Infant and Child Development

"Your children need your presence more than they need your presents."

-Rev. Jesse Jackson

 

 

This is personally my favorite unit of the entire course and it should show during the three-to-four weeks we spend discussing infant and child development.  This chapter will start with a general overview of infant development before you are let lose in the library to produce a ten-to-fifteen minute group presentation on either physical, intellectual, emotional, or social development.  After these presentations, we will spend the remaining days of the unit discussing and comparing various childhood developments.

 

At the end of this three-to-four week unit, you should be able to answer the following essential questions completely and confidently.

 

How do the developmental stages of infants and children compare at different ages?

How does parenthood change the roles of husband and wife?

What surprising things can a newborn do?

When can you begin to introduce infants to new foods?

What are the different developmental stages of infants?

What do you know about children?

How do adults affect the development of toddlers and preschool age children?

What are the characteristics of a nurturing environment for children?

Why is it important to understand the different developmental stages of children?

What concerns should parents have as their children enter preschool?

 

Chapter Power Points and Handouts