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Allama Iqbal Open University
Course:HumanDevelopmentandlearning(8610)
Semester: Autumn, 2019
Level: B.Ed
AssignmentNo.1
Unit (1-4)
Q1. Briefly explain the factors that influence physical growth in early development. Give
examples to support your answer.
The process of human growth and development is described by various set of principles. These
principles explain typical development as a predictable and orderly process. Therefore we can easily
foretell how most children will develop even though there are differences in children’s qualities,
behavior, activity levels, and timing of developmental milestones. To understand human growth and
development, we need to understand nature and nurture, and the relationship between the two.
Factors Which Influence Human Growth and Development
The following are a list of factors which influence human growth and development:
 Heredity: Heredity and genes certainly play an important role in the transmission of physical
and social characteristics from parents to off-springs. Different characteristics of growth and
development like intelligence, aptitudes, body structure, height, weight, color of hair and eyes
are highly influenced by heredity.
 Sex: Sex is a very important factor which influences human growth and development. There
is lot of difference in growth and development between girls and boys. Physical growth of
girls in teens is faster than boys. Overall the body structure and growth of girls are different
from boys.
 Socioeconomic: Socioeconomic factors definitely have some affect. It has been seen that the
children from different socioeconomic levels vary in average body size at all ages. The upper
level families being always more advanced. The most important reasons behind this are better
nutrition, better facilities, regular meals, sleep, and exercise. Family size also influences
growth rate as in big families with limited income sometimes have children that do not get
the proper nutrition and hence the growth is affected.
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 Nutritional: Growth is directly related with nutrition. The human body requires an adequate
supply of calories for its normal growth and this need of requirements vary with the phase of
development. As per studies, malnutrition is referred as a large-scale problem in many
developing countries. They are more likely to be underweight, much shorter than average,
and of low height for age, known as stunting.
If the children are malnourished, this slows their growth process. There are nine different
amino acids which are necessary for growth and absence of any one will give rise to stunted
growth. Other factors like zinc, Iodine, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins are also essential
for proper growth and deficiency of anyone can affect the normal growth and development of
the body.

 Hormones: There are a large number of endocrine glands present inside our body. These
glands secrete one or more hormones directly into the bloodstream. These hormones are
capable of raising or lowering the activity level of the body or some organs of the body.
Hormones are considered to be a growth supporting substance. These hormones play an
important role in regulating the process of growth and development.
 Pollution: According to studies, air pollution not only affects the respiratory organs but also
have harmful effects on human growth.
Indoor pollution or the pollution from housing conditions can result in ill health which can
negatively impact human growth and development. For example, lead exposure from
deteriorated lead-based paint in older housing can be very harmful. Lead is very harmful for
children as it simply gets immersed into the growing bodies of children and obstructs with the
normal development of brain and other organs and systems.
 Race: Racial factors also influence height, weight, color, features, and body constitution of a
human being. The body growth and development differences show a relationship with varied
cultural groups. For example a child of black race will be black, their height, their hair and
eye color, facial structure are all governed by the samerace.
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Q2. i) Discuss the course of physical growth in early childhood
The term "gross motor" development refers to physical skills that use large body movements,
normally involving the entire body. In the sense used here, gross means "large" rather than
"disgusting."
Between ages 2 and 3 years, young children stop "toddling," or using the awkward, wide-legged
robot-like stance that is the hallmark of new walkers. As they develop a smoother gait, they also
develop the ability to run, jump, and hop. Children of this age can participate in throwing and
catching games with larger balls. They can also push themselves around with their feet while sitting
on a riding toy.
Children who are 3 to 4 years old can climb up stairs using a method of bringing both feet together
on each step before proceeding to the next step (in contrast, adults place one foot on each step in
sequence). However, young children may still need some "back-up" assistance to prevent falls in
case they become unsteady in this new skill. Children of this age will also be stumped when it's time
to go back down the stairs; they tend to turn around and scoot down the stairs backwards. 3 to 4 year
olds can jump and hop higher as their leg muscles grow stronger. Many can even hop on one foot for
short periods of time.
