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Learn how observation leads to a deeper understanding of infants and toddlers as human beings and enhances responsive relationships. These relationships provide the secure base that is the foundation for learning.

Sharing observations with children’s families strengthens the home-program connection. Learn more about this important reason for observing children.

Goals for children’s development and learning provide a structure for framing observations. Find out about sources of goals and school readiness goals.

One of the primary reasons for observing children is to measure and track their progress in acquiring skills and concepts in all areas of development. Learn how ongoing assessment is also a Head Start Program Performance Standards requirement.

Learn ways to help education staff and families be mindful that many things can influence what they notice and how they interpret their observations about infants and toddlers.

In this part of Observation: The Heart of Individualizing Care for Infants and Toddlers, learn some of the more common documentation methods that education staff are likely to use.

Explore how cameras and media recorders, including smartphones and tablets, offer quick, efficient ways to document what children say and do.

Learn about using tools such as checklists, frequency counts, and participation charts to quickly record information about the occurrence of specific behaviors or skills.

Learn about three ways to document observations of young children: jottings, anecdotal notes, and running records. Each has a specific use.

Learn strategies for helping education staff write only what they see and hear—the facts. Explore ways to avoid using words that are ambiguous, open to interpretation, describe an opinion, or communicate judgment.