Child Development Checklist
(From “Observing Development of the Young Child” by Janice J. Beaty)
Child’s Name: Observer:
DOB: Dates:
Program:
Directions:
Put a for items you see the child perform regularly. Put N for items where there is
no opportunity to observe. Leave all others blank.
Item Evidence Date
1. Self-Esteem
___ Separate from primary
caregivers without difficulty
___ Develop a secure
attachment with teacher
___ Complete a task
successfully
___ Make activity choices
without teacher’s help
___ Stand up for own rights
___ Display enthusiasm about
doing things for self
___ Be observed by using
running record and checklist
2. Emotional Competence
___ Release stressful feelings
in appropriate manner
___ Experss anger in words
rather than negative actions
___ Be calmed in frightening
situations
___ Shows fondness, affection,
love toward others
___ Shows interest/attention in
classroom activities
___ Smiles seems happy much
of the time
___ Be observed by using
sampling and checklist
3. Social Competence
___ Plays by self with own
toys/materials
___ Plays parallel to others with
similar toys/materials
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Item Evidence Date
___ Plays with others in group
play
___ Gains access to play in a
positive manner
___ Makes friends with other
children
___ Resolves play conflicts in a
positive manner
___ Be observed by using
running records and checklist
4. Physical Development
___ Runs with control over
speed and direction
___ Climbs up and down
climbing equipment with ease
___ Throws, catches and kicks
___ Turns knobs, lids, and
eggbeaters
___ Pick up and insert objects
with dexterity
___ Use tools (scissors,
hammers) with control
___ Be observed by using
rating scales and checklist
5. Cognitive Development
___ Classify objects by shape,
color, size
___ Places objects in a
sequence or series
___ Counts by rote up to 20
___ Display 1-to-1
correspondence with numbers
___ Problem solve with
concrete objects
___ Make thinking visible
___ Be observed by using
rating scales and checklist
6. Spoken Language
___ Listens but does not speak
___ Gives single word, short
phrase response
___ Takes part in conversations
___ Speaks in expanded
sentences
___ Asks questions
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Item Evidence Date
___ Can tell a story
___ Be observed by using
recordings and checklist
7. Emergent Writing and
Reading Skills
___ Pretends to write with
drawings and scribbles
___ Makes horizontal lines of
scribbles
___ Makes some letters, prints
name or initial
___ Holds book right-side up;
turns pages left to right
___ Pretends to read using
pictures to tell the story
___ Show awareness that print
in books tells the story
___ Be observed by using
rubrics and checklist
8. Art, Music, and Dance
Skills
___ Make basic scribble shapes
___ Draw a person as a sun-
face with arms and legs
___ Make pictorial drawings
___ Move arms and hands in
rhythm to a beat
___ Play rhythm instruments
___ Sing with group or by
him/herself
___ Move body to represent
people, animals, feelings
___ Dance with others to music
___ Be observed through their
products or by photos,
audiotapes, videos, or checklist
9. Dramatic Play Skills
___ Does pretend play by
him/herself
___ Assign roles or take
assigned roles
___ Needs particular props to
pretend play
___ Takes on characteristics &
actions related to role
___ Uses language for creating
& sustaining the plot
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Item Evidence Date
___ Enacts exciting, danger-
packed themes
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