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8: Early Childhood Development

  • Page ID
    234022
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    Learning Objectives

    After completing Chapter Eight students will be able to:

    • Discuss physical growth and change in early childhood
    • Describe changes in motor development in early childhood
    • Characterize the health of young children
    • Discuss the cognitive changes that occur in early childhood
    • Describe language development in early childhood
    • Discuss emotional and personality development in young children
    • Explain how families can influence young children’s development
    • Describe the role of peers, play and television in young children’s development

    • 8.1: Physical Development in Early Childhood
      The page covers various aspects of early childhood development, including growth in height and weight, brain development, and signs of vision problems. It highlights gross and fine motor skills, artistic development, handedness, sleep patterns, nutrition, and accident prevention. It emphasizes the importance of nutrition and exercise, noting the prevalence of obesity and malnutrition in children.
    • 8.2: Cognitive Development in Early Childhood
      The text discusses cognitive changes in early childhood, focusing on Piaget's Preoperational Stage and Vygotsky's Theory of Development. It outlines cognitive milestones, such as symbolic function and intuitive thought, while highlighting limitations like egocentrism and animism. Vygotsky emphasizes social learning and the Zone of Proximal Development, advocating for scaffolding and guided participation.
    • 8.3: Social and Emotional Development in Preschool
      The document discusses various aspects of young children's socioemotional development, including emotional and moral development, gender roles, peer influence, and the impact of families and media. Emotional development is shaped by parental responses, influencing peer acceptance. Moral development is explained through Piaget's stages. Gender influences peer interactions, with traditional roles reinforced by teachers and media.


    This page titled 8: Early Childhood Development is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Deirdre Budzyna and Doris Buckley (Remixing Open Textbooks with an Equity Lens (ROTEL)) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.