Introduction
A child usually develops in two main directions: biological (physical) and psychological (emotional and behavioral) changes. Early childhood covers growth from birth to eight years of age and plays an important role in life (Likhar et al., 2022). Cognitive development focuses on how the child thinks, behaves, explores the world, and cooperates with others. The brain’s work, the formation of skills, and problem-solving abilities have to be discussed to predict potential problems and offer professional help and support. Among various cognitive skills, the progress of memory functions, behavioral patterns, language, communication, and comprehension is a critical part of early childhood that will be analyzed in this research paper.
Early Childhood
Early childhood development is one of the essential periods in human life because it shapes the child’s experiences and opportunities regarding the environment and obtains biological factors. According to Richter et al. (2019), children’s early development may be compromised by poor nutrition, stress, poverty, violence, or exposure to harmful substances. Therefore, the role of the family as a primary care provider cannot be ignored. In most cases, it is expected to ask early childhood experts for help and enhance child development. At the same time, the impact of the community is vital because any child is a living, growing organism with a biological base to be developed in a particular social setting (Likhar et al., 2022). Early childhood is when all nature and nurture factors are recognized and developed in a specific way.
Cognitive Development
During the first five years of life, children’s growth is rapid, covering physical, communication, and emotional changes. Cognitive development is the process by which the child acquires and uses new skills and knowledge in a setting. Jean Piaget was one of the pioneers in this sphere, presenting his theory of cognitive development in the middle of the 20th century. The theorist explained that cognitive development in children changes with their growth at four stages: sensorimotor (self-environment differentiation), preoperational (object classification), concrete operational (thing conceptualization), and formal operational (abstract thinking) (Winstanley, 2023). Main transformations can be observed in how the child behaves and cooperates with others, how language and communication occur, how memory and attention work, and how recognition patterns affect other processes.
Behavioral Issues
Children have to co-exist within different social settings like families, classrooms, playgrounds, and care centers to enhance proper cognitive development and growth. How children play, react to new information, and behave within a particular context define their further qualities. However, attention should be paid to what external factors might affect this type of cognitive development, and parents or educators become the main examples and guides for children in decision-making, problem-solving, and cooperation.
Parental involvement in the child’s growth is critical because children see what adults do, how they react to the environment, and what phrases they use and repeat the same activities, as this is the only thing they know and see. In addition, child cognitive outcomes depend on family incomes and volatility because these factors define the ability to invest in children, their nutrition, housing, and health (Sosu & Schmidt, 2022). When problems or instability occur in a family, children do not understand the reasons and use negative behavior to resist unwanted changes.
Language and Communication
Speech and language are important in early childhood development as they help people understand each other and exchange their emotions and knowledge. Children’s abilities to learn and think, solve problems, and develop relationships depend on how well they construct their language concerning emotional circumstances (Likhar et al., 2022). In early childhood, language development as a part of cognitive development can be enhanced with the help of regular and informative talks between parents and children, asking questions, giving answers and explanations, and reading. In normally developed children, complex conversations, basic grammar knowledge, and full sentences are observed at 3-5. Language development in children also plays a crucial part in their social lives.
Memory and Attention
Many children can attend activities for a long time, while others need more control and guidance not to be distracted and to use their memory properly. According to Spencer (2020), working memory remains a central cognitive system affecting early childhood development and the need to hold information. There are many ways to increase this capacity, including group work, personal questions, singing, descriptions, repetition of the material, and choice offers. Children must understand that they are free to decide what to do and how to behave, but their main goal is to rely on their memories and background knowledge to rationalize their activities.
Recognition and Comprehension
Language, memory, and behavior development are closely related to children’s abilities to recognize and comprehend the environment. Children can recognize their mothers’ voices and smell from an early age and comprehend the tone (Likhar et al., 2022). To ensure children understand the worth of order and simple rules, it is recommended to emphasize the worth of sequencing and schedules, including morning exercises, eating habits, time for play and education, and sleep. Children comprehend happiness, pride, excitement, shame, and humiliation with time and develop their attitudes (Likhar et al., 2022). Parental and educator support and explanations contribute to the progress of these elements of cognitive development.
Conclusion
In general, cognitive development in early childhood is an extensive research topic that may be disclosed in different ways, addressing children’s thinking, learning, and speaking abilities. It is not enough to rely on biology and genetics but to consider the impact of the environment and support systems. Many factors affect cognitive development, including family status, attention, and community, but each child is unique in acquiring and developing knowledge, skills, and cooperation. Parents and educators play an important role in determining what information can be available to children and what moments should be hidden or properly explained. Early childhood is characterized by certain cognitive development milestones, namely memory, attention, language, behavior, recognition, and communication, and primary caregivers should guide children through all these life events.
References
Likhar, A., Baghel, P., & Patil, M. (2022). Early childhood development and social determinants. Cureus, 14(9). Web.
Richter, L., Black, M., Britto, P., Daelmans, B., Desmond, C., Devercelli, A., Dua, T., Fink, G., Heymann, J., Lombardi, J., Lu, C., Naicker, S., & Vargas-BarĂłn, E. (2019). Early childhood development: an imperative for action and measurement at scale. BMJ Global Health, 4(4). Web.
Sosu, E. M., & Schmidt, P. (2022). Changes in cognitive outcomes in early childhood: The role of family income and volatility. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. Web.
Spencer, J. P. (2020). The development of working memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29(6), 545-553. Web.
Winstanley, M. A. (2023). Stages in theory and experiment. Fuzzy-structuralism and Piagetian stages. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 57(1), 151-173. Web.