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Domains of Child Development
Major areas of development provide a guide of what can be expected during a given stage and/or age of development. Typical development refers to the achievement of developmental milestones that occur “within normal age ranges”.
There are four primary areas or domains of development. They are physical, cognitive, language, and social and emotional development. These four domains outline the main areas that children develop over time.
DOMAINS OF DEVELOPMENT
Physical Development
Gross Motor Development – movement of large muscles in the body such as legs, arms, and the chest
Fine motor development – movement of small muscles such as those in the hand, fingers, lips, and tongue. Hand–eye coordination is an example of fine motor development.
Height and weight growth, as well as head circumference
Cognitive (Intellectual) Development
Thinking processes such as concentrating, imagining, and problem solving, using logic, organizing information, and using symbols. Language and cognitive development are closely linked
Language Development
Expressive Language – production of sounds and voice quality
Receptive Language – understanding or comprehending and being able to communicate using language
Social and Emotional Development
Self-concept and self-esteem, as well as the ability to regulate emotions, express feelings and form relationships with other people
Kerns and Austin, 2009[9]
Developmental domains are interwoven layers. As such, children do not develop motor, cognitive, language, or social and emotional development in isolation. This is especially true for infants, toddlers, and preschool age children.
Young children’s development unfolds through a transactional process between genetics, biological stage of readiness, and active engagement with their environment. When observing development in young children, it is important to keep in mind how development occurs. While the stages of development remain constant (see Handout 1), the rate at which children pass through these stages is dependent on many factors, children’s own biological timetable, and environmental factors such as parent/caregiver support, and the quality and timing of early learning experiences.
A stimulating environment for young children looks different for different families depending on cultural influences, socioeconomic status, and personal philosophies. It is important to be aware of any personal biases and potential judgments about the environments provided to children while still objectively assessing whether or not a child is being given adequate opportunities to explore and learn about themselves and their world.
Environments that are stimulating for babies and young children are safe for exploration, allow freedom of movement, and provide a variety of experiences. The most important aspect of a stimulating environment is that a caregiver can monitor a child’s safety, create inviting environments in which to interact, create challenges, set limits and be emotionally available. This may be with toys, or with objects in home settings like climbing on cushions, touching different textures of smooth, rough, sticky, etc., or looking at different scenes through windows and mirrors.
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