There is a set of principles that characterizes the pattern and process of growth and development. These principles or characteristics describe typical development as a predictable and orderly process; that is, we can predict how most children will develop and that they will develop at the same rate and at about the same time as other children.
1. Development proceeds from the head downward:
This is called the cephalocaudal principle. This principle describes the direction of growth and development. According to this principle, the child gains control of the head first, then, the arms, and then the legs, infants develop control of the head and face movements within the first two months after birth.
2. Development proceeds from the center of the body outward:
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This is the principle of proximodistal development that also describes the direction of development. This means that the spinal cord develops before outer parts of the body.
3. Development depends on maturation and learning:
Maturation refers to the sequential characteristics of biological growth and development. The biological changes occur in sequential order and give children new abilities. Changes in the brain and nervous system account largely for maturation.
4. Development proceeds from the simple (concrete) to the more complex: Children use their cognitive and language skills to reason and solve problems. For example, learning relationship between things [how things are similar], or classification, is an important ability in cognitive development.
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5. Growth and development is a continuous process:
As a child develops, he or she adds to the skills already acquired and the new skills become the basis for further achievement and mastery of skills. Most children follow a similar pattern. Also, one stage of development lays the foundation for the next stage of development.
6. Growth and development proceed from the general to specific:
In motor development, the infant will be able to grasp an object with the whole hand before using only the thumb and forefinger. The infant’s first motor movements are very generalized, undirected, and reflexive, waiving arms or kicking before being able to reach or creep toward on object.
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7. There are individual rates of growth and development:
Each child is different and the rates at which individual children grow are different. Although the patterns and sequences for growth and development are usually the same for all children, the rates at which individual children reach development stages will be different.
An understanding of the principles of development helps us to plan appropriate activities and stimulating and enriching experiences for children, and provides a basis for understanding how to encourage and support young children’s learning.