When you look at a child, what do you see? A mini adult? Or do you see a unique human being in a unique time in her life? Childhood is a stage that is totally different than any other stage in a human being’s life, especially in the years from birth to six years old. This is the time of personality development. During this time the child is literally absorbing every sensory stimulation coming in through the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and sense of touch. It is building the brain and constructing the child’s personality. Think of it! Every experience shaping what the child will become. What a wonder and miracle! That is why it is vital that a child be given frequent quality experiences in which to construct his little developing personality: a variety of quality auditory (hearing) and visual (sight) input as well as tactile (touch), olfactory (smell), and taste experiences. And it not only constructs the personality, but it also lays the foundation for honing the senses for more refined and enjoyable experiences.
Another unique attribute to this time in a child’s life is how he learns. Movement is key! As adults we may find our child’s constant movement exhausting and frustrating at times, but it is imperative that we, as adults, learn to temper ourselves to the needs of our children. In movement, they are not only building and refining their physical muscles, they are also absorbing information on concepts like spatial relationships (where their body fits in space) and cause and effect (if I do this… , this will happen.) Children learn by doing. This is another key to a child’s learning. The child’s hands become the teacher. Manipulating objects from the real world adds to the construction of not only the child’s academic foundation, but the child’s very personality itself. It is building neural connections within the brain. The manipulation of smart phones and computer games does not cut it. This actually rewires the brain and sets the child up for developmental gaps that will affect learning in the future. In my own personal experience with children, smart phones and tablet games are a detriment to a child’s learning and I have actually seen children go into a type of withdrawal when the digital device is removed. Keep television time and computer games very short (or eliminate altogether) during this stage of development.
To summarize what we’ve been discussing: childhood is a unique stage in a human being’s life. They are absorbing a tremendous amount of information as they construct their knowledge base and their actual personality. Movement and the use of their hands are key elements used in this construction. Exposure to real world objects is the best experience for the developing child.
Spend time with your child. Find a safe, interesting environment for him or her to explore. Allow them to move and touch. And engage with them; it will be memorable for both of you.
Until next time,
Lorraine
