Carol Dweck (born October 17, 1946) is an American psychologist and professor at Stanford University, best known for her pioneering research on mindsets in learning and achievement. Her work on the growth mindset has transformed education worldwide, showing that children’s beliefs about intelligence and ability profoundly shape their motivation, resilience, and success.

Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter is a Norwegian researcher and professor at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education. She is internationally recognized for her work on risky play in early childhood, highlighting how safe risk-taking supports children’s confidence, resilience, and wellbeing. Sandseter challenges overprotective practices in schools and families, arguing that shielding children from risk can hinder their development.

Alison Gopnik (born June 16, 1955) is a leading developmental psychologist and philosopher at the University of California, Berkeley. She is best known for her research on how children learn through exploration, play, and causal reasoning. Gopnik’s work emphasizes that children are active learners who construct and test ideas, much like scientists.

Preparing children for the leap into formal schooling involves more than academic knowledge—it means supporting their holistic development across cognitive, social, emotional, and physical domains. This checklist supports educators and families in identifying foundational skills and strengths, in alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) outcomes and contributing toward Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) goals such as practice refinement, documentation, and improved transition planning.

Here’s a breakdown of developmental milestones for children aged 2 to 3 years, along with examples of how they link to the EYLF.

Here’s how Physical Development, Cognitive & Language Development, and Social & Emotional Development for 12 to 24 months align with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). 

 Here’s how each developmental milestone from birth to 12 months aligns with the EYLF outcomes.