The learning process
'In the baby group, Sanny sings songs with the children. She holds a card with a picture of a car on it. She sings the song ‘Little Red Car’ and moves the card across the table as if it’s driving. While Sanny sings the next song, Donovan, a 1.5-year-old, slides his hand across the table—imitating the car—and makes the sound ‘Vrrroom!’'
In the example above, you notice that Donovan is imitating Sanny. However, his brain needs time to process the information. It takes a moment for what he sees to translate into action. This may seem like a small gesture, but there’s a lot happening in his brain: hand-eye coordination, consciously using his hand, and recognizing and mimicking sounds. Donovan is actively engaging in his cognitive development. This is the process of learning. He absorbs information, processes it, retrieves it, and ultimately applies his (newly learned) knowledge.
Cognitive development in the first two years
In the first two years, your child is constantly learning and discovering new things. Cognitive development actually begins before birth. During the first two years, your child goes through various phases.
Before birth
Your baby’s first experiences with processing information begin in the womb, where they can distinguish between light and dark.
0-4 months
Your child is born with reflexes, such as the sucking and grasping reflexes. As they grow, they begin to act more intentionally. For example, your child no longer accidentally hits the toy in the playpen—they do it on purpose. This is how they develop hand-eye coordination.
4-8 months
Your baby’s behavior is no longer just focused on their own body but also on their surroundings. They grab things around them and put them in their mouth to discover differences.
8-12 months
Your child begins to combine actions. They start to intentionally achieve goals. For example, they might pick up a book and search for the picture of the duck that they already recognize.
12-18 months
Your child gains more insights. For instance, they realize that items can be placed inside a bag or a box.
18-24 months
Your child learns to hold images in their mind for longer and begins to think about them. During this phase, imagination starts to come to life. A block becomes a car, and they pretend to drink imaginary cups of tea. They also begin to imitate more, like playing with pots and pans and cooking for mommy and daddy.
Fantasy and reality
Once the first two years have passed, thinking becomes increasingly important. Language development accelerates this process. Through interactions with others, your child learns more and more. What they don’t yet know, they fill in with their imagination until around age six. Up to this age, they might still perceive their fantasies as real; for example, they truly believe there’s a crocodile under their bed.
Growth of knowledge
As your child gets older, their ways of learning expand. They ask more questions, understand more, and know more words. They increasingly rely on their thinking skills, learn to think logically, and make connections. Six-year-olds can focus better, enabling them to learn to read and do math. By around nine years old, your child can articulate more complex concepts and empathize better with others’ situations. And as your child grows older, they become less focused on adults, with peers becoming more important.
Helping your child develop further
You can stimulate your child’s cognitive development in various ways. Just be careful not to frustrate your child by making things too difficult. Try introducing something new occasionally and see if your child can keep up. Here are a few tips:
- Remove the anti-spill lid from the sippy cup. This not only helps your child develop coordination but also teaches them about gravity!
- Talk a lot to your child and encourage them to talk with other children. The brain is most active during interaction.
- Play games that train their memory, like Memory or Go Fish.
- Let them sort things (blocks, laundry, cups, etc.). Sorting helps children learn to gather information in a playful way. They apply previously learned information and make connections and associations.
- By letting your child play outside, they not only learn about nature but also about problem-solving. For example, how does a toddler climb a tree, and how do they dig a tunnel in the sandbox without it collapsing?