The Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) include what young children ages 0 to 5 should know and be able to do. They were developed so that families, communities, and schools can work together to support children’s early learning and growth across all settings.
This video provides an overview of the CT ELDS, providing information about what is included in the documents and how they can be used.
Use the CT ELDS to:
- Plan developmentally appropriate activities for individual children, classrooms, and programs
- Monitor each child’s development and plan strategies to support learning
- Partner with families to support children’s development
- Support your own professional development by identifying areas for additional training and coaching
When we work together — at home, in early care and education programs, and in the community — we can support all young children as they learn and develop!
CT ELDS Documents
The Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (Spanish) document includes Essential Dispositions, Guiding Principles, and stages in learning and development across eight domains of learning.
- Cognition
- Social and emotional development
- Physical development and health
- Language and literacy
- Creative arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social studies
Visit this page to download CT ELDS or CT Documentation and Observation for Teaching System (CT DOTS) documents or to order materials.
CT ELDS Resources for Families
The CT ELDS help all of the adults in a child’s life — their teachers, family, and others — talk with each other about children’s learning and development. They also help guide adults to think about the experiences that will help that child reach the next steps in development.
- The CT ELDS Strategies for Learning at Home include ideas for supporting learning at home and in the community in both English and Spanish. The strategies focus on activities that are likely to be a part of daily routines. There is a document for each of the age bands from the CT ELDS, as well as some extra age bands for infants.
- This CT ELDS Learning at Home Planning Grid can be used to plan when strategies might be used as a part of daily routines.
- The CT ELDS Action Guides (Spanish) provide an overview of each domain of learning with ideas for supporting infants/toddlers and preschools.
- Supporting All Children Using the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards: A Guide for Families (Spanish) contains a series of documents that providers can share with families. Documents include an overview of the CT ELDS and handouts for each age range included in the CT ELDS.
Many families have questions about how their child is developing. Call the Child Development Infoline at 1-800-505-7000 to learn more about resources and services for young children in CT.