Curriculum - post

Curriculum is a comprehensive guide detailing the learning goals for children. Curriculum includes instructional units, lesson plans, the resources and materials that will be used, teaching strategies, activities, and assessments.

Educators use a curriculum to guide their planning in order to meet early learning standards for the children in their care.

Early learning standards define the key aspects of development and learning that are the foundation for a child’s school and life-long success. While the progress of children toward the standards will vary depending on a number of factors, the standards act as a guide for educational and programmatic decisions by childcare providers.

While each state develops its own Early Learning Standards, commercial curriculums emphasize developmentally appropriate content and outcomes. 

A developmentally appropriate curriculum allows for flexibility in achieving standards. Educators must use their knowledge of early learning standards and individual children's needs to tailor lesson plans to meet the needs of all children. Educators should be able to adjust the sequence of lessons and provide modifications and accommodations for those children who require them. In addition, consideration for learning styles and cultural differences will inform how the educator uses the curriculum. 

Curriculum should be seen as a framework and a guide but should never take precedence over the individual needs of children. Educators should use information gained from observations to guide their lessons. 

What is a curriculum in early childhood education?

A curriculum in early childhood settings is more than a set of activities: it is an organized plan that identifies learning goals, the sequence of instruction (scope and sequence), instructional units, lesson plans, materials, teaching strategies, and assessment methods. Authoritative curricular frameworks describe both the intended outcomes and the processes used to reach them. Curriculum design also embeds values about what learning is most important and how children learn best; different approaches (traditional, learner-driven, critical) emphasize different priorities and teacher roles. For a concise list of curriculum components and the development cycle (design, implementation, assessment, review), see the Massachusetts guidance on curriculum components, which summarizes scope-and-sequence, instructional units, and assessment practices.

How do educators choose a developmentally appropriate curriculum?

Choosing a curriculum requires balancing program goals, state early learning standards, and the developmental profiles of the children served. Start by mapping your program's aims against the curriculum's scope-and-sequence: does it address cognitive, language, social-emotional, physical, and approaches-to-learning domains? Consider whether the curriculum explicitly supports differentiation, culturally responsive practice, and inclusive strategies. Evaluate the curriculum's pedagogy: does it prioritize play-based learning, guided exploration, or teacher-directed instruction? Research on curriculum philosophy highlights how underlying values influence choices; reflect on your program's worldview and how it aligns with family expectations and community context. See our guidance on building developmentally appropriate programs for concrete selection questions and criteria: How can we build developmentally appropriate programs for young children?

How do you adapt curriculum for individual children, cultural differences, and diverse learning needs?

Adapting curriculum is practical and systematic. Use ongoing observation and documentation to identify each child's strengths, interests, and needs. From those observations: 1) individualize objectives by setting attainable short-term goals; 2) scaffold tasks (reduce steps, add visual cues, model language); 3) provide materials at multiple levels of challenge; and 4) use culturally relevant materials and family input to make content meaningful. For children with identified special needs, coordinate with specialists and follow individualized plans (IFSP/IEP) while maintaining program-wide routines that support inclusion. Practical tools include weekly lesson templates that allow branching activities, and project-based units that invite multiple entry points — see our free weekly lesson plan resource for examples: Free Weekly Lesson Plan for Preschool Classrooms. Also consider how guided play supports differentiated learning across domains: How Does Play Support Children’s Physical, Cognitive, and Social Growth?

How can programs align curriculum with early learning standards and assessment?

Alignment begins with reverse-mapping: list the state early learning standards your program must address, then map each standard to instructional units and assessment methods. Choose formative assessments (observations, learning stories, checklists) that provide evidence of progress toward standards and can inform instruction. A rigorous curriculum includes built-in assessments that are tied to the scope-and-sequence; use those data in regular curriculum review cycles to revise pacing and materials. When selecting or adapting commercial curricula, verify how readily the curriculum’s outcomes map onto your state's standards and whether the curricular assessments produce usable evidence for reporting. For a framework of curriculum components and assessment cycles.

How can I integrate technology and reflective practices into curriculum planning?

Technology can be a tool for documentation (photos, digital portfolios), differentiation (adaptive apps for literacy or math concepts), and family communication (shared observations, activity suggestions). Use technology sparingly and intentionally, ensuring screen time supports curricular goals and active engagement. Pair technology use with reflective teacher practice: maintain a planning journal, review assessment data monthly, and hold team curriculum-review meetings. See our article on responsible technology use for guidance on appropriate implementation: Can Early Childhood Programs Use Technology Responsibly to Enhance Learning?

Where can I find practical lesson-planning and classroom strategies?

Practical strategies include using project-based learning to sustain inquiry, weekly templates for routines, and short teacher-led mini-lessons followed by extended child-initiated activity. For classroom-ready examples and a discussion of how saying 'I don't know' can promote inquiry, see these applied articles: How Do I Plan a Strong Preschool Curriculum?, How Can Saying "I Don't Know" Benefit Young Children?, and our project-based learning course overview linked below.

Summary: How should early childhood educators use curriculum?

Use curriculum as a living framework: align it with standards, adapt it to children’s developmental profiles, document learning through ongoing assessment, and revise plans through reflective practice. Prioritize play, cultural relevance, and multiple entry points so every child can access learning goals. For practical training, consider ChildCareEd courses such as Curriculum Planning and Roadmapping Preschool Curriculum, and review the linked articles for planning templates and classroom strategies. #curriculum #earlychildhood #assessment #play #inclusion

Interested in learning more about developmentally appropriate curriculum? Visit ChildCareEd and sign up for training such as Curriculum Planning Buy Now $24.00 or Roadmapping Preschool Curriculum Buy Now $24.00 to build practical skills for lesson design, adaptation, and alignment with early learning standards.

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