Listens to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays.
Observe whether the child: listens to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays.
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
The baby sometimes quietens, looks, or pauses when a familiar finger play or phrase begins, but attention is brief or inconsistent. They may need the adult very close or added touch to sustain listening.
What you might see
When you begin a familiar finger play, the baby does not look toward you or your hands and continues looking elsewhere.
A familiar phrase is repeated (e.g., ‘ready, steady’) with the usual tone, but the baby shows no pause or change in expression.
The baby quietens briefly when you start the finger play, then looks away after 1–2 seconds.
The baby looks toward your hands only when you touch their hands to start the actions.
Expected
On track
The baby often listens to familiar sounds/words/finger plays in calm moments, showing recognition through looking, stilling, or smiling. They may anticipate parts of the routine but can lose attention if the adult moves away or distractions occur.
What you might see
When you start a familiar rhyme, the baby watches your face/hands and smiles, staying engaged for several seconds.
The baby pauses movement when hearing the familiar opening words, then resumes when the rhyme continues.
Exceeding
Going further
The baby reliably attends to familiar finger plays and familiar words/sounds across routines, sustaining listening long enough to show clear engagement (watching actions, smiling, vocalising). They can re-engage after a brief pause.
What you might see
The baby looks toward you when you begin the familiar finger play and watches the actions through most of the short routine.
If you stop mid-rhyme, the baby looks expectantly and vocalises or moves as if waiting for it to continue.
The baby makes a sound or excited movement at a repeated part of the finger play (e.g., at the ‘tickle’ moment) before it happens.
The baby initiates by looking at you and vocalising when they hear the cue for a familiar rhyme, as if requesting it.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
Story/rhyme time: start a very familiar finger play and observe whether your baby quietens/looks and stays engaged long enough to watch the actions.
Mealtime: use the same short phrase before a routine action (e.g., ‘wipe-wipe’ before wiping hands) and notice whether your baby shows recognition (pause, look, smile).
Nappy change: sing the same short song each time; watch whether your baby listens (stills, looks, smiles) at the start compared with a new song.
Bath time: repeat a familiar splash song and see whether your baby looks toward you and anticipates the next action when you pause.
Car/stroller: play the same short tune and observe whether your baby turns toward the sound or shows a consistent listening response.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the EYFS (2012), Communication and Language: Listening and attention (birth–11 months).
DM2012 treats listening to familiar words/sounds and finger plays as an observable marker of early attention in interaction.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
The baby does not show a clear listening response to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays. Their attention does not reliably shift toward the sound or the familiar routine.
When you begin a familiar finger play, the baby does not look toward you or your hands and continues looking elsewhere.
A familiar phrase is repeated (e.g., ‘ready, steady’) with the usual tone, but the baby shows no pause or change in expression.
Emerging
The baby sometimes quietens, looks, or pauses when a familiar finger play or phrase begins, but attention is brief or inconsistent. They may need the adult very close or added touch to sustain listening.
The baby quietens briefly when you start the finger play, then looks away after 1–2 seconds.
The baby looks toward your hands only when you touch their hands to start the actions.
Developing
The baby often listens to familiar sounds/words/finger plays in calm moments, showing recognition through looking, stilling, or smiling. They may anticipate parts of the routine but can lose attention if the adult moves away or distractions occur.
When you start a familiar rhyme, the baby watches your face/hands and smiles, staying engaged for several seconds.
The baby pauses movement when hearing the familiar opening words, then resumes when the rhyme continues.
Secure
The baby reliably attends to familiar finger plays and familiar words/sounds across routines, sustaining listening long enough to show clear engagement (watching actions, smiling, vocalising). They can re-engage after a brief pause.
The baby looks toward you when you begin the familiar finger play and watches the actions through most of the short routine.
If you stop mid-rhyme, the baby looks expectantly and vocalises or moves as if waiting for it to continue.
Reflexive
The baby actively participates in familiar finger plays by anticipating actions, vocalising at the right moments, or initiating the routine when they hear the cue. Listening is flexible across people and settings.
The baby makes a sound or excited movement at a repeated part of the finger play (e.g., at the ‘tickle’ moment) before it happens.
The baby initiates by looking at you and vocalising when they hear the cue for a familiar rhyme, as if requesting it.
