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hild Development
 Primary Ways that Children Develop What Makes a Good Toy? The Early Years The Preschool Years The School Years |
ome Primary Ways Children Develop
THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
In Infancy, babies move reflexively with no intention or control. During the first year, the child's movements become intentional, more refined and more coordinated.
At first an infant makes broad, awkward sweeps while attempting to reach a desired toy...a few months later he reaches out and neatly wraps his fingers around the toy and brings it to him...years later, that child is jumping a hurdle cleanly or running a relay race.
Especially helpful in this developmental area are toys that require stacking, constructing, pushing, pulling, shaking, turning, spinning, threading, squeezing, kicking, throwing, etc.
THROUGH MENTAL ACTIVITYHelpful in this area of development are books, games, puzzles, sand, water, clay; toys with various shapes, colors and sizes; and open-ended toys which have many possible outcomes.
THROUGH INTERACTION WITH OTHERSToys that enhance this area of development are games, stuffed animals, puppets, dolls, art materials, costumes, play figures, instruments, etc.
THROUGH CREATIVITYTo nurture this area of development, open-ended play things which have many possible outcomes are helpful: sand, water, construction sets, art materials, dolls, stuffed animals, play figures, vehicles, music and instruments, costumes and props, child-sized dishes and tools, etc.
hat makes a good toy?The greatest benefits of a toy are the joy and self-esteem that children experience when they play with it. One carefully selected toy can do so much for a child; the right toy can literally make him discover a love of learning!
A well-chosen toy has certain aspects that make it valuable to a child's growth:
The toy can be used in several different ways.A child can power the toy with her own ideas and imagination.The toy can grow with the child through more than one developmental stage.The toy has lots of developmental play value.The toy encouraged open-ended play (there is no one "right" answer or way to use the toy...it allows lots of room for a child's own creative thinking to come into play).The toy engages a child's interest beyond a few minutes- he will continue playing with it.The toy is fun, safe, durable and attractive!Humans are blessed with a natural curiosity and the desire to explore the world around them. Nurturing, loving environments, communication, having lots of room to run, and the availability of good toys are essential for that natural process of discovery to thrive- and this results in healthy, happy children!
arly YearsFresh Beginners and Move Abouts
Babies also learn by moving their bodies. Although at first their movement is reflexive (not voluntary), infants quickly learn that they can create change by moving their bodies. An example of this is when a baby hits the crib mobile by accident and something happens. After experiencing this several times, a connection is made and the baby will wave his arm in the same manner to recreate the effect. Intentional movement has begun.
Our knowledge about infants is going through revolutionary change. We are learning that even before birth, the fetus is beginning to use senses and body movement to learn. It is no accident when newborns look directly into their parents' eyes or turn to a warm, familiar voice. One clear choice they make is to use their senses to respond first to people, and then to objects. For example, while researchers are finding that infants like to look at things that move, what young infants seem to prefer most is looking at human faces. Another example of their "people choice" is their obvious preference for contact with another body-learning about the world through their skin- as opposed to lying by themselves in a cradle. The sense of touch provides reassuring warmth, tactile comfort, and closeness.
In the first year, infants dramatically change in their capacity to move independently, with each newly learned ability increasing their understanding. They quickly become active explorers of their environment. Initially, they explore intensely with their mouths, learning about different textures, shapes and tastes. For this reason, toys need to be safe and should provide interesting surfaces. As they begin to handle objects, babies form mental concepts about those experiences. They grow in their thinking abilities when they are faced with surprises they can manage.
They learn about object permanence (that is, that an object or person still exists, even if they can't see it at a particular moment- hence their love of endless games of peek-a-boo or hide-the-toy-under-the-blanket.) They come to understand the idea of cause and effect (shaking a rattle makes a great sound, or pushing down the button makes the clown jump up.) They are great experimenters, learning by trial and error, trying new things with familiar toys, and always welcoming a new uncharted adventure.
Coupled with an increased understanding of how things work is their growing ability to communicate. From birth, babies communicate. As in all areas of development, they do this first with the whole body, responding with pleasure to a parent's voice by smiling and kicking their arms and legs. A whole repertoire of sounds comes quickly to the infant who learns by listening to speech and by experimenting with his own voice and seeing its effect on the world. By the end of the first year, many babies use a few words with actual meaning: to get their needs met, to greet people, or for self-expression.
