Ages & Stages

Age: refers to the actual chronological
age of children from the year of birth.
 Stage: means one of several periods of
development that children pass through
as they grow.

Age Categories
 Infant – from birth until age one
 Toddler – from age one to age three
 Preschool – from age three to five
 School-age - from age five to puberty
 Adolescent – from puberty to adulthood
 Adulthood
 Human development occurs in the same sequence in
all people.

Development Terms
Development: refers to an increasing skill
in one or a combination of abilities.
-include physical, emotional, social, and mental skills.
-children all over the world are more alike than
different. (Ex. They learn to walk and talk in much the
same way.)
-development is measured in stages, because it occurs
in an orderly sequence.

Growth:
A process that begins at conception and
continues through adulthood.
-Growth refers to an increase in size,
strength, or ability.
-Physical growth includes weight or
height.

Maturation:
the overall process of growth and
development from infancy to adulthood.
-Every child has an inborn timetable and blueprint for
maturation that are unique to the child.
-Growth and development do not occur because of
learning but result from maturation, which cannot be
altered or stopped.
Ex. The body changes that occur during puberty are
part of normal maturation and cannot be speeded up
or slowed down.