Physical, Emotional & Social Development

Objectives: The participants will be able to

Understand concept of development.

Describe important factors that impact the developing child

Demonstrate brain and body development of child

State how child develops relations to others

Explain primary and secondary emotions

Brief helping children manage inappropriate emotional reactions

Provide a brief overview of physical, emotional & social development of child.

What is development?

The scientific study of the changes that occur in people as they age.

Development means change - change can be abrupt or gradual.

Plato argued children born with innate knowledge, while Aristotle saw knowledge as rooted in

experience

Important Factors That Impact the Developing Child

Biological Development

Environmental Influences

Biological Development

Children are not miniature versions of an adult.

A childs abilities coincide with the development of his/her central nervous system (CNS),

particularly the brain.

This co-development with the CNS often becomes more easily overlooked as the child gets older.

Environmental Influences

Those with primary child-rearing responsibilities are most likely to maximize learning capabilities.

Understand the balance between developmental limits and parental expectations (i.e. 2 year-old

children cannot be taught how to read, but their language development can be enhanced by reading

to them).

Remember , normal development is not necessarily an age specific event, but instead occurs

within a range that can differ from child to child.

Physical DevelopmentPhysical development takes place quickly in the lives of children. The infant who was once immobile turns

into the toddler who seems to be always on the move. Children differ in how quickly they develop large

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motor skills. This development occurs in stages, each one building upon the previous ones. The rate of this

development is less important than the sequence. An environment that encourages physical development

through exploration is important for children of all ages.

This area of learning relates to the development of childrens body control and co-ordination of large

movements, fine manipulative skills, spatial awareness and balance. It is also concerned with childrens

knowledge and understanding of a healthy lifestyle upon which physical well-being depends.

Features of Physical Development:

During childhood, children grow another 12 inches, and gain weight about the rate of 5 pounds a year. Legs

also grow much faster than the rest of the body. By the age of 6, children make up almost 45% of body

length. Children begin this period with baby teeth, and, by the end, the children are loosing them.

Brain Development

How does the brain develop?

Birth, brain is about 25% of its adult weight

6 months, brain is about 50% of its adult weight

75% of adult brain weight is present at 5-6 years

By 10 years, about 95% of adult brain weight has developed

Physical Development: Infancy through PreschoolPhysical development involves the increasing skill and functioning of the body whereas growth relates to a

childs increasing height, weight and general size. Both growth and development depend on suitable

nourishment, including a balance of the right foods and sufficient water to drink. Increasing control and co-

ordination is enabled by the maturing brain and nervous system, growing bones and muscles, exercise and

physical activity. It also provides children with the abilities they need to explore and interact with the

world around them.

What are some developmental milestones in physical growth during the first five years of a child's life?

First year:

o Birth-2 months: babies focus on your face when you talk; arm and leg movements appear to be uncoordinated; weak neck muscles mean that babies cannot control their head

movements.

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o 3-4 months: babies begin to develop head control and can lift their chests when placed on their stomachs. While you should let your baby have some supervised play time on her

stomach, ALWAYS place your child on her back to sleep.

o 4-5 months: babies roll from side to back and/or from back to side.o 6-7 months: babies can turn completely over (front to back and/or back to front).o 7 months: babies can pull themselves up to stand but have trouble sitting down again.o 7-8 months: babies can sit up steadily with the support of their arms.o 8-10 months: babies can creep on their stomachs or begin to crawl on their hands and knees.

(Some babies do not learn to crawl until after they learn to stand.)

o 9-11 months: babies can walk when led by the hands or "cruise" holding onto furniture.o 12-15 months: babies can stand without holding on to anything and begin walking.

1-3 years:

o 18 months: toddlers are walking well, both forward and backwards; they can creep down stairs and get on and off a low chair; they can throw a ball without losing balance.

o 24 months: children are able to run and climb.o 36 months: children are refining large motor skills; they can alternate feet while climbing

stairs, ride a tricycle, jump and balance on one foot. They can throw a ball overhand.

o 36-48 months: children can run and skip well, play simple ball games, and are skilled tricycle riders.

o 48-60 months: children can hop, skip, run, play with a ball, and climb.