The greatest needs of an infant in the first year of life are for a warm, safe, trusting relationship with parents and caregivers; a physical environment that holds a variety of experiences; the freedom to explore that world safely; communication and respect as an individual. Toys that will delight the infant are those that can be squeezed, squeaked, chewed and grasped. Also favored will be things to stack and nest, as well as mirrors, books and music.
In the second years of life an infant becomes a toddler and continues to explore through senses and movement, although in a much more refined manner. the new mobility gained by learning to walk makes independence and curiosity the name of the game. Determined to find out how the world works, the toddler wants to take things apart and put them back together; to put them in and take them out; to stack, roll, pound and drop. Everything in her world becomes a toy and she likes to make things happen. Toys now take on a much greater role as toddlers begin to comprehend that they are truly separate from mom and dad and caretakers. Challenges in toys are welcome, and those toys that can be used in sand, water, and dirt are especially important because these are favorite elements.
A toddler's ability to communicate is exploding. He learns new words and their meanings at a phenomenal rate. This language explosion is enriched by those around him, and by other stimulating experiences with sound, music, and books. Imagination is now expressed in words and actions so that the toddlers can now show the world an ability to create a world of fantasy. Pretending at first will consist of imitation of those familiar actions that are most often watched (for example, stirring with a spoon in a bowl).
Toddlers will have the desire to express themselves creatively in music and art as well as with their newly discovered "talking" ability. With close supervision, children can begin to use crayons and marking pens on large sheets of paper. Seeing her own marks on a piece of paper will be thrilling to a two-year-old. Music, as well, provides the rhythms and maybe a few words of their favorite songs. The first three years in the life of a child are a wonder to behold. As babies and toddlers become preschoolers, their ability to perceive, hold information and respond to the world in diverse ways becomes a new challenge. They can now make sense of the concrete, physical world, and its translation into though, ideas and sensitivity become the method and the mode of learning. Eager to learn all about the physical world and their own place in it, they move on with tremendous energy.
reschool YearsHere & Now Kids
This is a very active and exciting time for children. They are curious, and find joy in exploring, doing new things, and looking for new experiences. Children at this age go from "knowing" things to really "understanding" them, and skills in thinking, learning and use of imagination flourish.
At three years of age, children interpret reality very literally in terms of immediate perceptions, and the only perspective they can take is their own. ("I am the center of the universe. Everything that happens involves me and happens to me.") This egocentric perspective also means that all things happen in the present: NOW. As children move through the next few years, their thinking becomes more flexible, and they begin to consider another's perspective. They also have a sense of time and history.
The development described above happens with maturation, interaction with people, play experience, and interaction with materials such as toys. Dramatic or creative play is especially important for preschoolers. As children remember something that happened yesterday and act it out, they create a past for themselves. As they imagine a fantasy role and pretend to be a character- Mom, Superman, a sky-diver, a firefighter- they are creating a future for themselves. With a lot of practice, memory and creative imagination, children begin to understand the past, present and future. Use of face make-up and dress-up clothes, books, dolls, and interaction with other children and adults, all support the development of these kinds of thinking skills. Games and activities with items to sort, classify, compare, contrast and match further children's learning of simple math concepts and ready them to begin recognizing written numerals and letters. Game play, with turn-taking and use of simple logic skills (such as lotto and dominoes), are valuable for recognizing "same" and "different" characteristics.
In order to learn concepts, children need to have all their senses and their whole bodies involved. The more concrete their experiences, the easier it will be to understand their world. They need toys and other objects that they can manipulate. For example, the simple household activity of setting the table and matching one plate, one fork, one knife, and one cup strengthens the child's grasp of one-to-one correspondence- a pre-math concept.
Language has developed from babbling sounds, simple words and simple sentences of two or three words to longer sentences and telling stories on a very sophisticated level. Lots of conversation, opportunities to make up stories, tape-recording their own voices, and listening to books and music will further expand this growth. Most three-year olds can carry on very adult-sounding conversations. Beware of their tendency to interpret words in very literal ways. Words need to mean exactly what they say, and meanings will be directly connected to the child's own experiences. Though they may fool you by repeating your words, their interpretation may be different than yours.
Physically, three-, four-, and five-year olds have good command of their bodies and are in the process of smoothing out their muscle movements (large and small). Therefore, they need places to run, jump, climb and swing. (A three-year-old seldom keeps still for longer than five minutes.) They are also beginning to understand their place in relation to other physical objects in space (they know "up", "down", "in" and "out") and are developing knowledge about size relationships (they know that houses are "bigger" than they are). In order to improve coordination and the use of small muscles, they will need pens, pencils, crayons, markers, and large sheets of paper on which to write and draw. Scissors, hole punchers and staplers will provide an added bonus to this paper "work". Constructive toys, puzzles, blocks, and all sorts of things to manipulate add to the refined movements they are beginning to master with their hands.
