The early age of a child is considered to be the period of his development from 1 year to 3 years, this is the time when he actively explores the world. In this age period, there are many changes in both the psychological and physical development of the baby. It is important for parents to pay attention to important points and create favorable conditions for the successful development of new skills in all areas of activity of children.
Most babies are already starting to walk by the age of one, a huge number of opportunities for exploring the world open before them. It should be borne in mind that everything with which the baby interacts at this time is a means of its development.
Features of this age
This period of the child’s life is also called early childhood - this is the time when mental and physical development are closely interconnected. The main activity is subject matter, of which by the age of three years a game has already developed. An important role is played by the interaction of the child with the parents, it is the adult who acts as a role model in everything: in action, speech, in social interaction with other people.
Mental development
Mental development of children of early preschool age is characterized by spasmodic and high pace. The following factors have the greatest influence on the formation of the psyche of a child:
- Ability to walk. Independent movement makes many objects accessible to him, makes it possible to learn how to freely navigate in space, to learn how to determine the distance to an object.
- Ability to speak. The child begins to actively learn speech, and it is this period that is most favorable for the development of this skill.
- Subject activity of the child. The kid plays not only with toys, but also with other objects that come into his sight, he gradually masters their mission and learns to transfer the functions of some objects to others, he replaces the things that are missing for the game.
Of particular importance for the psyche of a young child is the emotional state. If the child feels comfortable and safe, he is more open to new knowledge about the environment, in addition, he better forms the social connections necessary for communication with children and adults.
Physical development
At an early age, the weight of the baby is about a fifth of the weight of an adult, but much depends on the genetic predisposition and physical activity of the child. And his activity is growing every year. As soon as the child begins to walk, new opportunities open up for him to study the surrounding objects, but this is a period of increased trauma, so parents should be very careful. It is recommended to remove all heavy, sharp, dangerous objects and household chemicals from his field of vision. All sockets need plugs.
The figures in children of early preschool age are very peculiar: the back is bent, the stomach is slightly protruded due to internal organs that continue to grow. In children, folds on the legs and arms disappear, adipose tissue decreases, giving way to muscle. The skeleton has not yet completely ossified, but the bones of the skull and spine have strengthened sufficiently.
Features of speech development
The age period from 1 year to 3 years is the period most predisposing to the speech development of young children. When a baby just enters this age group, he uses only a few words like “dad”, “mother”, “grandfather”, “woman” and so on. But he understands much more, in addition, correlates specific words with the objects that they denote. In order for the development of the speech of young children to go well, they need to constantly communicate with them, that is, they need to constantly comment on their actions, show objects and name them, consider pictures and name all the objects that are shown there, and make elementary requests to the child.
By the age of 2 years, in the active dictionary of the baby should be about 40-50 words. It should be noted that the opinions of experts on this issue differ significantly. Therefore, you should not be attached to a specific number of words that a two-year-old baby should be able to pronounce. All individually, there are cases that the speech of a young child develops a little later, and up to 2 years he accumulates only a passive vocabulary. But if by the age of 2 the child does not speak at all and there are other neurological disorders, it is worth contacting a specialist and consulting on this issue.
A two-year-old baby does not pronounce all sounds correctly. Most often, children have problems with hissing, whistling and sonorous sounds. They either skip them in their speech or replace them. Both active and passive vocabulary continue to develop. Understanding of instructions is significantly improved, at 2 years old the child is able to complete two-part tasks, for example, "go to the kitchen and bring your plate."
In the vocabulary of a young child in 3 years, about 1000 words. Many children speak sentences well, use case forms, times and numbers. Speech at an early age is a means of understanding the world. Parents should be prepared for numerous questions about everything that surrounds him.
If the child’s vocabulary is small, he cannot make sentences, parents should contact a speech therapist and a neurologist, and independently stimulate the development of speech of a young child.
Subject activity of children at this age
Subject activity in young children is the main and leading. It is she who has a significant impact on the development of the child and is initially manipulative in nature, improving and developing over time. All actions with objects go through three stages:
- Manipulative actions. If the baby takes a spoon, he still does not know what to do with it, he knocks on it with objects, licks or performs other manipulations.