What are some activities we can do to encourage child's physical development?

Birth to 12 months:

o Allow your baby plenty of safe space for rolling, scooting and crawling.o Make sure your baby's clothing is loose enough so arms and legs can move freely.o Play gentle exercise games.o To encourage your baby to crawl, place a favorite toy just out of reach.o Provide firm, stable objects on which your baby can pull up to a standing position.

One to 3 years old:

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o Provide pull toys that make noise. Encourage your child to walk forward and backward while pulling the toy.

o Help your child walk up and down stairs.o Help your child jump off the first or second step and over a small object.o Provide opportunities for your child to climb up and through things.o Provide both large and small balls for throwing and kicking.o Provide a wagon for pulling and carrying objects from place to place.

Four to 5 years old:

o Have your child walk along a line drawn on the floor to learn balance.o Provide a mat for tumbling play such as rolls and somersaults.o Play catch with child, starting with a large ball and gradually changing to smaller sized

balls.

How settings can effectively implement this Area of Learning and Development

To give all children the best opportunities for effective physical development, practitioners should give

particular attention to:

Planning activities which offer appropriate physical challenges.

Providing sufficient space, indoors and outdoors, to set up relevant activities.

Giving sufficient time for children to use a range of equipment and to persist and learn from their

mistakes.

Providing resources that can be used in a variety of ways, or to support specific skills.

Introducing the language of movement to children, alongside their actions.

Providing time and opportunities for children with physical disabilities or motor impairments to

develop their physical skills, working in partnership with relevant specialists such as

physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

Using additional adult help, if necessary, to support individuals and to encourage increased

independence in physical activities.

Treating mealtimes as an opportunity to promote children's social development, while enjoying

food and highlighting the importance of making healthy choices.

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Providing time to support understanding of the roles that exercise, eating, sleeping and hygiene

have in promoting good health.

The Development of Physical Skills

The concept of development includes two major categories: normative development and dynamic development. Each of these is defined as follows:

Normative development concerns the typical (normal) capabilities, as well as limitations, of most children of a given age within a given cultural group. It indicates a typical range of what children can and cannot be expected to do and learn at a given time.

Dynamic development concerns the sequence and physical changes that occur in all aspects of a child's functioning with the passage of time and increasing experience, and how these changes interact.

Normative development is important because it allows parents and other adults to understand what to expect of a child physically at different ages. For example, expecting a 3-year-old child to zip her own coat would be unrealistic because she still is developing the physical ability to use fingers in that way.

The term motor development refers to physical growth, or growth in the ability of children to use their

bodies and physical skills. Motor development often has been defined as the process by which a child

acquires movement patterns and skills.

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

Childrens control and co-ordination of their gross motor skills develop through movement that involves

the use of muscles in the body, legs and arms. As they develop most children will acquire the following

skills:

walking

running

stopping

jumping

climbing

pushing and pulling wheeled toys

pedaling a bike

rolling a ball

throwing / catching a beanbag or ball

balancing.

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As they progress children will continue to refine their movements and apply their skills in new situations,

for

example:

hopping and skipping, following games marked on the ground or the wall

gaining awareness of space, height and distance as they move around, use climbing equipment or ride

wheeled toys

building large constructions such as a den

rolling, striking, skittles, throwing / catching balls, balls of different sizes, quoits, hoops and other

developmentally appropriate resources.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS

Skill at manipulating a range of malleable materials and small items of equipment depends on the

development of small muscles. Fine motor control is needed, for example, to build a tower of blocks, or tie

shoe laces.

Physical skills are also linked with perceptual development, visual skills, cognitive skills and understanding

of specific vocabulary related to spatial relationships. These are enhanced through a visually stimulating

environment and opportunities to explore and talk about a wide range of resources and materials.

