A child in their early years undergoes various changes as a part of the development process. These changes are both physical and psychological. You can refer to them as developmental milestones. They help determine the right pace at which the developmental changes may be occurring in your child. Since every child will essentially take their own time to react & develop some skills. You can observe these changes in terms of physical, language, socio-emotional, & cognitive development.

As each of these parametric attributes is too important for your child’s integrative growth. You’ll observe several changes in your child at each stage of development. These stages may differ numerically as per experts’ knowledge. Some may divide them into four, five, or even six stages. However, the stages may differ but a child will undergo these changes at a definite age range.

We at Tickle Right, make sure that your little one gets the right environment for their nourishing growth. Help your child come in contact with right-brain education for their bright future ahead. This helps support the child’s ability to develop some great life skills.

What Is Child Development? 

The process of child development caters to the growth in social, emotional, physical, & cognitive-developmental areas. This must take your attention to the fact that it is not only about the physical changes that take place in a child. It also includes behavioral milestones to counter emotional changes along the way. Any such changes help typically grow while also taking into consideration others’ emotions. The initial years of a child’s growth & development require in-depth exposure & sensory awareness. This helps transform a child’s early experiences into a lifelong love for learning & problem-solving.

Characteristics Of Child Development Stages

As a child grows, so does their subconscious way of thinking. The child’s development stages undergo these changes by the means of –

1. Cognitive Development – The ability to think, explore, develop skills, & figure things out
2. Social & Emotional Development – The ability to understand their own & others’ emotions & feelings
3. Speech & Linguistic Development – The ability to understand & express the language & distinguish speech words
4. Fine Motor Skill Development – The ability to use hand skills to write, button up, tie shoelaces, & others
5. Gross Motor Skill Development – The ability to use large muscles to walk, run, hop, lift things, & others

 

The 5 Stages Of Child Development

The five stages of child development are newborn, infant, toddler, preschool, & school age. These divisions help differentiate the child’s development growth traits into independent stages. They specifically highlight a child’s natural responses to an external stimulus. As these changes happen rapidly during the course of development, here’s all you need to know about your little one –

1. Newborn (0-3 Months)

During the initial months of a child’s life, newborns react intrinsically to an external stimulus. They can move their head from one side to the other, view close-up objects, & recognize particular smells. This also extends to them crying or smiling to express their needs. A newborn will also move its head towards your hand whenever you stroke your child’s cheeks. So by the time your little one is 3 months old, you’ll witness beautiful smiles on their face. They may also be willing to grab your fingers when you place them on their hands. Other than that, you may also expect some signs of disabilities. Like, spina bifida, genetic disorders, and fetal alcohol syndrome.

 

2. Infant (3-12 Months)

By the time your little one turns 1 year old, you can expect some rapid changes in them. At three to six months of age, the baby begins to babble & identify familiar faces. They are also capable of controlling their head movements & bringing their hands closer. A 6-month child begins to sit without support & hop during a standing position. This also stretches to them responding to their name call-outs. You can expect them to respond with gestures. A child between 9 and 12 months of age is able to pick up thongs, crawl, point at objects, & imitate actions & sounds.

 

3. Toddler (1-3 Years)

This child’s developmental stage caters to focus on the child’s movements & actions. A child in this stage shall be able to climb, jump, catch a ball, & walk without support. They are in a position to run, hop, & even wave bye at the people around them. You can also expect them to play with colors, hold a pencil, or draw a circle duly. By this time, they also begin to use short sentences & follow one-to-two-step directions. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a child must be screened for autism. This must be usually done between 18 to 24 months of the age span or whenever any concern arises relatively.

 

4. Preschool (3-5 Years)

A child in the 3-5 years of age group becomes eligible for preschool education. The stage primarily revolves around strengthening their motor skills. When children hold tightly to this stage, they are able to skip, hop, and learn to dress themselves duly. They become fully capable of throwing or catching a ball or even standing on one foot for a few seconds. They can also draw a person or other proper structures properly. Furthermore, you can expect your child at this stage to speak complete long sentences in a single go. By the time they turn 4, they are also completely abiding by their toilet training all by themselves.

 

5. School Age (6 Years & Above)

A child’s school-age begins when they turn 6. At this age, they are surely more confident & capable of trying out new things. Your child takes up a path towards more independent decisions & understanding others’ perspectives suitably. Their focus shifts to peer relationships & they encounter different emotions more often. It can be getting angry, caring, jealous, loving, & others. Your child’s learning skills must be more refined than ever. Yes, both speaking & writing skills. Amongst other milestones, one important factor is that your child becomes fully capable of communicating via words & gestures too

 

FAQs

 

1. What is the importance of child development? 

Early child development sets the bedrock to tap into your child’s potential accurately. It creates a positive impact on a child’s long-term endeavors & opportunities. Therefore, here’s why child development is most important at an early age:

• Builds cognitive development skills
• Shapes a child’s future health
• Instills a lifelong love for learning
• Fosters imagination & creativity
• Promotes holistic mind development
• Encourages independence & growth

 

2. What are the 5 basic child development skills? 

Here are the 5 basic child development skills for a holistic development approach –

• Cognitive development skills
• Social & emotional skills
• Speech & linguistic skills
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills

 

3. How do children’s brains develop?

A child’s brain development begins before birth & continues through the adulthood years. It is built through exposure & awareness by encountering multitudinous experiences. When a child undergoes these several day-to-day experiences, it helps them understand the world better. This also stimulates them to think hard & give a response to develop the essential brain connections.

 

Takeaway

Every child undergoes several stages of growth & development. Each of these stages has a milestone to attain for a child’s overall personality development. As parents, you must understand that your baby, toddler, or child develops skills rapidly! This comes from day-to-day interactions & environmental experiences. The pace may at which they grow may differ for each child. But it’s important to keep your child in an environment that’s nurturing for their actions. It is their best chance of developing as they must. Tickle Right helps provide such an environment catering to each child’s unique interests. This also helps tap into your child’s undiscovered talents & skills.