Over the course of the past decade, the state of Louisiana has developed several documents to articulate expectations for children's learning and development and provide guidance for early childhood educators. The experiences and skills that children develop during the early years are critically important to their success later in school. What children learn during the first few years of life helps to lay the foundation for their future growth and development. In order for children to reach their full potential during those early years, it is important that the adults around them provide an environment and experiences that promote growth and learning. This document is designed to help early childhood educators do just that by describing the particular skills and abilities that children need to develop to be successful, and by providing ideas for fostering their development.