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 4–11 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?

Trying actions again to see what happens
Looking for hidden toys
Copying simple actions or sounds
Noticing differences, for example, in objects
Using senses together, such as seeing and touching something

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 learn from their observations?

Children develop an understanding of cause and effect by exploring their environment. For example, children do simple actions and notice what happens.

How do the children express their curiosity and joy as they explore cause and effect?

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Descriptive Audio

Foundation 1.1: Cause and Effect

4–11 Months

How do children develop an understanding of numbers?

Children develop an early understanding of numbers by paying attention to quantity, for example, when the number of objects in their environment changes.

In what ways does the child with the basket of books explore quantity?

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Descriptive Audio

Foundation 2.1: Number Sense

4–11 Months

Additional Videos

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Foundation 2.2: Spatial Thinking

4–11 Months

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Foundation 2.3: Classification

4–11 Months

How do children develop their understanding of people, objects, and actions?

Children develop their understanding of people, objects, and actions by imitating others’ simple actions, sounds, or facial expressions and by actively exploring.

What do you notice about how the children observe and then actively explore objects?

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Descriptive Audio

Foundation 3.1: Imitation

4–11 Months

Additional Videos

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Foundation 3.2: Symbolic Thinking

4–11 Months

How do children use their memories?

Children use their memories to recognize familiar people and objects and anticipate parts of familiar routines.

What behaviors show that the children recognized a familiar person or anticipated a routine?

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Descriptive Audio

Foundation 4.1: Memory

4–11 Months

Select a different age period within the domain Cognitive Development

What else is your child learning from 4–11 months?

Additional Resources

When to Seek Support

Infant–Toddler Videos