As newborns the movements are involuntary (reflexes) responses to a particular stimulus (Berger, 2008). Through gross motor skills (large body movements) and fine motor skills (small body movements) infants learn to master these movements from sitting, crawling, standing and then walking. These sensory and motor skills follow a genetic maturational timetable, which is influence by experiences guided, by caregivers, cultures and practice (Berger, 2008).
Early Childhood.
Early experiences determine health, education and economic participations for the rest of life. Caregivers create stimulating environments for infants and toddlers to increase cognitive functioning. Speaking and reading to children improves language and literacy acquisition. Interactive toys and activities promote physical health and improve motor skills (Berger, 2008). Opportunities to learn happen every day in a child's environment toddlers learn to walk, using utensils to eat and talk.Toddlers also gain physical control of their bodies and learn toilet training (Berger, 2008).
Jean Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development.
According to Piaget's stage the child is in the sensory-motor and the pre-operational stage as toddlers. During the sensory-motor stage (birth to 2.
years) the toddler learns to differentiate objects from self, recognize self as the agent, acts intentionally to achieve object permanence then use these objects to represent images and words (Berger, 2008). In the pre-operational stage (2-7 years) the toddler's thinking is egocentric, uses language continues and represent objects by images and words. In the concrete stage the child develops an ability to think and make rational judgments (Berger, 2008).
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development.
In Erickson's stages of development the toddler experiences trust vs. mistrust (Birth to 18 months) and autonomy versus shame (18 months to 3.
years). In the trust vs.
