Module I

Understanding Principles of Child Development

Important

Some of the information contained in this CDA module may not apply to your state’s child care regulations/laws and therefore should not be used as a substitute. Your child care facility is required to follow all rules, policies and regulations set forth by the state where it is located/licensed even if the information is different from the content/recommendations contained in this module.

Did you know?

  • The brain develops from bottom to top, back to front and from the inside out.
  • The human brain develops rapidly during the first year of life.
  • Approximately 80% of brain development has occurred by the age of 2 years old.
  • 90-95% of brain growth and organizationhappens in the first 5 years
  • The brain continues to develop throughout the life cycle.
  • Early interactions with caring adults shape the wiring in the brain to develop a secure attachment with parents or guardians.
  • That the amount and quantityof interactions between a child and the parents or legal guardian helps brain growth.
  • Secure early attachments can lead to positive relationship building throughout life.
  • Interactions with caring adults have a profound impact on brain development.
  • The brain controls all functions in the human body.
  • Use of the brain ensures that connections made stay active throughout the life span.
  • Unused brain connections are pruned away over time.
  • Talking and reading to young children helps their brains continue to develop.
  • Repeating activities and events strengthens the connections in a child’s brain.
  • Developmental domains (physical, cognitive, language, social/emotional) serve as a guide to how children grow, develop and learn.
  • Understanding theories of child development are very important to care and teaching of young children.
  • The more stimulating the learning environment, the more the child develops and learns.
  • Developmental milestones help childcare providers to work more effectively with young children.
  • Maria Montessori supported the use of toys and child-sized furniture in the child care setting.

Brain Development

Recent research indicates that early interactions with parents or guardians before children enter any school setting greatly influence brain development. The early years are very critical for developing healthy brains, forming great attachments and learning language. Research also indicates that if a child is not properly stimulated and nurtured during these critical early years, learning opportunities may be lost forever. These early interactions and experiences with parents or guardians also help children better understand their surroundings and make better sense of their world. Even though the brain is still maturing, approximately 80% of brain development has occurred by age 2 and become almost fully organized by age 5.

  • The development of the human brain is very complex. It begins shortly after conceptionandcontinues throughout a person's life. Brain Development Timeline
  • Different areas of the brain and their behavioral functions develop at different times.
  • The primary function of the brain is to connect brain cells, or neurons.
  • Neurons process information in the brain.
  • Neurons make connections with other neurons to form networks.
  • The fibers that connect synapses to one another are known as dendrites and axons.
  • Every neuron has an axon, which sends information to other neurons.
  • Dendrites receive information from other brain cells.
  • Everything a child learns is stored in neurons.
  • Repetition strengthens the connections that take place within a child’s brain.
  • All hardware is in place at birth, and is ready for connectivity based on the child’s interactions and experiences with his or her surroundings.
  • A child’s genes and his/her interaction with the environment are very significant in brain development.
  • During the first three years of life, more than 1,000 trillion synapses are developed.
  • By age 2, the child’s brain is approximately 80 percent the size of an adult brain.
  • A 3-year-old’s brain is almost three times more active than that of an adult.
  • There is a sensitive period of the brain – the optimum time to learn certain skills.
  • Human interactions and environmental experiences set the foundation for everything a child learns (physical, cognitive, social, emotional and language).
  • The richer a child’s experiences with the environment, the more neurological connections are made within the brain.
  • Neurological connections are responsible for all of our thoughts, sensations, feelings and actions.
  • Neurons are connected by synapses.
  • Synapses are connected to one another by fibers that extend from the neurons’ cells.
  • Myelination occurs when themembrane wraps around the axons.

Click links for more information

Brain Development Research

Theories of Development

Theories of child development are very important to the care of young children. They provide child care providers insightinto how children grow, develop, and learn. A core group of theories have greatly influenced the field of early childhood development. The following are some of those major theories:

  • Jean Piaget - Cognitive Development Stage Theory – describes how children think, reason and solve problems (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational)
  • Sigmund Freud - Psychosexual Stage Theory - describes the unconscious desires of humans (Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, and Genital stages)
  • Erik Erikson - Psychosocial Stage Theory - describes how individuals relate to their social environment (trust versus mistrust; autonomy versus shame and doubt; initiative versus guilt; industry versus inferiority; identity versus identity confusion; intimacy versus isolation; generativity versus stagnation; and integrity versus despair).
  • Lawrence Kohlberg - Moral Understanding Stage Theory – describes how individuals develop moral reasoning (pre-conventional, conventional and post conventional).
  • Urie Bronfenbrenner - Ecological Systems Theory – describes how everything in a child's environment affects how he or she grows and develops (micro-system, meso-system, exo -system, macro system and chrono-system).
  • Albert Bandura - Social Learning Theory - behavior is shaped by taking in stimuli from the environment through observational learning.
  • John Bowlby – Attachment Theory - describes the importance of relationship-building between humans.
  • Lev Vygotsky - Sociocultural Theory – describes how children learn actively through hands-on experiences. His theory also suggests that parents, guardians, peers and the culture are key components in the development of higher order functions.
  • Albert Maslow – MotivationTheory (Humanistic) – explains that human actions are based on needs. He developed Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (basic need, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization.
  • Maria Montessori – Sensitive Period - a time in the child’s development that is open to optimum learning.
  • Howard Gardner – Multiple Intelligences Theory – describes multiple intelligences as paths to learning - children learn and express themselves in many different ways using several types of intelligences.

