and supporting the development of self-regulation is a central theme throughout the guidelines.

Next, the guidelines delve into the four key Domains of Development. These domains represent specific, yet interconnected, areas of growth and development. The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are organized around four primary developmental domains: Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development and Health; Language Development, Communication, and Literacy; and Cognitive Development. Each domain is further broken down into specific sub-domains or sub-sections, providing a detailed and nuanced understanding of development within each area.

The final core section, Approaches to Learning, shifts the focus from specific content domains to the essential methods by which children actively engage with the world around them. This section highlights the key learning dispositions and strategies children employ to make meaning and build understanding from their experiences. These include curiosity, initiative, persistence, and problem-solving skills, among others.

These six core sections – Newborn Period, Self-Regulation, and the four Domains of Development, and Approaches to Learning – are each thoughtfully structured in a consistent and user-friendly manner. They are further organized into key components that provide a comprehensive and practical framework for understanding and applying the guidelines. These components include Sub-Domains/Sub-Sections, Standards, Age Descriptors, Indicators for Children, and Strategies for Interaction.

Alt text: IELG Age Descriptors graphic illustrating the four overlapping age groups used in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines.

These six sections are comprised of five distinct and interconnected components:

1. Sub-Domains/Sub-Sections: These represent the detailed and specific components within each developmental domain or section. For example, within the Social & Emotional Development domain (domain 1), “Empathy” is a specific sub-domain that is explored in detail.
2. Standards: Standards are presented as general statements that clearly articulate what children should typically know and be able to do by the time they reach 36 months of age (three years old). These standards provide a benchmark for expected developmental progress.
3. Age Descriptors: To provide a more nuanced and developmentally sensitive perspective, the guidelines utilize Age Descriptors. These descriptors carefully outline the typical progression of development for each of four specific age groups across the birth-to-three age range. These four distinct, yet intentionally overlapping, age groups are: Birth to 9 months, 7 to 18 months, 16 to 24 months, and 21 to 36 months (as illustrated in Figure 1 above). These age groupings are strategically used to reflect children’s bio-behavioral shifts. Bio-behavioral shifts are significant changes in behavior that are often triggered by underlying biological changes in the brain. These shifts are critical periods of reorganization that enable children to progress developmentally and acquire new skills.
4. Indicators for Children: Indicators for Children are provided as examples of observable skills, behaviors, and demonstrated knowledge that children typically exhibit. These indicators serve to “indicate” a child’s progress towards achieving the broader developmental standard. They offer concrete examples of how development might manifest in everyday interactions and activities.
5. Strategies for Interaction: Recognizing that adults play a crucial role in supporting development, the guidelines include Strategies for Interaction. These are specific activities, practical approaches, and suggested interactions that caregivers and early childhood professionals can utilize when engaging with children to actively support their healthy development across all domains.

In addition to these core components, the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines also incorporate valuable supplementary features:

Real World Stories: These are real-life, illustrative examples designed to bring the abstract concepts of development to life. Real World Stories vividly demonstrate specific developmental concepts in action, making the guidelines more relatable and practically relevant for users.

Keep in Mind: Located at the end of the Self-Regulation section and each of the four developmental domains sections, “Keep in Mind” lists behaviors that may warrant further observation or raise possible concerns regarding a child’s development. These are not diagnostic checklists, but rather prompts for thoughtful observation and potential follow-up when needed.

Interconnections: Recognizing the Web of Development

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines emphasize that development is not compartmentalized; it occurs across multiple, intricately inter-related areas. To highlight these interconnections, each sub-domain/sub-section introduction, as well as each Real World Story, includes a concise list of other closely related sub-domains/sub-sections. While it is acknowledged that every sub-domain and sub-section can, in some way, relate to others, the guidelines specifically draw attention to those connections that are most salient and directly relevant to each particular area of focus. This intentional highlighting of interconnections reinforces the holistic and integrated nature of early childhood development.

Notes

Horizontal Alignment: Integrating the Guidelines into Program Frameworks

Where Do the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines Fit into the Fabric of Birth-to-Three Programs and Service Systems?

