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Please 2 pages MLA Format. All children grow and develop in similar patterns, but each child develops at their own pace and has different needs. Understanding child development allows us to provide the best care to each child and to identify atypical development if it arises. Typical development will give generic progress of the child compared to peers of the same age. Atypical development occurs when the child appears to lag behind or is way ahead of same-age peers in any of the different skills.resources:
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BRIGHT BEGINNINGS #9
FS-633
Supporting
Physical Growth
and Development
in Young Children
Sean Brotherson
Family Science Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
Parents and caregivers
have many ways to
enrich a child’s world
and facilitate healthy
physical development
Young children appreciate
growth in their physical abilities.
An infant smiles at being able
to crawl across the room; a toddler
enjoys rolling a ball back and forth
with a parent; a kindergarten child
loves to skip and dance when
music is playing. For children
to realize their physical abilities,
parents and other adults also
must appreciate the importance
of steps in physical growth and
do all they can to enhance a
child’s development.
The term motor development
refers to growth in the ability
of children to use their bodies
and physical skills. The different
domains of physical development
generally fall into gross-motor
skills, fine-motor skills and
balance/coordination skills.
This publication will discuss
general patterns of physical
development, which may vary
based on a child’s age, physical
maturity and developmental
context (presence of
developmental delays, etc.).
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota 58105
Gross-motor Skills
in Early Childhood
Gross-motor skills in early
childhood relate to a child’s
development of large muscles
and the ability to move from place
to place or do physical activities
that involve the large muscles
of the body, arms and legs.
Large-muscle development in
young children is necessary for
crawling, walking, lifting and
other types of physical activities.
Some things to remember about
gross-motor skills in early
childhood include:
• Different parts of a child’s
body grow at different rates.
Large-muscle development
occurs earliest, so gross-motor
skills, such as reaching, waving
arms and legs, crawling or
walking, tend to appear first.
• Throughout the first year
of life, most of the physical
growth occurs in a child’s
torso (trunk of the body).
• Toddlers and preschoolers
have a higher center of gravity.
This means they are more prone
Reviewed and reprinted March 2009
www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu
•
1
to falls because the legs and
body are not yet developed in
proportion to the upper body
region. Give young children
support as their large muscles
in the lower body develop and
eventually support them to sit
or stand.
• By age 6, the child’s body
proportions are more like an
adult’s, with the center of
gravity more centrally located
to help them achieve a greater
sense of physical balance.
• Most 3- and 4-year-old children
are actively using their large
muscles in running, wiggling
and jumping. Their fine-motor
skills, such as cutting, are
not as developed. Since the large
muscles develop first, providing
opportunities for outdoor play
and exercise or indoor running
around is important.
• A variety of large-muscle
activities is very important to
parents, child-care programs
and schools to give children
a chance to develop and
exercise large-muscle skills.
To get a sense of children’s
physical abilities related to
gross-motor skills at different
stages of early childhood, see
Checklist A – Gross-motor Skills
in Early Childhood (page 4).
Fine-motor Skills
in Early Childhood
Fine-motor skills in early
childhood relate to a child’s
development of small muscles
and the ability to control use
of the hands and feet, and do
activities that involve the small
muscles of the fingers, toes
and other parts of the body.
Small-muscle development in
young children is necessary
for physical activities such as
grasping, cutting, throwing
and drawing. Some things to
remember about fine-motor
skills in early childhood include:
• Small-muscle skills are different
at different ages. Parents need to
consider ability at different ages
because asking a child to button
a shirt at age 2 or 3 is difficult
due to limited abilities.
• Three-year-olds do not have
good small-muscle development
yet, so the muscles in their
hands and fingers are not
strong enough to enable
them to use scissors very well.
• Good precutting skills include
crushing paper and then tearing
paper.
• A child’s interaction with
the environment through
exploration offers a critical
opportunity for developing
fine-motor skills. Child toys,
cardboard books, balls and
other objects a child can manipulate help them develop
fine-motor skills. Parents and
other adults should provide
materials that children can
shape, move and manipulate;
allow children to make a mess;
and assist them if they need
help.
