Developmental Characteristics of Childhood | Development During Childhood b.ed notes

 

Childhood And Growing Up b.ed notes 

 

Development During Childhood

 

Childhood is another stage of post - birth human development which begins after the end of infancy. While entering into childhood, the child becomes quite familiar with his environment.

At this stage he begins to learn how to behave personally and socially, and his formal education begins in this stage. Academically, childhood is one of the most important phases of life.

At this stage, the child builds his own habits, behaviour, hobbies, desires, etc. which are very difficult to modify later.

Generally, the period between the ages of 6 years and 12 years is called childhood. As the boy started elementary school education during this period, So educationists also call it elementary school age.

Some people also call it an "smart-age" because the child has more energy. Some people also call it dirty age, because of being engaged in sports, running, jumping, children are often dirty and careless.

 

Developmental Characteristics of Childhood

 

Some of the salient features of childhood in terms of physical, mental, social, emotional, and moral development are presented appropriately.

1. Stability in Physical and Mental Growth

In childhood, physical and mental development becomes stable, i.e. the pace of development becomes slow. The stability of development strengthens the child 's mental and physical powers, reduces his playfulness, makes his mind mature and wants to behave like adults. Ross has taught the childhood as the age of Pseudo Maturity.

2.  Increase in Mental Abilities

 

During childhood, the mental ability of the child increases progressively. There is a substantial increase in the sensitivity of child , materialisation, memory, reasoning, etc.

3. Forceful Curiosity

In childhood the child is highly inquisitive. He wants to obtain all kinds of information about the objects he comes into contact with. In infancy, the child 's curiosity questions are simple to ask from which he gets an idea of the various objects. On the contrary, the child in his childhood asks the questions of "why" and "how" and seeks detailed information on various subjects.

 

4.  Feeling of Self Dependence

 

During childhood the child is not dependent on others as much as infancy, he starts doing his own personal work, such as bathing, dressing, getting ready for school, etc. At this stage, the feeling of self - reliance in children develops.

5.  Interest in Constructive Work

In a childhood, a child begins to take interest in constructive work. The boys enjoy the pleasure of working in the garden or preparing something like from wood, paper or anything else. Girls are interested in sewing, knitting, embroidery or cooking activities.

6.  Development of Social and Moral Qualities

 

During childhood, the boy spends a great deal of time with students of the home or other neighbourhood and school. His behaviour is based on admiration and censure of others and this leads to the development of many social and moral qualities like obedience, cooperation, tolerance, honesty, understanding, sympathy, self - control, discipline, etc.

7.  Intensity of collectivism

In this condition, the collective tendency of the child is strong. He wants to spend more of his time with other children. He is more interested in group - playing. The child becomes a member of some group and all the members of that group play together or do other work.

 

8.  Development of Extrovert Personality

 

During infancy the child is introverted, he is reclusive and interested only in himself, but in his childhood the child begins to be extrovert. He takes interest in the world outside. The child seeks to learn more and more about other persons, objects and activities.

9. Collection Tendency

In childhood, there is a tendency found in children to store. Children take special interest in collecting glass tablets, stamps, machine tools, stone pieces, toys, etc. Girls can be seen collecting pictures, toys, dolls, small pieces of cloth, etc.

10.  Change in Interests

 

In Childhood, there is lack of stability in the interests of children. During this stage, the interests of the child are constantly changing. The interests of children change with the change in the environment and group.

Education during Infancy