Skill
Seeks Comfort from Familiar Adults
Infant or toddler turns to trusted adults for comfort and expects positive responses.
Ages 0–30 months
Why it matters
A secure attachment — knowing a familiar adult will reliably respond — is the foundation for emotional security, exploration, and every later relationship. A child who can seek and accept comfort learns the world is predictable and safe.
Builds toward this milestone
- develops expectations of consistent, positive interactions through secure relationships with familiar adults. — Head Start ELOF
What mastery looks like
- Quiets, relaxes, or settles when a familiar adult holds or soothes them.
- Turns to, reaches for, or moves toward a familiar adult when tired, hurt, or distressed.
How to observe it
- When upset, does the child seek out a familiar caregiver for comfort?
- Does the child settle more easily with a familiar adult than alone?
Accessibility
- Offer consistent caregivers and predictable soothing routines for children who are slow to settle.
- Honor each child's comfort cues — some prefer rocking, others firm holding, swaddling, or quiet.
Activities
Evidence
- Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) — U.S. Office of Head Start · 2015 · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Early Atlas