Horizontal alignment, in the context of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines, refers to how these developmental guidelines seamlessly interconnect with the practical implementation of various program components across a diverse range of service systems serving infants and toddlers. The Early Learning Guidelines are intentionally designed to support and enhance the ability of professionals to effectively implement program curriculum, adhere to program standards, and utilize child assessment data to inform practice. This implementation is intended to be flexible and adaptable, appropriately tailored to the specific service delivery type, program model, or service mechanism, whether it be home visiting programs, center-based child care, early intervention services, or other vital programs serving young children and their families.

Rather than replacing any of the essential components that are already in place for implementing high-quality programs for infants and toddlers – such as research-based curriculum, well-defined program standards, and comprehensive assessments – the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines are designed to fit harmoniously into a coherent and integrated framework. They are intended to align with and complement these essential components, strengthening the overall system of early childhood services. Furthermore, all of these elements are thoughtfully nested within a robust system of ongoing professional development, recognizing that well-trained and supported professionals are the key to effective implementation.

These guidelines are thoughtfully designed to be broadly supportive of infant-toddler practitioners regardless of their specific program setting. The fundamental developmental progression, outlining what children should know and be able to do at different stages, as described in this document, is universally applicable to all children from birth to three. This progression remains consistent, taking into careful consideration individual developmental needs and trajectories, and applies irrespective of the specific settings in which children are being cared for, whether it be at home, in child care centers, in family child care, or other early learning environments.

When all practitioners who are responsible for the care and education of infants and toddlers operate from a shared base of knowledge about child development and are speaking from the same “play book,” it fosters a more unified and consistent professional language across the early childhood field. This shared language and understanding is invaluable for facilitating effective communication and collaboration among practitioners, as well as for strengthening practitioners’ ability to engage in meaningful conversations with parents and with each other. This collaborative dialogue can center around developmentally appropriate expectations for children’s learning and growth, ensuring that everyone involved is working together to support young children’s optimal development.

How Supports for Quality Programming Fit Together: A Cohesive System

• Early Learning Guidelines: The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines clearly describe what children should know and be able to do along a developmental continuum from birth to age three. They provide specific indicators to help practitioners observe and understand how this development manifests in everyday behaviors. The guidelines, age descriptors, and indicators are all firmly grounded in extensive child development research literature, ensuring their scientific validity and practical relevance. The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines provide practitioners with a valuable “line of sight” for tracking development in the first three years of life, clearly describing how children typically progress along the developmental trajectory.
• Curriculum: Curriculum outlines how practitioners effectively go about teaching young children and intentionally supporting their development in their daily practices. Curriculum is typically designed to be setting-specific or program type-specific, tailored to the unique context of programs such as home visiting, center-based early care and education, and other early learning environments. High-quality, research-based curricula are consistently rooted in the same foundational developmental science that underpins the growth and learning expectations articulated in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines. This alignment ensures that curriculum and guidelines are working in concert to support child development.
• Child Assessments: Child assessments provide a systematic way to measure and gain a deeper understanding of where children are currently positioned along a developmental continuum. Assessments are invaluable tools for identifying areas where a child’s developmental learning may need additional support and targeted interventions. Like the guidelines and curriculum, effective assessments are also firmly rooted in the same body of scientific research that describes what children should know and be able to do at different ages. Specific assessment tools are often intentionally linked to particular curricula, creating a cohesive system of instruction and evaluation. However, other assessments are designed to be used independently across various curricula, providing flexibility in implementation.
• Program Standards: Program standards define the required structural elements and operational practices that specific programs must have in place to effectively achieve their stated program goals. These standards are frequently determined by program funders, regulatory bodies, or specific program models. Program standards can encompass a wide range of requirements, such as specific child-staff ratios, maximum group sizes, minimum qualifications and/or training requirements for teachers and practitioners, and the mandated use of a research-based curriculum. The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines can be effectively implemented in conjunction with program standards through mechanisms such as incorporating specific training on the guidelines into professional development requirements for early childhood staff.

