AREAS OF

DEVELOMENT

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Growth of the body Abilities of the body

Motor skills are those abilities that depend on the use and control of muscles.

MOTOR SKILLS

Fine Motor Skills Smaller muscles Fingers, wrists and ankles Hand- eye coordination

Gross Motor Skills Larger muscles: Back, legs, shoulders and arms Walking and running

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

Cognitive Development The process of how a child learns to

think, understand, reason and use language.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The process of how children develop feelings about themselves, others and the world.

Feelings are called emotions. Feelings are described as Positive and Negative.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Skills needed to get along with other people.

Skills that help us “fit” into society. Self-help skills

DEVELOPMENTAL PRINCIPLES

Development is interrelated. Development is similar for all. Rates of development are individual. Development is ongoing. Development in sequential.

DEVELOPMENT IS INTERRELATED

You can study the different areas of development separately, but you can’t isolate them in real life. Inevitably, one area has impact on another.

Example: A child who builds a block tower.

DEVELOPMENT IS SIMILAR FOR ALL Development follows a similar pattern for

everyone. Children from different parts of the world

frequently go through the same stages in the same order.

Example: Most infants learn to hold up their head, roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk in the same order.

RATE OF DEVELOPMENT ARE INDIVIDUAL Children typically develop new abilities in

the same order, but not at the same time.

Each child develops new abilities at a pace that is unique to that child.

For the above reasons, it is very important to avoid comparing children!

DEVELOPMENT IS ONGOING

People continue to learn as long as they live!

SEQUENCE OF DEVELOPMENT

Development follows an orderly sequence. Sequence is a step – by – step pattern. Top to Bottom Center to Outside Large to Small General to Specific