- The next stage is the use of the item for its intended purpose. The child already knows what the spoon is for, but he still cannot properly hold it in his hand and collect food.
- And the last stage is when the child knows what the item is for and knows how to use it.
When all the stages are mastered, the baby becomes available to transfer actions from one situation to another (similar). And subsequently, a well-known object is used by a child in the game process - this is the stage of development of the game of a young child. For example, a child feeds toys using the same spoon.
In a child of this age, the psyche is affected by correlated and instrumental actions. Corresponding is the bringing of several objects into interaction, for example, a pyramid, cubes. Gun actions are the execution of certain manipulations with the help of objects, for example, they drink from a mug, they sit on a chair, they hammer nails with a hammer, and so on.
Crises of this age
Throughout the entire period of the child’s early age, parents face two age-related crises that are associated with the transition of the child to a new stage of development - the crisis of 1 year and 3 years. Each has its own specific characteristics.
Depending on the pace of development of the child, the crisis may begin to manifest itself from 9 months and last up to one and a half years. The kid already walks well and feels independent from his parents.
Characteristic features are:
- demand for attention to oneself;
- stubbornness;
- increased desire for independence;
- violent reaction to the comments of parents;
- whims;
- inconsistency of behavior.
A young child is becoming more independent every day, but he still needs praise and encouragement. In addition, many actions are not yet fully formed, and some helplessness can be the cause of poor behavior of the baby. For example, he wants to get a toy, but it is high, he can’t get it and starts screaming and acting up.
Ways to overcome the crisis:
- Do not punish him for misconduct and whims;
- create conditions so that bans occur as little as possible;
- if the prohibitions concern the safety of the child, each of them should be explained to the baby;
- calmly insist.
Young children already know how to use manipulative screaming and crying. You need to learn how to properly respond to this behavior: give the baby a certain independence. It’s better to turn some moments into a game or simply switch the attention of the baby to another occupation or subject.
At about this age, the child becomes aware of himself as a separate person, this qualitatively changes his psyche and affects his behavior.
Signs of a crisis:
- negativism, that is, the baby seeks to do everything not as they say;
- stubbornness;
- persistence;
- independence (and even if nothing happens, he still does it himself);
- touchiness;
- boasting.
In order to overcome the crisis, maximum patience, calmness and a positive attitude towards the situation should be shown. Failures to provocative behavior of the child will only worsen the situation.
Do not compare the baby with other children, scolding for minor missteps. It is better to praise him for achievements in this period of development, to approve his independent actions, even if they seem elementary to an adult. To tell him about their love for him and that they are proud of is very important for every child to hear.
If possible, provide him with the independence to which he aspires. For example, letting him choose his outfit for a walk on his own - even if the T-shirt doesn’t quite fit the pants, you should wear them, because the independence and confidence of the child is more important than the clothes are not in tone.
When you need to sound the alarm
An experienced child psychologist is familiar with the signs of age-related crises of children, in addition, he knows very well how to best overcome them. Parents should be consulted if they themselves cannot cope with the manifestations of the crisis period and show irritation and some kind of aggression towards their child. The psychologist will suggest ways out of this situation and help overcome this difficult period.
Parenting at an early age. Styles
Proper parenting lays the necessary prerequisites for the character, parents need to pay attention to the correct line of behavior with the child. It is important that all family members adhere to the same parenting style.
Each family has its own specific style of raising a baby. Psychologists identify several of the most popular:
- Authoritarian provides for strict discipline, high hopes are placed on the child. The relationships in these families are pretty cool. Dialogue with the baby is in the form of orders and directions. This style of education develops discipline in the child, but everything is good in moderation. Excessive authoritarianism develops lack of initiative in a child, he cannot be independent, never goes against his parents, but only strictly follows orders.
- The liberal is characterized by the absence of prohibitions during parenting. The main goal of the style is to give the child the maximum expression in everything and everywhere. The emotional relationship between parents and children is warm and sincere. Despite the positive features of the style, there are also negative sides. Parents need to establish a certain framework acceptable for the baby, otherwise he will not be able to learn to control themselves and their actions.