As childrens small muscles mature, including eye muscles, hand / eye co-ordination will develop. Hand

/eye coordination is a pre-requisite of being able to hold a pencil properly to make marks on paper and later

produce precise writing patterns, letters and numbers.

Children will develop fine manipulative skills and hand / eye co-ordination by handling a wide range of

resources, including:

_ dough, , clay

_ painting- first with large brushes and then finer ones

_ sand and water play equipment

_ small world figures, animals and vehicles.

_ construction equipment of different sizes for large constructions and table top activities.

_ clothes for role and imaginative play

_ scissors, cooking equipment, sewing equipment

_ a range of mark making equipment for use in and on different types of medium

_ computers and other programmable devices.

Social Development

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When children feel emotionally and physically secure, they have the opportunity to freely explore their

environment. They are able to interact with adults and other children, and gain a sense of identity through

an understanding and confidence in themselves as individuals.

The key to social and emotional development is strong, positive, secure relationships. Infants and toddlers

need consistent, nurturing adults who are supportive and responsive. Caring adults provide safe, stable, and

predictable environments that support young childrens growing independence. Such environments

promote a healthy sense of self and connections with others.

How a person develops a sense of self or self-identity, develops relationships with others, and develops the

kinds of social skills important in personal interactions.

Theory: An organized set of ideas that is designed to explain and make predictions about development

Erik Eriksons Psychosocial Stages

Trust vs. Mistrust

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

Initiative vs. Guilt

Industry vs. Inferiority

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Trust Vs. Mistrust (0-1 Year)

Description: Infants depend on others to meet their basic needs, and therefore must be able to

blindly trust the caregivers to provide them.

Positive outcome: If their needs are met consistently and responsively, infants will learn to trust

their environment and people in it.

Negative outcome: If needs are not responsibly met, infant may view world as a dangerous and

unreliable place.

Autonomy Vs. Shame/Doubt (1-2 Years)

Description: Toddlers learn to explore and do things for themselves. Their self-control and self-

confidence begin to develop at this stage.

Positive outcome: If child is encouraged to explore and reassured when mistakes are made, he/she

will develop confidence needed to cope with future situations that require choice, control, and

independence.

Negative outcome: If parents are overprotective or extremely critical, child may feel ashamed of

behaviors and doubt his/her abilities and.

Initiative Vs. Guilt (2-6 Years)

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Description: Children begin to interact with environment in more adult like manner as motor and

language skills develop. They learn to maintain an eagerness for adventure and play, while

learning to control impulsive behavior.

Positive outcome: If parents are encouraging, but consistent in discipline, children will learn to

accept concept of right/wrong without guilt, and not feel shame when using their imagination and

engaging in fantasy play.

Negative outcome: If not, children may develop a sense of guilt and may come to believe that it is

wrong to be independent.

Competence/Industry Vs. Inferiority (6-12 Years)

Description: School is the important event at this stage. Children learn to master basic social and

academic skills. Peers become the key social agent and children begin to compare themselves with

others outside of the family.

Positive outcome: If children can find pleasure in learning, being productive, and seeking success,

they will develop a sense of competence.

Negative outcome: If not, they will develop feelings of inferiority.

Identity Vs. Role Confusion (12-20 Years)

Description: This is the crossroad between childhood and maturity when adolescents ask "Who am

I?" The key social agent is the persons society of peers.

Positive outcome: Adolescents who solve this conflict successfully will develop a strong identity,

and will be ready to plan for the future.

Negative outcome: If not, the adolescent will sink into confusion, unable to make decisions and

choices

Emotional Development

What is emotion?

A state of physiological response to subjective feelings & cognitions that necessitate action.

Primary & Secondary Emotions

Primary Emotions are instinctive (adaptive responses) to a given situation. Fight or flight (autonomic)

responses that may be evolutionary in origin.

