Child Development
1. Describe the main areas of babies and children’s development from birth to
5 years and their further development from age 5 to 7:
Brain development: This area is when children develop over the first five years of
their lives; experiences and relationships stimulate millions of connections in their
brains. Children’s brains develop connections faster in the first five years of their
lives than at any other time.
From 0-2 years:
● Caregiver-baby relationships must be built on trust.
● There is a descending order to motor development:
- At one month, raises head
- At six months, sits without support
- At 12 months, he walks alone
● Babies explore their environment and learn from it
● Vocabulary building begins.
From 2-4 years:
● Unsupported climbs and descends the stairs
● Skips and hops
● Develops short-sentence skills
● It is common for children to engage in role-playing and to make up imaginary
friends.
From 4-7 years:
● Achieving self-care
● Plays cooperatively with others
● Plays competitively
● Counts, reads, draws, writes and recites the alphabet
● There are many questions and a desire to know why things happen as they
do.
Cognitive: This area is the way a child learns how to think, how to handle
information and how to express themselves.
From birth to 3 months:
● Practice anticipatory behaviour, such as sucking at the site of the nipple or
bottle
● Pitch and volume differences between sounds can be detected
● Within 13 inches, distinguish objects more clearly
● Pay attention to moving objects, including caregivers' faces
● The ability to see every colour in the human visual spectrum
● Sweet, salty, bitter, and sour tastes can be distinguished
● Respond to their environment by using facial expressions
From 3-6 months:
● Try to imitate the facial expressions of others
● Identify familiar sounds and react to them
● Identify familiar faces
● Observe other people's facial expressions
From 6-9 months:
● Gaze longer at ‘impossible’ things, such as an object suspended in midair
● Tell the differences between pictures depicting different numbers of objects
● Learn how to distinguish inanimate objects from animate ones
● Calculate the distance between an object using its relative size
From 9-12 months:
● Taking a look at picture books is fun
● A few basic gestures and actions can be imitated
● Objects can be manipulated by turning them over, putting them into each
other, etc.
● Make sounds and gestures in response.
From 1-2 years old:
● Similar objects can be identified
● Observe how adults behave and speak and imitate them
● Learn through exploration
● Picture books can be used to point out familiar objects and people
● Differentiate between ‘I’ and ‘You’
● Understand and respond to words
From 2-3 years old:
● Recognise themselves in the mirror by name
● Imitate more complex adult behaviours (playing house, doing laundry, etc.)
● Use the right object for the right purpose
● Identify the things in a picture book
● Follow simple instructions from parents and caregivers
● Organise objects by category (for example, animals, flowers, trees, etc.).
● On a peg, stack rings in descending order of size.
From 3-4 years old:
● Gain information by asking "why" questions
● Show a sense of both the past and the present
● Observe and listen to instructions to learn
● Keep a five to fifteen minute attention span
● Sort objects according to their size and shape
● Seek answers to questions
● Colour-matching and grouping objects
From 4-5 years old:
● Describe and name pictures they create
● Count to five or more accurately
● Draw the shape of a person
● Name and identify many colours
● Rhyme
● Recognise where they live and be able to tell
From 5-7 years old:
● Five or more words can be used in their sentences
● They enjoy planning and building
● The concept of space, time, and dimension is understood by them
● It is easy for them to understand concepts like yesterday, today, and
tomorrow.
Speech, language and communication: This area is about learning to
communicate with others and to understand their communication.
From birth to 3 months:
● Loud sounds startle the baby
● When spoken to, they smile
● Becomes aware of parents/caregivers' voices and quiets down
● It makes different sounds (cooing) and cries depending on its needs.
From 4-6 months:
● When they hear a sound, they move their eyes in that direction
● Sound-making toys are noticed
● Pay attention to the music
● Use (p, b, and m) sounds more when babbling
● Giggles and chuckles
● Uses sounds to show excitement and displeasure
● With and without a parent or caregiver, they make gurgling sounds.
From 7 months-1 year:
● Likes to play peek-a-boo
● Looks toward the sound
● When spoken to, listens
● Learns common words (cup, shoe, book, juice)
● Responds to requests such as (come here and want more)
● An act of attracting attention by speaking or making non-crying sounds
● Communicates using gestures (hands up and waving)
● Imitates different speech sounds
● One or two words are present (hi, dog, mama, dada), but the sounds could be
clearer.
