ED203 U3 L1

Characteristics, developmental tasks of early  Developmental tasks whiPch ought to be

childhood, and physical & motor development mastered from babyhood until early
childhood
-Early childhood, from two to six years old, is a a. Learning to walk.
time of remarkable growth with brain development b. Learning to take solid foods.
at its peak. c. Learning to talk.
- During this stage, children are highly influenced d. Learning to control the elimination of body
by the environment and the people that surround wastes.
them e. Learning sex differences and sexual
-tremendous growth across all areas of modesty.
development f. Achieving physiological stability.
g. Acquiring concepts and language to
 Different names used to characterize the describe social and physical reality.
preschool years. h. Readiness for reading.
- Parents call these years as the troublesome i. Learning to relate oneself emotionally to
or problem age as well as the toy age. parents, siblings, and other people.
o show negativistic behavior when told not j. Learning to distinguish right and wrong
to pursue what is being done. and developing a conscience
o If the child is not properly guided his/her
explorations sometimes create trouble for  Physical and Motor Development
the self and family 1. Significant changes in physical growth of
o children spend a good amount of their preschoolers.
time playing with their toys. 2. Physical development is marked by the
- Educators call this stage as the preschool acquisition of gross and fine motor skills.
age and activity age 3. Can express themselves artistically at a
o children are exposed to a new social very early age.
context, which is the classroom 4. Proper nutrition and the right amount of
o kindergarten classes, a prelude to formal sleep are very important
education, they learn basic skills which will 5. Caregivers and teachers can do a lot in
be of major help when they move up to the maximizing the growth and development
elementary year of pre-schoolers.
- Psychologist 6. Pre-schoolers with special needs in
o Pregang age- the child begins to inclusive classrooms can thrive well with
the appropriate adaptations made in the
meet people in one’s neighbourhood
classroom, materials, and activities
and community and starts building
friendships.
Significant Changes in Physical Growth
o Questioning Age- They are curious
o Physical growth increases in the preschool
and would like to understand their
years, although it is much slower in pace
environment
than in infancy and toddlerhood.
o Exploratory Age- The child
o Around 3 years of age, pre-schoolers
manipulates his body and his
move.
environment because s/he attempts
o The trunk, arms, and legs become longer
to construct meaning of the world
o Imitative Age- copy just any model o Increases in weight and height go with
who gets his/her attention chronological age with males having larger
o Creative Age measurements than girls.
o Best time to introduce the child to learning
 Major Developmental Task of Early of skills.
Childhood o Adipose or fatty tissues develop faster
than muscles
Developmental tasks are guidelines that enable o Children’s illnesses are common. Some
individuals to know what society expects of them have the predisposition to asthma and
at given ages. others bring dengue fever and the like.
o Children with physical defects must be
Robert Havighurst’s theorized that development taught to accept their conditions
is continuous throughout the entire lifespan where o Toddlers have their center of gravity at a
the individual moves from one stage to the next high level, about the chest level, the point
by means of successful resolution of problems or at which body-weight is evenly distributed.
performance of developmental tasks
 o Preschoolers on the other hand, have their
center of gravity at a lower level, right Some Common Skills in the Early Childhood
about near the belly button This is the ideal stage to learn new skills because:
o By the time the child reaches three years 1. Their bodies are soft and pliable
old, all primary or deciduous, or what are 2. They are adventuresome
also called “baby or milk" teeth are already 3. They enjoy repetition
in place.
o Permanent teeth which will begin to come o Hand Skills
out by age six are also developing. o Leg Skills
o When the child is about 5 years old, the
head is becoming smaller. Preschoolers’ Artistic Development
Stages of Drawing according to Viktor Lowenfeld
Factors Affecting Growth
o Heredity, body build, sex, nutrition, health, Stage 1. Scribbling stage.
emotional state, teething, and physical - begins with large zig-zag lines to circular
and play activities marking to discrete shapes. Starts to name
o Sleeping duration : 10-12 hours each day his/her drawings.
o During sleep, especially in the dream state Stage 2. Preschematic Stage
(rapid eye movement stage), growth - early representation, adults recognizes their
hormones are released drawings. Drawing comprises of prominent
o 5weeks’ gestation, first buds of primary head with basic element and arms, legs
follow.
teeth appear in the baby’s jaw
Stage 3. Schematic Stage
o At birth, the baby has a full set of 20
- elaborate scenes are depicted.drawn from
primary teeth (10 in the upper jaw, 10 in
experience and exposure. Drawings include
the lower jaw) hidden within the gums.
houses, trees, sky
o Primary teeth are also known as baby
teeth, milk teeth, or deciduous teeth Summary of What Preschoolers Can Do
Physical Skills
Motor Development in Early Childhood Gross Motor: 36-48 months (3-4 years)
 Hops 1 to 3 steps on preferred foot
Gross motor development- acquiring skills that  Skips (with alternating feet)
involve the large muscles.  Jumps and turns
 Stands on one leg without falling for at
3 Categories least 5 seconds
o Locomotor skills- one place to another like  Throws a ball overhead with control of
walking, running. Climbing direction
o Non-Locomotor- stays in place like  Throws a ball overhead with control of
bending, stretching, swaying speed
o Manipulative Skills- projecting and  Kicks a ball with control of speed
receiving objects like throwing, striking,
bouncing catching and dribbling Fine-motor Skills: 36-48 Months (3-4 years)
 Consistently turns pages of a picture or
Fine motor development- acquiring the ability to story book one page at a time looking at
use the smaller muscles in the arm, hands and pictures with interest
fingers purposefully  Purposefully copies diagonal lines
o Picking, squeezing, pounding and opening  Purposefully bisects a cross
things, skills like using the spoon and fork  Purposefully copies a square
when eating, buttoning, zipping  Purposefully copies a triangle
o Handedness, or the preference of the use  Cuts with scissors following a line
of one hand over the other is usually
established by age 4. 49-60 months (4-6 years old)
o Doing tasks using their hands  Copies a simple pattern of different
interchangeable is known as basic shapes
ambidexterity.  Draws a human figure (head, eyes,
mouth, trunk, arms,legs, etc.)
 Draws a house without prompts using
geometric forms
 Colors with strokes staying within
the lines
Personal Care and Hygiene (Self-Help Skills)
36-48 months (3 - 4 years old)
 Pours from pitcher without spillage
 Feeds self using spoon without spillage
 Dresses without assistance except for
buttons and tying laces
 Puts on socks independently

49-60 months (4 - 6 years old)

 Feeds self using fingers without spillage
 Prepares own food
 Dresses without assistance, including
buttoning and tying
 Wipes/cleans him/herself after a bowel
movement
 Brushes teeth after meals without
having to be told
 Washes and dries face independently
without having to be told
 Takes a bath independently without
having to be tol