The functional emotional developmental capacities in DIRFloortime® are sometimes mistaken for another chart of what is “normal”: by this age a child should do this, and by that age they should do that.
In practice, though, they are a powerful tool—not only for assessment, but for everyday work with a child.
For me, these capacities are first and foremost a map. They help me see what is supporting a child’s development, where their strengths are—the things I can build on—and where things are still difficult.
A child may speak, know letters, count, and remember complicated things, yet struggle greatly with regulation, shared attention, back-and-forth communication, or finding flexible solutions to small social problems.
ICDL describes the first six functional emotional developmental capacities as foundations for further learning and development. These aren’t isolated skills such as “made eye contact” or “named an object.” They are deeper abilities, where skills are woven together with emotional and social development: being calmer and more attentive, making contact, staying emotionally connected, exchanging signals, working through little problems together, using ideas, and linking those ideas.
Why does this matter so much?
Because we can’t build development only from the top down. Speech, thinking, play, and social connection need a reliable foundation. If a child is constantly overloaded, cannot manage interaction, or struggles to stay in a back-and-forth exchange, teaching them more and more may miss what they need. We may need to strengthen the earlier foundations first.
These capacities help parents and practitioners ask more useful questions. Not only “Do they speak?” but “Can we share an emotional experience?” “Do they notice my response?” “Can they start an interaction?” “Can they keep it going for several circles?” “Can they manage a small obstacle without losing connection?”
This changes the work. We stop demanding things the child doesn’t yet have a steady foundation for. Instead, we build that foundation through emotional experiences they can manage and enjoy: shared play, interest, rhythm, feeling, anticipation, and small, manageable challenges.
If a child finds one of these capacities difficult, it isn’t a verdict. It doesn’t mean “they can’t.” Often, their nervous system needs support that fits them more closely. Neurodivergent children can develop these capacities, but the path may be less direct, more fragile, and in need of time, careful attunement, and respect for their individual profile.
Viewed this way, the capacities stop being a dry assessment tool. They become something we can use: where to go, what to support, and what next step will truly help the child develop, rather than simply make things easier for adults.
I also explore these foundations in my series on the first six capacities, and in articles on regulation and self-regulation, following the child’s lead, affect, and connection and relationships.
Related reading
- A Child’s Individual Profile in DIRFloortime®
- Regulation and Self-Regulation
- What Is DIRFloortime®? A Plain-English Introduction
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If you would like a structured introduction to the approach, you can register your interest in an introductory online DIR 101 course taught in Russian. Once we have a group of 5–6 people, we will find a time that works for everyone and schedule the course on the ICDL Institute (USA) website. Registering your interest does not commit you to paying.