Child Dev Principles

Chapter 4: Child Development Principles
• There are several stages of development and factors that

affect the proper growth and development of children.
• Understanding how a child might act or what a child might
learn at different ages and stages will help you know what
to expect from a child in your care.
Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 1

Child Development Basics

• Child development is the pattern of changes that scientists
study in how children grow from birth to teen years.
• Researchers study four areas of development:
1. Physical
2. Intellectual
3. Emotional
4. Social

Physical Development
• Physical development is
how a child’s body grows
and what the body can do.
• The most dramatic changes
in growth happen during
infancy and the teen years.

Physical Development
Large Motor Skills

• Learning to move and control larger muscles
Small Motor Skills
• Learning to move and control smaller muscles
Balance and Motor Coordination
• Refining and strengthening large- and small-motor skills

Intellectual Development
Cognitive development researchers have
found that infants develop certain skills as
they make sense of their experiences.
cognitive development
How children think, communicate, make decisions,
and solve problems.

Children learn best through sensorimotor
learning.
sensorimotor
Exploring one’s surroundings through the senses of
sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell.

As children gather sensory information,
such as a bitter taste or a loud noise, their
brains explain and store the information.
sensory
Relating to the senses and the sense organs.

Sensory Skills
• Children use their senses to learn about the objects
around them.
Language Skills
• Language allows children to organize and express
thoughts.
• Children use language to explore what interests them.

Concepts
• Concepts allow children to notice differences and to see
that objects vary.
Thinking Skills
• Children learn to analyze, evaluate, and solve problems.
• Children begin to recognize cause-and-effect
relationships.
• Children start to understand the consequences of their
actions.

Emotional Development
Some children may be naturally shy,
although others of the same age have a
temperament that is more outgoing.
temperament
A typical way a person responds to people and
situations.

Emotional development takes
place as children form feelings
about themselves and others.
They experience feelings such as
• happiness.
• excitement.
• fear.
• frustration.
• anger.

Temperament
• Each child is born
with an individual
temperament.
• When caring for
children, it is
important to identify
and respect their
individual
temperaments and to
react with sensitivity.

Trust and Attachment
• Children learn to trust
through emotional
bonds.
• Consistent and
responsive care can
generate and reinforce
children’s trust in
caregivers.

Identity and Self-Esteem

• Self-esteem is the overall belief children have about
themselves.
• Children form a mental picture of who they are.
Self Control
• Children understand and learn to control emotions.
• Children learn to accept that everyone has feelings they
must respect.

Social and Ethical Development

• Social development builds as children learn how to
get along, to play, and to make friends.
• Children learn that society has rules to follow.
• An understanding of ethics begins as children learn
the difference between right and wrong.


Family Relationships
• Children receive their
foundation for morals
and ethics from their
families.
• Teachers can reinforce
this foundation by
learning about each
family and encouraging
children to act
according to their
families’ values.


As a result of perspective taking, children
make friends more easily and become
accepted members of a group.
perspective taking
Through play, children learn to consider and respect
other children’s points of view as well as their own.


Peer Relationships
• As children interact with
others, they learn that
everyone has different
goals, ideas, and ways of
doing things.
• Perspective taking allows
social skills to develop,
such as listening, taking
turns, sharing, and
resolving conflict.

Child Development Research

Prompted by a growing number of questions from doctors
and parents, child development researchers have created a
body of knowledge about how children learn and develop
skills.


The theories of researchers such as Jean
Piaget and Abraham Maslow have become
accepted by a large number of child
development experts.
theories
Ideas and principles about a subject that can be investigated,
using the scientific method.


The results of research can be categorized into two main
groups:
•Environment
•Heredity


The environment in which a child is raised
can have an impact on his or her life forever.
environment
The people, culture, and physical and social surroundings in
which the child lives.


Characteristics determined by heredity
include hair color, blood type, eye color, and
certain diseases.
heredity
Qualities and traits that are passed from parents to children
through their genes at conception.

Principles of Child Development

Many factors play a part in the growth and
development of children.
factors
Things that contribute to a result.

Principles of Child Development

Researchers have defined five general principles of child
development:
•Development follows a similar pattern for each child.
•Development rate depends on the individual.
•Development is sequential.
•Development is interrelated.
•Development is a lifelong process.

Brain Coordination
Every human is born with billions of
neurons.
neurons
Nerve cells in the brain that are the basic functional
units of the nervous system.

Brain Coordination
Some experts say that, by adulthood, the
brain has more than 100 trillion synapses.
synapses
Electrical connections between neurons.

Brain Coordination
• All areas of human development are affected by the
growth and functions of the brain.
• Synapses increase throughout growth, but neurons
do not increase.
• As synapses increase, neuron pathways develop.
• This brain wiring sends information to all parts of the
body to tell it how to function.

Brain Coordination
Sensory Experiences
• A child’s synapses increase with nurturing and sensory
and movement experiences.
Repeated and Related Experiences
• Repetition helps the brain retain information.
Critical Periods
• Each development area has its own time frame for normal
development to occur.
• Caregivers must recognize and take advantage of this
time frame.