Developmental Domains

  • Physical Development: – Movement – There are two muscle groups, gross motor and fine motor.

-Gross motor: use of large muscles to roll over, sit, crawl, stand, walk, run, jump, climb, balance etc.

-Fine motor: use of hands and fingers to manipulate a variety of objects and actions (play, eat, draw, dress, write, build with blocks, finger-paint, etc.)

Motor Skills Age by Age.

  • Social Development: - Interacting with others - understanding how to communicate, share, make friends and get along with others Social-Emotional DevelopmentandCooperation Age by Age.
  • Emotional Development:Feelings - building positive self-esteem, having self-confidence and demonstrating a range of emotions (happy, sad, surprise etc.) I'm Glad I'm Me: Developing Self-Esteem in Young Childrenand Character Development Age by Age.
  • Cognitive Development:Information Processing – the ability to think, learn, solve problems, reason, understand and remember Development of Thinking Skills; How Children Problem Solve; andHow Young Children Explore Their World.
  • Language:Verbal and Non-Verbal - speaking, body language, gestures, alphabets and phonemic awareness Stages of Language Development.

Developmental Milestones - indicates that a developmental stage has been achieved.

Children build new skills and developments on top of old skills. Development is cumulative and progress from stage to stage.

Click link(s) for more information

The Whole Child -The Whole Child - ABCs of Child Development

Typical and Atypical Development in Children

Young children have unique characteristics and abilities. Sometimes children develop normally. Other times, delays or disorders may appear as the child grows, develops and learns. Being able to recognize developmental delays and disorders early can help early childhood professionals not only to design activities and experiences to strengthen needed areas, but also assist parents and families in getting help needed for their child. The link below describes developmental characteristics of the normal (typical) child and gives ideas on when to seek professional help when a child deviates (atypical) from the normal pattern of development.

Click link(s) for more information

Milestone Moments - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Psychobabble 101: Maslow's...

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

AP Psychology: Maslow...

Lewit Letter Quick Tip -...

Understanding Maslow's...

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of...

Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

Hierarchy of Needs.avi

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Motivation Theory | Maslow's...

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs -...

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

psychology: maslow's hierarchy...

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Internet Sources

This CDA module was compiled using the following Internet references:

Brain Development Research -

The Whole Child - ABCs of Child Development -

Motor Skills Age by Age -

Social-Emotional Development

Cooperation Age by Age

I'm Glad I'm Me: Developing Self-Esteem in Young Children -

Character Development Age by Age -

Development of Thinking Skills -

How Children Problem Solve

How Young Children Explore Their World -

Stages of Language Development-

Developmental Milestones -

Milestone Moments - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -

Using Toys to Support Infant-Toddler Learning and Development

Developmental Milestones -

Infants (Ages 0-3) -

Infants -

Toddlers -

Developmental Milestones -

Preschool-age Children in Child Care

School-age Children in Child Care

Preschool Children

Helpful Video(s)

Baby Steps: Learn the Signs. Act Early -

Child Development Practice Test

This practice test is designed to test knowledge gained from this module. Please see answers after completion of test.

  1. The primary function of the brain is to
  1. connect brain cells
  2. to help children learn
  3. to develop a “sensitive” period for learning
  4. to develop wiring capabilities
  1. Different areas of the brain develop at
  2. the same time
  3. two at a time
  4. different times
  5. three areas at a time
  1. Everything a child learns is stored in
  2. dendrites
  3. neurons
  4. axons
  5. synapses
  1. The optimum time to learn certain skills is known as
  2. a membrane wrap
  3. myelination
  4. sensations
  5. sensitive period
  1. The cognitive development theory was developed by
  2. piaget
  3. erikson
  4. freud
  5. kohlberg
  1. Which of the following is not a developmental domain
  2. language
  3. intellectual
  4. physical
  5. preoperational
  1. Using the hands for manipulation is known as
  2. gross motor
  3. socialization
  4. information processing
  5. fine motor
  1. Developmental milestones
  2. a developmental stage has been achieved
  3. a developmental stage has not been achieved
  4. a child has developmental delays
  5. a child is not interested in learning
  1. The first step in working appropriately with young children is
  2. assessing
  3. recording
  4. observing
  5. planning
  1. Observation data should not be used to
  2. discuss the child’s progress with unauthorized personnel
  3. communicate with parents
  4. plan appropriately for the child
  5. assess the child’s progress

Knowledge Practice Test Answers

  1. a
  2. c
  3. b
  4. d
  5. a
  6. d
  7. d
  8. a
  9. c
  10. a

Module II

Safety and the Young Child

Important

Some of the information contained in this CDA module may not apply to your state’s child care regulations/laws and therefore should not be used as a substitute. Your child care facility is required to follow all rules, policies and regulations set forth by the state where it is located/licensed even if the information is different from the content/recommendations contained in this module.

