Infancy and Toddlerhood Development

Physical development milestone

During this stage, Piaget states that in this stage toddlers acquire knowledge as they
explore their world around them. According to Piaget toddlers can perceive and manipulate
objects, but can`t reason (How Kids Develop, 2004). When toddlers reach this stage, they begin
to feel independent as though they can take on any task. As toddlers play with peers and others,
they learn to build confident within them self. At this age is the most crucial time when growing
up because toddlers have a tendency to injure them self after falling down. During this stage
toddler like to play with toys where they can push or drag along as they walk. However, at this
age toddlers are constantly using their gross motor skills to make connection to their world. At
this stage toddlers should be doing the following:

Pushing and pulling toys

Climbing up on tables and chairs
Toddlers sitting alone with help from others
Pull up to stand
Toddlers can walk and hold on to furniture

Language Milestone in Toddlers

As toddlers move through their stage of development, they begin to mimic what they hear
and see others do. When parents and caregivers have story time with the toddlers, it will begin to
build language skills and social skills. During this stage toddlers responds to simple words, they
begin to use simple gestures such as shaking their head when someone ask them a question.
However, when there is story time toddlers will be exposed to new and challenging words,
therefore toddlers will start to imitate what he or she hear form others. At this stage toddlers
should be able to know the following:

Toddlers will mimic what they hear

Toddler will point to pictures as story is being read.
Toddlers should be able to say No and bye, bye
Toddlers should be able to say mama and dada

Cognitive Development Milestone

According to Piaget, during the toddlers stage cognitive activity is based on immediate
experience through the senses (Gerber, R. J., 2010). Toddlers use their senses to make
connection to the world. During the toddler stage they begin to imitate complex behaviors,
toddlers imitate other when counting numbers and ABC`s. At this stage, toddlers begin to follow
simple direction such as clean up after transitional activities. However, teachers can enhance
toddlers thinking skills by incorporating in the lesson activities such as point to the picture when
it is named. Teachers can enhance toddlers problem solving skills by allowing toddlers to stack
blocks by colors. At this stage toddlers should be able to do the following:
Toddlers put simple puzzles together
Toddlers stack blocks
Toddlers assort blocks by colors with help
Toddlers can repeat counting numbers
Toddlers can follow simple direction

Social/Emotional
During the toddler stage, children begin to socialize with their peers, teachers and others.
At this age, it is very important that toddlers build their social skills. However, will they build
social skills; it enhances their self-concept and self-control. During this stage toddlers should be
doing the following:

Parent and child interact in peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake

Toddlers enjoy story time
Toddlers are very shy and nervous about being around strangers

Moral Reasoning/Self-Regulation
During the toddler stage, they have difficulties about moral reasoning. At this age
teachers, parent or caregivers must teach children about self-regulation skills. Once they have
been taught they will know about how to take turns and sharing. At this age, toddlers have
difficulties knowing what is wrong or right. During this stage toddlers should be doing the
following:

Toddlers are learning language and symbolic thinking and planning.

Toddlers are learning ways to enhance their independence
Toddlers begin to pay attention to models.
Toddlers must learn wrong and right

Atypical Development Toddler

A sign that signal atypical development in toddlers is that toddlers are not meeting the
requirements at their age such as exploring their surroundings. Atypical toddlers are not able to
assort colors, shapes, and count numbers with the help from others. Another sign that signal
atypical development in toddlers is that they are not independent at this age.

Social Factors
Social factors that influence toddlers during this stage of development is having positive role
model in their life will help them to enhance independence and learning language and symbolic
thinking and planning. Teachers interacting with children will also enhance their social skills.

Cultural Factors
Cultural factors that can influence toddlers during this stage of development are peers
interaction. However, during this stage children learn from others, therefore they learn to
appreciate others for who they are and the different cultures.

Strategies families can use to influence child`s learning

Parents and caregivers can read each day with the child and ask open-ended questions.
Parent and child can interact by rolling ball and reading together each night for 15 minutes.
Once children see others completing a task, they start to mimic what they see from others. Ways
to influence a child`s learning provide activities such as:

Puzzles
Books
Blocks
Numbers and alphabets

References
Gerber, R. J., Wilks, T., & Erdie-Lalena, C. (2010). Developmental milestones: Motor
development. Pediatrics in Review, 31(7), 267-27

How Kids Develop, (2004, Feb 03). York Daily Record. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/274363640?accountid=32521