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Developed at UC Davis
MIND Institute
The Early Start Denver Model was developed by Dr. Sally Rogers and Dr. Geraldine Dawson. It blends the precision of Applied Behavior Analysis with developmental science and relationship-based therapy, rigorous in design, warm in delivery.
ESDM is one of the most extensively researched early intervention approaches for young children, and the first ABA approach to demonstrate measurable changes in brain activity following intervention.
2010 & 2012
Landmark Randomized
Controlled Trial · Dawson et al.
Toddlers receiving ESDM showed significantly greater gains in IQ, language, and adaptive behavior than children in community intervention, and were more likely to show improved diagnostic outcomes. A 2012 follow-up using EEG found more typical patterns of brain activity in the ESDM group.
Dawson G, et al. (2010). Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23.
Dawson G, et al. (2012). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 51(11), 1150–1159.
Developed at UC
Davis MIND Institute
The Early Start Denver Model was developed by Dr. Sally Rogers and Dr. Geraldine Dawson. It blends the precision of Applied Behavior Analysis with developmental science and relationship-based therapy, rigorous in design, warm in delivery.
ESDM is one of the most extensively researched early intervention approaches for young children, and the first ABA approach to demonstrate measurable changes in brain activity following intervention.
2010 & 2012
Toddlers receiving ESDM showed significantly greater gains in IQ, language, and adaptive behavior than children in community intervention, and were more likely to show improved diagnostic outcomes. A 2012 follow-up using EEG found more typical patterns of brain activity in the ESDM group.
Landmark Randomized
Controlled Trial · Dawson et al.
Dawson G, et al. (2010). Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23.
Dawson G, et al. (2012). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 51(11), 1150–1159.
Developed at UC
Davis MIND Institute
The Early Start Denver Model was developed by Dr. Sally Rogers and Dr. Geraldine Dawson. It blends the precision of Applied Behavior Analysis with developmental science and relationship-based therapy, rigorous in design, warm in delivery.
ESDM is one of the most extensively researched early intervention approaches for young children, and the first ABA approach to demonstrate measurable changes in brain activity following intervention.
2010 & 2012
Landmark Randomized Controlled Trial · Dawson
et al.
Toddlers receiving ESDM showed significantly greater gains in IQ, language, and adaptive behavior than children in community intervention, and were more likely to show improved diagnostic outcomes. A 2012 follow-up using EEG found more typical patterns of brain activity in the ESDM group.
Dawson G, et al. (2010). Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23.
Dawson G, et al. (2012). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 51(11), 1150–1159.
Six principles that shape every session
Data-Driven
Every goal, every session. Data guides every clinical decision. Progress is measured, not assumed.
Affect-Based Treatment
Positive emotion fuels learning. Shared joy keeps your child engaged and connected, so we design every activity to be fun on purpose, and our data shows what’s being learned.
Naturalistic
Skills are taught in your home, in your real routines, using your toys. Generalization is built in from day one.
Parent-Centered
Parents learn every strategy. Every session builds your capacity to teach all day, not just during therapy hours.
Play-Powered
No drills. No flashcards. Learning happens through bubbles, blocks, books, songs, and sensory play. Every activity is intentintentionally designed.
Child-Led
Your child's interests and motivations are the curriculum. We follow their lead into activities they already love, creating learning moments inside natural engagement.
Six principles that shape every session
Data-Driven
Every goal, every session. Data guides every clinical decision. Progress is measured, not assumed.
Affect-Based Treatment
Positive emotion fuels learning. Shared joy keeps your child engaged and connected, so we design every activity to be fun on purpose, and our data shows what’s being learned.
Naturalistic
Skills are taught in your home, in your real routines, using your toys. Generalization is built in from day one.
Parent-Centered
Parents learn every strategy. Every session builds your capacity to teach all day, not just during therapy hours.
Play-Powered
No drills. No flashcards. Learning happens through bubbles, blocks, books, songs, and sensory play. Every activity is intentintentionally designed.
Child-Led
Your child's interests and motivations are the curriculum. We follow their lead into activities they already love, creating learning moments inside natural engagement.
Six principles that shape every session
Parent-Centered
Parents learn every strategy. Every session builds your capacity to teach all day, not just during therapy hours.
Naturalistic
Skills are taught in your home, in your real routines, using your toys. Generalization is built in from day one.
Play-Powered
No drills. No flashcards. Learning happens through bubbles, blocks, books, songs, and sensory play. Every activity is intentintentionally designed.
Data-Driven
Every goal, every session. Data guides every clinical decision. Progress is measured, not assumed.
Affect-Based Treatment
Positive emotion fuels learning. Shared joy keeps your child engaged and connected, so we design every activity to be fun on purpose, and our data shows what’s being learned.
Child-Led
Your child's interests and motivations are the curriculum. We follow their lead into activities they already love, creating learning moments inside natural engagement.
ESDM Curriculum Checklist
All 11 domains assessed for every child. Goals are chosen from the areas of greatest need and opportunity, nothing assumed, nothing templated.