- Democratic is the middle ground between the two previous ones. The atmosphere in the family is warm and friendly, but the child accepts the authority of the parents and follows established procedures, strictly adhering to previously defined boundaries. Parents encourage the achievements and successes of the child and provide him with the opportunity to do what he loves. All the rules and prohibitions are logically explained to the child, which is why he does not violate them consciously, and not out of a sense of fear of parents. This parenting style is considered the most acceptable for a child of early childhood.
Agree with the child
A feature of young children is that they all already understand and are aware. That is why it is possible to agree with them, but parents should understand that this does not mean to force them to do what the adult needs, the agreements must take into account the interests of both parties. Successfully agreeing with the baby means finding the best solution that will suit everyone.
To negotiate with a child, you need to learn to listen to him. It is important that the child understands that his condition is understood and that all his desires are taken into account, that he is listened and heard. If a child comes with a problem, active listening will help him deal with negative feelings.
It is important to provide choices, create the illusion of choice. Authoritarian orders will be perceived with hostility. The proposal to make a choice will strengthen self-confidence and understanding that his opinion is taken into account - there will be no conflict, and at the same time, the authority of the parents will not be shaken.
Young children in kindergarten: adaptation
By the age of three, many children go to kindergarten, adaptation to which can be a real test for parents. Despite the fact that the child shows independence and in every possible way demonstrates this, he is very attached to his parents, so changing the home environment to a kindergarten, where there is no mom and dad, is a real stress for the baby. Adaptation to a child care facility is a mandatory and important process.
The child needs to be prepared in advance: do not limit his environment only to the house or to the same playground; should go on a visit, often visit various places. In addition, the age of the baby is important. According to psychologists, adaptation from 1 year to 2 is much more difficult, and after this milestone the child has already formed substantive activity, and therefore, it is easier to interest him in new toys and activities.
The effectiveness of adaptation is affected by the health of the child, his level of development, individual characteristics, character. That the adaptation of the children was completed successfully can be indicated by such signs as a healthy sleep, good appetite, and good mood.
Early development: harm and benefit
The early development of preschool children implies that parents literally from birth use all kinds of techniques in order to comprehensively develop their baby. Currently, many ways have been developed to educate the child, but how to understand what the baby needs and what areas need to be developed?
Today, many parents are inclined towards the early development of babies, but the opinion of child psychologists on this issue is ambiguous. Early development has both positive and negative aspects. The positive aspects of teaching young children is that diversity is introduced into the life of the baby. All methods and methods of working with them are of interest to most kids.
But there are also negative aspects of early development. According to neurologists, due to the numerous activities that do not correspond to the age and level of development of the baby, there is an overload of the central nervous system. Sometimes, due to such an overload, the baby has a functional underdevelopment of certain parts of the brain, which leads in the future to problems in learning and other activities. In addition, parents of young children should not compare the successes and achievements of their baby with the successes of others and force them to be equal to more successful children, as this can lead to persistent and serious problems with self-esteem.
It should be borne in mind that in the period up to 3-4 years, the child has actively formed parts of the brain. Some methods of early development are aimed at teaching counting and reading under the age of 4 years. The cerebral cortex is responsible for these skills. The following literally happens: energy, which is intended for the development of all departments, is redirected only to the development of the cerebral cortex. As a result, in the future, the child will have problems of a neurological nature, he will become impulsive, unassembled, unable to cope with his own emotions.
The natural period of development of the cerebral cortex falls at the age of 4 years, it is from this age that it is better to begin to teach the child how to count and read. Although in any case, parents decide.
Of course, there are children who themselves are interested in reading at an early age. In such a case, such aspirations must be encouraged. This means that their brain is ready to receive such information. But you should never conduct classes for young children in a forced form.
Groups for the early development of children
For children from one to three years old, special groups are organized for young children. They are aimed either at complex development, or at the study of any one specific sphere, for example, groups of artistic creation, linguistic, mathematical. Together with the children, their parents are present at the classes, classes for young children are held in a game form in accordance with the methodology.
