The Early Years Foundation Stage: Setting the Standards for Learning, Development and Care for children from birth to five

• Makes sounds and movements to initiate social interaction.
• Uses vocalisations to communicate needs and discomfort.
• Plays active role in conversation-like exchanges.
• Recognises and is most responsive to prime carer's voice: face brightens, activity increases when familiar carer appears.
• Prefers particular people, for example, is happier and more settled with preferred carers and is unsettled or distressed with less familiar people.
• Snuggles into your body when held.
• Shows affection.
• Is wary of unfamiliar events.
• Gets upset if toy is taken away.
• Calms from being upset when held, rocked, spoken or sung to with soothing voice.
• Shows pleasure at being tickled and other physical games.
• Enjoys playing with hands, fingers, feet and toes.

• How babies respond to strangers and unfamiliar events.
• How and when babies make eye contact with you.
• The ways in which babies show they like to be with particular people.
• How babies behave when their parent leaves at the beginning of a session and when they return.

• Cries to express needs, for example, when hungry, angry or in pain.
• Responds to calming input, for example, patting, rocking, wrapping and cuddling.
• Stops crying when picked up.
• Sucks on hands, clothes, or pacifier to calm self.
• Recognises and is most responsive to prime carer's voice, for example, may become more vocal, active or make more eye contact.
• Looks intently at faces nearby and later watches speaker's face carefully.
• Begins to hold eye contact with you.
• Turns eyes and or head towards voice.
• Maintains eye contact during interactions with a familiar person or smiles and makes sound in response to eye contact.
• Gazes a long time at your face, especially when feeding.
• Smiles in response to touch or sound.
• Smiles or quietens to familiar voice or face.
• Smiles at interesting objects.
• Shows emotional responses to other people's emotions, for example, smiles when smiled at and becomes distressed if hears another child crying.
• Smiles at another person.
• Smiles more often to familiar rather than unfamiliar people.
• Responds when talked to, for example, moves arms and legs, changes facial expression, moves body and makes mouth movements.
• Makes own sounds when talked to, especially to parent and when a smiling face is used.
• Makes special sounds to get attention.
• Copies facial expressions and mouth shapes, for example, sticking out tongue, opening mouth and widening eyes.
• Produces and copies non-speech sounds such as coos, raspberries, effort grunts, shrieks and squeals.
• Shows anger if physically restrained, for example, cries when held still for injection or medication.
• Laughs and squeals to express pleasure when happy or excited.
• Shows distress at being left alone.
• Shows pleasure at return of parent or familiar carer.
• Likes cuddles and being held: calms, snuggles in, smiles, gazes at carer's face or strokes carer's skin.
• Responds to facial expressions of happiness and sadness in others, for example, smiles if adult smiles or frowns if adult frowns.

• How young babies' behaviour changes in response to what other people do or say.
• The way in which young babies cry to attract attention when they are hungry, angry or in pain.
• How babies respond to being calmed.
• The circumstances in which young babies look at other people's faces.
• How patterns of looking and eye contact change over time and how long babies maintain eye contact with adults.
• Occasions when babies gaze at adults and how they do so.
• How young babies respond when you pick them up and cuddle them.
• What makes babies smile or laugh.
• How young babies react if they are left on their own.
• Occasions that babies begin to enjoy and participate in interactive games such as peek-a-boo.

• When you talk to babies, make sure you are face to face.
• It's important to share quiet moments together. Babies enjoy the intimacy of being close and looking at each other. They are learning about people and themselves as they do so.
• Comment when babies move or make sounds, for example, when a baby burps, say "Do you feel better now?".
• Touch is very important. Stroking, tickling and cuddles all help babies to become aware of you and enjoy being with you and listening to you.
• Keep close and encourage babies to feel or look at your face. Let them feel your lips when you're talking or making play noises. Young babies find faces very interesting.
• Copy the sounds, mouth movements and facial expressions that babies use. Sometimes they'll start to copy you too.
• Copy any sounds and gestures babies make while they're watching you.
• Watch out for how babies show frustration or discomfort and for how this changes once they're comforted or satisfied. When babies cry, lift them up and reassure them.
• Rock babies rhythmically to songs and music.
• Watch out for how babies show that they've had enough and want to stop interaction. They may start to cry, stiffen, lean away from you or close their eyes and mouth. Give the two of you a break – they will show you when they're ready to play again.
• Call a baby's name gently as you approach them and say "Up you come!". Wait to see if they can show you that they want to be picked up.
• 'Mirror' a baby's feelings through your voice intonation, body movement and facial expressions. This shows them that you are 'tuning in' to their moods.

