Children are quickest to pick up knowledge and skills when they are young. The moment they are born, they are already taking in a lot more information than we realize. This information evolves as they grow up and greatly affects their holistic development. Here are some interesting facts about cognitive development in children.
They learn continuously
Children begin learning in their infancy. They learn about the world through sensory experiences from their environment. During the first few weeks of life, babies absorb as much information as they can within the limits of their mental and physical capabilities, including listening, touching, sucking, and seeing.
Playing peek-a-boo is very beneficial.
Playing peek-a-boo may seem like a simple way to play with a baby but it’s actually very beneficial for their cognitive development. This activity helps develop their object permanence. Object permanence refers to their ability to understand an object or event that continuously exists even when it cannot be heard, seen, or touched. This develops between 6 months to one year in their infancy.
They learn very rapidly.
Children learn about ten or more words daily. Their vocabulary grows fast, and they may be able to learn about 6000 words by the age of six.
Socializing is particularly very beneficial in internalizing language. Engaging in social interactions is an integral part of a child’s cognitive development. It improves their ability to process language as they learn social skills.
Pretend-play
Playing pretend helps the children develop a deeper understanding of the mind and regulate their own behavior. It also improves their imagination and creativity. Playing with stuffed animals, tea parties, and running a pretend store are great examples of playing pretend.
Practice makes perfect.
Unsurprisingly, the ability of a child to learn is influenced by effort and frequency of practice. Routine and consistent practice to achieve a certain goal such as learning a word, solving math problems, or practicing a certain sport enables them to create a learning process.