SkillsUSA Early Childhood Education Practice Test

The main idea here is when a child first starts to form a sense of self. In infancy, babies begin to develop basic self-awareness by noticing their own bodies, differentiating themselves from others, and understanding that their actions have effects on the world around them. This lays the groundwork for a more explicit self-concept that becomes clearer in later stages, but the initial recognition and sense of being a distinct person emerge during infancy. As children grow into the toddler and preschool years, they expand this self-concept—using personal pronouns and describing themselves with more detail—but the earliest formation happens in infancy.