Child development

index
 What does the term “child development” mean?
 Changes that happen through childhood
 Physical changes and motor development skills
 Psychological development
 Social and emotional development
 intellectual development.
 Conclusion

What does the term “child development” mean?
 Child development entails the biological, psychological and
emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth
and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from
dependency to increasing autonomy. It is a continuous process
with a predictable sequence yet having a unique course for every
child. It does not progress at the same rate and each stage is
affected by the preceding types of development. Because these
developmental changes may be strongly influenced by genetic
factors and events during prenatal life.

Changes that happen through childhood
 Emotions
 Intelligence
 Behaviour
 Interaction

Physical changes and motor development skills
3-5 years old
5-7 years old
Can run, jump, kick and throw a ball;
can control a pencil; can cut paper with
chunky scissors; can draw round a
template; has limited spatial
orientation; cannot sit still for long.
Can manipulate a pen and write with
increasing speed and ease; can cut
following a line; can draw people and
shapes with confidence; can copy with
greater accuracy and in more detail;
knows their way about the school and
immediate environment; knows right
hand from left hand.

Physical changes and motor development skills
 7-9 years old
 9-12 years old
increasing precision and
confidence in fine and gross motor
skills; enjoys learning new
physical skills.
developing particular skills e.g.
sports, playing a musical
instrument

Psychological development 3-5 years old
 Communication with others extends child’s
evaluation of and awareness of own feelings and of
emotion-eliciting events.
 Adoption of pretend expressive behaviour in play
and teasing.
 Pragmatic awareness that “false” facial
expressions can mislead another about one’s
feelings.
 Communication with others elaborates child’s
understanding of social transactions and
expectations for comportment.
 Sympathetic and pro-social behaviour toward
peers.
 Increasing insight into others’ emotions.

Psychological development 5-7 years old
 Self-conscious emotions (e.g.,
embarrassment) are targeted for regulation.
 Seeking support from caregivers still
prominent coping strategy, but increasing
reliance on situational problem-solving
evident.
 Adoption of “cool emotional front” with
peers.
 Increasing coordination of social skills with
one’s own and others’ emotions.

Psychological development 7-9 years old
 Problem-solving preferred coping strategy if control is at
least moderate.
 Distancing strategies used if control is appraised as
minimal.
 Appreciation of norms for expressive behaviour, whether
genuine or dissembled.
 Use of expressive behaviour to modulate relationship
dynamics (e.g., smiling while reproaching a friend).
 Awareness of multiple emotions toward the same person.
 Use of multiple time frames and unique personal
information about another as aids in the development of
close friendships.

Psychological development 9-12 years old
 Increasing accuracy in appraisal of realistic
control in stressful circumstances.
 Capable of generating multiple solutions and
differentiated strategies for dealing with stress.
 Distinction made between genuine emotional
expression with close friends and managed
displays with others.
 Increasing social sensitivity and awareness of
emotion “scripts” in conjunction with social roles.

Social and emotional development
 3-5 years old
 strong attachment to parents/carers; keen to please;
motor play and beginning of symbolic play; often has
imaginary friends; shows signs of empathy and caring;
may still have temper tantrums; egocentric and not
always willing to share; needs constant approval and
encouragement.
 5-7 years old
 shows concern for others; friendships with peers have
increasing importance; plays and works cooperatively;
has greater self-control; recognises the need to share
and take turns; often needs constant approval; can be
upset by setbacks.

Social and emotional development
7-9 years old
 can see things from others’ point of view; less dependent
on parent / teacher for immediate nurturing although still
needs to feel constant approval.
9-12 years old
 friends become increasingly important; more subject to
peer pressure; less obvious reliance on teacher for
approval; greater independence and self-control.

Intellectual development.
3-5 years
 old has very short concentration span; can listen
attentively when interested; can sort objects into
simple categories; can focus on the ‘here and now’;
limited memory strategies.
5-7 years old
 has good sense of past, present and future; grasp of
logical problems intuitive at times; tendency to focus on
one aspect of problems; can sort, classify and sequence
things; understands numbers; can solve concrete
problems; can do single, simple mathematical
operations.

Intellectual development
7-9 years old
 has longer concentration span; can solve concrete problems
related to immediate experience; can classify, order,
sequence; can organise objects into a series; can understand
conservation of mass, weight and volume; can predict,
hypothesise, deduce within a clearly defined context;
greater use of memory strategies; develops metacognition.
9-12 years old
 can perform an increasing range of logical mental operations
which are context-embedded and/or relate to immediate
experience; can follow written instructions independently
e.g. to make a model; develops awareness of genre and
register.

The child development chart
Bad
behaviour
Mum/dad
and two year
old sister
Good physical
and
psychological
health
Gets sad
Brother born
Perental
problems
Father has
economic
hardship
Auxiety at
transition

Conclusion
 By being aware of the
different characteristics
of a child’s development
we can help them develop
this own autonomy in the
learning process.