2 • FS-633 Bright Beginnings #9 – Supporting Physical Growth and Development in Young Children
• Fine-motor skills develop quite
a bit later than gross-motor
skills, so children should not
be expected to do things that
involve fine-motor skills beyond
their ability. Buttoning a coat or
shirt, setting a table precisely
or writing a note may involve
fine-motor skills beyond the
ability of a younger child.
Parents and other adults should
be attentive to their expectations
of children and make sure they
fit a child’s fine-motor abilities.
To get a sense of children’s
physical abilities related to
fine-motor skills at different
stages of early childhood, see
Checklist B – Fine-motor Skills
in Early Childhood (page 4).
Balance and
Coordination Skills
in Early Childhood
Balance and coordination skills
in early childhood relate to
children’s development of a
sense of balance and the ability
to coordinate movements so
they can perform more complex
physical activities. The development of balance and coordination
skills in early childhood involves
movement of the body in activities
such as twisting, turning, pulling
or maintaining stability. Balance
and coordination skills are
necessary for catching, clapping,
eating, playing and other types
of physical activities. Some things
to remember about balance
and coordination skills in
early childhood include:
• Balance and coordination skills
develop through time from a
child’s birth. Infants and
toddlers still are developing
these skills, and this is partly
why they cannot stop themselves from being unbalanced
or falling when they first sit or
stand. Adults need to provide
support and safety for young
children as they develop these
skills through time. Different
parts of a child’s body grow
at different rates.
• Coordination skills are
important to a child’s ability
to interact and explore the
environment. A child’s ability
to focus eyes on and reach
for an object, which involves
coordination, is important
to playing, eating and other
activities.
• Balance and coordination often
involve using the hands and
eyes at the same time. Activities
such as painting, pasting, clay
modeling, sorting small objects
(such as buttons), building block
towers, copying designs and
drawing help a child learn to
use (coordinate) the hands
and eyes.
All of these physical skills, once
developed, help individuals
interact with the world around
them and accomplish many daily
tasks. Without these skills, such
interaction would be impossible.
To get a sense of children’s
physical abilities related to
balance and coordination skills
at different stages of early
childhood, see Checklist C –
Balance and Coordination Skills
in Early Childhood (page 5).
Activity No. 1 – The Handwriting Puzzle
Consider the skill of writing by hand. What physical skills must someone
develop before mastering handwriting? Take out a pen or pencil and
write your name and favorite place to visit below. Reflect on this skill.
Select the six key physical and mental skills from the list below that are
necessary for someone to have before he or she can master handwriting.
Then check your choices against the answer key.
• Name
• What is your favorite place to visit?
Key Skills Need for Handwriting
• Large-muscle development
• Small-muscle development
• Eye tracking
• Rolling from front to back
• Pulling oneself to a standing position
• Eye-hand coordination
• Side-to-side or lateral
movements used in painting,
drawing or reading help a child
develop left-to-right tracking
(with the eyes and head).
This ultimately will help
develop hand-eye coordination
and left-to-right tracking, which
will help in learning to read.
• Balance
• Repetition of physical activities,
such as rolling a ball with a
toddler or drawing pictures,
helps a child develop balance
and coordination skills.
Parents and other adults should
work actively with children to
practice such repetition, which
will strengthen their balance
and coordination skills.
