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Illinois Early Learning Project

Illinois Early Learning Project

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    • Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3
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Developmental Domain 4: Cognitive Development

mom and child playing with blocks

Early Intervention

Resource Lists
color drawing of the word "STEAM"

Make a Mess and Explore STEAM

Tool Kits
checkerboard

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math Is Everywhere

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
child singing

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music and Movement

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
child playing with blocks

Busy with Blocks (audio)

Podcasts
child looking at toy in adult's hands

Look What This Can Do!

Parenting Videos
child trying on shoes

Solving the Shoe Puzzle

Parenting Videos
child using a drum

Drumming in the Kitchen

Parenting Videos
Get Growing With Your Young Children

Get Growing With Your Young Children

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Peekaboo!

Peekaboo!

Parenting Videos
Process Play and STEAM: Getting Started

Process Play and STEAM: Getting Started

Podcasts
Explore STEAM with Young Children

Explore STEAM with Young Children

Resource Lists
Cognitive Development

Cognitive Development

Illinois Early Learning Moments
child playing with blocks

Busy with Blocks

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Doing Projects at Home

Doing Projects at Home

Resource Lists
Imagination and Fantasy in Early Childhood

Imagination and Fantasy in Early Childhood

Resource Lists
Children's Play - More than Fun and Games

Children’s Play – More than Fun and Games

Resource Lists
Cooking with Spinach

Cooking with Spinach

Project Approach, Project Examples
The Tractor Project: Noisy Neighbors Lead to Investigation

The Tractor Project: Noisy Neighbors Lead to Investigation

Project Approach, Project Examples
You Made It

You Made It

Guidelines Videos
Tea Party

Tea Party

Guidelines Videos
The Step

The Step

Guidelines Videos
Snack Time

Snack Time

Guidelines Videos
Ready? Boing!

Ready? Boing!

Guidelines Videos
Pretty Up High

Pretty Up High

Guidelines Videos
Press Here

Press Here

Guidelines Videos
Pea Pod Rockers

Pea Pod Rockers

Guidelines Videos
Filling the Trains

Filling the Trains

Guidelines Videos
Blue or Purple

Blue or Purple

Guidelines Videos
Waylon and Grandpa: A Continuous Contingent Interaction

Waylon and Grandpa: A Continuous Contingent Interaction

Parenting Videos
Toddlers and Boxes: “Hi! Hi!"

Toddlers and Boxes: “Hi! Hi!”

Parenting Videos
Roll, Evie, Roll!

Roll, Evie, Roll!

Parenting Videos
Pretend Play with Big Boxes

Pretend Play with Big Boxes

Parenting Videos
Mix and Count

Mix and Count

Parenting Videos
Let Baby Play

Let Baby Play

Parenting Videos
Dads Read

Dads Read

Parenting Videos
Feeding Baby Brother His Carrots

Feeding Baby Brother His Carrots

Parenting Videos
toddler with trike

The Baby and the Trike

Parenting Videos
Exploring Sound on the Dam

Exploring Sound on the Dam

Benchmark Videos
Super Story Time

Super Story Time

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Make Art a Part of Every Day: Focus on the Process

Make Art a Part of Every Day: Focus on the Process

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Is All Around

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Is All Around

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music, Sound, and Movement

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music, Sound, and Movement

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
alphabet

The Gift of Words: Reading and Games

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
number toys

Learning Math Words: Family and Caregiver Conversations

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
drawing of child with magnifying glass

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Curious Young Scientists

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
What Puppets Can Mean to Children

What Puppets Can Mean to Children

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
children on playground

Making a Case for Play Around the World

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
CSI: Child Scientist Investigates!

CSI: Child Scientist Investigates!

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Using Predictable Books with Young Children

Using Predictable Books with Young Children

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
chlid playing with box

Toys from Throwaways: Boxes

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Sing, Play, and Hear: Music’s in the Air

Sing, Play, and Hear: Music’s in the Air

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
child with magnifying glass

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Science

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Preventing Lead Poisoning in Children

Preventing Lead Poisoning in Children

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
What Makes a Good Toy?

What Makes a Good Toy?

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets

Read more

About IEL

The Illinois Early Learning Project Web site is a source of evidence-based, reliable information on early care and education for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children in Illinois.

Funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

View IEL staff information, contact IEL online, or call (877) 275-3227.

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