South Carolina’s Early Care and Education Division, in partnership with the Office of Early Learning and Literacy and numerous professionals, developed a single document outlining children’s development and learning from birth to age five. These Early Learning Standards are a best practice tool in the early care industry and serve as the foundation for measuring program quality. South Carolina is unique in including Mathematical Thinking and Expression as a distinct domain, providing a comprehensive view of early development and offering education professionals a clear, unified framework for the critical early years.
The early years of life are essential for long-term health, learning, and success due to rapid brain growth beginning before birth and continuing into early childhood. Children are born ready to learn and rely on parents, caregivers, and educators as their first teachers. Brain development is strongly influenced by nurturing relationships, safe environments, and opportunities for play and exploration.
The South Carolina Early Learning Standards present a developmental continuum with indicators organized across six domains:
Approaches to Play and Learning
Emotional and Social Development
Health and Physical Development
Language Development and Communication
Mathematical Thinking and Expression
Cognitive Development.
South Carolina’s Early Learning Standards are unique because they designate Mathematical Thinking and Expression as a separate developmental domain, rather than embedding it within general cognitive development.
This distinction highlights the importance of early math skills and allows educators and caregivers to more intentionally support children’s mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and early numeracy from birth through age five.
Goals and indicators within each domain allow parents and caregivers to support children’s development at their individual pace.
At The Children’s Center, these standards guide curriculum design and classroom practices. Teachers are trained to implement the standards through daily activities, communicate children’s progress with families, and provide enrichment opportunities that build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.