• Ability to push and pull objects
• Hand preference
• Awareness of sensory stimulation
• Letter perception
• Ability to determine size of materials
• Spoken use of language
• Ability to hold a writing tool
• Ability to cut paper with scissors
• Copying shapes with a writing tool
• Ability to make basic strokes
• Pouring liquid from one container to another
• Ability to use spoon and fork
• Understanding of printed language
Answer Key
1. Small-muscle
development;
2. Eye-hand
coordination;
3. Ability to
hold writing
tool;
4. Ability to make
basic strokes;
5. Letter
perception; and
6. Understanding
of printed
language
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✔ Checklist A
18 to 24 Months
Gross-motor Skills
in Early Childhood
❑ Walks up stairs with support
0 to 3 Months
❑ Pushes up with arms while
on tummy
❑ Kicks legs and waves arms
❑ Runs fairly well
❑ Kicks a ball
❑ Jumps in place
❑ Goes up and down a slide
with help
✔ Checklist B
Fine-motor Skills
in Early Childhood
0 to 3 Months
❑ Grasps and holds an object,
such as a baby ring or rattle
❑ Hands are held in open,
relaxed position
❑ Raises head while on tummy
2 to 3 Years
❑ Rolls from side or tummy
to back
❑ Sits on or peddles a tricycle
with support
❑ Holds head steady when
supported in a sitting position
❑ Runs with few falls or trips
3 to 6 Months
❑ Walks up stairs while holding
onto something
❑ Reaches for dangling objects
or toys
❑ Jumps over small obstacles
❑ Uses hands and fingers in play
❑ Assists with household tasks
or activities
❑ Grasps object using palm
and fingers
❑ Reaches for a parent with arms
3 to 5 Years
❑ Tries to move toward a toy
or object that is out of reach
❑ Passes a toy or object between
hands
❑ Runs with energy and
coordination
❑ Puts objects in mouth to explore
❑ Scoots about on the floor
❑ Catches a ball with some
practice
6 to 12 Months
6 to 12 Months
❑ Crawls about on the floor
❑ Throws a ball 5 to 15 feet
with overhand motion
❑ Pulls self to a sitting position
❑ Walks up and down stairs alone
❑ Pulls self up to stand next
to a support (couch)
❑ Hops on one foot
3 to 6 Months
❑ Rolls from back to side
or tummy
❑ Sits alone
❑ Stands alone with support
❑ Takes steps alone with support,
then without support
12 to 18 Months
❑ Walks alone without support
❑ Walks backward
❑ Crawls up stairs with support
❑ Throws a ball with overhand
motion
❑ Kicks a ball with support
❑ Rides a tricycle and steers well
5 to 7 Years
❑ Changes clothes without help
❑ Catches a ball bounced to them
❑ Runs easily and participates
in games of tag, etc.
❑ Clings to parent or adult with
hands while being held
❑ Uses a pincer grasp (thumb and
finger) to hold food or object
❑ Grasps and uses toys to play
or keep attention
❑ Reaches for objects, such as a
spoon to feed self
❑ Plays hand games
(patty-cake, etc.)
12 to 18 Months
❑ Scribbles on paper by grasping
a pencil or crayon
❑ Rides a bicycle with ability
❑ Picks up, grasps and throws
a ball
❑ Kicks a ball with ability
❑ Stacks blocks together
❑ Carries out household tasks
(cleaning room, making bed,
etc.)
❑ Puts large puzzle pieces into
slots on a puzzle
❑ Rolls a ball back to a person
❑ Imitates more complex motor
skills, such as lifting objects,
changing clothes, etc.
4 • FS-633 Bright Beginnings #9 – Supporting Physical Growth and Development in Young Children
❑ Holds objects and bangs them
together
18 to 24 Months
❑ Grasps and uses spoon or fork
to feed self with support
❑ Grasps and uses a cup or bottle
for drinking
✔ Checklist C
18 to 24 Months
Balance and
Coordination Skills
in Early Childhood
❑ Enjoys sensory activities
with shapes, sizes, textures
❑ Uses a pencil or crayon to
draw lines
0 to 3 Months
❑ Turns pages of a child’s book
with help
❑ Eyes follow parent
2 to 3 Years
❑ Looks at and focuses on parent
❑ Eyes follow parent and baby
also moves head
❑ Uses utensils to feed self
❑ Kicks well and waves arms
❑ Brushes teeth with a toothbrush
with help
❑ Positions well for breast
or bottle feeding
❑ Uses basic scissors for cutting
❑ Holds and uses pencil or crayon
for basic drawing
3 to 6 Months
❑ Moves head or arms with
some control and purpose
❑ Jumps up and down in one spot
❑ Hand-eye coordination
developing with catching,
throwing
❑ Takes off clothes
❑ Assists with simple household
tasks
2 to 3 Years
❑ Jumps off a step without falling,
maintains balance
❑ Uses spoon and fork for eating
❑ Participates in creative
movement, such as dance,
art, etc.