How Implementation Happens: Putting the Guidelines into Practice

Implementation of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines is not a one-time event; it is an ongoing process that unfolds as practitioners become increasingly familiar with the rich body of knowledge about child development in the first three years of life. Practitioners then actively integrate this knowledge into their daily work of program implementation, ultimately enriching their interactions with young children and their families.

To effectively facilitate this process, professional preparation programs and comprehensive pre-service and in-service training and technical assistance systems play an absolutely critical role in ensuring the high-quality implementation of these Guidelines. Training on the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines must be thoughtfully tailored to meet the diverse needs of professionals, taking into account the specific context of the settings in which they are delivering services. Furthermore, the Guidelines must be seamlessly integrated into ongoing professional development and coaching initiatives at all levels of the early childhood system. This integration ensures that program leaders are well-equipped to effectively support their staff in consistently embedding developmentally appropriate practices throughout all aspects of their work with infants, toddlers, and their families.

Alt text: Horizontal Alignment graphic illustrating how Illinois Early Learning Guidelines integrate with Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Program Standards within a Professional Development system.

Vertical Alignment: Building a Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Alt text: Vertical Alignment graphic demonstrating how Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to Age 3 form the base for subsequent learning standards for older age groups.

Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: The Foundation for Later Learning

The extraordinary growth and development that occurs in the first three years of life lays the essential foundation for all subsequent learning that will follow. Therefore, it is critically important to consider the vertical alignment of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines with the learning standards and guidelines designed for children in older age groups, from preschool through elementary and secondary education. Vertical alignment, in this context, refers to the systematic process of ensuring that guidelines and standards for one age period are thoughtfully in sync and logically connected with the guidelines and standards from both the age periods that precede it and those that follow after. This alignment creates a cohesive and developmental continuum of learning expectations.

A deep and comprehensive understanding of the remarkable learning and growth that occurs from birth to three years is absolutely fundamental to effectively understanding and supporting the continued growth and development expected in all future age periods. In general, while the Standards and Guidelines for the younger ages, particularly birth to three, are more intentionally oriented toward a holistic, developmental approach to learning and growth, the standards for the K–12 period gradually transition to become more oriented toward academic or subject matter content, reflecting the increasing emphasis on formal schooling.

Ensuring robust “vertical” alignment was a paramount priority throughout the entire development process of the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines. This priority was addressed through careful content configuration, thoughtful sequencing of developmental domains, and meticulous consideration of age-appropriate indicators for each developmental stage. The content of the Early Learning Guidelines comprehensively outlines the typical trajectory of growth and development from birth to age three. This foundational period is recognized as the essential building block upon which all other aspects of development progressively build.

Just as the various domains of development cannot be artificially separated or fully detangled from one another in young children, the learning that occurs within each specific domain of the early learning guidelines for children birth to three profoundly informs and shapes learning and development far beyond any single, specific domain in the learning standards for later ages. For example, while there is a clear and direct correlation between the critical language development that happens from birth to three years and the fulfillment of the Language Arts benchmarks outlined in the Illinois State Board of Education’s standards for Kindergarteners, the acquisition of language during these early years has far-reaching implications. The ability to communicate, comprehend, and express oneself through language is not limited to Language Arts; it is the cornerstone for all subsequent learning across the curriculum, including, at a minimum, Math, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts, and even Foreign Language acquisition. Early language development empowers children to access and engage with learning in virtually every domain of knowledge.

In Illinois, the comprehensive system of guidelines and standards in place for children from three years old through adolescence reflects this vertical alignment. For children aged three to four years old, the relevant frameworks include the Illinois Early Learning Standards for Preschool and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. Building upon these, vertical alignment next considers the Illinois Early Learning Standards for Kindergarten and the specific content areas covered by these standards, which are designed for children aged five and six, marking the transition to formal schooling. Following these are the Illinois Learning Standards, which encompass elementary through high school education and include not only core academic subjects but also Social Emotional Learning, recognizing the ongoing importance of social-emotional development throughout the K-12 years. Furthermore, the Illinois Learning Standards are aligned with the Common Core Standards, a set of national academic standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics that have been adopted by many states, including Illinois, to ensure consistent and high-quality academic expectations across the nation.