Also at this age (3 to 4 years), children develop better upper body mobility. As a result, their
catching and throwing abilities improve in speed and accuracy. In addition, they can typically hit a
stationary ball from a tee with a bat. As whole body coordination improves, children of this age can
now peddle and steer a tricycle. They can also kick a larger ball placed directly in front of their
bodies.
By ages 4 to 5, children can go up and down the stairs alone in the adult fashion (i.e., taking one step
at a time). Their running continues to smooth out and increase in speed. Children of this age can also
skip and add spin to their throws. They also have more control when riding their tricycles (or
bicycles), and can drive them faster.
During ages 5 to 6, young children continue to refine earlier skills. They're running even faster and
can start to ride bicycles with training wheels for added stability. In addition, they can step sideways.
Children of this age begin mastering new forms of physical play such as the jungle gym, and begin to
use the see-saw, slide, and swing on their own. They often start jumping rope, skating, hitting balls
with bats, and so on. Many children of this age enjoy learning to play organized sports such as
soccer, basketball, t-ball or swimming. In addition, 5 to 6 year olds often like to participate in

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physical extracurricular activities such as karate, gymnastics, or dance. Children continue to refine
and improve their gross motor skills through age 7 and beyond.
Physical Development: Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are necessary to engage in smaller, more precise movements, normally using the
hands and fingers. Fine motor skills are different than gross motor skills which require less precision
to perform.
By ages 2 to 3 years, children can create things with their hands. They can build towers out of
blocks, mold clay into rough shapes, and scribble with a crayon or pen. Children of this age can also
insert objects into matching spaces, such as placing round pegs into round holes. 2 to 3 year-olds
often begin showing a preference for using one hand more often than the other, which is the
beginning of becoming left or right-handed.
Around ages 3 to 4 years, children start to manipulate clothing fasteners, like zippers and snaps, and
continue to gain independence in dressing and undressing themselves. Before they enter school, most
children will gain the ability to completely dress and undress themselves (even though they may take
a long time to finish the task). At this age, children can also begin using scissors to cut paper.
Caregivers should be sure to give children blunt, round-edged "kid" scissors for safety reasons!
3 to 4 year- olds continue to refine their eating skills and can use utensils like forks and spoons.
Young children at this age can also use larger writing instruments, like fat crayons, in a writing hold
rather than just grasping them with their fist. They can also use a twisting motion with their hands,
useful for opening door knobs or twisting lids off containers. Because children can now open
containers with lids, caregivers should make certain that harmful substances such as cleaners and
medications are stored out of reach in a locked area to prevent accidental poisonings.
During ages 4 to 5 years, children continue to refine fine motor skills and build upon earlier skills.
For instance, they can now button and unbutton their clothes by themselves. Their artistic skills
improve, and they can draw simple stick figures and copy shapes such as circles, squares, and large
letters. Drawing more complex shapes, however, may take longer.
5-7 year-olds begin to show the skills necessary for starting or succeeding in school, such as printing
letters and numbers and creating shapes such as triangles. They are able to use paints, pencils and
crayons with better control. Children can also complete other self-care tasks beyond dressing and
undressing, such as brushing their teeth and combing their hair. Children of this age can also
independently feed themselves without an adult's immediate supervision or help.
ii) As a teacher which activities you can used for physical development of children at
elementary level.
Most elementary school-age children still need plenty of unstructured activity like running and
chasing, and playground games.
Everyday physical activity can also include walking, riding bikes or scooters around your
neighborhood, and playing outside in your backyard or local park. And school-age children are often
keen to help with physical household tasks like gardening or washing the car – something that you
might be keen to encourage too!
These kinds of unstructured, everyday physical activities can be more affordable and easier to fit into
busy family life than organised activities and sports. And they all add up to a more active lifestyle for
your child.
Early education ensures free, integral and harmonious development of the child's personality,
according to his rhythm and needs. The education provided has to ensure the differentiated
stimulation of children, aiming the intellectual, emotional, social and physical development of each
child and targeting to achieve the following results of early education (from birth to 6/7 years old):
The free, integral and harmonious development of the child's personality, according to his
own pace and general needs, supporting his autonomous and creative training.

