Early Childhood Development

[target2019]

This morning I was watching my 11-month-old grandson's fascination with containers. Each one holds new fascination for him. It so happens that the actual containers hold things sometimes, and that must be investigated. Other times an empty container requires filling with nearby objects.

My daughter and I laughed as he took all the shoes from the floor rack, and found a way to lift and then drop them into a recycle container that comes up to his shoulders. SInce he needs to hold on to stand, it became a real scene as he found a way to carry the shoe to the bin while stooping and holding on to the shoe rack. At one point he had to remove a shoe that sat at a bad angle in the bin, blocking the capacity to add more shoes.

I had developmental classes in college, but this was way more fun than any course I remember.

Scientists call this container play.

Developmental stages of container play:
Early infancy (around 6 months): Babies will begin to explore containers by batting at them, putting their hands inside, and mouthing them.
Mid-infancy (around 9 months): Babies start to intentionally drop objects into containers and may even try to take objects out.
Later infancy/toddlerhood (around 12 months and beyond): Children become more coordinated and can purposefully put objects in and out of containers, often engaging in repetitive "dump and fill" play.

 

[athena53]

I remember my son being fascinated with an empty-washed out Baby Wipes box that had a hinged lid- putting things in, taking them out, etc. I've always been fascinated watching small children learn, especially the things you can't directly teach them- what's funny, words they use that you don't remember teaching them, leaps of logic. I took my granddaughter to the Chicago Children's Museum when she was 4 and they had a Kids' Town section with a market, a bus, a garage, etc. You could take the laminated "letters" out of the mail box and deliver them. She did that a couple of times, we went out for lunch and came back, and this time she sorted them first by destination. I was blown away. Of course I told her proud parents and her grandparents on the other side!

 

[target2019]

It's wonderful how children learn. My wife's mother was always taking the grandchildren to museums of all kinds. She had great curiosity for all sciences, and there's a lot to explore around the Delaware Valley.

 

[pacergal]

Our DGKs favorite play toys was Grandmas Tupperware cupboard! All of those fun containers

 

[Koolau]

I helped my youngest with her reading vocabulary. She had flash cards to use and I could actually experience her learning right there in front of me.

She is so smart and she was at the proper age (for her) to learn vocabulary. It was a precious time to spend with her. She is very successful now and I always enjoy talking with her. It brings back those wonderful memories.

 

[EastWest Gal]

DS has central auditory processing disorder, so his language skills were significantly delayed. It took years of speech and language therapy and discovery of an incredible aptitude for music to help him catch up. It took videogames with written words (thanks Zelda an Mario), to get him reading well. In college he sought further therapy on his own.

Watching my various young patients grow up was fascinating, since they learned at different speeds and showed different aptitudes at a young age. I remember one 18 month old that was reading the letters on the eye chart in the exam room. As an early reader, that's something I would have done.

Normal development is full of recognizable milestones, gross and fine motor skills, language, and other skills. The game of peek-a-boo is related to object permanence-cover an object at 4 months old and the baby doesn't remember it exists. Yet at 6-8 months, most babies actively look for that object.

 

[Koolau]

DS has central auditory processing disorder, so his language skills were significantly delayed. It took years of speech and language therapy and discovery of an incredible aptitude for music to help him catch up. It took videogames with written words (thanks Zelda an Mario), to get him reading well. In college he sought further therapy on his own.

Watching my various young patients grow up was fascinating, since they learned at different speeds and showed different aptitudes at a young age. I remember one 18 month old that was reading the letters on the eye chart in the exam room. As an early reader, that's something I would have done.

Normal development is full of recognizable milestones, gross and fine motor skills, language, and other skills. The game of peek-a-boo is related to object permanence-cover an object at 4 months old and the baby doesn't remember it exists. Yet at 6-8 months, most babies actively look for that object.

At her 2nd BD, our niece (wife's side - of course) was doing her ABCs (with the appropriate example such as "A is for Apple" etc.) I still recall learning my ABCs in preparation for Kindergarten - age 4 I guess.

 

[1242Vintage]

Youngest was born with a severe hearing loss. We started going to weekly family sign language class when she was 14 months. To this day … 3 decades later … I still find myself humming the ABC song we started with every week and do the basic signs!!! APPLE APPLE A A A …. BABY BABY B B B ….

Daughter also developed talent for music. Played in high school marching band. Super fun at half time seeing her out on the field at half time of football game with her interpreting tow! Had fun explaining to other parents in the stands that the middle age guy marching with daughter was sign language interpreter because daughter is deaf!

 

[EastWest Gal]

Youngest was born with a severe hearing loss. We started going to weekly family sign language class when she was 14 months. To this day … 3 decades later … I still find myself humming the ABC song we started with every week and do the basic signs!!! APPLE APPLE A A A …. BABY BABY B B B ….

Daughter also developed talent for music. Played in high school marching band. Super fun at half time seeing her out on the field at half time of football game with her interpreting tow! Had fun explaining to other parents in the stands that the middle age guy marching with daughter was sign language interpreter because daughter is deaf!

I'll bet that was cool to watch!

 

[Allytx]

I love Early Childhood and watching children learn. In fact, that was my career for the 33 yrs I worked. It was fascinating.

 

[Koolau]

Youngest was born with a severe hearing loss. We started going to weekly family sign language class when she was 14 months. To this day … 3 decades later … I still find myself humming the ABC song we started with every week and do the basic signs!!! APPLE APPLE A A A …. BABY BABY B B B ….

Daughter also developed talent for music. Played in high school marching band. Super fun at half time seeing her out on the field at half time of football game with her interpreting tow! Had fun explaining to other parents in the stands that the middle age guy marching with daughter was sign language interpreter because daughter is deaf!

Very cool story! Thanks for sharing.