Human development is how people change and grow across their life spans. Growth and development encompass people’s cognitive, biological, psychological, and social functioning, and language changes as the child begins to comprehend and interact with their environment. Developmental milestones include abilities like the first phase of the first smile—human development. Human development can be viewed as either a continuous or discontinuous process in human beings, depending on different theorists. Children between the age (of 3-12) years experience different changes in human growth far from the physical human growth that involves uniform and simple changes in shape and composition. Human development depends on environmental, genetic, and nutritional. Human developmental changes are an essential aspect of human life; thus better understanding of the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social changes while integrating the environmental factors in the developmental stage provides knowledge of the critical growth changes in human life.
The physical changes in the (3-12) developmental stage
Physical development involves changes and growth in the body, wellness, and motor skills. Physical growth in human beings involves changes in weight and height, brain development, and changes in sleeping patterns. As a child begins to grow and develop, their body undergoes many changes. Children in the 3-12 age group will most likely be 5 feet 3 inches (1.6m) tall, 81 inches (20cm) in average waist circumference, and weigh between 66 pounds (30kg)
- Brain and nervous system development
The human brain is relatively considered to be larger at the birth of the child but relatively mature. Developing motor, social and cognitive skills is crucial in early and middle childhood development. The development of the nervous and brain is continuous in middle childhood. In middle childhood, the growth spurt occurs in the brain like its adult size. Brain development in middle childhood is characterized by growth in the structures such as the frontal lobes. Under the front of the brain, the lobes are responsible for reasoning, social judgment, ethical decision-making, and planning. An increase in the frontal lobes helps children to increase their capacity to work on complex cognitive tasks, such as performing several tasks. In middle childhood, lateralization of the brain’s two hemispheres continues from birth to early adulthood. Children gain a concrete brain operation at the age of 7 with a certain amount of neural connections developing in the brain and nervous system.
- Height and weight developmental changes
During the 3- to 12-year age span, children’s weight and height are influenced by their mother’s nutrition, health, and socioeconomic status. Adolescent girl displays the most body size and height growth, with significant differences between racial/ethnic groups and classes. Being overweight is common during kindergarten; 60% of girls are overweight at age 11. Human development continues progressing through age 12, focusing more on children’s social and emotional development. Preschoolers’ physical and cognitive abilities improve rapidly, creating a foundation for children to become successful adolescents and adults. Human development occurs in infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. As they grow, children learn to satisfy their desires and help others. For example, they begin exploring the world around them through touch, smell, and taste.
The changes in the sleep patterns
From birth to age 12, children’s sleep patterns will vary. In the first year, most babies sleep similarly to adults — one to two hours sleep at night and alternating daytime naps between two to three hours. Children continue to have short periods of deep sleep while awake but experience more significant amounts of rapid eye movement (REM) dreaming than adults do. The second year marks the beginning of more mature sleeping patterns. By age 2-3, most babies are sleeping through the night; by age 3-4, infants can also be found sleeping during the day. Children continue to nap for about an hour in the morning, late afternoon, or early evening; during these times, they typically sleep pretty deeply or are still alert enough to interact with caregivers. Sleep is essential for children’s health and development. Research shows that infants and toddlers sleep best on a schedule that fits their age and needs. They tend to stay asleep when they sleep in bed, knowing that Mom or Dad are right by their side. The sleeping patterns suggest three phases of sleeping development environmental, genetic, and biological impacts for the children (Staton et al., 2020)
The cognitive changes in (3-12) in the developmental stage
Cognitive changes in the age of 3-12 years include much change, and it can be hard to keep up. There is an increase in spatial awareness and an increase in problem-solving skills as well. The children are learning about how their actions affect others as well. The cognitive development of human beings starts from birth when the baby is a very young child who is not yet able to speak. Even though a person has a basic idea of how their body works, they do not understand everything about it. Throughout their life, people learn more about themselves and the world around them. This development happens at different ages throughout childhood—blending in one area.
The cognitive stages of human development are guidelines used by psychologists to describe children’s patterns of mental abilities during a specific period in development. The cognitive stages broadly correspond to the over-arching psychosocial and physical changes that occur from infancy onward, which can be roughly divided into three periods: sensorimotor (ages 0–2 years), preoperational (ages 2–4 years), and concrete operational (ages 4–6 years) (Arnett, 2018). The following section explores each stage and its significance for child development. Looking at cognitive development from birth to age 3 or 4, researchers can observe that babies show the ability to take their environment in and start responding to it. They can also use their senses (such as seeing, hearing, and touching) and make sense of events in the world around them.
Emotional and social changes in the developmental stage
In human development, children experience differences in emotional responses and expression. Such as differences in emotions are referred to as temperament. Temperament comprises the activities such as emotionality, activity level, stability, and sociability. The researchers understand that children are born with certain tendencies toward personality development. At the age of 3-12, children are often turbulent, but as they grow up, their behavior can change drastically. You might notice your child becoming dependent on you and exhibiting more temperamental changes. They could be more stubborn or defiant when they do not get what they want. Development can be considered temperamental for children from 3-12 years of age. While the child may be able to understand at different levels, it is inevitable for them to have temper tantrums. This is because, at this stage, they emotionally react to situations that are perceived as stressful and distracting.
