Language, Social Skills and Cognition

Early language and cognition have always been fascinating to me and are what drew me to the study of child development in the first place. I have always been interested in how children begin to comprehend the world around them, learn to speak their first words, and build the foundation for reading and learning.  

After observing young children in different settings throughout my time as a student, researcher, and childcare provider I have also become more and more interested in children's social development. I've enjoyed watching and learning about the ways that they learn to play and interact with others and how this changes with age. 

When children are young the transformation that they go through month by month is incredible. I am still amazed by the incredible differences I see in an 18 month old versus a 2-year-old and a 2-year-old versus a 3-year-old. Children picks things up so quickly and their little personalities come out in their actions and abilities. I can't imagine how quickly this passes by for a parent watching their own little one!

At Smart Sprouts we try to use research to guide us in supporting children's cognitive and social development. This is a great quick reference chart for some basic milestones that we can work on at every age:

All kids are different and develop at their own pace, but these are some general guidelines that help us to adjust our expectations and teaching tools to certain ages. There is nothing more exciting than when we see our smart sprouts reach a new level of development even if it's as simple as stringing together new words. And we love to provide an environment where kids can learn and grow through play.

*This chart came from The Mayo Clinic website.