Though child psychologists have broken childhood into a variety of different stages of development, there is no one theory that experts hold to be the leading development theory. Instead, each of the psychological theories may be combined into broader categories encompassing early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. Each of these stages is marked by particular areas of development, and understanding how children move through each of these stages can help adults better understand their child's needs.
Early Childhood
Early childhood, which includes the first eight years of a child's life, is marked by several critical periods of development. Language development is among the most important ares of growth at this stage, with the child learning between 300 and 1,000 words in the first three years of life. By age five, children should be able to construct simple, short sentences that convey meaning. Educators may test a child's language ability in this stage by providing picture cue cards and encouraging the child to construct a story that relates the events occurring in the pictures. Children also develop their social skills in this stage, and learn how to appropriately interact with peers. However, the child's fundamental understanding of fairness and equity is still self-centered.
Middle Childhood
Middle childhood, which includes ages between 8 and 12, is downplayed by many child psychologists as a relatively unimportant period of growth and development. Sigmund Freud, considered by many to be the father of modern psychology, regarded middle childhood as a stage of latency in which no psychosexual development occurred. Because much of the child's basic cognitive development occurs before age 8, and because physical changes rarely begin until puberty at approximately age 12, middle childhood does not see the amount of growth that other stages see. However, much social development occurs at this stage, with children learning how to interact with peers. A child's personality is also more readily visible in middle childhood. It is at this stage that children begin to externalize fairness and understand how their actions may impact other individuals.
Adolescence
Other than the first few years of a child's life, adolescence marks the biggest change in physical development. Between 12 and 18 years of age, children on average grow approximately 8 inches in height and 45 lbs. in weight. Children also go through a period of sexual maturation which makes adolescents physically appear more similar to adults than children. Cognitively, adolescents are also better able to deal with abstract problems. During this stage, children gain the cognitive skills necessary to evaluate and implement hypothetical solutions. Adolescents also gain the ability to better comprehend cause and effect; they can more readily theorize possible outcomes to any given action than they could in earlier stages of development.
References
- StateUniversity.com: Stages of Growth Child Development
- "Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence"; David R. Shaffer; 1999
- "Abnormal Child Psychology"; Eric J. Mash; 2010
