Toddler Physical Development Flashcards
How to support the best possible physical development for infants?
- Responsive care from loving adults
- Proper nutrition
- Appropriate and stimulating environments
When does physical development occur most rapidly?
First year of a child’s life
What are the factors that affect a child’s physical development?
- Child’s unique characteristics
- Family’s values and culture
- Access to available resources
What is the normal developmental for children aged 1 to 3 years?
- Gross motor: Walking, running, climbing
- Fine motor: Feeding themselves, drawing
- Sensory: Seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling
What influences a child’s physical development?
- Food (nutritious and age-appropriate)
- Shelter (protection from harm)
- Warmth (loving environment)
- Clean air and environment
- Health and dental care
- Activity and rest
What are some other influences on infant and toddler physical physical growth and development?
- Prenatal development (genetic inheritance, exposure to drugs, family growth patterns, birth experience)
- Premature birth (low birth weight may result in vision, digestive, feeding problems and respiratory problems)
- Temperament (personality)
- Family’s composition (lifestyle, housing and level of education)
- Maturation (genetic or biological development)
- Developmental delays or disabilities (health and medical concerns)
What are gross motor skills?
Movements using large muscle groups and are fundamental for mobility and overall physical ability
What are fine motor skills?
Smaller actions using the hands and fingers, crucial for tasks like eating, dressing and drawing
How’s walking and running for kids aged 12 months - 15 months?
Most toddlers begin to walk independently
How’s walking and running for kids aged 18 months to 24 months?
Running starts to become more coordinated; toddlers can stop and start with better control
When do toddlers start climbing?
18 months - 24 months, they enjoy climbing on furniture and can navigate stairs with assistance. Some can climb up and down stairs alone with two feet on each step
When do toddlers start jumping?
24 months to 36 months, many toddlers can jump from a low step or on the ground. They start to jump forward and may begin hopping on one foot
How’s throwing and kicking for kids aged 18 months to 24 months?
Toddlers can throw balls, but with limited control over direction and power
How’s throwing and kicking for kids aged 24 months to 36 months?
They can kick balls in a forward direction and begin throwing with slightly more accuracy
How’s a child’s hand and finger use from 12 months to 18 months?
Toddlers can grasp small objects using a pincer grip (thumb and one finger)
How’s a child’s hand and finger use from 18 months to 24 months?
They begin to show preference for one hand over the other, turning pages in a book and can build towers of four or more blocks
How’s a child’s drawing and scribbling aged 18 months to 24 months?
Initial scribbles are uncontrolled; toddlers enjoy the act of marking on paper
How’s a child’s drawing and scribbling aged 24 months to 36 months?
Scribbles become more controlled; toddlers can draw simple shapes like circles and lines, and may start using crayons with better grip
How does a toddler aged 24 months to 36 months use tools and objects?
Toddlers can use spoons and forks with more efficiency. They start attempting to use scissors and can perform simple puzzles (3 - 4 pieces)
How to support and enhance motor skills development?
- Structured and unstructured play
- Safe spaces
- Regular observation
- Physical activities
- Art and craft
What is structured play?
Play with instructions
What is unstructured play?
Free play
How to ensure a safe space?
- Choose playgrounds with wood chips or shredded rubber
- Dress the child appropriately
- Use the play equipment properly
- Choose the right play equipment for child’s age and skills under adult supervision
How is sensory and cognitive development related to physical development?
Improvements in physical abilities such as mobility and manipulation greatly influence their sensory perceptions and cognitive abilities
How does sight develop in toddlers?
- Toddlers’ vision continues to improve, allowing them to see long distances and detect subtle differences in shapes and colors
- By around two years, most toddlers can recognise familiar objects and people from a distance
How does hearing develop in toddlers?
- Hearing sharpens, and toddlers begin to understand differences in tone and direction of sounds
- This age group starts to follow verbal instructions more accurately and enjoys listening to and recognising familiar songs and stories
How does taste and smell develop in toddlers?
- Toddlers continue to develop their taste and smell, which can influence their dietary preferences and aversions
- They often show clear preferences for certain foods and can express dislike for others
How does touch develop in toddlers?
- Enhanced touch perception helps toddlers to learn more about their environment through texture, temperature and shape
- This is also the stage when they become more aware of bodily sensations, such as pain, cold or heat
How do language skills develop in toddlers?
- Rapid vocabulary expansion occurs; toddlers begin to form sentences and can follow more complex instructions
- They start to use language to express needs, ask questions, and describe experiences
How does a toddler’s problem-solving and reasoning develop?
- Improved ability to solve simple problems, often through trial and error
- They begin to understand cause and effect can predict outcomes of simple actions
How does a toddler’s memory develop?
Enhanced memory skills allow toddlers to remember specific events and routines, recognise familiar faces and recall where objects belong
How does a toddler’s social understanding develop?
- Development of social cognition enables toddlers to start understanding others’ emotions and intentions
- They engage in more complex social interactions and begin to learn social norms and behaviours
How does physical development directly influence sensory and cognitive growth?
- Motor skills and sensory feedback: Enhances exploration, stimulating sensory responses and cognitive processing. Touch and manipulation help build cognitive concepts like size, weight, and texture
- Mobility and spatial awareness: Walking & running skills enhances their spatial awareness and cognitive understanding of various spaces and distances
- Hand-eye coordination: Fine motor development aids in sight development, including tasks requiring coordination like stacking blocks or drawing improve visual and spatial cognition
When does toilet training usually begin?
Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years
Why is toilet training important?
It involves not only the physical ability to control bladder and bowel movements but also the cognitive and psychological readiness to recognise and respond to the need to use the toilet
What are the physical signs showing readiness for toilet training?
- Consistent dry periods of at least two hours, which suggest bladder control
- Regular, predictable bowel movements
- The ability to sit up, get up from and stay seated on the toilet
What are the behavioural signs showing readiness for toilet training?
- Expressing discomfort with dirty diapers
- Showing interest in others’ bathroom habits, such as following parents to the bathroom
- The desire for independence, such as wanting to perform other self-care tasks
What are the cognitive signs showing readiness for toilet training?
- Understanding and following basic instructions
- Being able to communicate the need to go, either verbally or through gestures
- Recognising the sensation of needing to urinate or defecate
What are the 3 approaches to toilet training?
- Child-oriented approach
- Structured approach
- Intensive method
What is the child-oriented approach to toilet training?
Waiting until a child shows all signs of readiness. Toilet training is child-led and pressure-free, emphasising a positive and supportive environment
What is the structured approach to toilet training?
A scheduled approach, where the child is encourage to sit on the toilet at regular intervals throughout the day. It may include rewards for successful toilet use
What is the intensive method to toilet training?
Some programs involve condensing the training into a very short period. Like a few days, using frequent prompting and reinforcement. This can be effective but may be stressful for the child and parent
How to teach and support toilet training?
- Stay positive: Use praise and positive reinforcement to encourage the child
- Be consistent: Keep routines to help the child feel secure and understand expectations
- Prepare for setbacks: Remind them that setbacks are normal and part of the process