Development Rates
• Developmental stages are predictable.
• The rate at which each child progresses through a
stage varies.
• Sometimes a child may experience different rates of
development in each area.
• Every child must pass through all stages to grow and
to mature.

Development Rates
Early educators must consider the total child when
planning activities that promote growth, development,
and learning.
Sequential Development
• The skills children learn develop gradually and build
upon each other.
Interrelated Development
• Growth in one area can affect growth in another.

Stop Here!
32
Factors Affecting Development

Children who live in at-risk environments
may fall behind other children their age
developmentally.
at-risk
Environments that interfere with proper
development and well-being.

Factors Affecting Development

• Proper growth and development depends on heredity and
environment.
• Heredity may pass on to children serious diseases or
physical or mental disabilities.
• Children who live in at-risk environments may not receive
enough nurturing and stimulation from their parents or
care providers.

Heredity and Environment

• Many scientists believe
that heredity and
environment each play
a significant role in
development.
• Heredity is set before
birth and is
unchangeable.
• Environment after birth
changes regularly.

Prenatal Development
It is vital that a pregnant woman receives
proper prenatal care, especially during the
first three months of pregnancy.
prenatal
Before birth.

Maternal Health Before Birth

• Proper prenatal care is essential.
Prenatal Drug Use
• Abusing alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and drugs while
pregnant may hurt an infant’s development.
The Birth Process
• Most births are routine and predictable, but some involve
complications and may require a cesarean section.

If a baby enters the birth canal in the wrong
position, a cesarean section may be
necessary to deliver the baby.
cesarean section
A surgical procedure for delivering a baby via a cut in
the mother’s abdomen.

Health and Nutrition

• Children grow and develop
properly if they are provided
with basic health care and
proper nutrition.
• Illness or injury slows
growth and learning.
• Early educators play an
important role in providing
proper nutrition and by
providing information on
agencies that support
children’s health care.
Responsive Care and Nurturing

• Care providers must respond to children’s basic
needs for comfort, love, and assistance.
• Developing routines help nurture a child’s overall
development.
• Child care professionals should make it a priority to
become familiar with the backgrounds and cultural
beliefs of the families and children they serve.

Children at Risk
Children at risk have a greater chance of developmental
delays. Early educators should watch for at-risk indicators in
all developmental areas:
•Physical
•Intellectual
•Emotional
•Social
•Environmental

Intervention and Prevention

It is the professional responsibility of early
educators to help the parents of an at-risk
child understand the problem and seek
intervention services.
intervention services
Resources and specialized help for at-risk children
and their families.


• Child care professionals must observe children for
signs of slow development.
• If ignored, developmental problems can become
more serious and interfere with a child’s life.
• Intervention services can help reduce or eliminate
risks for children.

Parent Education
• formal classes
• support groups
• libraries
Support Services
• hospitals
• health departments
• schools
• social service agencies


Child care professionals can support
families by providing a referral for a resource
or service.
referral
Sending a family that needs assistance to a support
service or resource.

Review Key Concepts
Describe the four areas of child development.
• Physical—body capabilities and growth.

• Intellectual—thinking, communicating, solving problems.
• Emotional—form feelings about self and others.
• Social—interacting with others.

Review Key Concepts
Identify the main principles of child development.
• Development follows a similar pattern for each child.

• Development rate depends on the individual.
• Development is sequential.
• Development is interrelated.
• Development is a lifelong process.

Review Key Concepts
Explain the influences of environment and

heredity on development.
• Environment (the people, culture, and physical and social

surroundings) influences a person throughout his or her life.
• Heredity influences how a person will look as well as
physical, intellectual, emotional, and social strengths and
weaknesses.

Review Key Concepts
Describe potential characteristics of children at

risk.
• poor overall health • toileting problems

• inability to listen or • isolation
concentrate
• lack of security
• delayed language
• signs of neglect or abuse
• behavior problems
• exposure to violence.
• depression

End of
Chapter 4
Child Development
Principles

Child Dev Principles

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Chapter 4: Child Development Principles

• There are several stages of development and factors that

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 1

Child Development Basics

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 2

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 3

Large Motor Skills

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 4

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 5

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 6

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 7

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 8

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 9

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 10

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 11

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 12

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 13

Identity and Self-Esteem

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 14

Social and Ethical Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 15

Social and Ethical Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 16

Social and Ethical Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 17

Social and Ethical Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 18

Child Development Research

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 19

Child Development Research

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 20

Child Development Research

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 21

Child Development Research

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 22

Child Development Research

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 23

Principles of Child Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 24

Principles of Child Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 25

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Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 28

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 29

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 30

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 31

Factors Affecting Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 33

Factors Affecting Development

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 34

Heredity and Environment

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 35

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 36

Maternal Health Before Birth

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 37

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 38

Health and Nutrition

Responsive Care and Nurturing

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 40

Child Care Today, Chapter 4: Child Development Principles 41

Intervention and Prevention