With online learning not recommended for preschool children, many parents are worried their toddlers have missed important physical, mental, emotional and cognitive development milestones – Archana N. & Mini P.
Almost a year after all education institutions including pre-primaries were ordered to shut down by the Central government to check the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, an increasing number of parents are worried their toddlers have missed important physical, mental, emotional and cognitive development milestones. With online learning not recommended for preschool children, a growing number of parents are anxious that children have been deprived of vital early childhood care and education (ECCE) in their most important formative years.
According to Chennai-based clinical and child psychologist R. Manoj, parents can do a lot to lessen the impact of preschools closure upon the development of youngest children. “Parents form the core of the world of children in the two-four years age group. Skills such as socialisation are dependent on how much parents engage with them, and emotional development is dependent on how much care and security parents provide youngest children,” says Manoj, head of Manoj’s Psychotherapy and Counseling Clinic.
Manoj believes that parents must proactively work towards “nurturing strong and secure emotional attachments and bonding” with toddlers. Several research studies have shown that emotionally secure infants develop into independent and confident youngsters who perform academically better at school and in higher education. “Unfortunately because of the new work-from-home culture, many parents are not able to devote sufficient time to children. This situation of parents being physically present at home but denying children care and attention is worse than of parents away from home. It can lead to children developing feelings of neglect and insecurity. Parents need to strike a balance between work-from-home and caring for vulnerable youngest children,” advises Manoj.
Moreover, to enable the physical, mental, and cognitive development of youngest children confined indoors because of the pandemic, child experts recommend that parents teach and encourage children to play independently. “Youngest children are naturally curious and actively involved in their own learning through discovery and exploration. Encouraging independent play stimulates self-learning which is important for orderly early childhood development. Bereft of obliging and helpful adults providing instruction, children learn to experiment and ideate solutions. Independent play teaches children to become self-reliant, creative, imaginative, and improves their focus and critical thinking capabilities,” says Dr. Guru Prasanna Lakshmi Immadi, clinical psychologist and managing director, Cognizance Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (CIMHANS), Hyderabad.
Child development milestones
Here are the major development milestones commonly expected to be attained by youngest children. However please note these milestones are mere guidelines subject to individual variation.
2-3 years
Physical
- Walks and runs steadily
- Kicks a ball without losing balance
- Pedals a tricycle with or without help
- Builds playing blocks
- Does simple drawings
- Demonstrates good eye-hand coordination in tasks such as fitting objects into corresponding empty spaces
- Solves simple puzzles
- Climbs stairs, first with support, then independently
Cognitive and Language
- Asks questions
- Can make sentences using 3-4 words
- Can speak clearly so others understand
- Has a vocabulary of 200-300 words
- Names body parts, objects and pictures in a book
- Can understand and follow instructions
- Understands and speaks more than one language
Social and Emotional
- Learns to share toys
- Can eat at the dining table, using a plate and fingers/spoon
- Feels and expresses feelings such as disappointment, fear, happiness and excitement
- Can carry on short conversations
- Enjoys family activities
- Listens to stories
- Learns to say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ at the right time
3-4 years
Physical
- Jumps lifting both feet
- Climbs on bars/ladders safely
- Uses play slides alone
- Can use modelling clay
- Folds paper and uses child-safe scissors
- Solves jigsaw puzzles
- Catches a ball and throws it
- Climbs stairs independently
Cognitive and Language
- Understands cause and effect
- Can link concepts such as ‘big and small’ and ‘mother and child’
- Understands abstract concepts such as danger and fear
- Experiments with objects and toys usage
- Plays simple board games
- Matches pictures and real objects, and matches photographs with people
- Picks up a second language
- Speaks fluently in at least one language
- Begins to read and write
Social and Emotional
- Plays with other children
- Understands rules of simple games
- Plays simple group games such as running-and-catching
- Plays with memory cards and board games
- Feels sad when separated from a family member/friend
- Is repentant when her action has hurt someone
- Sometimes shares, sometimes refuses to part with toys, food, etc
- Enjoys watching other children play, dance and talk
- Observes and imitates social activity
Also read: Early childhood development milestones
