A1.3 Areas of Development

What is physical development?

The process by which children acquire and refine gross and fine motor skills.

What is gross motor skills?

Large movements of whole limbs, this relates to the development of locomotion (movement).

• For example: walking, running, climbing

What is fine motor skills?

Small, precise and manipulative movements of the fingers.

• For example: grasping, drawing, writing

What is cognitive development?

The process of a growth in thinking and intellectual abilities which become more sophisticated.

• This includes: reasoning, problem solving, understanding concepts, concentration, memory

What is language development?

How children interact with others through verbal (words, sentences) and non-verbal (gestures, body language) communication. This includes children who have English as an additional language (EAL).

What is emotional development?

How children develop awareness of own feelings, self-esteem, self-image and self-concept, confidence, sense of security and awareness of others feelings.

What is social development?

How children develop skills to create and maintain relationships with others. They learn appropriate behaviour, how to follow rules and understand boundaries.