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Child development refers to the physiological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and end of adolescence as the individual progresses from dependency to autonomy.  Development changes may occur as a result of maturation or environmental factors or learning but most commonly through interaction between two.   Early experiences shape the architecture of the brain including the Linguistic, emotional, and social capabilities of the child at a phenomenal rate.

Child development is a process every child goes through. This process involves learning and mastering skills like sitting, walking, talking, skipping, and tying shoes. Children learn these skills, called developmental milestones, during predictable time periods.   There are various definitions of periods in a child’s development.   Since each period is a continuum with individual difference regarding start to finish.  For example:

Children develop skills in five main areas of development:

Cognitive Development: This is the child’s ability to learn and solve problems. For example, this includes a two-month-old baby learning to explore the environment with hands or eyes or a five-year-old learning how to do simple math problems.

Social and Emotional Development: This is the child’s ability to interact with others, including helping themselves and self-control. Examples of this type of development would include: a six-week-old baby smiling, a ten-month-old baby waving bye-bye, or a five-year-old boy knowing how to take turns in games at school.

Speech and Language Development: This is the child’s ability to both understand and use language. For example, this includes a 12-month-old baby saying his first words, a two-year-old naming parts of her body, or a five-year-old learning to say “feet” instead of “foots”.

Fine Motor Skill Development: This is the child’s ability to use small muscles, specifically their hands and fingers, to pick up small objects, hold a spoon, turn pages in a book, or use a crayon to draw.

Gross Motor Skill Development: This is the child’s ability to use large muscles. For example, a six-month-old baby learns how to sit up with some support, a 12-month-old baby learns to pull up to a stand holding onto furniture, and a five-year-old learns to skip.

The optimal development of children is considered vital to society so it is important to understand the social, cognitive, emotional and educational development of children.  Research and interest in this field has resulted in new theories and strategies with specific regard to practice that promotes development within the school system.

Years of child development research shows that while each child is pre-wired with certain traits, temperament and ability it’s the interaction with their environment especially parents which ultimately determines how these characteristics are manifested as they grow and develop in to competent adults.  Development is a result of transactions between the child and his/hers environment.  Each one results in a new learning which results in development of skills and traits.

Child development can be thought of in a similar way to the progress of a major building project.  Having the foundations or entity, scaffolding is put up firstly and is used to provide support while the structure is being built.  As the project reaches each stage of completion scaffolding is gradually removed as the building can gradually support itself.  A parent’s role in child development is to provide the scaffolding for their child and gradually remove it as the child attains skills and attributes while they move from one development stage to another.

Research has shown that nurturing in the form of spending sufficient quality time with your child that is both enjoyable for parent and child leads to happy, healthy successful children.  Children also need structure, and parents are key to providing this and helping the child to develop self-discipline and positive character traits.

There are strategies to promote high standards of early learning within our childcare and educational systems.  Having these in place will help to improve the quality of early care given and education for young children.  Qualified teachers and supported caregivers also a vital part within this system.  A sensitive and responsive care giver is critical to the healthy development of children particularly for infants and toddlers whose social and emotional development requires more one to one attention and continuity of care than an older child.  Well trained care givers are a key component of a good quality early care and learning environment.

This said another key aspect of child development, especially with children living in poverty are linkages to comprehensive services such as health, nutrition, family support, play groups, children centres and any necessary social services care.  Research has shown children brought up in these conditions are at greater risk to a number of conditions that could impede healthy development and growth of a child.

It has been noted that the most important element of a child’s development is the importance of play, it is so important for healthy brain development.  This promotes healthy development and maintains a strong parent-child bond also.  Play is an essential aspect of development as it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of the child.  It also offers the ideal opportunity for parents to fully engage with their child and vice versa.  Despite the benefits of play it often an area that is reduced for some children.  This can be because of a variety of factors for example: hurried life style, changes in family structure and increased attention to academics.

Play allows the child to use creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength.  It is through play that they engage and interact in the world around them.  It gives the child the opportunity to create and explore a world they can master   conquering fears while practicing adult roles.  This will help to develop new competencies which lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency they need to face future challenges.  Undirected play allows the child to learn to work in groups and to share, negotiate, resolve conflicts, and self-advocacy skills.  When it is child driven play they develop their own interests and practice decision making skills whilst moving at their own pace.  Much of adult lead play is controlled and the child adheres to adult rules and concerns, thus restricting and losing some of the benefits.  This is particularly in creativity leadership and group skills.

Most parents want to do everything they can to help aid their child learn and develop, and there is a lot that they can do to help their child grow.  In fact most parents won’t even realise how often they aid this, every song sung every word spoken every cuddle and eye contact with a child serves a developmental purpose.  Everything a parent does which is responsive and affectionate loving is serving a child’s development.  Merely just feeding and changing a nappy on a child is not enough and the child will almost certainly not thrive and develop the way it would if it was given the above.