Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Vocabulary Game
Exam terms with clues and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
About the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Vocabulary Games
4 free word games built on 40 Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential terms across 13 topics. Every game deals terms at random and shows what each term means, so you can keep playing as long as you like.
How to Play
- 1.Read the clue and type the term (3 to 6 letters).
- 2.Green: right spot. Yellow: wrong spot. Gray: not in the term.
- 3.Solve it in 6 tries, then read the explanation.
- 1.Swap two neighboring tiles to line up 3 of the same term.
- 2.Longer lines, two lines at once and chains score more.
- 3.Play until no swap can make a line.
- 1.Flip two cards. A matching pair stays face up.
- 2.Each pair you find shows what the term means.
- 3.Clear the board in as few moves as you can.
- 1.Find each listed term in the letter grid.
- 2.Drag across its letters: across, down or diagonally.
- 3.Find all five as fast as you can.
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Topics in the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Vocabulary Game
Safe environment
Health and nutrition
Learning environment
Physical development
Cognitive development
Communication skills
Creative expression
Self and identity
Social development
Positive guidance
Home partnerships
Program management
Early childhood professionalism
Sources for these terms (22)
- Council for Professional Recognition — CDA Competency Standards At-A-Glance and The Eight (8) CDA Subject Areas (August 2025) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- Council for Professional Recognition — CDA Exam Prep Guide · Source checked 2026-11-01
- Council for Professional Recognition — Frequently Asked Questions (CDA Credentialing) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- MedlinePlus — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.47 Safety practices (Head Start Program Performance Standards) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.21 Center-based option (Ratios and group size) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 7 CFR § 226.20 Requirements for meals (USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.44 Child nutrition · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.43 Oral health practices · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.31 Teaching and the learning environment · Source checked 2026-11-01
- MedlinePlus — Toddler Development · Source checked 2026-11-01
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Developmental milestones record - 12 months · Source checked 2026-11-01
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Developmental milestones record - 2 months · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.32 Curricula · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.90 Personnel policies (Background checks and standards of conduct) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.17 Suspension and expulsion · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.34 Parent and family engagement in education and child development services · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 34 CFR § 303.20 Individualized family service plan (IDEA Part C) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.33 Child screenings and assessments · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 34 CFR § 300.320 Definition of individualized education program (IDEA Part B) · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.16 Attendance · Source checked 2026-11-01
- eCFR — 45 CFR § 1302.42 Child health status and care · Source checked 2026-11-01
About the CDA Exam
The CDA (Child Development Associate) credential is the most widely recognized early childhood credential in the United States, awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition. The exam tests 6 Competency Standards across 13 functional areas including safe environments, child development, social-emotional guidance, family relationships, program management, and professionalism.
Exam sponsor: Council for Professional Recognition / Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
65 questions
Time Limit
1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes)
Passing Score
Pass/Fail (no published cut score; evaluated across all 13 functional areas)
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CDA vocabulary game free?
Yes. The game is free to play with no sign-up. Signing in adds AI explanations for any term.
How do the CDA vocabulary games work?
There are 4 games built on 40 CDA terms. In Guess the Term, a clue describes one term and you have six tries to spell it, with green, yellow and gray letters showing how close you are. In Term Match, six terms appear as colored tiles; swap neighbors to line up three or more of the same term, and each match shows what the term means. In Term Pairs, twelve face-down cards hide six pairs of terms; flip two at a time to find each pair, and every pair you find shows what the term means. In Term Search, five terms hide in a grid of letters, reading across, down or diagonally; drag across a term to circle it, and each term you find shows what it means.
Where do the CDA terms come from?
OpenExamPrep researched each term from the Council for Professional Recognition / Pearson VUE content outline and primary sources, listed under Sources on this page. The game is independent study material, not an official exam resource.
How many questions are on the CDA exam?
The CDA exam has 65 multiple-choice questions: 60 standard knowledge-based questions and 5 scenario-based questions that include a short narrative and photograph. The time limit is up to 1 hour 45 minutes; Birth to Five candidates take the separate Birth to Five exam, which allows 1 hour 55 minutes.
What is the passing score for the CDA exam?
The Council for Professional Recognition does not publish a specific numeric passing score. Results are evaluated holistically across all 13 functional areas. The credentialing decision also considers the Verification Visit (or streamlined decision path for high exam performers) and the Professional Portfolio.