Children in this age group are very social and sociable. They are interested in everybody and may ask questions of those they meet in order to find out for themselves what is happening. They are beginning to move out into the world and need to know that adults are available as a safe base to which they can return. As they try out their own ideas and succeed, their self-esteem and sense of self enlarges and becomes stronger.
The desire to express oneself is also flourishing and is evidence of a stronger interest in personal identity. Arts and crafts materials, constructive toys and dramatic play will facilitate this growth. Pencils, pens, crayons, colored chalk, paste, glue, and small scissors become appropriate. Children will also enjoy easels and sheets of paper to paint on with tempera paint and water colors. Clay and play dough offer hours of pleasurable molding. Skill in the use of these materials will improve with lots of practice, and will still require supervision so that the experience is a positive one.
As children engage in dramatic and fantasy play, they are "fleshing out" their self-image and trying themselves out in pretend parts and situations. As they play with others- both adults and children- they are forming social relationships, learning to negotiate, developing language, acting in and directing drama, and practicing other skills they are beginning to master. Because imaginative play serves to unite so much of the growth accomplishment of this age, it is the single most important activity in which preschool children can take part.
When children practice crossing and re-crossing the lines between reality and fantasy, they establish the differences more firmly in their thinking, and begin to understand they are two distinct and separate worlds. This understanding helps them to further emerge from the "here and now" into the larger world.
chool YearsThe Adventurers
Exciting new worlds open to five-, six-, and seven-year olds as they continue to grow steadily in physical strength, coordination, thinking abilities and self-expression. While still exploring their understanding of the world through real, concrete experiences, children are beginning to take great pleasure in grasping new connections between concepts, remembering ideas and generally adding to their store of knowledge. Before they could repeat ideas like, "Mom is going to work." Now they really begin to understand the meaning behind the words.
With a firmer grasp on reality, play will no longer be an attempt to create the world in order to understand and learn about it, but rather will take on more of the aspects of recreation and relaxation- as it does for adults. With a spirit of adventure and discovery, children will find their neighborhoods comfortable places to explore. As they eventually reach the outer limits of the neighborhood, they will begin to glimpse beyond and into the larger community.
With expanding abilities of attention, memory and perception, the activities of ordering, categorizing and collecting have great appeal. Children will occasionally enjoy making order out of chaos by doing such activities as raking leaves from the lawn. Also, stamps, rocks and bugs (which previously have been interesting only to look at) now take on a "collectible" status. Constructive models and materials are a welcome challenge to the child's eyes and sense of space as the world enlarges by breadth and depth.
The beginnings of somewhat flexible logic is emerging, as well as real ability in problem-solving. More complex puzzles, math games and simple logic games all provide a fun means of practicing these abilities. Board games and card games also become attractive as children become more comfortable with decision-making, the use of rules, cooperating with others, and dealing with success and occasional failure.
Quality books and music will become more important as the ability to visualize (create mental pictures and images) develops from what children hear, what is read to them, the music they listen to, and the conversation they hear around them.
While language is definitely established by this age, the process of development is by no means complete. the ability to make sounds clearly is, in fact, still developing, and some sounds are not mastered until the age of seven. Enjoyment of the richness of words is now truly appreciated. While children at this age may not be able to articulate all they know, the sparkle of their understanding of a riddle is obvious. The challenge for children of this age is to be able to communicate to those around them all the amazing things that they see and understand.
Enjoying their increasing physical prowess makes "sport" toys and equipment popular at this age. Toys to use alone or with others include; jump ropes, skateboards and rollerblades, softballs and gloves, soccer ball and bicycles. Children enjoy greater muscle control as well, and take great strides in managing and manipulating materials in their own creative ways. Owning and using their own tools (pens, pencils, paints, markers, clay, etc.) gives great joy. Listening to music and recording their own voices will expand language and imagination.
Skills in logic and reasoning develop rapidly over the next few years. As the world opens up, five-, six-, and seven-year olds begin to ask a million questions and wonder about their place on the map. They will want to know all about everything at once- not just what is happening on the surface, but also what is going on inside and underneath. Finding out for themselves will continue to expand their sense of self-esteem.
