Early Learning Foundational Skills
This module is designed for parents and caregivers who are interested in better understanding how children's foundational skills develop between ages 3–9 in the areas of literacy, mathematics, motor development, and approaches to learning. Included are descriptions of what skill development looks like in each area and how parents and caregivers may support their early learners.
Take time to review these segments:
- What are foundational skills?
- Why foundational skills are important.
- How to support children with foundational skills.
Then select a topic below to explore in depth. Read the overview, explore the areas of focus, check out how skills grow over time, and find ways to help your child.
Explore the Topics
Foundational Skills Overview
From birth, children's growth follows a progression. Along the way they reach key milestones — from rolling to sitting to crawling to walking, and from cooing to babbling to speaking words and sentences.
As children grow from pre-K to grade 3, they develop skills that are foundational to their ability to read, write, compute, problem solve, and approach learning positively. Examples include:
- Identifying letters and letter sounds
- Holding a pencil and drawing figures
- Recognizing numbers and patterns
- Counting
- Sticking with challenging tasks
Just like a strong foundation in a house supports the walls, windows, and roof — foundational skills provide children with the tools they need to engage in deeper learning across all subject areas.
Like learning to speak and move, foundational skills grow from simple to more complex. While they develop along an expected time frame, each child's pace is unique. There is no exact spot that defines where your child should be at a given moment, but instead an age range during which these skills typically develop.
As children's life-long teachers, the interactions parents and caregivers have with children support foundational skill growth. Here are some ways to help:
- Learn about the foundational skills at your child's grade level.
- Watch your child as they play and notice how their skills are growing.
- Talk with your child's teacher to share what you notice and to find out what skills they are working on in school.
- Ask which skills may be helpful to practice.
- Use the ideas in this module to help your child practice.
- Talk with your child in your native language.