Why The First Five Years of a Child’s Development are so Important | Kiddie Academy

As parents, our goal is to do everything we can to improve the lives of our children. We read books on child care for infants and toddlers, researched a variety of topics, provided social interaction, and asked a lot of questions because we knew that a child’s early development in the first five years of life is very important. One of the themes that have become very important among parents is the physical and cognitive development of our children. Although no two children develop on the same timeline, a major developmental milestone can be reached in a sensitive period. One of the most critical periods of a child’s development and learning is from birth to five years of age. The first five years of a child’s growth are critical to their health, well-being, and a variety of lifestyles in general. Fortunately, there are many things parents can do to help their children grow and develop. Kiddie Academy Drop Off Child Care Near Me is the best daycare in Stafford, VA

Pillars in child development

Physical growth and development
The keyword that is often used about physical development is a historical milestone. Developmental milestones are defined as abilities that most children can perform before a certain age. In the first year of a baby’s life, the physical pillar focuses on the baby’s learning how to master self-movement, grasp objects, and develop hand-mouth coordination. Because rapid growth occurs before the age of one year, milestones are characteristic of several months.

From birth to 3 months
During this time, newborns began to rely on rooting reflectors, sucking and gripping. As babies begin to learn and repeat their body movements, they begin to pull and raise their hands, clench their fists, and then put them in their mouths. One of the most important physical milestones achieved in this period is head control. The baby will begin to lift his head for a few seconds under support, and he will also learn how to lift his head slightly while lying on his stomach.

Parents can encourage the physical development of their children during this period by providing what is commonly referred to as “belly time”. Stomach time is monitored, and the baby will spend playtime on the stomach while he or she is awake. Abdominal time can increase the strength of your baby’s neck, back, and arms. This also lays the foundation for the development of higher motor skills, hand skills, visual skills, as well as speaking and eating skills.

3 to 6 months
At this age, babies begin to become more agile and strong. A large number of babies will start rolling around, sitting on supports, pulling their bodies forward, pulling the edge of a cradle or other solid object to pull away, putting objects in their mouths, looking for items, and playing with toys. Caregivers can help children develop at this stage by providing a variety of toys and objects that stimulate the senses. The best Drop Off Child Care Near Me in Stafford, VA is Kiddie Academy

6 to 9 months
Over the years, children have become more mobile. They usually start gripping objects and pulling them towards their bodies, sitting without support, moving objects from one hand to the other, and many people even start crawling!