• Cries to express needs, for example, when hungry, angry or in pain.
• Gurgles to get attention.
• Turns quickly to hear your voice across the room.
• Listens to familiar voices even if they can't see the person.
• Vocalises back when talked to (making own sounds) especially to familiar people and when a smiling face is used.
• Responds differently to different tones of voice (for example, sing-song, questioning, soothing and playful) as the tone of voice helps them to understand the meaning.
• Uses voice, gesture, eye contact and facial expression to make contact with people and keep their attention.
• Vocalises more when adults use child-directed speech.

• How young babies tell you that they are tired, hungry, angry or in pain.
• The things you do that seem to encourage young babies to vocalise more.
• Where young babies direct their visual attention. Do they look at you when you talk to them? Are they beginning to look where you are looking to understand what you say?
• How young babies begin to use gesture, eye contact and facial expression purposefully to make contact and hold your attention.
• The range of speech sounds made by young babies as they begin to babble.

• Maintain face-to-face contact, looking at babies as you talk about what they are doing. You might say "Was that a yawn? You're tired!".
• Share quiet moments together - this allows babies to enjoy the intimacy of looking at each other and to learn about other people and themselves.
• Respond by lifting and soothing babies when they cry - this helps them to learn that they are communicating their needs to you.
• Comment when babies move or make a sound, for example, when they burp, you might say "Do you feel better now?".
• Use touch - stroking, tickling and cuddles are all important parts of early communication. They help babies to enjoy being with you and listening to you.
• Listen out for different cries indicating hunger, wetness and tiredness. Respond to what you understand babies to be communicating in this way.
• Make it clear when you are talking to a child by using their name or by touching their arm.
• Copy the sounds, mouth movements and facial expressions babies make while they are looking at you. Sometimes babies will begin to copy you too.
• Think about how some routines such as nappy changing and feeding start to have game elements with repeated patterns (maybe tickles) and comments such as "You! Are you laughing at me? Are you?".
• Remember to leave pauses or gaps in your 'conversation' with babies so that they can do something to begin taking a turn.
• Think about how you talk and use child directed speech, with short, simple sentences and repetitive words or phrases. Vary your intonation patterns and use animated facial expressions to attract and maintain the attention of babies and children.
• Enjoy anticipation rhymes and games together, for example, hiding your face and building expectation such as "Boo!" or "Here I come".

• Quietens or alerts to the sound of speech.
• Turns quickly to your voice across the room.
• Responds differently to different tones of voice or speech sounds.
• Is calmed by soft speech or song.
• Makes sounds such as gurgles and coos.
• Produces and copies non-speech sounds such as coos, raspberries, effort grunts, shrieks and squeals.
• Vocalises back when talked to (making own sounds) especially to familiar adult and when a smiling face is used.
• Begins to develop and use vowel sounds from the language used at home, for example, 'a' as in hat or 'e' as in pet.
• Begins to babble by repeating a series of the same sounds (reduplicated babble), for example, "Ba-ba-ba", "Ma-ma-ma".
• Begins to develop and use some consonant sounds, for example, 'g-g', 'mmm', 'h', 'd-d'.
• Makes sounds for pleasure, for example, vocalises with tuneful voice for minutes at a time to self when lying in cot or at play.

• How young babies respond to different tones of voice used by adults speaking to them.
• Examples of young babies being calmed by soft speech or song.
• The range of sounds young babies make.

• Try singing while feeding and bathing babies.
• Rock babies rhythmically to songs, music and good-night routines.
• Make your voice fun to listen to by varying your intonation and facial expressions. Use stress and intonation to highlight parts of speech, for example, "What a good girl!".
• Use higher pitch and vary your pitch to attract babies' attention. Add contrast to your speech, for example put higher pitch and emphasis on "Up we go!" and "Down the stairs".
• As you walk around with a baby in your arms, talk about the different sounds you hear in the setting.
• Talk to babies in quiet situations. It's more difficult for them to hear your words in a noisy environment.
• Copy the sounds the baby makes.
• Repeat familiar words and phrases, such as "Here's your milk", "Where's your Mum? Ooo, there she is!".
• Play with sound-making toys, such as rattles and drums and other noisy things around the setting.
• Repeat rhymes and play routines, as babies will enjoy listening to the patterns of your speech.
• Play music to and with babies.
• Share books with babies, repeating key phrases and noises as you do so.

