Thinking, Learning, and Language Development in Child Care

Toddler rolling ball

As young children grow, they learn different ways to process information from the world around them, and their thinking skills are very different at different ages. Infants are focused on exploring the world around them. Preschool-age children like to ask questions and test out ideas. School-age children think logically, but still have a hard time understanding abstract concepts such as “freedom.”

Child care providers can help young children develop thinking skills by observing carefully, providing interesting materials and problems, asking …

What Child Care Providers Can Expect in the Thinking and Language Development of 6 – 8 Year Olds

Child using binoculars

As children begin elementary school, they also show important advances in both thinking and language skills. They become better at logical thinking and problem-solving. They are motivated, active learners. School-age children begin to learn bigger words, to produce longer and more complex sentences, to manipulate language in new ways, to learn subtle exceptions to grammar rules and to understand their native tongue much better.

Child care providers in out-of-school child care programs can support the development of thinking and language …