❑ Snaps, buttons or zips with help
❑ Reaches intentionally to grasp
a toy
3 to 5 Years
❑ Eyes follow person or object
that moves out of sight
❑ Builds structures with eight
or more blocks
❑ Cuts paper in shapes
❑ Holds two objects and hits
them together
3 to 5 Years
❑ Draws with pencil, crayons,
other implements
6 to 12 Months
❑ Builds using blocks stacked
on top of each other
❑ Turns pages of a book
❑ Pours water from pitcher to cup
5 to 7 Years
❑ Draws multiple shapes
and figures with various
implements
❑ Turns head and eyes with
control to respond
❑ Reaches for and grasps object
easily
❑ Plays patty-cake with hands
or claps
❑ Strings beads for projects
❑ Stacks items on top of each
other
❑ Uses a comb, toothbrush,
washcloth without support
❑ Holds object with thumb
and finger
❑ Prints letters, numbers, etc.
❑ Cuts shapes clearly, easily
12 to 18 Months
❑ Climbs onto a chair or sofa
❑ Pushes moveable toys about
❑ Holds a pencil or crayon
and scribbles
❑ Plays peekaboo
❑ Drinks from a cup
❑ Grasps and uses a spoon
❑ Draws lines, shapes
❑ Marches or dances in rhythm
to music
❑ Draws letters and numbers
❑ Holds fork or pencil with
three fingers and not a fist
❑ Uses a toothbrush and floss
alone
❑ Puts on and changes own
clothes with some help as
needed
5 to 7 Years
❑ Good balance and more
smooth muscle coordination
❑ Handedness (left or right)
develops
❑ Draws patterns and figures
❑ Puts together puzzles and
games
❑ Ties shoes without help
❑ Plays a musical instrument
with practice
www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu
•
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Enhancing Physical
Growth and
Development
Parents and caregivers have many
ways to enrich a child’s world
and facilitate healthy physical
development. Some key things
a child needs for this type of
development are:
• Variety of activities
Motivation
Children need some reason
to be engaged in activities that
will spur physical development.
Often, the best motivation is
simply to be with and play
with a parent or other adult.
Do you actively engage with
children as they pursue physical
play? Do you make physical
activities fun for them?
• Useful and creative toys
• Interaction with adults
and peers
In physical development,
children basically are learning
how to control their bodies and
move. Adults can help children
by implementing the M-O-V-E
formula for assisting kids with
physical growth.
The M-O-V-E Formula for
Physical Growth in Children
The principles of the M-O-V-E
formula for assisting children with
physical growth and development
are as follows:
Opportunity
Children need room to explore
and materials they can interact
with physically. Do you have a
place for children to be physically
active or sit and draw pictures?
Are materials such as paper,
crayons, scissors or modeling clay
available and easily accessible
to them? Do you have a bin with
some balls and other physical toys
with which children can play?
Make certain you are providing
the opportunity, including time,
space and materials, for children
to be physically engaged with
their environment.
• M otivation
• O pportunity
• Variety
• E quipment, encouragement
and enthusiasm
To best follow these principles,
parents and other adults need
to ask simple questions about
what they are doing to provide
an environment that will
assist physical growth and
development.
Variety
Children are naturally curious,
so they need a variety of materials
and physical activities available to
them. Children also need a variety
in what you offer them because
different children may have
differing interests. One child
will want to play tag outside
while another may wish to build
a block tower. Children need
to develop all aspects of their
physical abilities, so engage them
in a variety of activities that will
help them use all of their muscles
and skills.
6 • FS-633 Bright Beginnings #9 – Supporting Physical Growth and Development in Young Children
Equipment, Encouragement
and Enthusiasm
Equipment of different kinds is
critical for helping young children
develop physically. They need
things to climb on, push, pull and
use in other ways that challenge
and stretch their large- and
small-muscle skills. If you do
not have outside equipment,
take your children to facilities
such as a local park or the
YMCA to find opportunities to
be active on child play equipment.
Encouragement and enthusiasm
also are important building blocks
for supporting a child’s physical
growth and development. Show
children you enjoy interacting
with them, and encourage them
through praise and enthusiasm.
For example, children engaged
in physical sports, such as soccer
or gymnastics, are more likely to
continue if parents make time to
give their attention and express
their excitement at steps in a
child’s abilities. Give your
children the encouragement
and enthusiasm they need,
and you will find enjoyment as
you see them learn to use and
develop their physical abilities
in a variety of ways.
Recommended Resources
■ Books and Articles
Bayley, N. (1993). Bayley Scales
of Infant Development (2nd ed.).
New York: Psychological Corp.
