Intellectual development refers to the formation of the ability to learn. An ongoing process, intellectual development continues from birth through adulthood. How your child develops cognitively as an infant sets the stage for further intellectual development and determines her capacity for knowledge and understanding later in life. Understanding intellectual development in your infant will help you encourage the skills needed for improved cognition.
Stages of Development
Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, proposed four stages of cognitive development. Each stage consists of cognitive abilities which must be completed before advancing to the next stage of development. Dr. George C. Boeree reports that Piaget's stages are as follows: The sensorimotor stage pertains to babies from birth to age 2, the preoperational stage pertains to children 2 to 7 years old, the concrete operational stage pertains to children 7 to 11 years old and the formal operational stage pertains to children and adults 11 years and older.
Sensorimotor
In the sensorimotor stage, babies rely on motor skills and sensory perception as a method of intellectual development. Babies learn through exploration of the environment and new experiences and may manipulate objects to develop a better understanding of the world. "Object permanence," or the knowledge that an object continues to exist despite not being able to touch, see or hear it, is the major cognitive ability developed during this stage.
Memory
When your newborn cannot see or hear an object, he forgets about it. As a newborn and up to 6 months of age, your child's memory has not yet developed. As your child reaches his first birthday, his memory improves, and instead of forgetting about a hidden object, he will look for it. Your child will also begin to act out familiar activities and repeat actions that cause a reaction.
Language Development
Language skills, essential tools for your baby's learning, begin at birth. Your newborn will cry in different tones or manners to express different needs, and at 6 months, she will babble and coo. By 12 months, she may begin speaking her first words and make two-syllable sounds, such as "mama" or "dada."
Improving Intellectual Development
You can improve the intellectual development of your baby by talking, reading, playing and listening to music with him. Talking and reading to your baby allows him to explore his world through live language as he relates what happens around him and in pictures to the words he hears. Using simple words and describing objects and tasks will encourage language skills in your child. Playing with educational toys with your child improves intellectual development by encouraging exploration of the world through touch and sensory stimulation. Music encourages listening skills and subtle intellectual development but should not be played too loudly.
