Related Early Childhood Sites

- California Early Childhood Mentor Program (CECMP)Mentorship and leadership program that strengthens the early learning & care workforce by connecting experienced professionals with those new to the field
- California Early Childhood Online (CECO)Online learning system offers professional development modules for early childhood educators
- California Early Learning VideosVideo resources demonstrating best practices in early childhood education
- California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN)Provides professional development, instructional support and resources for preschool educators
- CDSS LEAD Office Quality InitiativesProfessional Development and coaching resources to strengthen early childhood program administration
- Child Development Training Consortium (CDTC)Provides services, training, and career advancement resources for early childhood students and professionals
- Family Child Care at Its Best (FCCB)Research-based workshops for family child care providers to improve quality care
- Personalized Oral Language Learning (POLL) StrategiesStrategies to support and strengthen multilingual learning and language development for dual languages learners from infancy through preschool in all early learning and care settings
- Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC)Training and resources specifically focused on quality care for infants and toddlers
- All About Young ChildrenTools and resources to support families’ understanding of young children’s development and early learning
- My Child Care PlanTool for families to search and find licensed child care options
- Resource and Referral NetworkHelps connect families find child care and provides support to child care providers. Provides support to child care providers such as training, licensing guidance, and quality improvement
- TrustlineBackground check system for nannies, babysitters, and license- exempt child care providers
- Beginning TogetherResources for inclusive practices supporting children with disabilities and their families
- California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation NetworkSupports mental health and well-being for young children through consultation services, resources and training activities for child care and early education providers in all settings
- California Making Access Possible (MAP) to Inclusion and BelongingProvides a clearinghouse of resources to support the inclusion of young children with disabilities or delays in child care, preschool, or out-of-school time programs
- California Teaching PyramidSystematic framework, training, and resources for supporting social-emotional development and addressing challenging behaviors
- CDSS DLL ResourcesStrategies and tools to support dual language learners and promote multilingual development in early childhood settings
- CDSS Early Learning PublicationsEarly Learning publications and resources from the California Department of Social Services
- CDSS QIS RevisionsUpdates and guidance on California’s Quality Improvement System revisions
- CompSATEarly learning and care self-assessment toolkit that accompanies the ECE Competencies
- Desired Results (DR) Field TrainingStatewide trainings that help early childhood administrators and staff use the Desired Results system and DRDP assessment tool to improve child development outcomes
- Quality Counts California (QCC)California’s quality improvement system (QIS) for early learning programs

Your child from 23–36 Months

Cognitive Development

How do children develop the ability to think and problem-solve?

How do children develop the ability to think and problem-solve?

Pretending with toys and acting out roles
Predicting what will happen next and communicating about it
Remembering recent events and retelling short moments
Trying different strategies to solve problems

Each child develops at their own pace and may show some skills earlier or later than others; the videos provide a few examples of how children may demonstrate these skills and concepts.

When to Seek Support

How do children build on their understanding that one action leads to another?

Children build on their understanding of cause and effect by making simple predictions about what will happen. They also reflect on what caused something to happen.

How are the children’s experiments connected to everyday experiences?

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Foundation 1.1: Cause and Effect

23–36 Months

How do children develop their understanding of math?

Children develop their understanding of math by using number words, counting, recognizing shapes, and sorting objects into two or more groups.

How are the caregivers supporting children’s early math thinking?

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Foundation 2.1: Number Sense

23–36 Months

Additional Videos

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Foundation 2.2: Spatial Thinking

23–36 Months

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Foundation 2.3: Classification

23–36 Months

How do children build on their pretend play ideas?

Children engage in more and more pretend play as they continue to develop an understanding that objects or actions can represent something else. They also imitate gestures, language, and actions with multiple steps.

What objects are the children using to enhance their pretend play?

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Foundation 3.1: Imitation

23–36 Months

Additional Videos

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Foundation 3.2: Symbolic Thinking

23–36 Months

How do children predict routines, recall information, and communicate?

Children anticipate several steps in familiar routines, hold memories of people and their environment, and may communicate about recent past events or act them out.

What do you notice about the ways children checked in with caregivers as they engaged in routines?

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Descriptive Audio

Foundation 4.1: Memory

23–36 Months

Select a different age period within the domain Cognitive Development

What else is your child learning from 23–36 months?

Additional Resources

When to Seek Support

Infant–Toddler Videos