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 Development of the capacity to interact with other children, with adults and with the
environment to acquire new knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours; encouraging
exploration, exercises, tests and experiments, as autonomous learning experiences.
 The discovery, by each child, of his/her own identity and autonomy and the development of a
positive self-image.
 Supporting the child in the acquisition of knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes required
for his school entry and throughout life.
All activities with young children should respect child's right to play - viewed as a form of activity,
method, procedure and means of achieving educational approaches at early ages, as well as a method
of stimulating the capacity and creativity of the child, as a right of him and as an opening to freedom
to choose, according to his/her own needs.
Steering Documents and Types of Activities
According to the National Education Law (Law No.1/2011, with subsequent amendments), the
national curriculum for early education focuses on physical, cognitive, emotional and social
development of children, respectively on early remedying of any development deficiencies.
The early education curriculum is determined by the Ministry of National Education.
Early pre-school education targets the overall development of the child, which will assure him a
good start in life. The areas of child’s development targeted in the specific curriculum for early pre-
school age, as physical development, health, personal care, socio-emotional development, cognitive
development, language development and communication, developing skills and attitudes in learning
are essential to achieve a customized education, by identifying the child potential and the
difficulties/disabilities of each child by the teacher.
The types of activities performed with children in the units that offer early pre-school education
services, according to specific curriculum are:
 playing with toy, symbolic play, sensorial game, playing with sand and water, construction
game, didactic game.
 artistic and skill activities: drawing, painting, modelling, practical and household activities.
 music and movement activities: auditions, musical games, text games and singing, songs,
eurhythmy.
 communication and creative activities: stories, memorization, working with books, reading
images.
 awareness activities: observations, readings by pictures, mathematical activities, talks,
didactic games, experiments.
 outdoor activities: walks, sand games, games and sports competitions, using playground
equipment.
The curriculum for pre-school education promotes the concept of global development of the child,
considered to be central in early childhood. The perspective of global development of the child
emphasizes the important areas of child development, considering that, in today's society, the
training of children for school and for life should take into account not only academic skills, but
equally, abilities, skills, attitudes related to socio-emotional development (living and working
together or with others, to manage emotions, to accept diversity, tolerance etc.), cognitive
development (addressing some problematic situations, divergent thinking, establishment of causal
interactions, etc. ass ociations, correla
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tions, etc.) physical developme nt (motricity, healt

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food, etc.). Since the aims of education in the early years (from birth to 6/7 years old) is targeting the
global child development, the curriculum objectives are formulated on integrated experiential
domains (Language and Communication Domain, Science Domain, Aesthetic and Creative Domain,
Man and Society Domain, Psychomotor Domain) as instruments to achieve these objectives and, in
the same time, as measurement tools for child development, in the context in which they indicate
habits, abilities, skills, content specific to the areas ofdevelopment.
The categories of learning activities present in pre-school education are:
 Activities in experiential domains (which can be integrated activities or by disciplines)
 Games and chosen activities
 Personal development activities.
The activities in experiential fields are the integrated activities or on disciplines developed with
children within projects planned according to the annual study themes proposed by curriculum, as
well as to the age and the needs and interests of children in the group. The annual study themes are:
Who am I / are we? What and how I want to be? Who and how plans/organizes an activity?
How it is, was and will be here on Earth? When, how and why it happens? With what and how
do we express what we feel?
The games and activities chosen are those chosen by children and they help them to socialize
progressively and to initiate themselves in the knowledge of the physical world, the social and
cultural environment to which they belong, the mathematics, the communication, the language
reading and writing. They are performed on small groups, in pairs and even individually.
Personal development activities include routines, transitions and activities during the afternoon (for
groups with extended or weekly program), including optionalactivities.
In the daily program it is mandatory to have at least one activity or one moment/sequence of physical
movement (motion game with song and text, physical education activity, refreshing moment,
competitions or sports trails, outdoor walks, etc.). Also, it is recommended the children's exposure to
environmental factors, as a condition for maintaining the health status and hardening of the body and
taking out the children outdoors at least once a day, regardless of season.
