ECD 102: Growth and Development I

Developmental Domain by Age

Age Group: 24-36 Months
Developmental Domain: Social Emotional

Developmental Milestones:
Shows independence in bathing, brushing teeth, dressing, and
selecting clothes
Is interested in anatomy
Has tantrums
Engage in parallel play
Can identify and talk about personal feelings
Can identify and talk about others feeling
Shows interest in helping
Can recite rules but cannot follow them consistently
Copies others, especially adults and other children
Gets excited with other children
Developmental Characteristics and Needs:
Likes to practice self-care with little assistance from adult (C)
(N)
Shows curiosity in the anatomy of adults and peers by
touching or staring (C)
Has emotional explosions when something is being withheld
from him (C)
Likes to play alone but alongside of other children (C)
Use words like scared, fun, funny and feel bad to describe their
feelings (C)
Recognize when another child may be feeling sad or hurt (C)
Enjoys helping the adult by doing simple everyday tasks
example putting away the toys (C)
Adjust to daycare or separation anxiety (C)
Have family pics to look at (C) (N)
Short attention span (C)
Start having friends (C) (N)
Security toys (N)
Opportunity to interact with other children (N)

Developmental Influences:
Adults engaging in laughter with young children while they are
interacting such as hide-and-seek when the child finds you
Emotions such as self-recognition help toddler to respond to
negative signals from care givers or others
The different temperaments that children have will cause them
to feel different ways about certain situations
A child that is encouraged and praised will feel like they can
accomplish what they want
A child who is born to a person with a drug habit will
continuously feel the symptoms of withdraw
Characteristics of Learning Environment:
Finger plays
Provide opportunities for dramatic plays and themes with
simple props
Have more than one of the same toy available
Classroom should have a eating area and play area divided into
centers
Cozy rooms for children to feel comfortable and inviting
Spacious for them to play alongside of other children without
feeling crowded
Adult Roles:
Have realistic expectations
Give hem power by allowing choices
Entice them
Allow them to feel sad or bad
Give credit when they do things right
Put words to how they are feeling
Help them learn how to negotiate
Appropriate adult to child ratio
Smaller group sizes
Encourage creative expression
Research and Theory: According to Dewey True education comes
through the stimulation of the childs powers by the demand of the
social situations in which he finds himself. Children learn best
when they interact with other people, working alongside of them.
Montessori says that a classrooms environment has impact on how
children take in their surroundings. There are questions a teacher
must ask themselves when preparing a classroom. What sights and
sounds do children hear when they enter the room? What music is
playing and when? Another question that should be asked is What
feeling will the child get when they enter the classroom or travel to
different centers? Erikson states that autonomy vs. shame and
doubt is an important time in a childs development. The outcomes
determine the ratio of feelings, cooperation, and freedom of

expression or tendency to suppress feelings that become part of

who children are for the rest of their lives. When children can fully
develop a strong sense of self-control without loss of self-esteem,
they will feel proud and confident.

Professional References:
University of Georgia (Ed.). (2013). Learning and Development: Young Children 24-36 Months.
Retrieved November 25, 2013, from Better Brains for Babies website: http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/
Miller, K. (2001). Birth Through Eight Years: Ages and Stages. Telshare Publishing Co., Inc.
References: Mooney, C. G. (2000). Theories of Childhood: an introduction to Dewey, Montessori,
Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky (Second ed.). St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press