Early Childhood Development
In The Preschool Years

When I think of early childhood development I think of my own children. I also think of some of the children I have worked with in early childhood programs over the years. I think often about the differences in the way people interact with their children and how that effects the development of each child.

It warms my heart to see people enjoying their children, playing with them in the park, talking to them while shopping, speaking respectfully to their children.

Unfortunately, I have also worked with children who don't have a chance to learn the appropriate skills necessary for proper early childhood development. I know children whose parents neglected them when they were babies. Children who did not learn to trust adults. Children who did not have an opportunity to bond with anyone.

I feel grateful that my children have been lucky to have the advantage of so many people to interact with them in loving respectful ways. They have so much support as they begin to  reach their potential in all areas of their early childhood development.

For young children to develop appropriately they need two things. The first ingredient for appropriate early childhood development is a safe, healthy and stimulating environment. Don't think that this means that a child must grow up in an expensive home or in a family with plenty of money to buy him the newest gadgets.

It means that the family/caregiver will make every effort to keep the environment clean and safe. It means that the family members/caregivers will provide items that will stimulate the child's mind encourage creativity and allow him to develop physically.

A walk in the woods or down a city street together offers lots of opportunities for stimulating a child's mind. Cardboard boxes offer more opportunities for developing creativity than many toys purchased with good intentions. A mobile made from recyclables over a babies crib serves the same purpose as an expensive mobile purchased at a high end store.

Any environment can support early childhood development if the caregiver is tuned into the needs and interests of the child and helps the child make a connection with the environment. Have you ever watched trees gently swaying on a breezy day or listened to the birds singing in the quiet of dawn? Have you ever helped a child appreciate those same things?

The second ingredient to nourish the development of young children is appropriate interactions with other people. Children learn so much when they are included in friendly, loving, respectful interactions. Children who are supported in their attempts to learn new things realize they are capable beings and try more and more new things. The more they succeed the more likely they will develop self esteem.

I know that all of this seems trite as we struggle to make ends meet and deal with important issues in our lives. When I was teaching preschool parents often asked me what they could do to help their children succeed.  I am afraid they often found the answer dull.

We can all help all of the children we know develop in ways that will make them successful adults just by interacting with them in appropriate ways. Children really do notice everything we do. I heard a great quote once but I am not sure where it originated. "Do unto others as you would have others do onto others."  (Similar to the Golden Rule)

I have a friend who had a stroke several years ago and her sister took care of her. One day, when her sister took my friend to the doctor, her four year old granddaughter was along. When they got to the doctor's office this small child jumped out of the car opened her car door and helped her walk into the building. Thinking of this brings tears to my eyes. I do know why this child was able to show compassion at such a young age.

Even babies need a stimulating environment and lots of appropriate interactions with other people in order to gain skills in all areas of development. A parent may give an older baby a spoon and a plate with some food. The baby will experiment with the spoon, the plate and the food.

As the baby throws the spoon on the floor over and over he is learning about the forces of gravity and the properties of the spoon. As he feeds himself fistfuls of food he is learning about how the food tastes, feels and smells. The  way a caregiver interacts with the child while he is making these discoveries will effect how he approaches new situations in his life.

Caregivers who want to promote appropriate early child development should make an effort to be tuned into the needs and interests of the children. One baby may want to snuggle and sleep while the other may want to lay on a blanket and have supervised tummy time. One four-year-old may be interested in play dough and legos while the other might need to be more active.

If you make yourself aware of each child's interests and needs and match the environment you provide and your interactions to the individual child, the child will have a good chance of reaching his potential in all areas of his early childhood development.

More Pages on Early Childhood Development:

Cognitive Development
Language Development
Social Development
Physical Development
Emotional Development
Fine Motor Skills Development