When choosing a program for a child, it is important that classes do not overload him and do not tire. If he is capricious, refuses to study, tries to run away, then they need to be stopped or replaced with others. It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the baby and choose classes in accordance with his interests and strengths.
Early Development Techniques
There are many methods for the early development of children, each based on certain principles of learning. The most popular of them:
- Pedagogy of Montessori. The basic principle is the creation of complete freedom in the implementation of the educational process. Also, the technique involves the creation of a certain educational environment in which each child finds an occupation for himself. The cycle of work with young children lasts 3 hours, and children of different ages can engage in the same group. Children do not sit in one place, they can easily move around the classroom. The method provides that during the lessons special educational materials are present in only one single copy (each type) - this teaches the child to socially interact with other children.
- The method of Doman is aimed at teaching a child to read and involves the use of certain cards in the work. The methodology provides that the child remembers the whole word instead of sequentially studying letters first, then syllables.
- The system of educational games for young children (Nikitin system) is the main principle of the joint game of parents and children. In the course of such activities of children, the development, upbringing and recovery of the child occurs. Most of these games are rebuses, puzzles that can be solved using logical and imaginative thinking.
The system of educational games has tasks of a completely different level of difficulty, so a small child should be offered something easier and increase the level of difficulty gradually as the previous tasks are successfully completed.
- Zaitsev’s methodology is based on the fact that the main activity at an early age is a game in which every child has a need. The most famous manuals of this technique are Zaitsev’s cubes, which are used for teaching reading. Cubes are different in color, size and sound.
- The 7 Dwarfs program is a project that is designed for children from a few months to 7 years. Each age is represented by its color. The methodology involves the use of benefits for the full development of the baby, they can be used both at home and for classes in early development groups.
Developmental lag
The pace of development of each baby is individual, but there are certain frameworks and norms, a deviation from which may indicate a lag in development. Mental retardation at an early age in most cases can be successfully eliminated.
Signs of a lag in child development at 3 years:
- Underdevelopment of speech function, that is, an extremely small vocabulary, its complete absence, lack of formation of speech imitation (does not repeat sounds and words for parents and adults), impaired pronunciation, lack of phrasal speech.
- Problems with household skills: she can’t eat, dress, and does not know how to serve herself.
- Lack of targeted action.
- Undeveloped gaming activity: games are monotonous, develop much more slowly than normal.
The presence of one or more of these signs should force parents to turn to an experienced specialist to diagnose young children and obtain the necessary recommendations for eliminating developmental disorders.
Reasons for development lag
The developmental delay of the child is not an independent disease. This is a consequence of a variety of reasons - both congenital and acquired, which affect the child from birth.
So, a delay in development can be triggered:
- Diseases of the mother during pregnancy: infections, injuries, poisoning and so on.
- Oxygen deficiency in the fetus.
- Complicated, prolonged or rapid birth.
- Injuries that affect the baby’s brain.
- Genetic abnormalities that affected the normal development of the baby’s brain.
In addition to difficulties and diseases, mental retardation may be the result of improper upbringing of the baby. According to statistics, such a diagnosis is often made to children from dysfunctional families, but this does not exclude the appearance of children lagging behind in development and in ordinary families. Abuse, screaming, scandals can cause the child to develop at a slow pace.
What to do with developmental delays
The sooner you begin to correct the developmental lag, the better results can be achieved, especially if the cause of the lag is not brain damage, but social factors. To do this, you must follow the recommendations of specialists, constantly deal with the child. Only regular classes and exercises will lead to a good result.
The development of fine motor skills of the hands is very important , this will make it possible to more accurately perform all kinds of actions with objects, and also activates the centers of the brain that are responsible for speech development.
Finger gymnastics, massage, games will help the baby in speech development.
Parents need to regularly use manuals that introduce the baby to the concepts of color, shape, size, and also develop large and fine motor skills. You can enroll your child in specialized groups or kindergartens.
Psychological atmosphere and child development
Responsibility for the development of the child lies with the parents. It is they who need to develop a specific development plan for the baby and deal with it regularly, then the result will be quickly achieved.