Did You Know?

  • The majority of injuries and accidents are preventable.
  • The #1 cause of permanent debilitating injures and death in young children under the age of 5 is accidents.
  • Most injuries to young children in child care settings are the result of falls, poisoning and choking/suffocation.
  • Toxic plants are one of the leading causes of poisoning in young children.
  • Many serious injuries in the home and child care settings result from children swallowing small parts, placing tiny toys in their noses or ears, and cutting and/or bruising themselves on sharp edges and unprotected furniture and equipment parts.
  • Chocking is the greatest risk for children 4 and younger.
  • Most injuries to young children occur in the late afternoon or early evening when the child care provider and children are tired.
  • Injuries in child care settings occur more frequently on the playground and at arrival/departure times than at any other times during the day.
  • Children are more likely to suffer injuries when they are not properly supervised by the child care provider.
  • The #1 way to prevent accidents/injuries in child care settings is to ensure proper supervision of children by a trained authorized child care providers.
  • The head is the heaviest part of an infant’s and toddler’s body.
  • A child can drown in the toilet, water table, wading pool and swimming pool.
  • An infant can drown in less than an inch of water.
  • A vehicle's interior can reach deadly temperatures within 10 minutes, even with the windows cracked.
  • A child's body overheats 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's body because the child absorbs more heat and sweats less.
  • Children can suffer heatstroke within 10 minutes, causing high fever, seizures and damage to the brain and other vital organs.

Safety in the Family Child Care Learning Environment

Safety is very important in family child care settings. Keeping children of all ages safe (inside and outside) is a major concern. It is very important that family child care providers establish a safe learning environment that reduces accidents and injuries for the children in their care. Childproofing the learning environment is of utmost importance. Accidents usually occurs when children are not properly supervised, left to find their own play experiences (lack of attention, toys and materials) and due to boredom. The following are a few safety precautions to be considered by the provider. Please check licensing regulations in your state (Rules and Regulations)for additional guidance on safety in the family child care setting.

Indoor/Outdoor Space

  • Family child care home is free of debris, structure hazards, lead based/peeling paint, exposed asbestos, toxic substances, etc.).
  • Space for children is provided in a designated area separate from family activities.
  • Family child care space is welcoming and inviting to parents and children.
  • Child care space is well organized, clean and absent of household odors and fumes (urine, garbage, pets, tobacco smoke, etc.).
  • Enough usable space is provided for each child (indoors and outdoors) as indicated by state licensing.
  • Clear safe traffic paths are provided for young children to move about in the learning environment without compromising safe floor space for infants to move about and explore.
  • Space accommodates appropriate staff/child ratios.
  • Space and furniture are appropriate and child-centered for all age groups in provider’s care.
  • Space is available for infants to explore freely, to crawl, pull-up and walk away from older children.
  • Sturdy, low furniture is available to aid in the development of large motor skills.
  • Appropriate space and materials are provided for preschoolers and after-schoolers that does not interfere with the learning and development process of infants and toddlers.
  • Furniture/equipment is arranged so monitoring and supervision of children can be done from all angles of the learning/play spaces.
  • Cribs and/or other approved sleeping devices for infants meet current safety regulations. Please check licensing regulations in your state (Rules and Regulations) for additional guidance on sleeping safety in the family child care setting.
  • Durable safe toys are provided for children (especially toddlers) to shake, pound, push, pull, grab, drag or yank without causing major injuries to others.
  • Large open spaces are immunized to reduce unsafe play.
  • Landings and hand rails are provided at all exterior doors when there are two or more steps.
  • Free standing heavy equipment is anchored to the floor or wall to prevent tipping over on children.
  • All playground equipment is securely anchored in place and in good condition.
  • All rugs/mats are secured to the floor to prevent falls.
  • Movable baby walkers are prohibited in family child care settings (check your state requirements).
  • Safe barriers for stairwells and other potentially dangerous areas are provided where appropriate.
  • Colorful decals (for visibility) should be placed on all clear glass panels in doors and low windows to avoid injures.
  • Learning centers should be well-defined, organizedand labeled for safe use.
  • Materials used by children must be safe, age appropriate, water-based, non-toxic and non- flammable.
  • Heavy materials should be placed on bottom shelves to prevent accidents.
  • Materials and supplies must be varied, culturally sensitive, nonsexist and plentiful to meet the needs and interest of all children served.
  • Materials and supplies used by children should be stored on low open shelves labeled with words and pictures. This makes it easy for children (including English learners) to identify, retrieve and store items safely.
  • Avoid clutter in the learning environment to prevent overstimulation that can lead to accidents.
  • Provide duplicate toys for younger children to prevent challenging behaviors (biting, kicking, hitting, etc.).
  • Keep all items well-organized to reduce the risk of accidents.
  • Equipment and materials must be developmentally appropriate for each age group served.
  • Make sure toys, materials and equipment have authorized manufacturer’s use for children, and that they meet safety standards.

Family Child Care Safety