Research-based guidelines related
to a child’s growth and development.
Useful for assessment and
understanding of key growth indicators.
Hammet, C.T. (1992). Movement
Activities for Early Childhood.
Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
Useful resource highlighting different
types of movement activities that can
assist young children with physical
development.
Kristensen, N. (2001).
Basic Parenting Focus Issue: Motor
Development. Minneapolis, Minn.:
Family Information Services.
Very useful set of materials and
handouts summarizing key points
related to a young child’s physical
growth and development.
Mayesky, M. (1999). Creative
Activities for Children. Thomson
Publishing.
Useful resource highlighting activities
that can be done with young children
to stimulate growth and development.
■ References
Bayley, N. (1993). Bayley Scales of
Infant Development (2nd ed.).
New York: Psychological Corp.
Berk, L.E. (1989). Child Development.
Boston, Mass.: Allyn and Bacon.
Malina, R.M., and C. Bouchard.
(1991). Growth, Maturation, and
Physical Activity. Champaign, Ill.:
Human Kinetics.
Clare, L., and H. Garnier. (2000).
Parents’ goals for adolescents
diagnosed with developmental
delays in early childhood. Journal
of Early Adolescence, 20(4), 442-446.
Excellent text on the scientific
understanding of physical growth
and development in human beings.
Hammet, C.T. (1992). Movement
Activities for Early Childhood.
Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
Your Baby is Growing Strong;
Your Baby is Learning to Play;
Your Baby is Becoming a Person;
Your Child is Growing Strong;
Your Child is Learning to Play;
Your Child is Becoming a Person
(charts). (1997). Minneapolis,
Minn.: MELD.
Kristensen, N. (2001). Basic Parenting
Focus Issue: Motor Development.
Minneapolis, Minn.: Family
Information Services.
Usefult set of charts on a baby’s
growth and development.
Malina, R.M., and C. Bouchard. (1991).
Growth, Maturation, and Physical
Activity. Champaign, Ill.: Human
Kinetics.
Payne, V.G., and L.D. Isaacs. (1987).
Human Motor Development:
A Lifespan Approach. Mountain
View, Calif.: Mayfield.
www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu
•
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■ ■ ■
To get a sense of children’s physical abilities
related to gross-motor skills at
different stages of early childhood, see
Checklist A – Gross-motor Skills in Early Childhood (page 4).
To get a sense of children’s physical abilities
related to fine-motor skills at
different stages of early childhood, see
Checklist B – Fine-motor Skills in Early Childhood (page 4).
To get a sense of children’s physical abilities
related to balance and coordination skills at
different stages of early childhood, see
Checklist C – Balance and Coordination Skills in Early Childhood (page 5).
■ ■ ■
For more information on this and other topics, see: www.ag.ndsu.edu
This publication may be copied for noncommercial, educational purposes in its entirety with no changes.
Requests to use any portion of the document (including text, graphics or photos) should be sent to [email protected].
Include exactly what is requested for use and how it will be used.
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sexual orientation, marital status, or public assistance status. Direct inquiries to the Chief Diversity Officer, 205 Old Main, (701) 231-7708.
County Commissions, NDSU and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating.
This publication will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities upon request, (701) 231-7881.
8 • FS-633 Bright Beginnings #9 – Supporting Physical Growth and Development in Young Children
500-4-06; 1M-9-06; 1.2M-3-09
This document is provided under a contractual agreement between the
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Division of Administration
Bureau of Training and Development
AND
State University of New York College at Buffalo
Acknowledgement
This material was developed by SUNY Buffalo State, Institute for Community Health Promotion (ICHP), Center for
Development of Human Services (CDHS) under a training and administrative services agreement with the New
York State Office of Children and Family Services.
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to provide accurate and complete information, the Office of Children and Family
Services and the State of New York assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information provided
herein and make no representations or warranties about the suitability of the information contained here for any
purpose. All information and documents are provided “as is,” without a warranty of any kind.
Copyright © 2015 by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii
Part I: Child Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Birth to Six Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Six Months to One Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
One to Two Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Two to Three Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Three to Four Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Four to Five Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Five to Six Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Six to Seven Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Seven to Eight Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Eight to Nine Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Nine to Ten Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Ten to Eleven Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Eleven to Twelve Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Twelve to Fifteen Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Fifteen to Nineteen Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Contents (cont.)
