The 5 Stages of Child Development

Understanding the 5 stages of child development means understand several different areas of a child development from infancy to late adolescence. A child’s development is represented by many factors such as physical changes, communication levels, thinking ability, and emotional responses. This article will discuss the 5 stages of a child development.

The first period of a child’s development begins from birth and through to two years of age. This stage of child development is known as infancy. During this time a child will develop bonds with others. They will communicate nonverbally as well (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004). Physically a child will grow rapidly and steadily. Infancy is the stage in child development when a child will begin to explore the world and develop skills of learning about the world. Systematic methods of learning are common at this age. Infancy is a time when a child is very dependent, but they have established behavioral tools that cause results, and children understand the correlation between these behaviors and the results.

The next stage of child development is early childhood. This stage includes children from the age of 2 through 6. Early childhood is the stage of child development where a child’s ability to communicate will increase greatly. Language skills are very active during these years. Language developments during this stage are a direct reflection of the child’s learning environment. During early childhood creativity and imagination are extremely predominant in a child’s development. Physical changes noted during early childhood is an increased amount of energy. Emotional development at this stage is marked by affection, trust, and occasional selfishness (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004). This stage in child development is very interactive.

Middle Childhood is the stage of development that occurs during the age of 6 through 10. During this stage social bonds dominate (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004). Friendship is very important. Middle childhood is the stage in a child’s life where they will learn a lot through social interaction and peers. Children of this developmental stage focus more on reality than imagination, and responsibilities become introduced. Physically a child at this stage will become more athletically active.

The next stage in child development is early adolescence. This stage covers children from 10 to 14 years of age. Puberty occurs during this stage, and this brings about many physical changes in children. These developments add to emotional developments. Children at this stage are strongly impacted by the opinions of peers. Thinking abilities during this stage increase heavily. The cognitive ability to think with reason, creatively, and for many hours on end occurs during this stage (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004). During early adolescence a child’s development occurs through perception of the world and their peers.

The final stage of child development is known as late adolescence. This stage includes children from the age of 14 to 18. The opinions of peers and relationships with peers are still held highly during this stage. Decisions are another important focus of children during this stage of development (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004).

The 5 stages of child development are all complex and unique. It is important for teachers and parents to be aware of the 5 stages of child development for many reasons.

Reference:
McDevitt, T., & Ormrod, J. (2004). Child Development: Educating and Working with Children and Adolescents (2nd ed.). : Prentice Hall