Features of young children are that the child depends on the parents and the psychological atmosphere in the family. The authoritarian style of education, which suppresses any initiatives of the child, has a negative impact on the development of the baby. Excessive custody also does not provide the child with freedom of action and also adversely affects development.
Aggression in relation to the child negatively affects its development and provokes the appearance of psychological trauma.
Misunderstanding, tension between husband and wife have a lasting impact on the baby, even if the conflict is implicit. Children are very sensitive, any problems in the family make discomfort in the world of the baby. That is why the best atmosphere for the development of the baby is a harmonious relationship between parents, the right parenting strategy. It is important for the child to feel approval, this fosters confidence in himself and in his abilities. Criticism can provoke a reluctance to do something, isolation, insecurity, lack of initiative.
Activities and games with children
There are a huge number of developmental classes and techniques that teachers in groups of young children successfully use, but they are also suitable for classes at home. The main exercises for the development of activities of a young child:
- The physical development of the baby.
The healthier the child is in physical terms, the more successfully he develops from a psychological point of view. By about a year, children begin to walk, and for physical development they need to create all conditions for physical activity. But you don’t need to force them to do certain exercises, you need to turn it into an exciting game, and only in this case the baby will be happy to perform all the necessary actions.
In a year old, the child needs to be stimulated to move and walk. We must often ask him to come up, bring, carry away a separate object or toy. All exercises need to be complicated gradually, for young children the complex should not be too long - the child gets tired quickly, 5-6 exercises with 5-6 repetitions are enough.
The exercises should include walking, moving on an inclined surface, side steps, steps back. The whole complex should be selected individually for the child, depending on his level of development.
- The development of colloquial speech.
From one to three years, special attention should be paid to the development of the baby's speech. Speech centers are closely related to fine motor skills. That is why all kinds of finger games for young children must be present in the development program. There is a huge selection of toys that are aimed at the development of fine motor skills of the child.
The process of speech development can be divided into 2 stages: the development of understanding and the formation of active conversational speech. At the stage of development of understanding, a passive vocabulary is formed. You should talk a lot with the child, show and call him objects, read books with pictures. You should introduce him to nouns, adjectives, learn new words and repeat old ones all the time.
To develop active speaking, you need to stimulate the child to speak. You can use various verses in which he needs to offer to agree on the endings. You can also use the toys of the child to develop speech and, during role-playing games, stimulate him to speak.
A lot in the development of a child’s speech is played by how much and how parents communicate with the baby. Speech therapists say that you need to talk a lot with the child and correctly, as he builds his speech on the basis of imitation of the conversation of parents.
- The development of hand motility.
There are 2 types of motor skills:
- Shallow, it includes precise hand movements.
- General, includes the movement of individual muscle groups.
For the development of fine motor skills, finger games, modeling, drawing, lacing ribbons, buttoning and unbuttoning of buttons, and sorting out loose objects are very useful. You can buy educational games, but you can use improvised items: dough, boxes with cereals, buttons on clothes, and so on.
For the development of general motility, any active games are suitable, the main thing is that they correspond to the age: ball games, moving along steps, a bicycle.
- Creative development of the child.
The creative development of the child is built around objects and games that can be used with imagination:
- A bag of beans or cereals. It can be felt, tossed, put on the foot and so on. You need to invite the child to think up what can be done with him.
- Drawing is a great way of a child’s creative development, he is fascinated by the process itself, in which a pencil, pen or fingers leave a mark, over time, the child seeks to depict something specific.
- Plasticine makes it possible to create volumetric figures and transform them into something else. It is necessary to show the child how to sculpt simple forms, and as the baby develops, complicate the tasks.
- Music and dance are a great way to express your child. You need to often include simple melodies and invite the child to dance, and the way he wants. Subsequently, you can show him simple movements.
There are so many ways to develop a child’s creativity. But you should not concentrate your efforts on only one type of activity, it is better to provide a variety of activities.
Early childhood development is progressing rapidly. Parents are only surprised at how quickly their baby grows and how quickly it assimilates everything. How this development will take place depends on the psychological situation within the family and on how and how much they deal with the baby.