Part II: The Development of Language and Conceptual Abilities
in Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
0-2 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
3-6 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
6-9 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
9-12 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
13-18 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
18-24 Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
2-3 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
3-5 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
6-8 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
8-10 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
10-12 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
12-15 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
15-18 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Preface
This guide is divided into two separate parts: Part I, Child Development, provides an overview
of how children develop, including the tasks they must accomplish, what’s happening in the
growing brain, typical characteristics and suggested behaviors for effective parenting, and indicators of possible developmental lags or trauma.
Part II, The Development of Language and Conceptual Abilities in Children, is presented in
chart form. It describes (again by age group) what things the typical child might be expected to
say or do at that age or stage, and what the typical child can be expected to know and
how the child thinks and interacts with the world, along with suggestions for caseworker and
caregiver responses. Along with the previous information, appropriate cautions are also listed
for each age group, as well as behaviors that may signal possible developmental problems
and/or trauma in a child.
This guide is intended to be useful and beneficial for caseworkers (child welfare professionals
and others who provide services to children and families) and caregivers (birth parents, foster
parents, adoptive parents, kin, and others who meet the daily needs of children) as they strive
to understand and support the development of children.
We hope that it will continue to be a valuable resource for yet another generation of children
and youth.
iii
Part I: Child Development
Introduction
Assessment of Child Development
When using Part I to assess child development and respond to an individual child’s needs,
caseworkers and caregivers need to consider the developmental tasks associated with each
stage of development. They must also be alert to certain behaviors (or lack of certain
behaviors) in order to determine whether a child is progressing in a way that would be
considered typical for a particular age or stage, or whether a factor that may signal some developmental problem(s) or be indicative of trauma exists. (An example of the former would be a
child whose development lags because of fetal alcohol syndrome associated with parental substance abuse; an example of the latter would be a child whose development lags because of
exposure to domestic violence.) These two sections bookend each stage.
The Growing Brain
In recent years, the fields of pediatrics, psychology, and neuroscience have made important
contributions to understanding how children’s brains grow and develop across childhood. The
first three years of life are an especially intense period of growth in all areas of a child’s development. New content that is supported by research has been added to the guide to reflect the
significance of brain development. Specifically, facts about the brain are presented for each
age, and additional information has been distributed across the domains that relate to these
facts, including new suggested behaviors for effective parenting.
The Five Areas of Development
Arranged according to age group, the various subsections provide an overview of common
behaviors that can be expected of children and youth whose developmental progress would
be considered typical for each of the age groups. These behaviors are further divided into
five separate domains, or areas of development: physical, emotional, social, mental, and moral.
Each area of development includes brief descriptions of common behaviors associated with that
area of development, along with suggested caregiver responses that can be used to encourage
growth (and, in some cases, monitor typical but sometimes difficult behaviors).
When referring to the first two subsections of this part of the guide (Birth to Six Months and
Six Months to One Year), users will notice that the fifth area of development (moral) is not
included for children who are younger than one year because they are not able to distinguish
between right and wrong until they progress beyond infancy.
©2015
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The Child Development Guide
Variations in Child Development and the Role of Trauma
and Resiliency
The tasks and indicators listed for each age group may be more observable at certain
times and/or in certain individual children. It is important to appreciate that inevitably
there will be overlap among the ages and stages described here.
Children engaged by the child welfare system, especially those who have been removed
from their birth families, have likely experienced traumatic events in their young lives,
thereby impacting their development. A removal leading to the separation of the family, in
and of itself, can cause trauma.Trauma to a child “results from an event, series of
events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or
emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (SAMHSA, 2014). Children’s relationships, behaviors, and sense of self may all be impacted.
Adverse effects of trauma may be immediate or have a delayed onset. Recent revisions
to this guide include indicators of trauma for each age and stage in order to support
caseworkers in trauma-informed assessments and responses, and to help caregivers
understand that some behaviors in children may be a result of trauma.
It is important to note that not all children who are involved in or witness traumatic
events develop traumatic stress responses. Some children are able to adapt and cope
with trauma better than others, especially if intervention is early.
Sources
Much of the original information in this guide was adapted with permission from Adoption
of Children with Special Needs (Allen 1982). The information related to trauma and chil
