Children go through various stages of development in their growth. This post answers the question: What are the developmental stages of childhood.
Let’s examine the developmental stages of childhood, from cradle to adolescence.
They include physical development, cognitive development, and social/emotional development.
Which ones are true? Read on to find out. We will explore each in turn. After all, our children are developing all the time!
Contents
Physical Development
As a child grows, his physical development improves. He begins to distinguish between different tastes, detect volume and pitch differences, and improves his vision.
He also develops fine motor skills, such as the ability to pick up objects and write their names.
At this age, physical development includes many activities that require fine motor skills, such as play with toys and chalk.
His cognitive abilities continue to grow, as he begins to recognize familiar faces and reacts to different sounds and sights.
As a parent, you may be worried that your child isn’t developing as expected.
If you notice that your child’s physical development has slowed down, talk to your pediatrician.
The pediatrician can perform developmental screenings at well-child checkups and between them.
Regardless of the cause of the delay, early identification can be a life-changing experience for your child.
Physical development occurs during the first year of life.
Children between the ages of three and five are beginning to refine their motor skills and begin to walk without assistance.
In addition to walking, they are also developing advanced fine motor skills.
By the time they reach their first birthday, most children are already walking and demonstrating advanced physical capabilities.
Physical growth continues to improve after the first birthday and beyond, with a wider developmental window.
Social Development
Development refers to changes in behavior or growth.
Children begin to develop a sense of self at around age three or four, when they learn to do more activities on their own and begin to develop self-confidence.
Their increasing self-awareness sets the stage for future social development, and any changes in this development can signal a child’s social difficulties.
Here’s a look at some typical stages of social development.
- Infants begin to understand and respond to the behaviors, emotional expression, and communication of others.
- They also learn to read and interpret social scripts and become aware of their own identity within a complex social environment.
- Social awareness and competence are essential aspects of human life, and a child’s development depends on it.
- Social development begins in childhood and continues throughout life. During this stage, a child’s attachment to a parent changes naturally.
- As an infant, children learn to share toys with others.
- By the time they enter their preschool years, they are able to create narratives of their own and collaborate to act out these stories.
- In primary school, children are often part of sports teams, and develop their social skills by participating in competitions.
Developing friendships with peers is essential to the child’s development.
Moreover, children develop social skills by interacting with other people in a positive manner and learning to manage conflict.
Cognitive Development
During the early years of development, children develop internal representations of the world, which they do through language and mental imagery.
During this stage, they can classify objects into groups based on their height, weight, and importance.
They are able to make associations based on symbolism, which means making one thing represent something else.
They also begin to think logically, and begin to understand abstract concepts.
During this stage, children can begin to evaluate their own thoughts and actions, including their opinions and behaviors.
They can determine which response is best based on their own experience. In fact, Piaget included the idea of schema in his theory of cognitive development.
Children can begin to compare and evaluate different ideas to determine which is the best way to solve a problem.
Cognitive Development & Cognitive Competence
However, the information processing model of cognitive development has many criticisms and debates.
While Piaget maintained that children develop their cognitive skills through independent exploration, Vygotsky asserted that these skills are acquired through social interactions.
He believed that culture had an effect on how children develop their cognitive skills.
He would argue that the most effective way to help children develop their cognitive skills is to scaffold them.
Regardless of which theory is correct, teachers should be aware of the differences between cognitive development and cognitive competence.
Motor Development
Motor development is the process by which children learn to control their bodies.
This process includes the first spontaneous movements of an infant, adaptive control of reaching and locomotion, and advanced sport skills.
In a general sense, motor behavior encompasses all aspects of a child’s exploratory activities, from eye movements and head movement to large body movements and manipulating objects.
Similarly, gross motor actions are the movement of large limbs and the entire body, while fine motor behaviors involve manipulation of objects and other small body parts.
The motor skills of children develop rapidly during this stage.
At the age of three to five, they can walk, stand on one foot, and skip. They are also able to draw simple objects and complete sentences.
They also begin toilet training and can use the bathroom independently.
During this stage, signs of developmental disabilities may appear. However, these are not always immediate.
Early diagnosis of motor delays is crucial to the child’s overall development.
This period is also crucial in the early development of a child’s sense of sight and hearing.
As they develop their eyesight, they begin to focus on objects and faces that move. They also develop their ability to detect differences in pitch and volume.
They also learn to imitate facial expressions and demonstrate anticipation behaviors.
During this stage, babies develop their perception and recognize familiar faces, sound, and environments.
They are also capable of recognizing and reacting to certain stimuli.
Relationships With Others
At the early stage, children develop social comparison and their own sense of gender identity. The development of empathy and a sense of right and wrong begin at early age.
Young children learn to share and play with other children, and begin to imitate the adults and peers around them.
They learn to take on other perspectives, and their relationships with others begin to take on more complex and enduring forms.
Relationships with others are an important part of the child’s growth, and can be a great way to reinforce healthy behaviors and relationships.
Young children also develop their independence and self-control. However, they still need adult guidance and interaction.
Caring relationships play a prominent role in the brain structure. These relationships help young children grow up with a sense of responsibility.
However, these relationships can be destructive if they do not have the right kind of support.
When children feel secure, they will be more likely to focus on learning and avoiding problems.
The development of relationships with others begins early in life.
Young children develop their sense of self as an individual, and they are especially sensitive to criticism from others.
At this age, children develop a sense of conscience and begin to engage in pretend play.
They also become more adept at using spoken language, and they can focus on people they are introduced to.
Relationships with others are an important part of a child’s development and should be nurtured, supported, and encouraged.
Learning to Read
Children are not born with the ability to read.
They develop this skill through exposure to texts and the corresponding oral language.
In order to read, they must develop an understanding of the sounds of words and learn to connect written language with oral language.
Children in the first three grades develop reading skills at a different pace than children in the second and fourth grades.
It is important to recognize the developmental stages of children to support their reading skills.
Toddlers start to develop early literacy skills through repeated exposure to books and adults.
They may begin identifying letters, phrases, and song refrains.
They also start to physically handle books and begin to understand that books contain stories.
They may also start to recognize basic words and letters and begin making marks on the pages to represent objects and actions.
Eventually, this stage will progress into kindergarten. Learning to read is an important milestone for children at this age.
The first stage of reading is called emergent literacy.
The child develops new language skills, beginning with the first letter of their name.
They also begin to distinguish written and spoken words. They respond to spoken and nonverbal communication from the parents and caregivers.
They begin to recognize letters and sounds, and may even try to memorize books.
By the time they reach the second and third stages, they are capable of reading books that contain words.
Understanding Differences Between Animate And Inanimate Objects
Infants can distinguish between a living being and an inanimate object even before they are able to speak.
They start to understand the difference between animate and inanimate objects when they can distinguish between pictures of many objects.
As they get older, they can distinguish between objects that are floating in midair and those that are not.
The ability to distinguish between animate and inanimate objects is crucial for children throughout their development.
At this stage, children learn to think less egocentrically, and begin to consider others’ feelings and thoughts.
They begin to see the world from many perspectives, which is crucial for their early development.
Children struggle with abstract concepts, but they do begin to understand that volume and weight remain the same regardless of the object’s appearance.
As a result, they begin to appreciate the importance of noticing the difference between an object’s size and its shape, as well as its color, texture, and sound.
Final Thoughts
As a parent or a teacher it is important to be aware of the developmental stages of childhood. This empowers you to guide your child or your leaner accordingly. It also helps to spot any developmental delays or challenges and take appropriate action early enough.
