(MODULE 15)

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD

PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT
& MILESTONES

TEACHER’S HANDOUT

Apple Tree Pre-School

Training Department
Why is Child Psychology,
Development &
Milestones
Important?
TARGET

• Teachers know the importance of Child Psychology,

Development & Milestones
• Teachers will be able to practice good work ethics in
encouraging children to reach their potential during the
early years
CONTENT
Child Psychology
• What is Child Psychology?
• The Importance of Child
Psychology
• Tips in Understanding the
Child Psychology
Child Development
• What is Child Development?
• Domains of Development
• Theories
Child Milestones
• What are Child
Developmental Milestones?
• How to recognize
developmental milestones?
Child Psychology
What is Child Psychology?

• A field of study which focuses into the cognitive,

emotional and behavioural development of a
child. It traces the entire journey of children from
infancy until the end of adolescence and studies
their cognitive and intellectual development.
The Importance of Child Psychology

• To understand the child better

• To establish effective communication with the child
• To gain trust of child and parents
• To have a better planning and interaction
What happened when you don’t
understand a child?

➢ Misinterpretation or misjudgement
➢ Create negative impact to the child’s:
well-being, character,
poor parenting or education
Tips to Understand Your Child Better
1. Observe
2. Be Your Child’s Best Friend
3. Spend Quality Time With Your Child
4. Praise Your Child
5. Listen
6. Talk and Give Full Attention
7. Give Respect
8. Explain Things
9. Know Their Likes and Dislikes
10. Think Like Them
Child Development
What is Child Development?

Definition:
Change in the child that occurs over time.
Changes follow an orderly pattern that moves toward greater
complexity and enhances survival.
Child’s Developmental Stages

❑ Prenatal period: from conception to birth

❑ Infancy and toddlerhood: birth to 2 years
❑ Early childhood: 2-6 years old
❑ Middle childhood: 6-12 years old
❑ Adolescence: 12-19 years old
❑ Early Adulthood: 20-25 years old
❑ Adulthood: 26-64 years old
❑ Old Age: 65- death
Domains in Development
Development is described in three domains, AND growth
in one domain influences the other domains.

▪ Physical Domain: body size, body proportions, appearance, brain

development, motor development, perception capacities, physical
health.

▪ Cognitive Domain: thought processes and intellectual abilities including

attention, memory, problem solving, imagination, creativity, academic
and everyday knowledge, metacognition, and language.

▪ Social/Emotional Domain: self-knowledge (self-esteem, gender identity,

ethnic identity), moral reasoning, understanding and expression of
emotions, self-regulation, temperament, understanding others,
interpersonal skills, and friendships.
Theories ( ORIGIN )

Why are theories important?

➢ To give meaning to what we observe.
➢ To help us understand how children develop and learn
➢ To predict future behavior and guide our teaching
methods
Erik Erikson
Psychosocial Theory

Your ego identity develops

throughout your entire life
during eight specific stages.

attitude and skills

every stage
develop
Jean Piaget
Cognitive Development Theory

• Children "construct" their understanding of

the world through their active involvement
and interactions.
How they:
✓ Assimilation (interpret new info)
✓ Accommodation (making changes to fit)
Jean Piaget
Cognitive Development Theory

The child uses The child uses The use of

The infant uses
mental logical logical
his senses and
representation of operations/ operations in a
motor abilities
objects & is able principles when systematic way
to understand to use symbolic solving and able to think
the world thought & object problems abstract
Lev Vygotsky
Socio-Cultural Theory

• Children are active learners, but

their knowledge is socially
constructed.
• Children learn from more expert
members of the society.
Child Milestones
What are developmental milestones?
➢ Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a
certain age.
Skills such as taking a first step,
smiling for the first time, and waving
“bye-bye” are called developmental
milestones.
Developmental milestones fall into categories of
development called domains.
▪ Social:
This domain is about how children interact with others and show
emotion.

Calms down when spoken to or Comforts others who are hurt or

picked up sad, like hugging a crying friend
▪ Emotional:
This domain includes a child's growing understanding and control of
their emotions.

Begins to play with other Expresses likes and dislikes

children
▪ Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving):
This domain is about how children learn new things and solve
problems. It includes how children explore their environment to
figure things out – whether by looking at the world around
them, putting objects in their mouths, or dropping something
to watch it fall.

Reaches to grab a toy she wants Bangs two things together Stacks at least two small objects,
like blocks
 ▪ Physical (Gross & Fine motor):
This domain is about how children use their bodies.

Takes a few steps on his own Catches a large ball most of the Eats with a spoon
time
▪ Communication:
This domain is about how children learn how to connect to others by
exchanging feelings or ideas

Points to make requests, to Recognizes signs and logos like

comment, or to get information STOP.
 Milestones at 18 Months
• Social/Emotional - Moves away from
you, but looks to make sure you are close
by
How to recognize • Language/Communication - Tries to say

developmental three or more words besides “mama” or

“dada”
milestones • Cognitive - Copies you doing chores, like
sweeping with a broom
• Movement/Physical - Walks without
holding on to anyone or anything; tries to
use a spoon
Milestones at 2 Years
• Social/Emotional - Looks at your
face to see how to react in a new
situation
• Language/Communication - Says at
least two words together, like “More
milk.”
• Cognitive - Plays with more than
one toy at the same time, like putting
toy food on a toy plate
• Movement/Physical - Runs; Eats
with a spoon
Milestones at 3 Years
• Social/Emotional - Notices other
children and joins them to play
• Language/Communication - Talks
with you in conversation using at
least two back-and-forth exchanges
• Cognitive - Draws a circle, when you
show him how
• Movement/Physical - Puts on some
clothes by himself, like loose pants or
a jacket
4 to 5 Years
Language and Cognitive Milestones
• Count 10 or more objects
• Correctly name at least four colours
and three shapes
• Recognize some letters and possibly
write their name
• Better understand the concept of time
and the order of daily activities,
like breakfast in the morning, lunch in
the afternoon, and dinner at night
•Have a greater attention span
4 to 5 Years Emotional and Social
Milestones
• Enjoys playing with other children
and pleasing their friends
• Shares and takes turns, at least most
of the time, and understands rules of
games
• Understands and obeys rules;
however, your 4- to 5-year-old will still
be demanding and uncooperative at
times.
• Is becoming more independent
4 to 5 Years
Movement/Physical Milestones

• Stand on one foot for more than 9 seconds

• Do a somersault and hop
• Walk up and down stairs without help
• Walk forward and backwards easily
• Pedal a tricycle
•Copy a triangle, circle, square, and other shapes
•Draw a person with a body
• Stack 10 or more blocks
Key Points:
• Monitor and track the student’s developmental
milestones
• Developmental milestones are things most
children can do by a certain age
• Developmental milestones offer important
clues about a child’s developmental health
• Developmental milestones fall into categories of
development called “domains”