Intro to Child
Development
Adapted from Chapter 1
“The Developing Child” 7th Edition
Vocabulary Terms
• Child development
– The study of how children
grow in different ways
(physically, mentally,
emotionally and socially)
• Behavior
– A way of acting or
responding
• Nutrition
– A balance of all the food
substances needed for
health and growth
• Formula
– A mixtures of milk or milk
substitutes and added
nutrients
• Sequence
– Step by step pattern
• Heredity
– Passing of characteristics
that are physically
inherited from previous
generations
• Environment
– The people, places and
things that surround and
influence an individual
Rewind
• What was your childhood like?
• What were your likes? Dislikes?
• What kind of relationship did you
have with older children and teens?
Fast forward
• How would you describe your
relationships with children in your
life today?
• Do you enjoy children of all ages?
• Do children like you?
What can I do to make a
difference in a child’s life?
Understanding children
• As you interact with
children:
– You will more fully
appreciate all
characteristics of
human development
– Your powers of
observation will improve
– You will discover that
children are fun
– You will be able to apply
your learning to
everyday life
– You will learn practical
techniques of caring
for children
– You will begin to see
why children act, feel,
and they as they do
How is childhood
different now?
• Work
• Health and nutrition
• Dress
• Parental love
The Growth of Child
Study
• There is now a great importance on
understanding and guiding children
• Binet, Piaget, Freud, Gesell and
Erikson have all played an important
role in understanding childhood
behavior
Characteristics of
Development
•
•
•
•
Similar for everyone
Builds on earlier learning
Proceeds at an individual rate
Different areas of child development
are interrelated
• Continuous throughout life
Importance of Play
• Physically
• Emotionally
– Muscles in back,
– Helps children work
arms and legs
through life’s
develop
challenges and
problems
– Strength and balance
• Socially
– Fine motor skills
– Gradually learn to
• Intellectually
play together
– Gathering and
organizing
How to observe play
• Choose a time and a place
• Record what you see
• Watch interactions with others
• Keep observations confidential
Influences on
Development
• Heredity
• Environment
• Peers
• Community
Exit Slip
On your own paper, discuss your response to the
following statement:
“Only students who already are parents, plan
to become parents or who want careers in
child-related fields should study child
development.”
Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?