From 1-2 years old:
● When asked or named, points to several body parts and pictures in books,
● Understands and follows simple commands
● Enjoys simple stories, songs, and rhymes
● Talks about and asks for things using two or three words
● Babbles or talks using k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds
● Most of the time, familiar listeners understand speech.
From 2-3 years old:
● Be able to distinguish between different meanings (go and stop)
● Follows up on two requests (get the book and bring it to me)
● Spends more time listening to stories and enjoying them
● There is a word for almost everything in his vocabulary.
From 3-4 years old:
● When someone calls them from another room, they hear it
● Discusses what they are doing at school/nursery or with friends
● Responds to simple questions such as "who?" "What?" "Where?" and "why?"
● Uses a lot of sentences with four or more words
● Can speak without repeating syllables or words.
From 4-5 years old:
● Answers simple questions about a short story
● In school and at home, most things are heard and understood
● Tells stories that stick to the topic, uses detailed sentences,
● Has an easy time communicating with other children and adults
● Correctly pronounces most words
● Names some letters and numbers and says rhyming words.
From 5-7 years old:
● The ability to focus for longer periods without being reminded
● Learning new words requires less reliance on pictures and objects
● Learn to read, write, and spell using their language skills
● Learn how the same word can mean two different things, such as 'orange' the
fruit and 'orange' the colour
● The words 'minus' and 'take away' can mean the same thing.
● You should be able to understand feelings and descriptive words, such as
'carefully', 'slowly' or 'cleverly', be understood.
● Asking questions or persuading
● Share and discuss more complex ideas
Physical: This area is about developing children’s fine and gross motor skills.
Birth to 6 months:
● When lying on the stomach, lifts the head and chest
● Turns from side to side and back again
● Supported sitting
● Aims to hold the head up
● Being able to raise their head while lying on their tummy
● In 4-6 months, they are able to roll from back to tummy
● Reaches for objects
● Holds objects for a short time and drops them
● Responds to faces and objects as they move
● Plays with hands, fingers and toes
● Sucks on everything around them and manipulates objects
6-12 months:
● Sitting without support
● Placing objects inside a container
● Pulls to a standing position
● Walks aided
● Stands alone
● Learns to crawl by eight months
● Begins to crawl around and eventually walk
● Develops eye-hand coordination
● Picks up medium or big objects
● Plays with toys in each hand
● Points using their fingers
● Sees almost everything with good vision
12-18 months:
● Stands alone
● Walks without support
● Walks backwards
● Runs stiffly
● Squats down to be able to reach something
● Climbs up stairs
● Can throw a ball
● Walks well enough
● Walks while holding something
● Turns pages of a book at one time
● Scribbles on a piece of paper
● Picks up objects using their thumb and forefinger
● Can open a small box
● Hold a spoon with their fist
● Feeds themselves using fingers
● Holds and drinks from a cup
● Build a tower
18-24 months:
● Jumps off the ground using both feet
● Bends at the waist when picking things up
● Throws objects overhead
● Kicks a ball
● Assists in dressing and undressing themselves
● Drinks from a straw
● Pulls down zippers
2-3 years:
● Constantly in motion
● Jumps off low objects
● Runs but has difficulty stopping
● Catches objects with arm extended and elbows stiff
● Walks up and down the stairs independently
● Turns individual pages from a book
● Screws lids of and on
● Uses a spoon and spills often
● Holds scissors correctly
● Strings large beads or pasta together on a string
3-4 years:
● Hops, skips, jumps and runs
● Walks on tiptoes
● Catches with arms held straight
● Rides a tricycle
● Walks on a low balance beam
● Holds pencils and crayons with some control
● Copies circles
● Cuts with scissors
● Unbuttons clothes
● Uses spoon and fork
4-6 years:
● Whirls around and hangs on bars
● Hops several times in a row
● Climbs larger things
● Can catch a ball with both hands and beanbag
● Prints name
● Forms shape with playdough or clay
● Brushes teeth, washes hands and brushes hair
● Dresses self not including shoes
● Develops a hand preference
6-9 years:
● Growth rate slows down
● Needs frequent rest, requires eleven hours of sleep
● Has established which hand to use
● Coordination not fully developed
● Slides and dances, in addition to running and jumping
● Plays ball, tag or catch
● Improves their writing skills
● Engages in art
● Plays musical instruments
● Dresses and undresses independently
● Develops larger, harder bones
● Gets sick less often
Personal, emotional and social: This area is about the relationships the child
builds with others and understanding their selves.
