North Carolina Early Learning and Development Progressions: Birth to Five

Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Emotional and Social Development (ESD)

Subdomain: Developing a Sense of Self with Others

Goal: Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups.

Skill Progression: Behavioral regulation

Age: 2-4 Months

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

Demonstrates self-soothing and self-rousing behaviors

Situations for Observation of Skill

Observe the infant when sitting in an infant seat or lying down.

Elicitation Strategy

No elicitation needed.

Behavior Observed

The infant sucks his fist to self-calm or begins to kick legs and wave arms when he sees something interesting.

Routines-based Intervention (Embedded Instruction)

Help parents understand why self-soothing is important to the child’s future control of his emotions. Provide suggestions for helping the child self soothe with an object or blanket. Also, encourage early childhood educators and parents to note how and when the child gets excited. This is a clue to his interests.

 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2015

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