Secondary Emotions are secondary reactions to primary emotions & can be learned through socialisation.

Primary Secondary

Love Affection, lust & longing Joy Cheerfulness, zest & pleasure Surprise Amazement & astonishment

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Anger Irritation, Exasperation, & rage Sadness Disappointment, suffering & shame Fear Horror, nervousness & panic Positive & Negative Emotions

From birth to maturity, emotions go from relatively undifferentiated positive and negative states, to

increasingly different discrete states.

What happens to emotions over time?

The study of emotional development attempts to answer a number of questions...

How do we go from a limited set of emotional reactions to full-blown adult emotions?

How much of this is innate?

How much depends on other factors being present?

How much requires socialization?

Are these facial expressions meaningful?

They cry--but are they sad or angry?

They smile--but are they happy?

Distaste, but is it disgust?

These expressions are not made reliably in response to the right sorts of situations.

Are these facial expressions Innate?

Test: Do blind babies have emotional facial expressions like sighted babies?

-Yes, especially smiling

-But, as time goes on, blind people make fewer facial expressions of emotion! (Except happiness)

-Not good at posing facial expressions

Emotion in Early Childhood

What changes from Infancy to Early Childhood?

Many mature emotions dependent on cognitive development

Sense of Self9

Theory of Mind

Understanding Social Norms

Increased Linguistic Abilities

Example: Fear

7 months: Loud noise, sudden movement

Preschool: Imaginary things

Elementary School: Physical threats

Adolescence: Social Fears

Recognizing Emotion Faces in Early Childhood

Young children fairly poor, but better with age

Happy, Angry, Sad emerge first (in that order)

Scared, surprised, disgusted only later

Self-Conscious Emotions

In early childhood start being able to use social standards and rules to evaluate behavior

Basics start to appear around 2.5 years of age

e.g., pride, shame, guilt, embarrassment

Other skills emerge in early childhood...

Better at talking about emotions

Increase in emotion-related words

can label emotions and talk about past and future emotions

Able to use emotion language in pretend play

Increased ability to reflect on emotions

Can talk about causes and consequences of emotions

Come to understand that same event can elicit different emotions in different people

Increased awareness about controlling emotions to meet social standards

Emotions and emotional regulation play a large role in the success of peer relationships

Parenting Styles

Authoritarian

Permissive

Authoritative

Neglectful

Emotions of Preschoolers

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Distress

Anger

Fear

Sadness

Surprise

Interest

Affection

Joy

Goal of Preschool Teacher

To help children develop emotionally, the preschool teacher should be concerned with promoting positive

responses and teaching management of inappropriate responses.

Helping Children Manage Inappropriate Emotional Reactions

Remove or reduce the cause of the emotion

Diffuse the childs negative response by allowing him to let it out through crying, talking, or

transferring his feelings into nondestructive actions.

Offer support, comfort, and ideas for self-control.

Model controlled behavior yourself

Give children the opportunity to talk about feelings in a nonemotional setting.

Principal Causes of Distress in Child Care Setting

Separation from mother

Physical discomfort/pain

Rejection by peers

Dissatisfaction with performance

Stressful family situation birth of new baby, death, hospitalization, a move, or a divorce

Relieving Stress

Give comfort

Allow child to cry

Redirect attention

Help the child to verbalize through play, art, or drawing

Anger

The emotion that results when we are physically or psychologically restrained from doing something,

frustrated in our attempts, interrupted, personally insulted, or forced to do something against our will.

Fear/Anxiety11

Remains calm in difficult or dangerous situations

Overcomes Sad Feelings in Appropriate Manner

Demonstrate Sympathy

Provide a Quiet Space

Give the Child Time

Talk Privately to the Child

Read a Book

Shows fondness, affection, connection, love toward others when perform these.

Nearness

Touch

Nonverbal cues

Verbal affirmations

Joy/enjoyment

Smiles, seems happy much of the time

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