Developmentally Appropriate Practice

As you strive to provide children the best care possible, it is important to think about where each child is developmentally. By doing this, you will be better able to provide programs and activities that children can master but that are also challenging enough to foster learning. Developmentally Appropriate Practices can help you make critical decisions about curriculum and daily activities.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, NAEYC, DAP is “a framework of principles and guidelines for best practice in the care and education of young children” that is “grounded both in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about education effectiveness.”

NAEYC further explains developmentally appropriate practice as

• “both meeting children where they are – which means that teachers must get to know them well – and enabling them to reach goals that are both challenging and achievable.”
• “teaching practices … appropriate to children’s age and developmental status, attuned to them as unique individuals, and responsive to the social and cultural contexts in which they live.”
• “not … making things easier for children. Rather… ensuring that goals and experiences are suited to their learning and development and challenging enough to promote their progress and interest.”
• “Best practice … based on knowledge – not on assumptions – of how children learn and develop.” (Developmentally Appropriate Practice, NAEYC, 2009)

Comprehensive information about Developmentally Appropriate Practice can be found at the NAEYC website.