Maine's Early Learning Developmental Standards (MELDS)

Infant and Toddler MELDS

Goal Topic: Emergent Literacy.
Definition: The acquisition of skills such as looking, gesturing, recognizing and understanding pictures and symbols, handling
books, and scribbling-laying the groundwork for conventional reading and writing.

Indicators/Ages

16-36 Months

6-18 months

Birth-8 Months

Kicks feet or moves arms in response to
music.

Listens and attends to repetitions of
culturally and linguistically familiar
words, songs or rhymes.

Looks at books, pats the pictures, brings
book to mouth.

Uses signs or gestures in response to
adult’s conversation with them about
photos of familiar people.

With a responsive adult, looks at and
attends to pictures of other babies or
faces.

makes marks on paper

Makes motions for familiar games,
rhymes, songs or finger plays.

Begins to “use” communication tools
during imitative play:

  • uses phone or book
  • grasps marker or crayon

Exhibits increased participation when
books are read:
-points
-makes sounds
-vocalizes
-smiles
-turns page

Exhibits increased participation with
written forms of communication:

  • looks at books, magazines as if
    reading
  • makes sounds that relate to
    pictures
  • turns pages at the right time

Recognizes signs and symbols in the
environment: identifies stop sign, labels
or logos of familiar places/items;
memorizes and repeats phrases of
songs, books, rhymes.

Increased understanding of
communication tools:

  • converses with others using play
    phone
  • tells others what own scribbles
    mean

Infant and Toddler MELDS

Approaches to Learning.
Goal Topic: Creativity
Definition: Explores new experiences in a familiar setting. Develops ability to invent, pretend and try new things.

Indicators/Ages

6-18 Months

16-36 Months

Birth- 8 Months

Laughs and tries to imitate noises or silly
sounds.

Investigates pushing water or food
around with hand on high chair tray or
table.

Finds new ways to use familiar toys/
materials:

  • putting a block in a cup
  • using a spoon to bang on tray
    -“inviting” an adult to mouth rattle

Begins to repeat chance sensorimotor
activities to elicit a reaction:

  • bang hands on table
    -drop a toy

Anticipates being lifted and moves body
accordingly.

Uses familiar objects in pretend play and
imitates sounds the objects make: animal
figures, puppets, other items (cars,
trucks, etc.).

Begins to move to the music of varying
rhythms, tempos, and types.

Bangs on pots and pans with a spoon to
make noise then tries the same action on
other objects.

Uses a colorful scarf in different ways
such as dancing, waving it or using it as a
blanket.

Begins to focus attention on one activity
or toy for a short period of time.

Engages in “dump and fill” with items.

Begins to explore expression with art
implements:

  • scribbling with large crayons
  • creating markings in finger paint
  • molding playdough

Uses items for other than intended
purpose Carries on an imaginary
conversation using:

  • a toy telephone
  • baby doll
  • other items (stuffed animal, book,
    etc.)

Acts out dramatic play role-play themes
with others; engages in make- believe
play:

  • imitates a dog or cat by crawling
    and making barking or meowing
    noises
  • offers a caregiver or peer a pretend
    snack or drink during play

Participates in music activities and
dances with increased rhythm.

Makes silly faces to see other children
and adults react.

Creatively explores and experiments with
sensory mediums, combining different
types of materials to make something
new.

Uses puppets in dramatic play.

Preschool MELDS

Reading Standards: Foundational Skills- Print Concepts

Indicators/Ages

5 years

3-5 years

Recognizes print as something that can be read

Recognizes and names the letters of his/her first name

Holds a book as if to read, point to title, and opens book and turns pages in single direction

Begins to track print from left to right and top to bottom

Recognizes that print is something that is read and has specific meaning

Definition: Displays appropriate book-handling skills and knowledge of print conventions:

Begins to demonstrate that words are separated by spaces in print

Recognizes and names at least 15-20 upper and 15-20 lower case letters.

Definition: Begins to display appropriate book-handling behaviors and begin to recognize print conventions:

Preschool MELDS

Creative Arts: Dramatic Play and performance

Indicators/Ages

5 years

3-5 years

Dramatic Expression: Begins to identify real and make- believe

Dramatic Expression: Explores new and familiar
situations through dramatic play

Dramatic Expression: Begins to use objects for other than their intended purpose during play

Dramatic Expression: Represents fantasy and real life experiences through pretend play and use of props and costumes

Dramatic Expression: Uses pretend play to represent known or anticipated situations

Dramatic Expression: Uses objects for other than their intended purpose to create representations of real life objects or activities

Performance: Creates characters through physical movement, gesture, sound, speech and facial expressions

Performance: Recreates dramatic play experiences, stories or poems for an audience