Illinois Learning Standards, including new Common Core Standards (Early Elementary through High School)

• Fine Arts
• Foreign Language
• Language Arts (Common Core K–12)
• Mathematics (Common Core K–12)
• Physical Development and Health
• Science
• Social Science
• Social Emotional Learning

Illinois Early Learning Standards for Kindergarten (Age 5 to 6)

• Fine Arts
• Foreign Language
• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Physical Development and Health
• Science
• Social/Emotional Development
• Social Science

Head Start Child Outcome Framework (Age 3 to 5)

• Approaches to Learning
• Creative Arts
• Language Development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Physical Health and Development
• Science
• Social and Emotional Development

Illinois Early Learning Standards for 3- to 4-Year-Olds (Age 3 to 4)

• Fine Arts
• Foreign Language
• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Physical Development and Health
• Science
• Social/Emotional Development
• Social Science

Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3 (Birth to age 3)

• Approaches to Learning
• Cognitive Development
• Language Development, Communication, & Literacy
• Physical Development & Health
• Self-Regulation
• Social & Emotional Development

Glossary of Key Terms Used in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines

A

• Alignment: In the context of early learning standards, alignment refers to how these standards connect and relate to the sets of standards in place for older children, creating a cohesive developmental continuum. It also illustrates the interconnectedness of these standards within state systems and early childhood programs, ultimately contributing to positive and healthy child outcomes.
• Attachment figures: These are the select few caregivers with whom children form a strong and enduring attachment relationship. Attachment figures typically provide consistent, responsive, and nurturing care and can include parents, grandparents, relatives, and childcare providers who fulfill this role.
• Attachment: Attachment refers to the deep and enduring emotional bond that forms between a child and their primary caregiver(s). A secure attachment relationship is characterized by trust, security, and responsiveness. It provides children with emotional and physical security and serves as the crucial foundation for healthy development and learning across all domains.
• Attending: Attending describes children’s developing ability to remain focused on objects and people in their environment for brief periods of time. As children mature, their ability to attend, or remain engaged, for progressively longer periods of time increases.
• Attention: Attention is the cognitive ability to selectively focus and concentrate on specific aspects of the environment, such as an object, person, or event, while filtering out distractions.
• Attributes: Attributes are the inherent characteristics or properties of objects that can be perceived through the senses. Examples of attributes include shape, color, size, texture, weight, and temperature.

B

• Bio-behavioral shifts: Bio-behavioral shifts are significant changes in a child’s behavior that are often triggered by underlying biological changes occurring in the brain. These shifts represent periods of neurological reorganization that enable children to advance developmentally and acquire new skills.
• Biological rhythms: Biological rhythms are cyclical patterns of physiological processes that occur within people’s bodies and are regulated by internal biological clocks. These rhythms include essential functions such as sleeping, waking, eating, eliminating waste, and maintaining a normal body temperature.

C

• Caregivers: Caregivers are individuals who are primarily responsible for providing care, nurturing, and support to a child on a regular basis. Caregivers can include parents, grandparents, other relatives, foster parents, and childcare providers.
• Causation: Causation refers to the relationship between cause and effect, where one event or action (the cause) directly produces another event or outcome (the effect). Children gradually develop an understanding of causation, learning that specific actions and words can affect objects and people in their environment.
• Code-switching: Code-switching is a linguistic practice commonly observed in bilingual and multilingual individuals. It involves the ability to seamlessly move back and forth between two or more languages within the same dialogue, conversation, or communicative context.
• Concept: A concept is a general notion, abstract idea, or mental representation that is formed in the mind, typically derived from specific experiences, observations, and occurrences. Early experiences contribute to the formation of schemes, which are early mental frameworks for organizing information, and these schemes gradually develop into more complex and abstract concepts.
• Co-regulator: A co-regulator refers to a child’s primary caregiver(s) or other close adults who play a crucial role in assisting the child in achieving self-regulation. Co-regulation is a dyadic process where caregivers provide external support, responses, interactions, and communication to help children manage their emotions, behaviors, and physiological states.
• Cultural variations: Cultural variations refer to the subtle and diverse differences in beliefs, practices, traditions, values, and attitudes that can exist within the same broad cultural group or across different cultural groups.
• Culture: Culture is a broad and encompassing term that represents the shared beliefs, behaviors, customs, knowledge, objects, values, and other distinguishing characteristics that are common to the members of a particular group, society, or community. Culture shapes how people perceive the world and interact with it.
• Curiosity: Curiosity is a fundamental human drive and an instinctive desire to explore, investigate, and learn about the world. It is a key motivator for learning and discovery in children.

