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

Subdomain: Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning

Goal: Children demonstrate the ability to think about their own thinking: reasoning, taking perspectives, and making decisions

Skill Progression: Thinking and reasoning

Age: 6-8 Months

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Have several objects of different types available for the infant to explore (toys and household materials). Watch the child’s engagement with each.

Present one item at time to the child without demonstration. After the child studies the object, do something functional with the object and hand it back to the infant.

Depending on the child’s interests and the characteristics of the object, the child will look at it, turn it, taste it, shake it, etc. to discover what the object does.

Explain to early childhood educators and parents how important it is for children to be able to explore safe objects in the environment. Toys are great, but children discover the various characteristics of things in their environment, how things are alike and different, and what objects do something. Adults can provide household objects as well as toys for the child to explore.