The mind has a consistent training process, to a large extent, in the observation of the things we see in the world and the analysis of personal experience. Thought makes possible the reception of all this information, which cannot always be perceived by all the senses. But, to what extent do these experiences influence our development?
Main stages of the development of thinking in a child up to 5 years
From birth to approximately 6 months, the world is perceived by the baby in categories of “here” and “now”. At this age, there is still no sense of time or the frequency of the phenomena that occur around us, so that each object and situation is perceived as something unique. However, children’s cognitive needs are very strong already at this stage, and they quickly learn to perceive and process information. During the 4-5 months , children develop visual-motor thinking , which is responsible for the perception of objects that are related to the baby’s actions. Little by little, the child begins to recognize familiar people and objects, which are marking a beginning in the development of memory.
Although the child at this age is not capable of verbal communication, he already has great skills and constantly improves his level of communication, such as with the use of crying, with facial expressions or gestures. This stage of linguistic communication is very important for the effective development of intelligence and emotional development.
- At about 6-9 months , due to the manipulation of objects in the environment, the baby begins to understand that a certain action can lead to a certain result. This is the first stage in the development of logical thinking . In addition, the child gradually realizes that the world is not limited to what is perceived at a single moment by the senses. Another achievement in the child’s development thinking is that he begins to try to relate words to surrounding objects of reality. This is an important point in the development of speech.
- From 9 months the child begins to categorize objects, which marks the beginning of abstract thinking . Of course, this is a very simple categorization, in which properties or qualities are assigned to objects, such as by calling all animals that have tails a dog . Around the year, the child will be able to say generally and consciously, an average of five to ten words.
- At 12 months the logical development continues yel child begins to understand the cause-effect relationship, not only between some simple actions, but also among some more complex cases, such as the fact that after eating can play with their toys .
- With 18 months the child begins to consciously select and memorize the characteristics of objects (size, color and shape). Along with memory and abstract thinking, imagination develops . You are likely to become interested in simple role-playing games, for example, picking up a basket and making her go shopping in a store. There is also a new leap in language development: the child no longer only refers to individual objects or actions, but will also try to describe the situation (for example, the subject, action and object of their location, etc.). To achieve this, you will gradually try to formulate complete sentences.
- At the age of 2, the child begins to form an integral and coherent image of the world, and soon the stage of the thousand standard questions will begin… why? We must encourage their curiosity, explaining and answering them with a clear answer that they can assimilate in a simple way. Reading books, going to museums or the zoo, or using special board games for children, are excellent methods for the child to develop his intelligence at this stage. Encouraging the child to express his opinions on various situations will not only help him develop speech, but will also contribute to the “formation” of his logical thinking at an increasingly advanced level.
- In the last stage to which we refer, with children around 3 years old and up to approximately 5 years old , the child is already clearly capturing their memories and can talk about them without any problem. In this stage, a complete spatial visualization capacity is developed as well as their imagination, through practical skills (painting, sculpture, etc.) that allow the child to also develop their own creativity .
Another important stage in the development of the child’s thinking will be the formation of consciousness, which is the perception of himself as a person with specific characteristics and qualities, that is, the moment in which his own personality is acquired and is conscious of her relatively.
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Guidelines to stimulate the development of thinking in children
- In the first years of life the child has a great potential to learn . It is good not to always repeat the same acts and activities every day. It is also good to break the routine from time to time so that the child can see that there are other realities. Pick him up and take him to other places to see the world around him. The older the baby, the more experiences it will have in its early stages and the more developed it will grow.
- Do not always decide for the child what is “more and less suitable for him”, give him the opportunity to choose between Mickey Mouse or Barbie without fear of being wrong. If the child is interested in something, it means that he is capable of “learning.”
- Try to encourage your child to “work” with both hands. Practicing fine motor skills in both hands contributes to the development of both hemispheres of the brain.
- Don’t limit a child’s development of imagination to the ideas of “right” and “wrong.” Give him a chance to improvise if he wants to paint triangular green apples or square car wheels. There is no problem!
- Broaden the circle of people who talk to the child. Grandparents, friends or other people in the environment will help broaden their horizon, having new experiences and skills.
VERY GOOD INFORMATION