D

• Delayed imitation: Delayed imitation, also known as deferred imitation, occurs when a child imitates an action or behavior that they have observed at an earlier time, after a significant delay or passage of time has occurred. This demonstrates the child’s ability to remember and mentally represent past events and actions.

E

• Early literacy: Early literacy encompasses the foundational skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are precursors to conventional reading and writing. It includes a range of skills such as phonological awareness, print awareness, vocabulary, narrative skills, and early writing attempts.
• External states: External states refer to the demands and conditions of the environment that a child experiences. These can include various sensory inputs such as sounds, visual stimuli, tactile sensations, objects in the environment, and social interactions.

F

• Familiar others: Familiar others are individuals who are a common and recognizable presence in the life of a child, beyond their primary caregivers. These may include various family members, additional childcare providers who are part of the child’s care team, family friends who are regularly involved, occasional caregivers such as babysitters, and trusted neighbors.
• Fine motor: Fine motor skills refer to the movements and coordination of the small muscles of the body, particularly those in the hands, wrists, fingers, feet, and toes. Fine motor skills are essential for tasks such as grasping, reaching, manipulating small objects, drawing, and writing.

G

• Gaze aversion: Gaze aversion is a behavior in which a child purposefully looks away and avoids making direct eye contact with another person. Gaze aversion can serve various communicative and regulatory purposes, such as managing social interaction, reducing overstimulation, or signaling disengagement.
• Gross motor: Gross motor skills refer to the control and coordination of the large muscle groups of the body, such as those in the torso, head, legs, and arms. Gross motor movements include actions like crawling, kicking, walking, running, jumping, climbing, and throwing.

H

• Habituation: Habituation is a learning process in which an individual gradually becomes accustomed to and less responsive to a repeated or familiar stimulus in their environment. Habituation allows individuals to filter out irrelevant or background stimuli and focus their attention on novel or significant information.
• Homeostasis: Homeostasis refers to the infant’s developing ability to maintain a stable and balanced internal physiological state. This includes the regulation of basic bodily cycles and functions such as sleep-wake cycles, feeding patterns, digestion, elimination, and maintaining a normal and consistent body temperature.

I

• Intentional or goal-directed behaviors: Intentional behaviors are purposeful, deliberate, and directed toward achieving a specific goal or outcome. Intentional behaviors become increasingly complex and sophisticated as children grow and develop cognitively.
• Internal states: Internal states refer to bodily conditions and physiological sensations that originate from within the child’s body. Examples of internal states include hunger, thirst, fatigue, discomfort, pain, and feelings of well-being or illness.

J

• Joint attention: Joint attention is a shared focus of two or more individuals on the same object, person, or event in their environment. Joint attention is established through various means such as pointing, gesturing, using eye gaze, or using language and/or vocalizations to direct another person’s attention and share a common point of reference.

L

• Large muscles: Large muscles, also known as gross motor muscles, refer to the muscle groups located in the arms and legs, as well as the torso and back. Large muscle movements are involved in gross motor skills such as crawling, walking, running, jumping, and throwing.
• Linguistic variations: Linguistic variations are slight differences and variations that can occur within a language, dialect, or language community. These variations may include differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and language use patterns.

