Assessment involves observing and documenting children's development, their learning experiences and relationships, and how they interact with the world around them. The purpose of assessment is to gather meaningful information about children in order to make informed decisions to benefit their education and development. Using a combination of assessment techniques is generally best to gain a fuller understanding of the child. Observational narrative techniques, sometimes called anecdotal records, can result in a rich array of developmental information about individual children that can be used in a variety of ways. An anecdotal record is a detailed descriptive narrative recorded after a specific behavior or interaction occurs. Anecdotal records inform teachers as they plan learning experiences, provide information to families, and give insights into identifying possible developmental delays. This article discusses the advantages of keeping anecdotal records and explores how effective it is in curriculum planning, communicating with families, and tracking of development and possible delays.