DOMAIN 11
Personal Independence
Daily living skills, including eating, dressing, hygiene, and toileting
DOMAIN 10
Behavior
Participation, attention, and behavior that supports learning
DOMAIN 9
Gross Motor
Movement, balance, coordination, body awareness
DOMAIN 8
Fine Motor
Hand and finger skills, grasping, manipulating objects
DOMAIN 7
Play
Functional, symbolic/pretend, and social play
DOMAIN 6
Cognition
Problem-solving, object permanence, concepts, categorization
DOMAIN 5
Imitation
Learning by copying actions, sounds, and actions with objects
DOMAIN 4
Social Skills
Turn-taking, peer interaction, emotional awareness
DOMAIN 3
Joint Attention
Sharing attention, pointing, showing, following gaze
DOMAIN 2
Expressive Communication
Words, gestures, requesting, commenting, conversation
DOMAIN 1
Receptive Communication
Understanding language, following directions, responding to name
Note: The ESDM Curriculum Checklist is a clinical tool, not a diagnostic test. It maps your child's exact skill level across all 11 domains so goals are built from real data, not assumptions.
ESDM Curriculum Checklist
All 11 domains assessed for every child. Goals are chosen from the areas of greatest need and opportunity, nothing assumed, nothing templated.
DOMAIN 6
Cognition
Problem-solving, object permanence, concepts, categorization
DOMAIN 11
Personal Independence
Daily living skills, including eating, dressing, hygiene, and toileting
DOMAIN 10
Behavior
Participation, attention, and behavior that supports learning
DOMAIN 9
Gross Motor
Movement, balance, coordination, body awareness
DOMAIN 8
Fine Motor
Hand and finger skills, grasping, manipulating objects
DOMAIN 7
Play
Functional, symbolic/pretend, and social play
DOMAIN 5
Imitation
Learning by copying actions, sounds, and actions with objects
DOMAIN 3
Joint Attention
Sharing attention, pointing, showing, following gaze
DOMAIN 4
Social Skills
Turn-taking, peer interaction, emotional awareness
DOMAIN 2
Expressive Communication
Words, gestures, requesting, commenting, conversation
DOMAIN 1
Receptive Communication
Understanding language, following directions, responding to name
Note: The ESDM Curriculum Checklist is a clinical tool, not a diagnostic test. It maps your child's exact skill level across all 11 domains so goals are built from real data, not assumptions.
ESDM Curriculum Checklist
All 11 domains assessed for every child. Goals are chosen from the areas of greatest need and opportunity, nothing assumed, nothing templated.
DOMAIN 1
Receptive Communication
Understanding language, following directions, responding to name
DOMAIN 2
Expressive Communication
Words, gestures, requesting, commenting, conversation
DOMAIN 3
Joint Attention
Sharing attention, pointing, showing, following gaze
DOMAIN 6
Cognition
Problem-solving, object permanence, concepts, categorization
DOMAIN 4
Social Skills
Turn-taking, peer interaction, emotional awareness
DOMAIN 5
Imitation
Learning by copying actions, sounds, and actions with objects
DOMAIN 7
Play
Functional, symbolic/pretend, and social play
DOMAIN 8
Fine Motor
Hand and finger skills, grasping, manipulating objects
DOMAIN 9
Gross Motor
Movement, balance, coordination, body awareness
DOMAIN 10
Behavior
Participation, attention, and behavior that supports learning
DOMAIN 11
Personal Independence
Daily living skills, including eating, dressing, hygiene, and toileting
Note: The ESDM Curriculum Checklist is a clinical tool, not a diagnostic test. It maps your child's exact skill level across all 11 domains so goals are built from real data, not assumptions.
Joint Activity Routines
JARS are the teaching vehicle of ESDM, simple, joyful, back-and-forth routines where your child and the BCBA share attention, take turns, and enjoy being together. Every goal is embedded inside one.
The 4 steps of every JAR
Join
Follow your child's interest and enter the activity without taking over.
Add
Expand the routine with simple actions, sounds, words, or turns.
Wait
Create a natural opportunity for your child to communicate or participate.
Celebrate
Use natural reinforcement, respond warmly and keep the routine going.
✦ Example: Bubble Routine
The BCBA blows bubbles, then pauses and waits. Your child looks, gestures, vocalizes, or says "more", and immediately the bubbles come again. Inside one joyful routine:
Requesting
Joint Attention
Turn-Taking
Imitation
Shared joy
Communication
Joint Activity Routines
JARS are the teaching vehicle of ESDM, simple, joyful, back-and-forth routines where your child and the BCBA share attention, take turns, and enjoy being together. Every goal is embedded inside one.
The 4 steps of every JAR
Join
Follow your child's interest and enter the activity without taking over.
Add
Expand the routine with simple actions, sounds, words, or turns.
Wait
Create a natural opportunity for your child to communicate or participate.
Celebrate
Use natural reinforcement, respond warmly and keep the routine going.
✦ Example: Bubble Routine
The BCBA blows bubbles, then pauses and waits. Your child looks, gestures, vocalizes, or says "more", and immediately the bubbles come again. Inside one joyful routine:
Requesting
Joint Attention
Turn-Taking
Imitation
Shared joy
Communication
Joint Activity Routines
JARS are the teaching vehicle of ESDM, simple, joyful, back-and-forth routines where your child and the BCBA share attention, take turns, and enjoy being together. Every goal is embedded inside one.
The 4 steps of every JAR
Join
Follow your child's interest and enter the activity without taking over.
Add
Expand the routine with simple actions, sounds, words, or turns.
Wait
Create a natural opportunity for your child to communicate or participate.
Celebrate
Use natural reinforcement, respond warmly and keep the routine going.
✦ Example: Bubble Routine
The BCBA blows bubbles, then pauses and waits. Your child looks, gestures, vocalizes, or says "more", and immediately the bubbles come again. Inside one joyful routine:
Requesting
Joint Attention
Turn-Taking
Imitation
Shared joy
Communication