As they begin to develop academic skills- reading, writing, and simple computation- they will want a lot of practice in these activities. the adult's role becomes one of providing resources for exploration that supports their school curriculum and their individual interests.
At this age, interests become very individualized- one child may be eager to know everything about dinosaurs, but may not want to know about space. Children will enjoy creating their own projects with their own "tools" for gardening, woodworking and personal grooming. Their pride in completing a project or taking responsibility for their personal appearance is evidence of a child's emerging unique personality.
As children begin to move into their ninth year, specific interests will continue to separate, personalities will become even more pronounced, and others outside the family will exert greater influence- friends, teachers, coaches, scout leaders, camp counselors, etc. Children will begin moving out into the wider world without parents as they entrust their safety and well-being to others.
chool YearsConfident Thinkers and Doers
By the age of eight years, children have a strong knowledge of who and what they are. they are moving rapidly through stages of more and more complex thinking processes- yet they are still somewhat tied to understanding new information through "concrete" means. Increased consistency in the use of concepts means that what may have been fuzzy at age three will be clear and exact at age eight.
From eight years on, thinking skills rapidly become more and more abstract as the "great journey into the mind" begins. With an expanded sense of time and timing, children will learn to "tell time" with clocks and watches. Children will also be able to manipulate quantities at first physically and then later abstractly (for example, pouring liquids, then measuring liquids, then using measured amounts in a chemistry experiment). Their minds will enjoy synthesizing information and materials into new contents. At this point, individuals can consider a range of possible questions, knowing that they can return to the point of origin, and begin again if necessary.
Experiencing the joy and excitement of these "mental gymnastics"- planning , executing, and producing- is of paramount importance. The process of successfully initiating and eventually completing a project on their own fills children with pride and amazement.
Books with directions for drawing and performing simple experiments further support this interest. Craft and model kits, science and chemistry kits, and microscopes will also be of great value. More complicated board and card games will push the limits of this budding "strategist". In all these activities, a sense of accomplishment is vital because successful activity leads children to a sense of their personal worth.
At this age, articulation and sophistication in language is finally a match for thoughts. Children can now express clearly what is on their minds, and in their hearts. Once again vocabulary is expanding. However, while children can now outwardly express themselves in an adult fashion, they are still creating a sense of the world in a very private personal place inside.
During the tenth and eleventh years, children seem to need long stretches of time to "stare" and dream. Similar to the "staring" of an infant, children this age are creating and re-creating a new vision of the world, putting together the puzzle of life, and using everyday experience as their guide. Some of the ideas from their "daydreaming" will need to be expressed as drawings, poetry, stories and songs. Art materials and musical instruments will support this budding, creative self.
Physical changes again become quite obvious over the next few years with a lengthening of arms, legs and necks. Boys' voice quality will change. Both boys and girls will change shape as puberty approaches. In this process, girls and boys tend to take a "breather" from the opposite sex, before they become interested in each other again in a whole new way. For this reason, very different content in books, pictures and games may have appeal for each gender.
physical play will increasingly find its expression in team play, with various indoor and outdoor sports becoming important to children- both as participants and as observers. These activities will begin to merge with those of the adults and serve as recreational and relaxation activities.
Socially, this is the age of "clubs" and "groups". Children will make up their own rules for membership and sometimes only a select few will be allowed "in". At about the age of ten or eleven years, children will often begin to dream about their future careers. They will reach back to their earlier fantasy play and remember pretending to be a pilot or an artist, With this beginning sketch in mind, they will proceed to fill in details- reading books about others in the field, talking to professionals, and starting to set some plans for the future.
With an increasing ability to perceive and understand the world, it will suddenly grow much larger. Even the ability to mentally move off the earth will become possible, as space and astronomy become absorbing topics for both girls and boys. Map-reading and map-making adventures will give a lot of pleasure to some children.
On the other end of the spectrum, the history of animals, people and architecture will hold great interest for others. And with more separation between real and fantasy worlds, stories will move much deeper into make-believe, with a growing fascination in non-existent creatures and places (giants, space aliens and unknown planets). With a firmer grasp of reality, imagination can now really take off.
As children move into the pre-adolescent, adolescent and young adult years, they will be able to handle more and more responsibility for themselves. Their independence will be seen in clear choices of books, activities, clothes and friends. Reasonable and appropriate chores expand this sense of responsibility and pride. Increasing amounts of attention will be focused outside the home and neighborhood as children grow into their place in the adult world.
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