Child Development: Milestones, Stages, and Influences
Child Development Stages and Milestones
Physical Development
By the age of 12 months, many children can walk without support.
A child begins to develop fine motor skills during the sensorimotor stage.
What is an example of physical development?
Learning to walk
Activities involving large muscle groups, such as walking or jumping. (Gross motor skills)
Gross motor skills involve activities such as crawling and walking. True
The ability to develop fine motor skills typically begins in early childhood.
By what age do children typically begin to follow simple instructions? 12 months
Gross motor skills include: Walking and jumping
Fine motor skills refer to large movements like jumping and running. False
Physical play contributes to motor skill development. True
Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development
Object permanence is a cognitive milestone reached during the sensorimotor stage.
Children begin using language and thinking symbolically in the preoperational stage.
In the Concrete Operational Stage, children can:
Understand the concept of conservation
Children begin developing abstract thinking in the Formal Operational Stage. True
In the Sensorimotor Stage, infants learn about the world through their senses and actions.
Pretend play helps children develop their cognitive and social understanding.
Adolescence is characterized by the development of hypothetical thinking and identity exploration.
Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage begins around the age of: 12 years
Children in the Preoperational Stage begin to: Use language and think symbolically
Sensorimotor (0 to 2 years) – Preoperational (2 to 7 years) – Concrete (7 to 11 years) – Formal (12 years and up) – Early childhood (2 to 6 years)
In the Preoperational Stage, children begin to use language to represent objects.
Cognitive development involves the ability to think logically and solve problems.
Children start to recognize their own name by 6 months of age. False
Pretend play helps children develop problem-solving skills. True
Conservation refers to the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape. True
The Concrete Operational Stage occurs between 2 to 6 years of age. False
Piaget’s theory focuses on moral development in children. False
Formal Operational Stage is the final stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. True
How does play contribute to a child’s cognitive development?
Play helps children to imagine, explore, represent different situations, learn and discover their abilities, express emotions and show their way of seeing the world.
What is the significance of the Concrete Operational Stage in Piaget’s theory?
Children start to think logically about concrete events, they understand the concept of conservation; see which elements remain unchanged even when changes are made to their shape, color or position.
How does the environment affect a child’s cognitive development?
The environment in which a child develops has a profound effect on their cognitive ability, influencing their learning, social skills and emotional development. A positive and stimulating environment can significantly enhance their intellectual growth.
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
In Vygotsky’s theory, scaffolding refers to the support provided until a child can perform a task independently. True
Support provided until a child can complete a task independently. (Vygotsky’s scaffolding)
The gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with help. (Zone of proximal development (ZPD))
Vygotsky emphasized the importance of sociocultural factors in learning and cognitive development.
Vygotsky proposed the theory of sociocultural learning.
Vygotsky’s theory does not consider social interaction as an important factor in learning. False
Why is scaffolding important in early childhood education?
Scaffolding is an essential educational approach in early education, as it provides the necessary support to help children develop new skills and knowledge.
Social and Emotional Development
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
Erikson’s Trust vs. Mistrust stage occurs during (0-1 year) (age range).
Conflict between independence and doubt, typically occurring in early childhood. (Erikson’s Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt)
Erikson’s Industry vs. Inferiority stage is focused on: Developing competence
Social and Emotional Milestones
What kind of play is important for developing social skills and cooperation?
- Social Play
Which of the following is an environmental factor influencing child development?
Family dynamics
The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is called:
Empathy
A child’s temperament has no impact on their social development. False
Early childhood education primarily supports physical development only. False
The development of social and emotional skills is influenced by pretend play.
Children start to develop a sense of identity during adolescence.
Self-concept begins developing in early childhood. True
What role does the family environment play in a child’s development?
The family environment is fundamental for the integral development of the child, affecting his or her emotional health, social skills and learning capacity.
How can early childhood education help with emotional development?
Early childhood education helps improve relationships with peers and adults, increase self-esteem and resilience in the face of adversity.
How do social interactions with peers influence a child’s development?
Peer relationships provide a unique context in which children learn a range of critical social emotional skills, such as empathy, cooperation and problem-solving strategies.
Why is it important for parents to understand developmental milestones?
It is important as they can stimulate skills at home by helping to develop skills in the home.
What is emotional regulation, and why is it important for child development?
Emotional regulation is the ability to identify and regulate your emotions. It is important as it is key to personal well-being and relationships with others.