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30–50 monthsThe Natural World

Shows skill in making toys work by pressing parts or lifting flaps to achieve effects such as sound, movements or new images.

Observe whether the child: shows skill in making toys work by pressing parts or lifting flaps to achieve effects such as sound, movements or new images.

What it looks like

Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.

Emerging

Just starting

Sometimes triggers effects by chance or after demonstration, but does not reliably repeat the correct action to get the same result.

What you might see

  • Holds an interactive toy but repeatedly taps the surface rather than pressing the obvious button/lever.
  • Stops playing after one failed attempt and asks an adult to do it without trying another action.
  • After an adult shows the button, presses it once to make a sound but then presses other areas randomly.
  • Lifts a flap once but does not look underneath or repeat the action to see the image again.

Expected

On track

Uses simple controls (press, slide, lift flap) to produce an effect on familiar toys, with some persistence and occasional adult support.

What you might see

  • Presses the correct button on a familiar toy to make it respond and repeats the action several times.
  • Uses a flap/slider correctly after a short prompt (“try the flap”) and looks for the resulting picture/movement.

Exceeding

Going further

Purposefully selects and uses controls to produce different effects, repeats actions to explore, and can manage multi-step ‘cause-effect’ toys.

What you might see

  • Chooses between two controls to get different results (e.g., presses the ‘sound’ button then the ‘light’ button) without adult direction.
  • When the toy doesn’t respond, adjusts (presses more firmly, repositions the switch) before seeking help.
  • Explains or demonstrates to another child which part to press and waits for them to try.
  • On a new toy, tests controls one by one, watches the effect, then repeats the successful action to recreate it.

Try this at home

Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.

  • Play time: offer an interactive toy with two different buttons—notice whether your child presses intentionally to get different effects (not just repeated random pressing).

  • Story time: use a lift-the-flap or pop-up book and observe whether your child independently finds the flaps and uses them to reveal images repeatedly.

  • Car journey/transition: bring a small cause-effect toy and watch whether your child can operate it without you demonstrating each time.

  • Problem moment: if the toy ‘doesn’t work’ immediately, pause and notice whether your child tries a different strategy before asking you to do it.

Connected behaviours

Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.

Where this comes from

The framework source and supporting developmental research.

Framework source

  • DfE (2012). Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

    Purposeful cause-effect interaction with interactive toys is a framework-native sign of developing technological understanding.

Developmental research

  • Piaget, J. (1952). The Origins of Intelligence in Children. New York: International Universities Press.

    Repeated, intentional actions to produce predictable effects reflect developing causal reasoning through active exploration.

Five-level rubric (detailed)Show

The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.

Not Yet
Does not yet use toy controls purposefully; handles toys without triggering intended effects or becomes frustrated quickly without trying.
  • Holds an interactive toy but repeatedly taps the surface rather than pressing the obvious button/lever.
  • Stops playing after one failed attempt and asks an adult to do it without trying another action.
Emerging
Sometimes triggers effects by chance or after demonstration, but does not reliably repeat the correct action to get the same result.
  • After an adult shows the button, presses it once to make a sound but then presses other areas randomly.
  • Lifts a flap once but does not look underneath or repeat the action to see the image again.
Developing
Uses simple controls (press, slide, lift flap) to produce an effect on familiar toys, with some persistence and occasional adult support.
  • Presses the correct button on a familiar toy to make it respond and repeats the action several times.
  • Uses a flap/slider correctly after a short prompt (“try the flap”) and looks for the resulting picture/movement.
Secure
Purposefully selects and uses controls to produce different effects, repeats actions to explore, and can manage multi-step ‘cause-effect’ toys.
  • Chooses between two controls to get different results (e.g., presses the ‘sound’ button then the ‘light’ button) without adult direction.
  • When the toy doesn’t respond, adjusts (presses more firmly, repositions the switch) before seeking help.
Reflexive
Explores systematically, predicts which action will cause which effect, and transfers this ‘make it work’ skill to new interactive toys or books.
  • Explains or demonstrates to another child which part to press and waits for them to try.
  • On a new toy, tests controls one by one, watches the effect, then repeats the successful action to recreate it.