0-2 months old:
● Smiling
● looking at caregiver
● crying to have specific needs met
● sometimes self-soothing by sucking on their hands or fingers
4 months:
● Spontaneously smiling
● Becomes aware of their surroundings
● Playing
● Imitating facial expressions for the first time
6 months:
● In response to your emotions, they may cry, smile, or laugh
● Mirrors themselves often and enjoys it
● Determines whether a person is a stranger or a familiar face
9 months:
● Anxiety about strangers
● Shows a preference for toys or comfort objects
● When the caregiver leaves the room, the child may cry
● A few words are learned
12 months:
● Among the people they know, they have favourites
● Plays simple games like peek-a-boo
● When confronted with new situations, they may show fear
● Anxiety around unfamiliar people may be present
● Identifies sounds or actions by imitating them
18 months – 2 years:
● Temper tantrums are more frequent
● Insists on independence
● Gets upset when not the centre of attention
● When attempting to communicate, they may become frustrated
● Plays pretend, imitates adults or other children
● Having side-by-side (parallel) play with others
● Lacks an understanding of other people's feelings and thoughts
3 – 4 years:
● Expressing emotions in a broader range
● There may be confusion between reality and make-believe
● Kindness and compassion can be spontaneous
● Cooperative play involves playing with other kids
● It is easier to separate from caregivers
● Communicates needs with words
● Toys are shared
● Children sometimes work out small conflicts with each other
● Incapable of expressing emotions verbally
● When routines change, or they do not get what they want, they may have
tantrums.
5 – 6 years:
● Ability to understand and be sensitive to others' feelings
● Become more aware of the rules
● Conversational and independent
● Plays cooperatively with other children
● They become aware of their gender
● They may prefer playing with peers of their gender
● Even though they will test boundaries, they are eager to help and please
adults
● Becomes aware of and understands embarrassment
● Distinguishes reality from belief
7 – 8 years:
● Being more aware of how others perceive them
● Making an effort to fit in
● Extending their vocabulary, including their emotional vocabulary
● Understanding death begins
● Kids may complain about friendships and other kids' reactions
● Despite wanting to behave appropriately, they are not as attentive to
directions as they should be
● Attempts to express feelings verbally but may still resort to aggression or
tantrums when upset
● A greater sense of awareness of their surroundings
Literacy and numeracy: This area is useful when they head to school and helps
develop their communication and language.
Literacy:
0–12 months:
● Reach for soft-covered books or board books
● Touch the pictures in books and look at them
● Coo or make sounds in response to a storybook
● Turn the pages with your help
1–2 years:
● Name familiar objects in pictures, such as the dog, the cup, and the baby
● Describe what they see in books and answer questions about it
● Identify favourite book covers
● Book recitations
● Makeup stories while turning pages and pretending to read.
3–4 years:
● Holding and handling books correctly
● Observe that words are read from left to right while pages are read from top to
bottom
● Start noticing rhyming words
● Identify about half of the alphabet's letters
● Identify letter sounds (like b making a b sound)
● Become familiar with their name printed in print and other words they often
see, such as signs and logos.
5 years:
● Sort the letters according to the sounds they represent
● In spoken words such as ‘dog’ or ‘sit’, identify the beginning, middle, and
ending sounds
● Change the beginning sound of new words, such as rat to sit.
● Match the words on the page to the words they hear
● Become familiar with some words by sight without having to sound them out
● The question of who, what, where, when, and why should be asked and
answered about a story
● Use words or pictures to retell an account in order
● Make predictions about a story's outcome
● For information and fun, start reading or asking to be read books
● During playtime or conversation, use story language (such as "I can fly!" the
dragon said. "I can fly!").
6–7 years:
● Learn the rules of spelling
● Fluency and speed in reading can be improved
● Unfamiliar words can be sounded out and understood by using context clues
● Self-monitoring: reread a word or sentence that doesn't make sense
● Make connections between what they're reading, other books they've read,
and world events
Numeracy:
0–12 months:
● Make predictions about what is going to happen next (such as running water
means time to take a bath)
● Get a basic understanding of cause and effect (shaking a rattle makes a
sound)
● Make simple classifications (some toys make noise, others don't).
