Tag: cognitive development

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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 …

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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 …

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What Child Care Providers Can Expect in Toddlers' Thinking and Language Development

Children doing music

Toddlers’ thinking and language skills change so quickly between 12 and 36 months. Children go from being able to say a few words to using complete sentences. During the toddler years, young children develop clear preferences for certain toys and activities, learn how to assemble and take things apart, use their imagination, and begin solving problems and testing out ideas.

Child care providers play an important role in promoting thinking and language skills in toddlers. By reading aloud, talking with …

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What Child Care Providers Can Expect in Preschoolers' Thinking and Language Development

Preschool circle time

During the preschool years, children develop new thinking skills and become competent at using language to communicate. These newly developed thinking and language skills enable preschoolers to begin solving complex problems, asking and answering questions, and using their imagination to create and act out stories. Child care providers can support thinking and language development in preschoolers through conversations, reading, math and science activities, creative questions, and opportunities to pretend. The following are common milestones of thinking and language development in …

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Ages and Stages in Child Care

Children in ball pit

Children of different ages need different types of care and nurturing. Quality child care programs help children grow in all areas of development: physical, intellectual, social, emotional, language, moral, and spiritual domains.

Child care providers need to understand how children of different ages grow and learn in order to provide warm, sensitive care and positive learning experiences. Positive learning experiences help young children’s developing brains make and strengthen the connections they need to succeed.

There are many different ways to …

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Unique Thinking Skills in Preschool-age Children

As most child care providers know, young children aren’t just “miniature adults.” Preschool-age children actually think about the world from a very different viewpoint. Knowing how preschoolers approach the world can help child care providers do a better job of building relationships with them, planning activities that support and challenge their development, and communicating with their families about development during the preschool years.

Preschoolers are Egocentric

Most 3- to 5-year-olds see the world only from their own point of view, …

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What Child Care Providers Can Expect in Infants' Thinking and Language Development

Toddlers playing with xylophones

Long before they can talk, babies are developing thinking skills. As a child care provider, you probably know that most babies put objects in their mouths. But did you realize that mouthing things helps babies learn about the shape and texture of objects? Infants are constantly exploring their world, making sense of things around them, and listening to language. Child care providers can help babies practice these important thinking skills by giving them interesting objects, encouraging them to explore, asking …

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Creative Art Helps Children Develop across Many Domains

Hand covered with colorful paint

Creative art activities can help children in all areas of development. Child care providers should plan creative activities with the child’s overall development in mind. Here are some ways that art activities can support young children’s development.

Physical Development

When child care providers offer art activities, they are supporting children’s large and small muscle development, as well as their eye-hand coordination. Using crayons, markers, and paintbrushes helps children practice the fine motor control they will need for writing later on.…

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