• Looks at pictures and moving objects.
• When lying on back or propped up, moves eyes to follow face or toy moving slowly from side to side, close to face.
• Looks toward an object or person that moves near by.
• Looks from one object to another and back again; this is called shifting visual attention.
• Blinks if object is moved sharply towards face.
• Reacts with abrupt behaviour change when a face or object disappears suddenly from view.
• Begins to look around a room with interest; visually scans environment for novel, interesting objects and events.
• Actively explores the environment with all senses.
• Explores hands and fingers, for example, watches them, presses hands together, clasps and unclasps hands.
• Plays with and explores objects by touching them, looking at them, placing them in the mouth and listening to the sounds they make.
• Uses feet to help in grasping objects.
• Repeats actions that have an effect, for example, kicking or batting a mobile to create movement including actions to make a sound again, for example, shaking a rattle.
• Reacts to familiar sounds or sights by changes in behaviour, for example, extends arms and legs, smiles, searches with eyes when hears the vacuum cleaner, running bath, footsteps and so on.
• Shows anticipation and enjoyment of familiar caring routines and simple games, for example, sucks or licks lips in response to sounds of preparation for feeding or gets excited upon seeing spoon or a familiar toy.
• Recognises familiar environmental sounds such as the washing machine, microwave or footsteps. This is shown by quietening, consistent reactions, turning to look at source of sound and so on.
• Likes listening to music, rattles and other sound-making toys.
• Shows interest in moving pictures and sound, for example, on television.
• Very early imitation of adults, for example, tries to move hands or object after watching adult.
• Persistently and deliberately reaches out for toys that interest them.
• Begins to be interested in small objects or the detail of a toy, for example, will gaze at small beads in a rattle.
• Moves limbs, changes facial expression and laughs in anticipation of being lifted.
• Smiles at image of self in mirror, but does not yet realise that this is reflection of self.

• How young babies show their interest in objects and people that move nearby.
• How young babies begin to explore objects by touching them, looking at them and by placing them in their mouths.
• How babies show enjoyment when they listen to music, rattles and other toys that make sounds.
• How babies react when something disappears from view.
• Examples of young babies reaching out for things that they want.

• When you talk to babies, make sure you are face to face.
• Use plenty of facial expression, as babies will be interested in the movement of your face, eyes and lips as you speak and play.
• Gently touch babies by stroking their cheeks or tummies. Talk as you do this and be aware of how they show their enjoyment of this close physical contact.
• Try the following types of games to help babies become aware that the world is three dimensional:
  – 'touch and tickle' games - tickling arms, legs and tummy;
  – bouncing babies on your knee or rocking them;
  – holding babies up in the air;
  – moving babies' arms and legs up and down or from side to side.
• When babies smile, laugh or move their limbs in response to games, respond with words, facial expressions or repeat the game.
• Encourage babies to be aware of their own bodies by touching their face, counting their toes and fingers or giving them your finger to grasp.
• Bring toys and interesting objects, including books, close enough for a baby to look at and reach. Talk about what they are looking at or reaching out for.
• Give babies time to explore on their own. Babies enjoy things they can grip or swipe at, such as rattles or toys and mobiles dangling on their pram.
• Choose toys in a range of textures, fabrics and with mirrors to build on babies' interest.
• Develop babies' awareness of turn-taking by making play highly repetitive, so that they see again and again how their actions have an effect on adult behaviour. In this way babies make some very early discoveries about cause and effect.
• Use rhyme and songs, linked to rhythmic movements such as rocking, bouncing and swinging. This creates a strong link between the rhythms of speech and the pace and rhythm of physical movement.