O

• Object permanence: Object permanence is a significant cognitive milestone in infant development. It refers to children’s developing understanding that objects continue to exist in the world even when they are no longer directly visible, audible, or otherwise perceptible through the senses.
• Object properties: Object properties are the observable characteristics and attributes that define objects and can be perceived through the senses. Examples of object properties include size, weight, shape, color, texture, temperature, and smell.
• Overstimulation: Overstimulation occurs when an individual is exposed to excessive or overwhelming sensory input, such as too many loud sounds, bright lights, strong textures, extreme temperatures, or visual distractions. Overstimulation can impede children’s ability to process information effectively, make meaningful connections with others or objects, and maintain a regulated state.

P

• Perceptual development: Perceptual development refers to the process of taking in, organizing, interpreting, and making sense of sensory stimuli from the environment. It is through perceptual experiences and the processing of sensory information that children learn about and interact with their world.
• Persistence: Persistence is the ability to continue striving towards a goal, task, or activity, even when faced with challenges, obstacles, or setbacks. Children demonstrate persistence when they work through difficulties, maintain effort, and persevere to complete tasks and/or actions.
• Pincer grasp: The pincer grasp is a refined fine motor skill that typically emerges in infancy. It refers to the ability to grasp and manipulate small objects with precision using the index finger and thumb in a coordinated pincer-like movement.
• Play: Play is a fundamental and essential activity in early childhood. It is integral to how children learn about and make sense of their world. Play is characterized by being enjoyable, spontaneous, intrinsically motivated, and actively engaging. Children use play as a primary means to explore, discover, pretend, experiment, problem-solve, and express themselves.
• Private speech: Private speech, also known as self-talk, is children’s use of self-directed language to guide their own actions, thoughts, and behaviors. Children often talk to themselves aloud while playing, problem-solving, or engaging in activities. While this self-directed language can be heard by others, it is primarily intended for the child’s own self-regulation, communication, and guidance.
• Proximity–seeking behaviors: Proximity-seeking behaviors are a category of attachment behaviors that children exhibit to maintain physical and emotional closeness to their primary caregiver(s). Examples of proximity-seeking behaviors include crawling or walking over to a caregiver, reaching out to be held, making eye contact to initiate interaction, and seeking physical contact.

S

• Schemes: In Piagetian theory, schemes are early cognitive frameworks or mental structures that infants develop to organize and interpret information from their experiences. Schemes are the building blocks of cognitive development and help infants make sense of their environment by categorizing and organizing sensory and motor experiences.
• Secure base behavior: Secure base behavior is a hallmark of secure attachment. It is described as a child’s ability to use their primary caregiver(s) as both a physical and emotional secure base from which to confidently explore their environment. This behavior typically emerges between seven and 18 months of age, as children develop a secure attachment to their caregivers.
• Self-concept: Self-concept refers to a child’s gradually developing awareness and understanding of themselves as a distinct individual. It includes the realization that one’s own body, mind, thoughts, feelings, and actions are separate and differentiated from those of others.
• Self-regulation: Self-regulation is a multifaceted set of abilities that encompass the capacity to regulate or control one’s attention, thoughts, emotions, impulses, and behaviors in adaptive and goal-directed ways. Self-regulation is essential for navigating social situations, managing emotions, focusing attention, and achieving goals.
• Sensory stimuli: Sensory stimuli are various forms of sensory input from the environment that can be detected by the senses. Sensory stimuli include sounds, textures, tastes, sights, and temperatures that children encounter in their surroundings.
• Separation anxiety: Separation anxiety is a normal and developmentally appropriate emotional response that typically begins to emerge in infants and toddlers between nine and 14 months of age. It is characterized by feelings of distress, sadness, or anxiety that children may express in the form of tears, crying, or anger when they are physically separated or anticipate separation from their primary caregiver(s).
• Small muscles: Small muscles, also known as fine motor muscles, refer to the muscles found in the hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Small muscle movements are involved in fine motor skills such as grasping, reaching, manipulating small objects, drawing, and writing.
• Social referencing: Social referencing is a social-cognitive process in which young children actively seek and take cues from familiar others, such as caregivers or trusted adults, to interpret ambiguous situations and decide what emotions, attitudes, and actions are appropriate or safe in those situations.
• Soothe: To soothe is the act of providing comfort, reassurance, and calming strategies to a distressed or upset child. Soothing techniques can include gentle touch, rocking, soft vocalizations, offering a comforting object, or responding to the child’s needs in a sensitive and responsive manner.
• Spatial relationships: Spatial relationships refer to the understanding of how objects and people are positioned and located in space relative to other objects and people, and how they move and change position in relation to each other. Spatial reasoning involves concepts such as near, far, above, below, inside, outside, in front, and behind.
• Spontaneous: Spontaneous refers to an action, behavior, or event that occurs naturally, without being preplanned, forced, or externally directed. Spontaneous actions are often self-initiated and driven by intrinsic motivation.
• Stimulation: Stimulation, in the context of child development, refers to any form of sensory input, experiences, and interactions that impact a child’s senses, brain development, learning, and overall growth. Stimulation can include a wide range of sounds, textures, temperatures, tastes, sights, and social interactions that children encounter in their environment.
• Stimuli: Stimuli are plural form of stimulus. Refer to Sensory stimuli definition.
• Stranger anxiety: Stranger anxiety, also known as stranger wariness, is a normal and developmentally common emotional response that typically emerges in infants and toddlers around six to eight months of age. It is characterized by expressions of wariness, fear, or distress that children may exhibit in the presence of unfamiliar people or strangers. Children experiencing stranger anxiety may cling to a familiar adult, cry, turn away, or look frightened when an unfamiliar person approaches too closely or too quickly.
• Symbolic representation: Symbolic representation is a fundamental cognitive ability that develops in early childhood. It refers to children’s understanding of how an image, object, word, or different symbols can stand for and represent familiar objects, people, places, ideas, and events in the real world.

