What is Cognitive Development in Early Childhood?

Child development is a crucial process every parent must closely follow and understand.
In this blog, experts at Walkertown Academy will discuss cognitive development – an important stage of child development.

Early childhood is the period from birth to 8 years of age. Cognitive development is a stage of child development where there is development of knowledge, skills, problem solving and character, which help children to think and understand the world around them.
It can broadly be classified into four stages.

Four Stages of Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

Stage 1 : Birth to 18 Months

During this stage, an infant’s brain develops rapidly. They begin to understand their world through movements and sensations. Actions such as sucking, grasping, looking, and listening help them learn new things. They also begin to establish a relationship between objects and the environment.

Stage 2 : 18 Months to 2 years

Language development is the most defining feature of this stage. Children begin to identify things, their functions and follow simple instructions. Shapes and colors fascinate them and they like playing pretend most of the time.

Stage 3 : 3 to 5 years

As a parent, you must have seen that children ask a lot of questions during this age. They learn by imitation, observation and by exploring, creating and doing things. As memory starts developing, they start thinking about past and future events.

Stage 4: 6 to 8 years

The last stage of cognitive development in early childhood is characterized by the development of reading, writing, and comprehension skills. They begin to understand the viewpoints of others. There is improved concentration and short-term and long-term memory.

Experts at Walkertown Academy encourage you to promote your child’s cognitive development through actively engaging in quality interactions like
⦁ Talking with your child and naming commonly used objects.
⦁ Letting your child play with toys and move about freely.
⦁ Singing and reading to your child.
⦁ Exposing your toddler to books and puzzles.
⦁ Answering your child’s “why” questions.

Also read: – Reasons why classroom learning is better than online learning

We, at Walkertown Academy, believe in all round development of a child along with cognitive development and that’s why our Early Childhood Program draws inspiration from the National Education Policy 2020, and provides rich digital resources to stimulate growth in each child by focusing on their multiple intelligences.

Let us know in the comments how you cater to your child’s developmental needs during their early childhood!