Teaching Methods and Materials
The teacher is fully responsible for choosing the methods, taking the structure of the group into
consideration and the teaching aids available in the kindergarten (grădiniţă) and following the
general methodological guidelines provided by the National Curriculum and the teachers’ guides.
During a given activity, the management of the age-level group is the responsibility of the teacher.
Teachers can decide to organise the activities with all the children (frontal activities), in smaller
groups or individually (differentiated activities) – depending on the specific objectives of the activity
and the level of the children. Regarding the teaching methods, the following general remarks can be
taken into consideration:
 The oral communication methods utilized can be classified as expository methods (story
telling, description, explanation, etc.) and conversational methods (conversation, heuristic
conversation, questioning on a special subject, etc.).
 Teachers also use exploratory learning methods: direct exploration of objects and
phenomena (systematic and independent observation, small experiments, etc.) and indirect
exploration (demonstration through pictures, films, etc.).

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The Preoperational Stage
Ages: 2 to 7 Years
Major Characteristics and Developmental Changes:
 Children begin to think symbolically and learn to use words and pictures to represent objects.
 Children at this stage tend to be egocentric and struggle to see things from the perspective of
others.
 While they are getting better with language and thinking, they still tend to think about things
in very concrete terms.
 During most of the activities, teachers use extensively methods based on the pupils’ direct
voluntary action (exercises, practical work, etc.) and simulated action (didactic games,
learning through drama, etc.).
 In pre-primary education the game is the major modality to stimulate the mental and
physical capacity of the pupils and to facilitate adaptation of the pupils to the requirements
of formal education.
The teaching aids used in pre-primary education consist of:
 natural materials (plants, shells, seeds, insects, rocks, etc.)
 technical objects (measurement instruments, home appliances, etc.)
 intuitive materials (cast and clay models)
 figurative aids (pictures, photographs, atlas books, maps, albums, table games, etc.)
 printed teaching aids (children books, workbooks, etc.). Printed teaching aids can be acquired
by the kindergartens (grădiniţa) or recommended by the teacher and acquired by the
children’s parents.
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Q3. How does children logical thinking develop across the following stages of piaget’s theory:
preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational stages.
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children move through four different
stages of mental development. His theory focuses not only on understanding how children acquire
knowledge, but also on understanding the nature of intelligence.1
Piaget's stages are:
 Sensorimotor stage: birth to 2 years
 Preoperational stage: ages 2 to 7
 Concrete operational stage: ages 7 to 11
 Formal operational stage: ages 12 and up
Piaget believed that children take an active role in the learning process, acting much like little
scientists as they perform experiments, make observations, and learn about the world. As kids
interact with the world around them, they continually add new knowledge, build upon existing
knowledge, and adapt previously held ideas to accommodate new information.

Children become much more skilled at pretend play during this stage of development, yet continue to
think very concretely about the world around them.
The Concrete Operational Stage
Ages: 7 to 11 Years
Major Characteristics and Developmental Changes
 During this stage, children begin to thinking logically about concrete events
 They begin to understand the concept of conservation; that the amount of liquid in a short,
wide cup is equal to that in a tall, skinny glass, for example
 Their thinking becomes more logical and organized, but still very concrete
 Children begin using inductive logic, or reasoning from specific information to a general
principle
While thinking becomes much more logical during the concrete operational state, it can also be very
rigid. Kids at this point in development tend to struggle with abstract and hypothetical concepts.
The Formal Operational Stage
Ages: 12 and Up
The foundations of language development may have been laid during the previous stage, but it is the
emergence of language that is one of the major hallmarks of the preoperational stage of
development.3
At this stage, kids learn through pretend play but still struggle with logic and taking the point of view
of other people. They also often struggle with understanding the idea of constancy.
For example, a researcher might take a lump of clay, divide it into two equal pieces, and then give a
child the choice between two pieces of clay to play with. One piece of clay is rolled into a compact
ball while the other is smashed into a flat pancake shape. Since the flat shape looks larger, the
preoperational child will likely choose that piece even though the two pieces are exactly the same
size.
Preoperational Stage of Cognitive Development in Young Children
While children are still very concrete and literal in their thinking at this point in development, they
become much more adept at using logic.2
The egocentrism of the previous stage begins to disappear
as kids become better at thinking about how other people might view a situation.