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• Telegraphic speech: Telegraphic speech is a stage in early language development, often referred to as the “two-word” stage, that typically emerges around 18 to 24 months of age. During this stage, children begin to combine two words together to convey meaning in their speech. Telegraphic speech is characterized by the use of content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) while omitting many grammatical words (articles, prepositions, conjunctions). Example, “Daddy go”.
• Temperament: Temperament refers to the unique set of inborn personality traits, behavioral styles, and emotional reactivity patterns that children are born with. Temperament influences how children typically respond to the world around them, how they regulate their emotions, and how they interact with others.
• Textures: Textures refer to the tactile quality of objects, surfaces, or substances that can be perceived through the sense of touch. Textures encompass the different feel, appearance, and/or consistency of materials, such as smooth, rough, bumpy, soft, hard, and silky.
• Toxic stress: Toxic stress is a form of prolonged and excessive stress that is particularly detrimental to the developing child’s brain and body. It results from frequent or chronic exposure to adverse experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, extreme poverty, constant parental substance abuse, and family and community violence, in the absence of buffering support from nurturing caregivers.
• Transitions: Transitions refer to changes in children’s activities, routines, or locations within their daily schedule. Transitions can include moving from one activity to another, shifting from playtime to mealtime, or changing from one physical location to another. Transitions can be challenging for young children, as they may feel a sense of loss of control or uncertainty during these changes. Therefore, it is essential for caregivers to prepare children for transitions and implement strategies to make transitions smoother and more predictable.
• Trial and error: Trial and error is a problem-solving approach in which a child attempts different strategies, actions, or solutions in a somewhat random or exploratory manner until they discover one that successfully solves a problem or achieves a desired outcome.
• Tummy time: Tummy time is the period of time that babies spend lying on their stomachs while awake and supervised by an adult. Tummy time is an important activity for infant development, as it helps to promote the development of head control, neck strength, upper body strength, and gross motor skills.

Additional Resources Used to Develop the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines

Online Resources

Illinois Early Learning Project

Illinois Early Learning Council

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Zero to Three

Print Resources

• Bredekamp, S. (1987). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8. Language Development Handout. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
• Segal, Marilyn, Ph.D. (1998). Your child at play. New York: Perseus.
• Wolf, D. & Gardner, H. (1979). Style and sequence in early symbolic play. In: N. Smith & M. Franklin (Eds.), Symbolic Functioning in childhood. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Wyly, M. Virginia (1997). Infant Assessment. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.