Photograph of Children Learning Babies learn many things from the moment of birth. Not every child will grow and develop at exactly the same rate. Research has found that the first three years of life are critical for a child's growth and development. Caregivers of young children have an opportunity each day to help babies grow and develop in the following major areas:

Physical: This is the development and growth of the child's body, muscles, and senses. Muscle development, sometimes called motor development, occurs in both large and small muscles. The large muscles are used for actions like walking or bending while small muscles are used for actions like pointing or picking up things.
Cognitive: This is the ability to think, listen, understand others and follow direction. This also includes the way children think, reason and solve problems. Language This is the child's ability to listen, understand, and use words for self-expression.
Social/Emotional: This is the child's awareness of self, how the child feels about others, and how the child plays and talks to others.
Self-help: This is the child's ability to take care of self.

Each area has guidelines that are beneficial for both parents and child care providers to know. They list learning goals and suggest activities and materials for each age or stage of development. Childcare providers can use these guidelines to give infants and toddlers the best start possible and help them reach the learning goals. Parents can use these guidelines to help them choose the best Childcare setting for their child.

From Growing Healthy and Smart Babies: Voluntary guidelines for measuring the quality of infant and toddler care (Georgia Department of Human Resources, Office of Regulatory Services, Child Care Licensing Section, September 1999)