● Get a sense of relative size (baby is small, parents are big)
● Develop an understanding of words that describe quantities (more, bigger,
enough)
1–2 years:
● Understand that numbers mean ‘how many.’
● Recite numbers, skipping some.
● Understand comparison and measurement words (under, behind, faster).
● Shape matching (triangles to triangles, circles to circles)
● Fill and empty containers to explore measurement
● Observe things such as floor tiles and daily routines for patterns
3–4 years:
● Identify shapes in the real world
● Sort things according to their colour, shape, size, or purpose
● Use classifications such as height, size, or gender to compare and contrast
● Count up to at least 20
● Understand that numerals stand for number names (4 stands for four)
● Assemble puzzles using spatial awareness
● Predict cause and effect (such as what will happen if a toy is dropped into
water)
5 years:
● Add by counting their fingers on one hand from 1 to 5, then starting with 6-10
on the second hand
● Know how to identify the larger number out of two and recognise numbers up
to 20
● Shapes with symmetry can be copied or drawn
● Learn about basic time concepts, such as mornings and weeks
● Use words such as first and next when following multi-step directions
● Make sense of words such as unlikely and possible
6-8 years:
● Predict the next step in a pattern and create their own
● Identify two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes (cubes, cones,
cylinders)
● Learn to write and recognise the numerals 0 to 100, as well as the words for
the numbers one to twenty
● Add and subtract up to 20 using basic addition and subtraction skills
● Start to understand the value of coins
2. Describe the expected pattern of babies and children’s development from
birth to 5 years and their further development from age 5 to 7.
During the first three months of a child's life, they smile spontaneously, follow their
parents' faces, put their hands to their mouth, lift their head when placed on their
back, hold objects in their hand, and make babbling noises.
A baby learns to play with their feet between the ages of 4 to 5 months, hold their
head in a straight line as you pull them up, shows fear, and plays with rattles
between those ages.
During the period of 6 to 7 months, a baby sits in a tripod position with extended legs
and arms holding them against the ground, moves an object, rolls over, smiles in the
mirror, becomes sad when her parents leave, plays peek-a-boo, focuses on objects,
mimics sounds, and begins eating solid foods.
It is common for children to be able to sit on their own without support at nine months
old, crawl, pull themselves up, hold small objects like cereal between their thumb
and pointer finger (known as the pincer grasp), and say a few basic words.
The child can also stand independently, walk while holding a parent's hand, and put
objects into containers by 12 months of age.
During the first three years of life, they began learning to walk by themselves (15
months), run on their own, feed themselves, dress by themselves, and talk more
independently.
Young children aged 3 to 6 learn by interacting physically and intellectually with the
world around them. Colouring, skipping, playing pretend, catching a ball, rhyming,
and asking ''how'' and ''why'' will all be introduced.
Children can copy short words and write some familiar words by age of 6 to 7 years.
Besides being able to hop and skip on both legs, jump with both feet, walk steadily
on low walls or beams, catch a ball with their hands rather than their arms, and ride a
bike either with or without stabilisers, they may also be able to play a few musical
instruments.
3. Describe how skills and behaviours can be affected by a typical
development:
Atypical development can manifest in a variety of ways. Physical and cognitive
delays and social and emotional dysfunctions can occur. Children who develop
atypically can experience learning and social difficulties, for example, a lack of
sharing enjoyment or interests, problems with joint attention and apparent disinterest
in parents or other children. Other examples include intense separation anxiety,
unusual fearfulness of people, and extreme shyness.
Windows of opportunity (sensitive/critical periods)
In specific areas of development, windows of opportunity represent the optimum
period for development. A period of time when learning in a particular area can
develop rapidly occurs during these periods. There is no guarantee that the children
won't learn a new skill if we miss the opportunity, but it may be harder for them to
learn it and take longer.
Expected sequence and rate
The sequence of development refers to how children learn various skills, and the
rate of development refers to how quickly children develop. It's common for children
to develop in a certain order, but the rate at which they develop varies from child to
child. A clear understanding of the difference between sequence and rate is
essential for identifying special needs a child may have at each developmental
stage.