In Georgia, those milestones are organized into a statewide framework called GELDS: the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards. Georgia GELDS outlines what children from birth to five should know and be able to do across five key areas of development. It helps early educators plan meaningful activities, track progress, and create responsive classroom environments. 

Learning about GELDS is also a required part of Georgia’s health and safety training for licensed child care providers. In this blog, we’ll walk through what GELDS covers and explore how these five areas of development show up in real life, with practical examples from infancy through age five.

The Five Developmental Domains in GELDS

GELDS outlines five core areas of child development—from birth through age five—that help guide your observations, planning, and support for each child’s growth.

Each domain covers a specific area of development, like physical skills or emotional awareness. Within each domain are strands, which organize related learning goals, and indicators, which describe observable skills and behaviors at different ages.

Below, you’ll find an overview of each domain and examples of everyday behaviors you can tie to specific indicators—so you can recognize learning in action and feel confident connecting it to the GELDS framework.

1. Physical Development and Motor Skills

You see it every day—babies kicking during diaper changes, toddlers learning to wash their hands, preschoolers bounding across the playground. These early physical skills help children explore their world, care for their bodies, and grow more independent over time. This domain includes both movement and self-care, from big muscle coordination to early health and safety habits.

Infant (0–12 months)
During a diaper change, a baby lifts their hips when prompted, responding to the caregiver’s gentle instruction.
PDM1.0d – Reacts to simple directions to support safety.

Toddler (24–36 months)
After washing hands with help, a toddler dries them, puts the paper towel in the trash, and reaches for their own snack.
PDM1.2e – Attends to personal health routines and self-care needs with some assistance from an adult.

Preschooler (48–60 months)
At lunch, a child points to apple slices and says, “That’s fruit. Fruit is good for your body!”
PDM2.4b – Sorts foods into food groups and communicates the benefits of healthy foods.

2. Social and Emotional Development

From early bonding to independent decision-making, this domain is all about how children learn who they are and how to connect with others. As babies form attachments to caregivers, toddlers begin testing boundaries, and preschoolers grow into confident individuals with their own preferences. Every interaction—whether it’s waving to a mirror or standing firm on a favorite shirt—helps shape their social and emotional growth.

Infant (0–12 months)
A baby catches sight of themselves in a mirror and smiles, reaching toward the reflection.
SED1.0a – Responds to image of self.

Toddler (24–36 months)
During cleanup, a toddler folds their arms and says “No,” refusing to put toys away right away.
SED1.2d – Shows emerging independence by occasionally resisting adult control.

Preschooler (48–60 months)
During free play, a child chooses to build with blocks instead of joining the dramatic play area, explaining, “I want to make a tall tower today.”
SED1.4d – Shows independence in his/her own choices.

3. Approaches to Play and Learning

This domain isn’t about what children learn—it’s about how they learn. Curiosity, creativity, focus, and persistence all play a role in how children explore their environment and try new things. Whether they’re reaching for a rattle, pretending a spoon is a microphone, or mapping out how to build a block bridge, these approaches shape lifelong learning habits.

Infant (0–12 months)
A baby spots a colorful rattle and stretches out their hand to grab it.
APL1.0c – Selects an item of interest by pointing and/or reaching for object.

Toddler (24–36 months)
After struggling to scoop sand with a small shovel, a toddler flips it over and uses the handle to fill a cup instead.
APL1.2a – Tries inventive or new ways of using materials or completing tasks.

Preschooler (48–60 months)
A child announces, “I’m going to make a zoo,” and spends the next 30 minutes organizing blocks, toy animals, and signs into enclosures.
APL1.4c – Sets goals and develops and follows through on plans.

4. Communication, Language, and Literacy

Language begins long before a child says their first word. This domain includes all the ways children express themselves—through sounds, gestures, signs, songs, stories, and eventually writing. Early exposure to books, conversations, and print-rich environments helps children develop the skills they’ll need to understand and use language, both spoken and written.

Infant (0–12 months)
As a teacher repeats, “Up, up, up!” before lifting, a baby begins to smile and bounce in anticipation.
CLL1.0c – Responds to repeated words and phrases.

Toddler (24–36 months)
During storytime, a toddler hears the word “bunny” and points to a rabbit picture on the wall.
CLL2.2b – Listens and understands familiar vocabulary from activities, stories and books.

Preschooler (48–60 months)
After reading a book about gardens, a child says, “I have flowers at my grandma’s house too!”
CLL2.4b – Connects new vocabulary from activities, stories and books with prior experiences and conversations.

5. Cognitive Development and General Knowledge

This domain is all about how children explore, observe, and figure things out. It includes early concepts in math, science, social studies, and the arts—but more importantly, it builds reasoning, curiosity, and problem-solving. Whether they’re comparing block sizes, wondering where the rain goes, or measuring how many scoops of rice fill a jar, children are developing the skills that help them make sense of the world.

Infant (0–12 months)
When a caregiver warms a bottle and says, “Almost ready,” a baby turns toward the sound and starts to smile and coo in anticipation.
CD-MA3.0b – Shows awareness of consistent daily routines.

Toddler (24–36 months)
While helping clean up, a toddler holds two stuffed animals and says, “This one is big and this one is tiny!”
CD-MA3.2b – Makes simple comparisons between two objects.

Preschooler (48–60 months)
While building with magnetic tiles, a child separates pieces into piles: red triangles in one, red squares in another, and all the green and blue triangles grouped together.
CD-MA4.4b – Sorts and classifies objects using one or more attributes or relationships.

Why GELDS Matters for Georgia Child Care Licensing

In Georgia, child care licensing standards are grounded in developmentally appropriate practice. GELDS helps bring that practice to life by outlining what meaningful growth looks like from birth through age five.

Whether you're planning lessons, supporting children’s progress, or documenting observations, GELDS provides a shared language that connects your day-to-day work with the standards that guide quality care. It’s also built into Georgia’s Health and Safety Orientation Training, which all licensed providers are required to complete. That training includes a focus on developmental milestones, which are drawn directly from the GELDS framework.

Enroll in Georgia’s Health and Safety Course with ProSolutions Training

ProSolutions Training's Georgia Health and Safety Orientation Course covers everything you need to meet state licensing requirements, including content on developmental milestones aligned with the GELDS framework.

The course is 100% online, self-paced, and designed with real classroom application in mind. You’ll review essential health and safety topics while also gaining tools to better understand the children in your care.

Get started today! Enroll in Georgia’s Health and Safety Course →