• Turns head to the side when placed on tummy.
• Turns head or eyes towards diffuse light or interesting objects.
• Closes eyes to bright light.
• Can move eyes to look at different parts of objects and pictures.
• When lying on back or propped up, moves eyes to follow face or object moving slowly from side to side, close to face.
• Can lift head when lying on tummy and move it from side to side.
• When lying on tummy, lifts head up in the middle and uses forearms to support.
• Holds head in the middle (not to one side or the other) when lying on back.
• Able to control head when supported in an upright position: head does not flop forwards or backwards.
• Is able to hold head steady for several seconds when being moved from lying to sitting.
• Moves head to look around when lying on back or supported in sitting.
• Holds head and upper body up by themselves when supported in sitting.
• When lying on tummy can lift head and chest and support self with straight arms and flat hands.
• Raises head to look at feet when lying on back.
• Presses down feet or straightens body when held standing on a hard surface.
• Moves arms and legs, arms more than legs and chuckles when played with.
• Arm and leg movements become smoother and more continuous, no longer so sudden and jerky.
• Makes crawling movements with arms and legs when lying on tummy.
• Kicks legs vigorously, one leg then the other.
• When lying on back, lifts legs into vertical position and grasps feet.
• Reaches and plays with toes when lying on back or sitting up with support.
• Puts arms up to be lifted.
• Takes weight through legs and bounces up and down when held in a standing position.
• Rolls from side to back.
• Rolls over from front to back.
• Sits propped up.
• Tries to sit up from lying on back when hands are held.

• How young babies learn to lift their heads and later, hold their heads steady.
• Examples of when young babies try to move their heads to look at the things that interest them.
• Times when babies begin to be able to hold their own bodies and heads steady when in a sitting position.
• Why babies want to move and how they learn to roll from side to side and then from front to back.

• Give babies the experience of lying in different positions, for example, lying on their backs or on their tummies (while you are with them), sitting propped up and lying on their sides. Moving in different positions will make babies aware of the muscles in different parts of their body.
• Move babies' arms and legs around when playing to give them an awareness of movement.
• Lifting or turning the head is one of the first controlled movements that babies make. Encourage babies to lift their heads while lying on their tummies by:
  – talking to them from in front and above with your face close to theirs;
  – tickling or kissing them under their chins. Some babies find it easier to lift their heads if their arms are brought forward;
  – tickling or gently massaging the muscles on the back of their necks and upper bodies;
  – placing an activity mat or textured blanket underneath their chests.
• Encourage babies to turn their heads to each side by:
  – talking to them from different positions and taking their hands to your face;
  – varying the side you carry the babies on and encouraging them to turn towards your face and voice.
• Motivate babies to hold their head up while being carried upright at your shoulder by having someone behind talking to them or shaking a rattle to attract their attention.
• Gently massage babies to help them become more aware of their bodies.
• From two or three weeks of age, you can give babies an experience of movement in space by rocking them to give them a sense of motion in your arms or by carrying them in a sling so they experience your movement.
• As head and neck control becomes established, lifting babies through the air helps them develop their sense of position in space.
• Give babies the experience of lying on different surfaces, for example, on a soft bed and on a firmer floor.

Feeding:

• Opens mouth for bottle when corner of mouth is touched.
• Sucking strong and rhythmic with coordinated swallow.
• Closes mouth around bottle teat to achieve seal.
• Feeds at regular intervals throughout the day.
• Puts hands on bottle when feeding.

Sleeping:

• Has predictable sleeping pattern.
• Sleeps for periods of two hours or more.
• Sleeps more at night than during the day.
• Has regular sleeps during the day.

• How babies open their mouths for a bottle and close their mouths around the teat.
• How babies suck and coordinate sucking and swallowing.
• How regular a baby's feeding pattern is throughout the day.
• How babies put their hands on their bottle when feeding.
• How babies establish a regular pattern of sleeping throughout the day.

Feeding:

• While holding a baby, introduce the teat of the bottle across the baby's cheek. This helps them to prepare for something coming towards their mouth. Young babies automatically turn to the side that has been stimulated. Let the teat rest gently on the baby's lips so that they can smell and taste the first drop of milk. Pause until the baby opens their mouth.
• Let babies know you are about to feed them by using consistent actions. Pause and wait to see if babies begin to anticipate the bottle by opening their mouths before the teat touches their lips.
• Later, say something like "milk time" and let them see you shaking the bottle when you're getting ready.
• When using a bottle, guide both of a baby's hands to hold the bottle when drinking. Gradually reduce the amount of support you give until they can support it independently. This also encourages their hands to work together. Bottles are easier to handle when not too full.
• When you begin spoon-feeding, use a plastic spoon with an easy grip. As babies begin to be able to grasp objects, let them hold a spoon and play with it, even when not feeding.
• Before you start, make sure you and the baby are comfortable and that you have everything you need to hand, for example, bib, cloths and kitchen paper. It's easier for babies to swallow in a sitting position, so sit with them on your knee if they have stable head control, or in a baby chair with enough support.
• Let babies have enough time to take the food off the spoon with their lips and palate so that they're in control of the speed of feeding until they become confident about feeding from a spoon.
• At first, babies push food out of their mouths, but with experience, they learn to swallow in a more co-ordinated way. They often splutter, spit or gag on food, but keep offering it in a calm and encouraging way. Try to leave a drop on their lips so that they have a taste of the food being offered.
• Make sure that all caregivers in your setting who feed children use the same approach.