During this stage, children also become less egocentric and begin to think about how other people
might think and feel. Kids in the concrete operational stage also begin to understand that their
thoughts are unique to them and that not everyone else necessarily shares their thoughts, feelings,
and opinions.

 At this stage, the adolescent or young adult begins to think abstractly and reason about
hypothetical problems
 Abstract thought emerges
 Teens begin to think more about moral, philosophical, ethical, social, and political issues that
require theoretical and abstract reasoning
 Begin to use deductive logic, or reasoning from a general principle to specific information
The ability to thinking about abstract ideas and situations is the key hallmark of the formal
operational stage of cognitive development. The ability to systematically plan for the future and
reason about hypothetical situations are also critical abilities that emerge during this stage.
MajorCharacteristicsandDevelopmentalChanges:
The final stage of Piaget's theory involves an increase in logic, the ability to use deductive reasoning,
and an understanding of abstract ideas.3
At this point, people become capable of seeing multiple
potential solutions to problems and think more scientifically about the world around them.
It is important to note that Piaget did not view children's intellectual development as a quantitative
process; that is, kids do not just add more information and knowledge to their existing knowledge as
they get older. Instead, Piaget suggested that there is a qualitative change in how children think as
they gradually process through these four stages.4
A child at age 7 doesn't just have more information
about the world than he did at age 2; there is a fundamental change in how he thinks about the world.
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Q4. What are social skills? As a teacher which activities you can used for social development of
children at elementary level?
Social skills
Social skills are the skills we use everyday to interact and communicate with others. They include
verbal and non-verbal communication, such as speech, gesture, facial expression and body language.
A person has strong social skills if they have the knowledge of how to behave in social situations and
understand both written and implied rules when communicating with others. Children with a
diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Not Otherwise
Specified) and Asperger’s have difficulties with social skills
Why are social skills important?
Social skills are vital in enabling an individual to have and maintain positive interactions with others.
Many of these skills are crucial in making and sustaining friendships. Social interactions do not
always run smoothly and an individual needs to be able to implement appropriate strategies, such as
conflict resolution when difficulties in interactions arise. It is also important for individuals to have

’empathy’ (i.e. being able to put yourself into someone else’s shoes and recognise their feelings) as it
allows them to respond in an understanding and caring way to how others are feeling.
The Teacher's Role in Developing Social Skills
Playing with friends is a daily ritual for most children. But kids with learning disabilities are often
isolated and rejected. Their problems making and keeping friends are compounded by their poor
social skills. The challenges confronting learning disabled children in their lives both in and out of
the classroom are examined in this video program designed for both teachers and parents.
 Teacher version: 68 minute Video with Teacher's Guide: $49.95
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The effective educator must be ever mindful of the simple fact that children go to school for a living.
School is their job, their livelihood, their identity. Therefore, the critical role that school plays in the
child's social development and self-concept must be recognized. Even if a child is enjoying academic
success in the classroom, his attitude about school will be determined by the degree of social success
that he experiences.
There is much that the teacher can do to foster and promote social development in the student.
Children tend to fall into four basic social categories in the school setting:
 REJECTED - Students who are consistently subjected to ridicule, bullying and harassment by
classmates.
 ISOLATED - Students who, although not openly rejected, are ignored by classmates and are
uninvolved in the social aspects of school.
 CONTROVERSIAL - Students who have established a circle of friends based upon common
interests or proximity but seldom move beyond that circle.
 POPULAR - Students who have successfully established positive relationships within a
variety of groups.
Many students with learning disabilities find themselves in the rejected or isolated subgroups. Their
reputations as "low status" individuals plague them throughout their school careers. It is important
for the teacher to assist the students' classmates in changing their view of this child.
Punishment is an extremely ineffective method of modifying bullying or rejecting behavior. If you
punish Billy for rejecting Joey, you only increase Billy's resentment of his classmate. However, you
can increase a child's level of acceptance in several ways.
First, the teacher must become a "talent scout." Attempt to determine specific interests, hobbies or
strengths of the rejected child. This can be accomplished via discussions, interviews or surveys.
