CDA Birth to Five flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Handwashing Duration

Caregivers and children scrub hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, rinse, and dry with a disposable towel before eating and after toileting or diapering.

Safe Sleep Position

Infants are placed on their backs for every sleep on a firm, flat surface free of pillows, blankets, bumpers, and soft toys to reduce suffocation risk and SIDS.

Daily Health Check

A brief screening at drop-off noting rash, bruises, discharge, lethargy, breathing, or fever, so illness and injury are identified before the caregiver accepts the child for the day.

Diapering Table Safety

A caregiver keeps one hand on the child and never turns away, then cleans and disinfects the surface after each change to prevent falls and cross-contamination.

Mouthed Toy Procedure

Any toy a child puts in the mouth is removed from the play area immediately, washed and sanitized, and returned only after it is fully clean.

Evacuation Drill Documentation

A practiced exit by posted routes, usually monthly, with the date, time, and evacuation time recorded so evacuation becomes automatic during a real emergency.

Object Permanence

The understanding, developing around 8 to 12 months, that objects and people still exist when out of sight, which is why peekaboo and hiding games delight infants.

Pincer Grasp

Use of thumb and index finger to pick up small items, emerging around 9 to 12 months, supporting self-feeding and later fine motor tasks such as drawing and buttoning.

Scaffolding

Temporary support a caregiver provides just beyond what a child can do alone, such as a hint or hand-over-hand guidance, then fades as the child succeeds independently.

Receptive Versus Expressive Language

Receptive language is what a child understands; expressive language is what the child produces. Understanding usually comes first, so infants follow directions before they can speak words.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Teaching decisions matched to a child's age, individual skills, and family culture, so activities are challenging yet achievable rather than too easy or frustrating.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first stage, from birth to about age two, when infants learn through senses and actions and move gradually from reflexes to purposeful, goal-directed behavior.

Trust Versus Mistrust

Erikson's birth-to-18-month conflict in which consistent, responsive caregiving builds an infant's sense that the world is safe and adults can be relied upon.

Autonomy Versus Shame

Erikson's toddler stage, roughly 18 months to 3 years, when children assert independence through choices and self-care and need respectful limits rather than ridicule or overcontrol.

Separation Anxiety

Distress when a familiar caregiver leaves, typically peaking between 10 and 18 months and easing with predictable goodbye routines, a comfort object, and a consistent returning adult.

Redirection

A guidance strategy that replaces an unsafe or inappropriate behavior with an acceptable alternative, such as offering paper when a toddler starts coloring on the wall.

Natural Consequence

An outcome that follows directly from a child's own choice without adult intervention, such as feeling cold after refusing a jacket, making it a powerful teaching tool.

Co-Regulation

An adult lending calm voice, steady presence, and physical support so a dysregulated child returns to baseline; repeated experiences gradually build the child's own self-regulation.

Two-Way Communication

An ongoing exchange in which families share information about the child at home and caregivers share observations from the program, rather than one-directional notices sent home.

Confidentiality

Sharing a child's records or personal information only with authorized people who need it; staff avoid discussing children in public areas, online, or with other families.

Family Conference

A planned, private meeting that opens with the child's strengths, uses specific dated observations, hears the family's perspective, and closes with agreed next steps and a follow-up date.

Home Language Support

Encouraging families to keep using their home language while the child learns English, because a strong first language supports later cognitive and academic growth.

Family as First Teacher

The recognition that families are a child's first and most influential teachers, so programs build partnerships with them rather than replacing their role.

Anecdotal Record

A short, factual, dated note describing one specific observed event without judgment, used to track development and plan activities matching the child's interests and needs.

Lesson Plan Posting

A written weekly plan displayed for families and staff that shows activities, learning goals, and materials, making the program intentional rather than improvised.

Group Size and Ratio

The number of children per caregiver and the total children in a group; lower ratios and smaller groups allow more responsive care and closer supervision, especially for infants.

Transition Warning

A signal such as a song or five-minute notice before an activity changes, helping children anticipate what comes next and reducing tantrums and waiting time.

Continuity of Care

Keeping the same caregiver with a small group of children over a long period, which supports secure attachment and reduces stress from repeated classroom transitions.

Mandated Reporter

A professional required by law to report reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the designated agency, usually within 24 hours, without first investigating the claim.

NAEYC Code of Ethics

A framework of ideals and principles guiding early childhood professionals, placing ethical responsibility to children first, then to families, colleagues, community, and society.

CDA Credential Requirements

Candidates document 480 hours of experience with young children, 120 clock hours of training across the CDA subject areas, a portfolio, a verification visit, and a passing exam.

Reflective Supervision

A regular meeting where a practitioner reviews observations and emotional responses with a supervisor to improve practice and manage the stress of caregiving work.