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

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children identify and use common shapes and concepts about position during play and other activities.

Skill Progression: Spatial understanding

Age: 4-6 Months

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As the child’s understanding of objects increases, she will begin to recognize familiar objects, such as a bottle or favorite toy. Have several familiar objects and a blanket available.

Have the adult place a couple of toys on the floor directly in front of the infant, but with one further away from the child. Observe what the infant reaches for.

The infant will reach for the closer toy, demonstrating awareness that it is closer.

Often early childhood educators and parents do not recognize the skills the child is learning. Point out the child’s growing awareness of where objects are in space, how they look from different perspectives, and that even when a portion of an object is seen, the infant can recognize that the whole object is still there.