"Mindfulness from Birth"
The first essential for the child's development is concentration.
The child who concentrates is immensely happy.
— Maria Montessori, MD
The child who concentrates is immensely happy.
— Maria Montessori, MD
The development will be different from child to child. One child is working on observing the environment, another on making sounds, another on using his hands, another on balance. This individual variation should be respected and children not hurried in their development.
Infant Development 1~6 months
- Physical Development
- visual focus matures - follows objects with eyes.
- learns to localize sounds and turns to see.
- gains control of hands - learns to bat, then reach and grasp objects.
- discovers feet - brings feet to mouth and explores with feet.
- begins to sit with support.
- large muscle play may include rolling, scooting, rocking, bouncing.
- Mental Development
- explores world with eyes and ears and begins to explore with hands and feet and mouth.
- enjoys creating effects in the environment by own actions
- begins to recognize familiar people, objects and even events - then to anticipate them.
- becomes aware of novelty and strangeness in people, objects and events.
- develops definite preferences for certain people, objects and events
- may imitate simple movements if in own repertoire.
- does one thing at a time.
- Social Development
- special interest in people (faces and voices especially).
- begins to smile at faces, voices and mirror image.
- quits crying when sees face or hears voice.
- begins to seek attention and contact with people.
- distinguishes among familiar people and has preferences.
- begins to coo and gurgle, babble and laugh aloud, play with sounds.
- listens to voices and may imitate sounds already in own repertoire.
Infant Development 7~12 months
- Physical Development
- begins to sit alone.
- begins to creep and crawl onto or into things.
- begins to pull to a stand, cruise (walk holding furniture), and walk alone (10-16 months).
- interest in moving about and practicing motor skills.
- develops "pincer" (thumb and finger) grasp and begins to hold objects with one hand while manipulating them with the other.
- with objects wants to bang, insert, poke, twist, squeeze, drop, shake, bite, throw, open/shut, push/pull, empty/fill, drag along.
- enjoys bath play - kicking and splashing.
- Mental Development
- interest in appearing and disappearing (objects and people) - develops 'object permanence' (looks for object out of sight at approximately 11 months).
- interest in container/contained relationship likes to empty cupboards, drawers, and containers of objects.
- interest in letting go and dropping objects (will use string to pull back vanished objects).
- interest in exploration and likes many objects to explore.
- likes to operate simple mechanisms (open/shut, push/pull) and create effects.
- remembers people, objects, games, actions with toys - shows persistence and interest in novelty.
- beginning interest in picture books.
- Social Development
- may fear strangers or react to change - plays best with familiar person nearby.
- watches and may imitate others.
- sensitive to social approval and disapproval.
- interest in getting attention and creating social effects.
- enjoys simple social games 'peek-a-boo,' 'bye-bye'
- babbles and plays with language - may try to imitate sounds.
- recognizes own name and may begin to point to named objects or obey simple commands.
Toddler Development 1~2 years old
- Toddler Physical Development
- endless exercise of physical skills.
- likes to lug, dump, push, pull, pile, knock down, empty and till.
- likes to climb - can manage small indoor steps.
- manipulation is more exploratory than skillful.
- active interest in multiple small objects.
- by 2 years, can kick, catch a large ball.
- by 2 years, can string large heads, turn knob, use screw motion. (All beads given to this age gioup should be at least 1-3/4 niches (44 mm) in diameter, however, if any object appeals to be easily swallow in the child's mouth, keep it away from the child.)
- Toddler Mental Development
- interest in causing effects.
- interest in mechanisms and objects that move or can he moved-prefers action toys.
- combines objects with other objects - makes simple block structures, uses simple stacking toys, does simple puzzles.
- very curious - constant experimentation with objects.
- interest in hidden-object toys.
- at 1 1/2 to 2 years, groups/matches similar objects - enjoys simple sorting toys.
- identifies objects by pointing - can identify pictures in book.
- enjoys water, sand play.
- makes marks on paper, scribbles spontaneously.
- first imitative play - imitation of adult tasks, especially caretaking and housekeeping tasks.
- Toddler Social Development
- most solitary play - relates to adults better than to children.
- tries to do adult tasks.
- expresses affection for others - shows preference for certain soft toys, dolls.
- likes being read to, looking at picture books, likes nursery rhymes.
- by 1 1/2, enjoys interactive games such as tag.
Toddler Development 2~3 years old
- Toddler Physical Development
- skilled at most simple large muscle skills.
- lots of physical testing - jumping from heights, climbing, hanging by arms, rolling, galloping, somersaults, rough-and-tumble play.
- throws and retrieves all kinds of objects
- pushes self on wheeled objects with good steering.
- by 2 1/2 to 3 years, good hand and finger coordination.
- lots of active play with small objects - explores different qualities of play materials.
- Toddler Mental Development
- interested in attributes of objects - texture, shape, size, color.
- can match a group of similar objects.
- plays with pattern, sequence, order of size.
- first counting skills.
- first creative activities (drawing, construction, clay) - process still more important than final product.
- beginning to solve problems in head.
- imaginative fantasy play increases - continued interest in domestic imitation.
- fantasy play alone or with adult - child also makes toys carry out actions on other toys.
- Toddler Social Development
- main interest still in parents, but begins to play cooperatively with other children (especially 30 to 36 months).
- uses language to express wishes to others.
- engages in games - likes interactions with others - also some pretend play with others.
- enjoys hearing simple stories read from picture books, especially stories with repetition.
- strong desire for independence - shows pride in accomplishment.
Note that these lists indicate average development - the age range at which the 'average' child can he expected to achieve a particular skill or develop a specific interest. The ages in the text are only approximate. Children develop skills at uneven rates - any one child may be 'above average' in one skill and 'below average' in another skill. For an individual child, the parent is the best judge of the child's abilities and interests at any point in his or her development. Be sure to talk to your pediatrician or an early childhood development expert if you have any concerns about your child's development.
Referencing from: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/growthdevelopment/a/child_dev.htm