Once you have identified the child's strengths, celebrate it in a very public manner. For example, if
the student has a particular interest in citizen band radios, seek out a read-aloud adventure story in
which a short-wave radio plays an important role in the plot. Encourage the child to bring his CB
into class and conduct a demonstration of its use. By playing the expert role, a rejected or isolated
child can greatly increase his status.
Assign the isolated child to a leadership position in the classroom wherein his classmates become
dependent upon him. This can also serve to increase his status and acceptance among his peers. Be
mindful of the fact that this may be an unfamiliar role for him and he may require some guidance
from you in order to ensure his success.
Most important, the teacher must clearly demonstrate acceptance of and affection for the isolated or
rejected child. This conveys the constant message that the child is worthy of attention. The teacher
should use her status as a leader to increase the status of the child.

The teacher can assist the child by making him aware of the traits that are widely-accepted and
admired by his peers. Among these traits are:
 Smiles/laughs
 Greets others
 Extends invitations
 Converses
 Shares
 Gives compliments
It is important that the teacher recognize the crucial role that the child's parents and siblings can play
in the development of social competence. Ask his parents to visit school for a conference todiscuss
the child's social status and needs. School and home must work in concert to ensure that target skills
are reinforced and monitored. Social goals should be listed and prioritized. It is important to focus
upon a small group of skills such as sharing and taking turns, rather than attempting to deal
simultaneously with the entire inventory of social skills.
Working with elementary school children
Assign the troubled child to work in pairs with a high-status child who will be accepting and
supportive. Cooperative education activities can be particularly effective in this effort to include the
rejected child in the classroom. These activities enable the child to use his academic strengths while
simultaneously developing his social skills.
The teacher must constantly search for opportunities to promote and encourage appropriate social
interactions for the socially inept child (e.g. "Andrew, would you please go over to Sally's desk and
tell her that I would like her to bring me her math folder?") Have students work in pairs to complete
experiments, bulletin boards and peer tutoring.
The student with social skill deficits invariably experiences rejection in any activity that requires
students to select classmates for teams or groups. This selection process generally finds the rejected
child in the painful position of being the "last one picked." Avoid these humiliating and destructive
situations by pre-selecting the teams or drawing names from a hat. An option is to intervene at the
point when six or eight students remain unselected. Arbitrarily assign half of the students to one team
and the remaining students to another. This prevents any one student from being in the damaging
position of being "last picked".
Board games and card games can be used effectively to monitor and foster social development in the
classroom. Such activities require students to utilize a variety of social skills (voice modulation,
taking turns, sportsmanship, dealing with competition, etc.). These enjoyable activities can also be
used to promote academic skills. Because games are often motivating for students, these activities
can be used as positive reinforcement. This setting also provides an opportunity to conduct effective
social autopsies. However, these activities should be limited to a few times each week.
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Q5. Why social development is an important aspect of child development? Give reasons to
support your answer.
What is social development?
Social development refers to the process by which a child learns to interact with others around them.
As they develop and perceive their own individuality within their community, they also gain skills to
communicate with other people and process their actions. Social development most often refers to
how a child develops friendships and other relationships, as well how a child handles conflict with
peers.
Why is social development so important?
Social development can actually impact many of the other forms of development a child experiences

A child’s ability to interact in a healthy way with the people around her can impact everything from
learning new words as a toddler, to being able to resist peer pressure as a high school student, to
successfully navigating the challenges of adulthood. Healthy social development can help your child:
Develop language skills. An ability to interact with other children allows for more opportunities to
practice and learn speech and language skills. This is a positive cycle, because as communication
skills improve, a child is better able to relate to and react to the people around him.
Build self esteem. Other children provide a child with some of her most exciting and fun
experiences. When a young child is unable to make friends it can be frustrating or even painful. A
healthy circle of friends reinforces a child’s comfort level with her own individuality.
Strengthen learning skills. In addition to the impact social development can have on general
communication skills, many researchers believe that having healthy relationships with peers (from
preschool on up) allows for adjustment to different school settings and challenges. Studies show that
children who have a hard time getting along with classmates as early as preschool are more likely to
experience later academic difficulties.
