What Is Child Development?
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Child development is how your child is able to do complex things as he gets older.
Development involves learning skills such as tying shoes, skipping, kicking a ball, walking, etc.
Your child develops his skills in five main areas...
- Physical Development
- Social and Emotional Development
- Intellectual/Cognitive Development
- Speech and Language Development
- Sensory Development
Physical Development
The acquisition of skills such as sitting, throwing and running, picking up objects and feeding describes the physical devel opment of your child. Physical development is grouped in two main areas…Gross Motor Skill…his ability to use his large muscles and... Fine Motor Skill…his ability to use his small muscles.
Fine Motor Skill
During the first year of your child’s life, he will start to practice handling and manipulating small objects. This develops his ability to use his small muscles, specifically his hands and fingers to pick up and hold objects such as pencil and spoon.Gross Motor Skill
This starts with head control and works down his body such as learning to sit, crawl, pull up and walk. He uses his large muscles to acquire these skills.Equipment and Activities That Aid Physical Development
The physical development of your child requires materials that will help to development his physical skills. These can be...- Cups and beakers for stacking
- Bricks for building towers that can be knocked down
- Simple inset jigsaws
- Hammer sets etc.
Ball play, pull-along toys and climbing and sliding equipment will also encourage his physical skills. Seesaws, climbing frames, rocking toys will aid balance and co-ordination and strengthen arm and leg muscles.
Manipulative skills are encouraged by posting boxes, stacking beakers, bricks and small model toys.
Creative and imaginative skills are encouraged by cooking equipment and tea sets as this will encourage him to imitate you.
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