Children's cognitive development varies from one another. But, there are certain things that can be a general picture that marks the cognitive development of children at each age.
Cognitive development refers to the stages of a child's ability to gain meaning and knowledge from the experiences and information he gets. Cognitive development includes the process of remembering, problem solving, and also decision making.
Stages of Children's Cognitive Development
Sometimes parents pay more attention to physical development than children's cognitive development. In fact, cognitive development is no less important than physical development.
Therefore, it is important for parents to recognize what the stages of their child's cognitive development are. Below are some things that you can observe as a parent regarding the cognitive development and psychological condition of your child:
0–3 months old
The first three months of a child's life is a very amazing stage. The main developmental milestones of children at this age are centered on the exploration of the five senses and the surrounding environment. During this period, most babies begin to show developments as below:
- See objects more clearly within 30 cm.
- Start focusing on moving objects.
- Recognizes sweet, salty, bitter, and sour tastes.
- Detects differences in pitch and volume of speech.
- Sees all colors in the human visual spectrum.
Age 3–6 months
Starting from the age of 3-6 months, a child's perception begins to develop. During this period, most babies begin to show developments as below:
- Recognize the faces of family members.
- Responds to other people's facial expressions.
- Recognizes and responds to surrounding sounds.
- Start imitating other people's facial expressions.
Age 6–9 months
Entering the stages of development at the age of 6-9 months, babies usually begin to show the following developments:
- Understand the difference between living and nonliving things.
- Recognizing differences in images with different numbers of objects.
- Be curious about 'impossible things', such as how an object can hang in the air.
Age 9–12 months
Along with his physical maturity, his cognitive development also matured. This is because the more mature physical development supports him to explore the world around him more deeply.
During this period, most babies are able to:
- Mimics gestures and some actions, such as clapping.
- Respond to something with gestures and voice.
- Likes to see picture books.
- Start trying to put one object into another, for example putting a toy in a basket.
1–2 years old
Physical, social, and cognitive development of a child develops rapidly at the age of 1-2 years. In this period, children spend a lot of time observing the actions of adults. Therefore, it is very important for parents and caregivers to set an example of good behavior.
During this period, the child begins to show the development of:
- Understand and respond to words.
- Remembering the characteristics of an object and identifying similarities with other similar objects.
- Understand when to use 'I' or 'you'.
- Imitate the actions and speech of adults.
- Learn about the environment by exploring it.
2-3 years old
At this age period, children are increasingly independent because they are able to explore their surroundings better.
This is the right age for children to be introduced to places where they can explore and provide knowledge, such as museums and zoos, because most of a child's learning during this stage is the result of his or her own experience.
The following is a cognitive development shown by children at the age of 2 years to 3 years:
- Name objects by category, such as animals, flowers, and nearby objects.
- Mimics more complex adult actions, such as playing house, pretending to do laundry, or cooking.
- Responds to simple orders from parents.
- Match objects with their uses, such as spoons for eating and glasses for drinking.
3–4 years old
At this age period, children are increasingly able to analyze the world around them in more complex ways. Children also become more active in the learning process. In addition, they will also start asking various questions related to things around them.
Cognitive development shown by children aged 3-4 years include:
- Start actively looking for answers to his questions.
- Learn by observing and listening to instructions.
- Can arrange objects based on size and shape.
- Understand how to group and match objects according to their color.
- Often ask questions with the question word “why” to get information.
4-5 years old
As a child approaches school age, a child's ability to use sentences, imitate adult actions, count, and other basic activities matures.
The following is a cognitive development shown by children aged 4-5 years:
- Identify more complex colors, such as navy blue and pink.
- Draw the shape of a person.
- Draw objects they often mention and describe.
- Counting from 1 to 5.
- Knowing and telling where he lives.
How to Support Children's Cognitive Development?
The first five years of a child are the most important stage in the formation of his intellectual abilities. Most of the cognitive development of children is influenced by the closest family relationships, especially their parents. So, parents are in an important position in helping the formation of patterns of learning, thinking, and developing children.
At home, parents can help their children understand the world around them. For example, when your baby shows interest in an object, you can help your child to touch and observe the object.
Along with increasing age, parents must also continue to stimulate children to always actively move to explore the surrounding environment. Give your child the opportunity to organize and arrange his items, such as his books and toys. Practicing the ability to move and maintain a child's balance can also trigger better cognitive development.
Also, be patient when your child has a series of questions about everything around him. Parents can also ask questions to their children to hone their problem-solving skills.
Equally important, you must always ensure that your child's nutritional needs are met, starting from the need for protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D, calcium, and iron.
Paying attention to and honing the cognitive development of children is important for every parent. But keep in mind, each child's developmental stage is different. So, you don't need to compare his development with other children. Just observe your child's development from day to day and make sure the stage of development is appropriate for his age.
However, sometimes assessing a child's ability is not as easy as theory. If you feel that your child's cognitive development is delayed or inappropriate, don't hesitate to ask your doctor for help and advice.