Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children compare, sort, group, organize and measure objects and create patterns in their everyday environment.

Skill Progression: Patterning

Age: 2-4 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 2-4 Months.

Observe the infant during daily routines and ask the parent about the child’s preferences for toys, clothing, blankets, etc.

The infant shows clear preferences for different types of sensory input, toys, materials, tastes, etc. Observe the infant looking at a mobile and watch the visual scanning. Introduce a new object to the mobile.

The parent will report the baby’s behaviors that indicate what movements, toys, etc. the child likes. When an object on a mobile is changed for a novel one, the infant will stare longer at the new one, indicating recognition of a different pattern.

The infant’s visual acuity is becoming more refined at this age. She is beginning to connect the lines she sees and other sensory information into patterns to form a whole, thus she can recognize more things in her environment.