Childhood Map

Discover the amazing things 5-year-olds are learning — from climbing and jumping to friendships, feelings, and first words on a page. Each skill comes with fun activities you can try together.

Physical & Motor 8 › Sensory 8 › Executive 7 › Cognitive 6 › Language 5 › Communication 5 › Emotional 5 › Social 6 › Self-Care 7 › Literacy 4 › Math 5 › Creative & Artistic 5 › World & Science 5 ›
by Robert Pankowecki
Literacy & Pre-Reading/Writing

Foundational skills for reading and writing including print concepts, alphabet knowledge, comprehension, and early writing.

Sources (6)
  • Head Start ELOF (Literacy)
  • UK EYFS (Literacy)
  • US Common Core (ELA-K)
  • Montessori (Language Area)
  • E.D. Hirsch ("What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know")
  • HighScope
4 Subdomains
Print Awareness & Concepts › Alphabet Knowledge › Reading Comprehension (Listening Level) › Early Writing & Composition ›
Print Awareness & Concepts

Understanding how print works — that it carries meaning, has directionality, and is organized into words and sentences.

Examples & Achievements

  • Knows that we read print, not pictures
  • Holds a book correctly and turns pages front to back
  • Points to where reading starts on a page (top-left in English)
  • Understands left-to-right and top-to-bottom directionality
  • Recognizes that spaces separate words
  • Points to print in the environment (signs, labels, menus)

How to Measure

  • Demonstrates correct book orientation and page turning
  • Points to where to start reading on a page
  • Identifies 3+ examples of environmental print (signs, labels)
  • Concepts About Print (CAP) assessment (Clay)
Sources (3)
  • Head Start ELOF
  • Common Core K
  • EYFS

Childhood Map › Literacy & Pre-Reading/Writing

Print Awareness & Concepts

Understanding how print works — that it carries meaning, has directionality, and is organized into words and sentences.

Examples & Achievements

How to Measure

Sources