Cognitive Development

HPD 4CWorking with School age Children and AdolescentsMrs. Filinov

Ages 6 9 Months‑What Your Toddler is Likely to Do Notice the size of objects, reaching for

smaller objects with finger and thumb and larger objects with both hands.

Know whether objects are near or far. Understand how objects can be used.

For example, your toddler may bang blocks on the floor, shake a noisemaker harder, or push buttons on a toy.

Search briefly for an object when it is taken away from her or him.

Other Things Your Toddler May Do Drop objects and then look for them. Understand the concepts of “in” and

“out.” For example, your toddler may drop

several large beads in a cup, dump them out, and repeat.

Use problem‑solving skills. For example, your toddler may pull the

string of a pull toy to get it closer. Start to combine known behaviours in

new ways. For example, your toddler may reach

and crawl at the same time. May think of him‑ or herself when

looking at a child in photos or a mirror.

How You Can Help Cognitive Development, 6 – 9 months

Give lots of praise for new skills. Give your toddler a range of

objects or toys (fill‑and‑ dump toys; toys for stacking, nesting, and sorting; toys with a variety of textures, shapes, sounds, colours, and weights; childproof books).

Read books with your toddler. Play copy games, such as sticking

out your tongue or banging a pan. Play hide‑and‑seek games. Play in‑and‑out games, such as

putting blocks in a container and taking them out.

Dance, play music, and sing with your toddler.

Ages 9 12 Months‑ What Your Toddler is Likely to Do Try to find objects that you have hidden. Try out new actions to reach the same

goal, or change old actions through trial and error.

Connect animals with actions and sounds, such as meows, barks, or chirps.

Copy the actions of others. Develop stronger memory skills. Become aware of parents as separate

people from him‑ or herself. Your toddler may point when asked, “Who’s Mommy? Who’s Daddy?”

Recognize own name, when spoken. Start to see cause and effect, such as

the fact that things fall when dropped. Match shapes. For example, your

toddler may place a cube in a matching square hole.

Other Things Your Toddler May Do Enjoy looking at pictures. Point to the correct parts of the body when

asked where they are. Know that smaller objects fit into larger

ones. Search more for hidden objects. Repeat an action that gets a reaction, such

as knocking over blocks. Put two ideas together, such as going to

another room to get a toy and bringing it back.

Leave an activity and return to it later.

How You Can Help Cognitive Development, 9 – 12 months

Continue to breastfeed. Praise new accomplishments. Keep adding to the range of

objects/toys you are providing for your toddler.

Play action games in which you and your toddler take turns. Try blowing kisses, clapping, or peeking.

Ask your toddler to help you find lost objects.

Talk about cause and effect: “You dropped Teddy, so now Teddy is on the floor.”

Read books with your toddler. Play music and encourage dancing

and m  

Ages 30 36 Months‑What Your Toddler Is

Likely to DoCompare sizes of things

and use words like “bigger,” “smaller,” and “really little.”

Try to play‑act thoughts and ideas. For example, your toddler may pretend to be a dinosaur.

Count three objects.Match and sort similar

pictures and objects.Enjoy creative movement.

Other Things Your Toddler May Do

Make a plan before taking action. For example, your toddler may search for needed felt‑board pieces before playing.

Notice changes in nature, such as a seed growing a sprout.

Use words related to time, such as “sleep time.”

How You Can Help Cognitive Development, 30 -36 months

Continue to breastfeed. Praise successes. Keep adding to the range of things that you give

your toddler. Provide dress‑up clothes and props. Give your toddler a broader range of art supplies.

Try sticks, cotton balls, paper, and cones. Use laundry time as a chance to talk and sort

clothing. Introduce the concept of first, second, third in simple

games. Ask: “Who is first? Who comes second?” Provide more complex puzzles with three to six

pieces. Cook with your toddler and explore different foods.

Always remember to be safe in the kitchen! Continue to talk about time, shape, and colour

concepts. Encourage your toddler to tell stories. Encourage creative moves to music. Teach and play singing games like Ring‑Around

the‑Rosie and London Bridge.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

SensorimotorPre-operationalConcrete operationsFormal operations

Sensor motor Stage: 0-2 Learning through 5 sensesObject permanenceGoal directed actions

Rules for ToddlersIf I’m doing or building

something, all the pieces are mine.

If it looks like mine, it’s mine.

If I saw it first, it’s mine.If you are playing with

something, and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.

If it’s broken, it’s yours

Rules for Toddlers

If I like it, it’s mine.If it’s in my hand, it’s mine.If I can take it from you, it’s mine.If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

Preoperational Stage: 2-7OperationsSemiotic functionOne-way logicDifficulty with

centering & conservation

EgocentrismLanguage develops

Concrete Operational Stage:Ages 7 - 11Hands on’ thinkingConservation,

identity, compensation

ReversibilityClassificationSerration

Formal Operational Stage:Ages 11 - 15 Not all individuals

reach this stageHypothetico-deductive

reasoning‘Scientific’ reasoningAdolescent

egocentrism & imaginary audience

Limitations of PiagetStage theory

inconsistenciesUnderestimating

children's abilitiesCognitive development

& information processing

Overlooks influence of cultural and social groups