Childhood Development Skills

Children develop physical, cognitive, language and social skills from birth. Each child develops at his individual pace, but repeated delays can indicate a problem. Consult a medical professional with any concerns.

Physical Development

• Newborns begin immediately to learn about movement. Rolling over is the first large motor skill. Sitting up is the next large motor skill. Encourage movement daily, and provide a safe area to explore. Once she is sitting up on her own, crawling is the next stage. The next gross motor skill is standing and finally walking. Review the play area at each stage to ensure a safe environment as new skills are mastered.

  Fine motor skills require smaller muscle control in areas such as hands. Grasping objects and passing them from one hand to another are the first fine motor skills. Learning to hold a spoon or cup is next. Provide frequent opportunities to draw with crayons, finger paint and write with chalk. The variety of textures is important for sensory integration. Play with dolls that have zippers, buttons and snaps to practice those skills. Physical skills impact cognitive, language and social skill development through motor planning. She learns how to problem solve by practicing new physical movements.

Language

• Language begins with a baby's first cry. An older infant begins to babble sounds as he experiments with his lips and tongue. Play with her by mimicking the sounds she makes in a conversational tone. Once the use of tongue and lips are mastered he will begin to mimic the sounds he hears and form short words. Mama and Dada are followed by more complex words. Two-word sentences emerge between 2 and 3 years of age. Complex sentences grow as her vocabulary grows. Language skills are more than words; non-verbal communication is vital. She will learn about eye contact, tone of voice and inflection through observation. Social language involves cognitive and social skills.

Cognitive

• Cognitive skills include more than learning in the traditional school environment. Young children learn to problem solve, remember and reason through interacting with their environment. Play peek-a-boo with an infant to help him master object permanence. An older infant will enjoy more complex toys and games. Provide toys that make noise when activated to encourage understanding of cause and effect. Toddlers master problem solving and spatial relationships by building with blocks of all sizes. Play memory games to practice that skill. Provide a variety of toys and frequent opportunity as children learn best through play.

Social Skills

• Social skills are linked to language and cognitive skills. A child who does not understand body language will have difficulty interacting with peers. Provide practice interacting from infancy. Play games that require taking turns with toddlers. Monitor interaction with peers, and provide opportunities for a variety of activities. A delay in social skills could indicate a larger problem. Early intervention is essential for effective treatment.

Considerations

• Children mature at their own pace. General guidelines are available from a medical professional. Repeated delays should be discussed as soon as possible to provide effective treatment.