Even though this is common, parents should know when something systemic may occur due to a change in the child’s emotions or temperament. They should know how to deal with these changes so that their children can maintain a stable state of mind in which any environmental factors do not stress them out. The process of psychosocial development is a complex and dynamic interaction between the internal characteristics of the child and the environment. Emotional and social competencies are crucial for the healthy development of children ( Green et al., 2021). Psychosocial development is continuous, both throughout childhood and adolescence. Three- to 12-year-olds explore the world through their senses. They have a better sense of themselves and develop emotional intelligence to understand and express themselves.
Social changes in the (3-12) developmental stage
Social changes are inevitable as one advances; they have to adjust. Moreover, while the child may not understand these changes, their parents most assuredly do. They may be scared or upset at first as they see the change and wonder what is happening. In this stage, it is essential to discuss with your child and make sure that both of you understand each other using language that each of you understands. The development of a person’s body constantly changes as one grows. You can see how different stages have affected our life from an early age to adulthood. Social changes that have occurred over time have contributed to the world we live in now. The development of communication and technology has changed our interactions with each other. The advent of new economic systems, healthcare, transportation, and environmental issues like climate change has also impacted social environments. As children grow and mature, they encounter changes to their environment that find their way into their daily lives.
Integrations of the developmental and environmental factors in the developmental stage
Organizations should integrate developmental and environmental factors into assessing developmental needs across cultures. Doing so would allow organizations to be culturally sensitive and address the needs of individuals where they may differ from their home culture and the local community. Assessing developmental needs across cultures should integrate the current literature on interculturalism, cross-cultural adjustment, and developmental science. Research has shown that cultural context plays a significant role in the development and that individuals must be aware of and prepare themselves for the complexities of different cultures, economic, technological, and social changes causing pressures and challenges among youth (Blasco-Magraner et al., 2021). Child researchers must consider the interplay of environmental and cognitive aspects of development to understand how the environments that children experience help shape growth across cultures. This means that instead of focusing on individual differences, they must consider how different environments might affect children differently. For example, children living in poverty may have more trouble developing vocabulary than their wealthier counterparts if they are exposed to lower-quality language at home or do not have as many words to use for language development as those who are more well-off. Developmental assessment is a vital tool to help evaluate the needs of children in different cultures. Cultural environments, including poverty and neglect, can impact development and how well a child learns. If a child lives in fear or is used as an object of abuse, this can significantly impact their development. Conversely, if a child does not have enough opportunity to explore their environment or has limited access to nutritious food, this could cause developmental problems.
The 3-12 years is the social development stage.
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
There are several different theories out there that help describe the influence of people and their environment on children’s development. This article will discuss Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development is designed to identify and explain a person’s developmental stages throughout their lives. The theory is divided into three stages: sensory-motor, preoperational, and concrete operational (Arnett, 2018). Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development states that it develops through several stages of cognitive development. It suggests that children in different age groupings require specific experiences for proper growth and development. This understanding also helps avoid conflict or misunderstanding between two parents when their kids are young. According to Piaget, cognitive development is a series of stages and the rate at which they occur. There are different stages of cognitive development in children, including sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational ages (Babakr et al., 2019). These ages each represent an earlier version of a person’s thought process and how that person interacts with the world around them.
Life Experience in the developmental stages
I have encountered many developmental stages in life. My mom cared for me and raised me well with no help from my older siblings because they were always busy making money. Since then, I have become responsible for everything at home, i.e., cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, and doing other household chores. After finishing secondary school at age 15, I got accepted into a recognized university on a full scholarship. The main goal of this course is to help me understand the different stages in a child’s life and how these affect their development. We explore the role that parents and carers have in creating a caring, secure and safe environment for your child’s development so you learn how to support them in doing this.
To sum up, developmental stages help learn some of the changes the parents should expect in the development of their children. The context in which children learn about the world expands as they age. In their first few years, a child’s understanding of the world may be based on what he sees and hears (through adults, books, and other forms of learning) or on particular objects that are accessible to them as children grow and learn new things from adults and peers, adult input into a child’s life increases.
References
Arnett, J. J., Research Professor Jeffrey Jensen Arnett; PH.D., & Jensen, L. A. (2018). Human development: A cultural approach. Pearson.
Babakr, Z., Mohamedamin, P., & Kakamad, K. (2019). Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory: Critical review. Education Quarterly Reviews, 2(3). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3437574
Bidzan-Bluma, I., & Lipowska, M. (2018). Physical activity and cognitive functioning of children: a systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(4), 800. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/4/800
Blasco-Magraner, J. S., Bernabe-Valero, G., Marín-Liébana, P., & Moret-Tatay, C. (2021). Effects of the educational use of music on 3-to 12-year-old children’s emotional development: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), 3668. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3668
Staton, S., Rankin, P. S., Harding, M., Smith, S. S., Westwood, E., LeBourgeois, M. K., & Thorpe, K. J. (2020). Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0–12 years. Sleep medicine reviews, p. 50, 101247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101247
Green, A. L., Ferrante, S., Boaz, T. L., Kutash, K., & Wheeldon‐Reece, B. (2021). Social and emotional learning during early adolescence: Effectiveness of a classroom‐based SEL program for middle school students. Psychology in the Schools, 58(6), 1056–1069.
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