Resolve conflicts. Stronger self esteem and better language skills can ultimately lead to a better
ability to resolve differences with peers.
Establish positive attitude. A positive attitude ultimately leads to better relationships with others and
higher levels of self confidence.
How can parents make a difference when it comes to social development?
Studies show that everyday experiences with parents are fundamental to a child’s developingsocial
skill-set. Parents provide a child with their very first opportunities to develop a relationship,
communicate and interact. As a parent, you also model for your child every day how to interact with
the people around you.
Because social development is not talked about as much as some other developmental measures, it
can be hard for parents to understand the process AND to evaluate how their child is developing in
this area. There are some basic developmental milestones at every age, as well as some helpful tips a
parent can use to support their child.
Infants & Toddlers: During the first 2 years of life, huge amounts of development are rapidly
occurring. You can expect your child to:
– Smile and react positively to you and other caregivers
– Develop stranger anxiety—though it can be frustrating, this is a normal step in development
– Develop an attachment to a comfort object such as a blanket or animal
– Begin to show anxiety around other children
– Imitate adults and children—just as a child develops in other ways, many social skills are learned
simply through copying what a parent or sibling does
– Already be affected by emotions of parents and others aroundthem
As a parent, you can:
– Respond to your baby’s needs promptly—your child is learning how to trust someone
– Make eye contact with your baby—get down to their level and connect visually when you interact
with them
– Babble and talk to your baby, always pausing to allow them to respond
– Play copycat with words and actions
– Play “peekaboo”—this teaches your child that even if you “disappear” you will come back, and
sets the stage for less stranger anxiety in the future
– Involve your baby in daily activities such as running errands or visiting friends—this showsthem
how you interact with others in a respectful, positive way
– Begin to arrange playdates so that your child can interact with peers
Preschoolers: By this age, the stage has been set in the earliest years (mostly by parental and other
family interactions) for a child to branch out. As preschool begins your child can:
– Explore independently
– Express affection openly, though not always accurately—there can still be much frustration for

your child as language development is still happening
– Still show some stranger anxiety
– Perfect the temper tantrum—it can be stressful, but tantrums are a normal part of child
development
– Learn how to soothe themselves
– Be more aware of others’ emotions
– Cooperate with other children
– Express fear or anxiety before an upcoming event (such as a doctorvisit)
– Demonstrate your own love through words and physical affection—which is a great way tobegin
teaching a child how to express other emotions as well
– Help your child express their emotions by talking through what they are feeling
– Play with your child in a “peer-like” way to encourage cooperative play—this is helpful when they
are in a group environment and have to share toys and cooperate
– Continue to provide play dates and opportunities to interact with other children
– Provide examples of your trust in others, such as your own friendships or other relationships
School children: By 5 and older, a child’s social development begins to reach new levels. This is a
point in time when most children will spend more hours in a day with other children than withtheir
parents. It is normal for them to:
– Thrive on friendships
– Want to please friends, as well as be more like their friends
– Begin to recognize power in relationships, as well as the larger community
– Recognize and fear bullies or display bully-like behavior themselves
– As early as 10, children may begin to reject parents’ opinion of friends and certain behaviors—this
is a normal step, but can be especially frustrating forparents
– Talk with your child about social relationships and values by asking them about school and friends
every day
– Allow children the opportunity to discuss social conflicts and problem-solve theirreactions/actions
– Discuss the subject of bullying and harassment, both in person and on the Internet
– Allow older children to work out everyday problems on their own
– Keep the lines of communication open—as a parent, you want to make yourself available to listen
and support your child in non-judgmental ways
Your child’s social development is a complex issue that is constantly changing. But the good news is
that parents can have a big impact on how it progresses. By modeling healthy relationships and
staying connected with your child, you can help them relate to the people around them in positive,
beneficial ways. By encouraging them to engage with other children and adults, you’re setting them
up to enjoy the benefits of social health—from good self esteem to strong communication skills to
the ability to trust and connect with those around them.
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PREPARED BY
THE SMART EDUCATION HASILPUR
Contact;03056902015/03467325374

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