The Play Years
Biosocial Development for ages
2 to 6
Three primary factors
influencing physical growth
• Genetic Background
• Health care
• Nutrition
– this factor accounts for differences in size of
children between rich and poor nations
Dietary issues
• For all preschoolers, rate of growth slows
during this developmental stage
• This results in intake of fewer calories
• How these calories are used becomes an
important issue for developing bodies
Dietary issues for US children
• Iron deficient anemia
– related to low intake of iron rich foods: leafy
vegetables, raisins and other dried fruits,
whole grains, eggs, high quality meats
• Too much sugar intake
• Too much fat intake
• Too little fruit and vegetable intake
Experience and the Brain
• Rapid rate of myelination of neurons
occurs at this stage
• Increasing neural connections due to
experience
• Specific areas of brain expanding relating
to emotions, motor functioning, and
intellect
• Corpus callosum increases in size at age 5
Improved brain functioning
• These physical developments allow
preschoolers greater control of emotions,
muscle coordination, and reaction time
• Corpus Callosum growth allows
hemispheres of brain better
communication and the child can
successfully involve both hemispheres in
coordination,sensory, emotion, thinking
and reaction tasks
Readiness for Reading and Math
• Development of hemispheres and
increased myelenation also aids with the
visual pathway, strengthening cognitive
abilities to recognize symbols while
improving eye-hand coordination and
enabling effective writing
• These changes occur simultaneous to
reading, writing, and math instruction in
schools
Implications for learning
• While maturation makes reading, math and
writing tasks salient to the child, early
exposure to rich language, literature and
math concepts are recommended
• Educational programs which keep
activities at the appropriate developmental
stage will increase motivation by providing
early successful academic experiences
Injury control
• Preventing injuries by planning ahead,
controlling circumstances, preventing
certain dangerous activities and adding
safety features to other activities
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regulation of child proof safety caps
car seat laws
mandatory fencing around pools
helmets worn by cyclists
flame-retardant sleep wear
Mastering Gross Motor Skills
• Learned by teaching themselves and from
other children, rather than through adult
instruction
Children’s Art
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Expresses symbolic understanding
Requires fine motor coordination
Enhances feelings of accomplishment
Provides a medium for self-correction
Detail in drawings parallel cognitive
development
• Encourages expression of self
Child Maltreatment
• Abuse: any action harmful to an
individual’s well-being
• Neglect: any inaction that harms or
endangers a person
• both terms include either physical and/or
psychological harm
• Maltreatment: any intentional harm or
endangerment to anyone under 18 years
Cultural Values that protect
children from Maltreatment
• Children are not held responsible for their
actions
• Children are highly valued
• Children are not the sole responsibility of
parents
• Aggression of any kind is frowned upon
Family contextual factors
contributing to maltreatment
• Poverty
• Social Isolation
Possible Consequences of
Maltreatment
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Underweight
Slower to talk
Less able to concentrate
Delayed academic growth
Negative perception of others
Use of drugs
Enter poor relationships
Possible Consequences of
Maltreatment
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Become aggressors or victims
Sabbotage their careers
Establish unhealthy eating patterns
Engage in self-destructive behavior
Intergenerational Transmission
• A destructive and inaccurate assumption
that children who are abused will abuse
their own children
• Between 30% and 40% do become abusers,
but the majority do not
• This is a higher rate than the majority
population
• Adults who have processed and healed
their own abuse are less likely to abuse
Public Policies that may Prevent
Maltreatment
• Primary Prevention:
– Build neighborhoods that support children and
families (both financially and relationally)
– Encourage planned parenthood
– Encourage building of communities
– Close the gap between rich and poor