Washing:

• Make washing routines as calm and cosy as possible. It's a time when you can awaken babies' sense of smell as well as awareness of their bodies. Use pleasant smelling baby bath products, and gently massage their skin using oils or lotions.

Changing nappies:

• Lie babies on a familiar surface such as a changing mat, soft towel or rug to change their nappies. This will help to build up a sense of security and routine.
• Make the routine pleasant and fun. Keep babies warm and comfortable. Change clothes and nappies in an unhurried way while gently talking to them about what you're doing.
• Follow the same sequence every time you remove or put on clothes to help babies anticipate what's going to happen next. Keep routines pleasant and unhurried so that babies enjoy these times with you.

Sleeping:

• Newborn babies' body clocks do not distinguish between day and night and are initially dependent on feeding routines. Longer periods of sleep come more easily as the result of familiar routines that stimulate babies during the day and are more calming at night.
• Try to tire babies during the day by being active and stimulating when they're awake, so that they begin to establish regular sleeping patterns at night.
• Use a calm and consistent routine to settle babies down for a nap during the day.

• Closes hand firmly around objects placed in palm.
• Uses whole hand to hold objects (palmar grasp).
• Keeps hands closed with thumbs tucked in against palm most of the time.
• Brings hands to mouth when lying on side or tummy.
• Explores objects with mouth.
• Holds rattle for a couple of seconds when placed in palm of hand.
• Hands are open most of the time when not holding objects.
• Starts to reach out to toys or objects.
• Uses two hands to scoop up toys.
• Reaches out to objects and faces with both hands to grasp them.
• Plays with objects, by banging, shaking, turning them around in their hands.
• Feels and plays with toys and everyday objects of different textures, for example, smooth, rough, soft, furry and sticky.
• Passes toys from hand to hand.
• Holds two toys, one in each hand.

• How young babies begin to reach out towards things in which they are interested.
• How young babies use their hands and mouths to explore objects.
• Ways in which young babies begin to explore different textures.
• How young babies learn to hold first one object and then more than one object.

• Hang toys from a 'baby gym' frame just above babies' hands or legs so that they make accidental contact with the toys with their hands and feet when they move. Later, help them to pat and swipe the toys so that they start to do this by themselves.
• Encourage babies to naturally feel and experience the different textures they come into contact with during their everyday routines, for example, different mats, fleecy blankets, a wet sponge, a dry towel, their milk bottle. As babies discover their hands, they will start to finger familiar objects that they encounter, such as your bangle or a soft rattle in their cot.
• Bring a baby's hands together to encourage mutual finger play and to make them aware they have two hands.
• When babies' hands lie open, touch your finger on their finger tips (palm side). They will soon learn to curl their fingers deliberately around your finger and to hold it.
• Lie babies on their backs in cots or on the floor. Offer them a toy on their tummies or chests and help them to find and explore it with both hands. This is a helpful first step in finding objects.
• Help babies reach out to grasp sound-making and other toys.
• Provide plenty of opportunities to find out about different toys, by shaking a rattle, squeezing a squeaker, or ringing a bell. Use toys that are small and light enough for babies to hold and explore comfortably.
• Help babies to explore a flat surface and pat their hands on it, making a sound. Later, play clapping games to help them discover their hands.
• Encourage two-handed reach and play by offering babies their milk bottles, inviting them to reach and grasp with both hands.
• Give babies opportunities to feel toys with smaller parts such as teething rings to help develop their finger movements.
• Give babies ring rattles to hold with both hands and then transfer the toy from one hand to the other.
• Help babies to bang toys that make a sound or that produce a musical sound when a large key or button is pushed. Show them what happens when they press the button.
• Introduce finger games or rhymes such as 'This Little Piggy' or 'Tom Thumb' to help increase awareness of their hands and fingers.
• Place a cube on a table or tray surface. Guide the babies' hands along the surface until their first (index) or second finger touches the cube. Then let them pick it up. At first, they may scoop it into the palm, but gradually, they'll start to use their thumb when grasping.