There are predicable stages of child development. Early stages of child development happen from infancy to age six years. All facets of a child's mind, body and personality develop simultaneously, although not independently, and emerge at varying rates and sequences. Early childhood is a time of physical development and refinement, attainment of social skills and achievement of independent behavior. Dramatic changes can occur during early childhood. The early stages of child development flow sequentially, however, regardless of the stage of development, the state of health or the situation. A child is first of all a child.
Infancy
Infancy is characterized by a period of rapid motor, cognitive and social development. Through connecting with caregivers, infants are able to establish a basic trust of the world and a foundation upon which to continue development. At no other time in life are physical and developmental achievements so dramatic. All major body systems undergo maturation, and there is concurrent development of skills that allow infants to respond and cope with the new environment.
The One-Year-Old
A one-year-old will accomplish many physical, emotional, and social milestones: crawling, walking, holding a cup, drinking from a cup and stacking two or three blocks. He may show interest in learning to use a spoon or holding a book that is being read to him. A one-year-old is able to keep himself awake and may resist bedtime. A child this age will know and use certain words, may be able to follow simple commands and can use a crayon to scribble. Emotionally, he can give hugs and kisses, display fear and anger, and attach to a security object, and he feels safe having a schedule to follow.
The Two-Year-Old
The "terrible twos" is a phrase often used to describe the toddler years from age 12 to 36 months. It is a time of intense exploration when a child is learning how the world works. The word "no" gets in the way of their adventures, and the only emotional responses at this age may be tantrums, negativism or obstinacy. The voracity for learning at this age has spurred the phase "they get into everything." But the very adventure of getting into things is the means of acquiring knowledge. Two-year-olds can construct sentences using two words, can play alongside others, insist on independence, are very possessive of toys and objects, can be extremely demanding and persistent and have a sense of humor.
The Three-Year-Old
About 75% of the three-year-olds' speech is understandable. They can string along three- to five-word sentences and enjoy listening to stories, especially familiar ones, and may ask to have the same book read over and over. They can play with Play-Doh and feed themselves because their fine motor skills continue to develop. They begin to learn primary colors and basic numbers, although the concepts are still elusive. Three-year-olds know the difference between themselves and others and seek the approval of adults. They can hop on one foot and are ready for toilet training.
Four- to Six-Year-Olds
Kids at this age are still very active, developing gross motor skills, including skipping, running and jumping. There is a lot of high energy here; they can easily overtire. They are very verbal and have a fanciful imagination alongside a literal mindset--doing "exactly" what you say. They are learning to use a pencil and write their names, they know numbers and may begin reading. Be prepared for an endless amount of questions on every new subject they encounter. Although they like to stay active, they remain observant of those around them. Morals are forming, and a sense of right and wrong is taking root. They may be clumsy because of neuromuscular development lagging behind their interests and adventures.
