About Early Childhood Development, changes in physical growth, social, emotional, behavioral, thinking, and communication skills are all linked and depend on each other. Developmental milestones such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and saying goodbye with your hand are all part of the journey. As children grow up in early childhood, their world will begin to open and they will become more independent. They will want to explore and ask even more about the things that surround them.
Interactions with family and those around them will help shape their personality and their own ways of thinking and moving. During this stage, children should be able to ride a tricycle, use safety scissors, tell the difference between boys and girls, help themselves dress and undress, play with other children, remember part of a story and sing a song. Children's brains are built moment by moment as they interact with their environment. In the first years of life, more than a million neural connections are formed per second.
The quality of a child's early experiences makes a fundamental difference as their brain develops, providing strong or weak foundations for lifelong learning, health, and behavior. CDC describes common early childhood developmental milestones established by the age range in which these changes usually occur. If you have a rough idea of what you can expect from children as they reach these milestones, you'll be better equipped to work with children and watch for healthy growth. A stronger and more robust surveillance system is needed to provide the data needed to understand and plan children's health and well-being.
The earliest possible detection (and early intervention treatment, if appropriate) of developmental challenges can be useful in minimizing the impact that these developmental problems may have on the child's skill development and later on his or her confidence. We also work with partners to provide essential ECD services, from health and nutrition to games and early learning opportunities, to meet the needs of children and caregivers during emergencies. Parents, grandparents, early childhood care providers, and other caregivers can participate in developmental monitoring which watches how their child grows and changes over time. Any activity that helps a child gain social, physical, behavioral, or cognitive understanding is part of his or her education.
For young children in humanitarian and fragile settings, access to ECD services is a matter of life and death. While child development has a predictable sequence, all children are unique in their developmental journey and within the timelines within which they meet the many developmental milestones. Individuals enrolled in child development classes will learn the ages and stages of a child's development, practice observing, and planning activities based on what the child needs and what interests him. Research reveals that children who receive excellent education early are likely to succeed as adults.
