Child development and stages of development is an important topic of child development and pedagogy (CDPs which appear in teaching examinations i.e. UGC NET, CTET, HTET, KVS and others). Here, we are going to explain in detail the stages of child growth and development. Which helps students in exam preparation.
Stages of child growth and development
Developmental stages make the child develop physically, mentally, emotionally and verbally. A child’s development starts from birth till adulthood. To understand child development we need to learn about the stages of development. Every psychologist has mentioned different stages of child development. Let us learn about the stages of development from birth to adulthood given by different psychologists. child development is a topic Stages of development- Child growth and development.
Different stages of child development (from infancy to adolescence)
Child development goes through different stages, each marked with unique milestones and challenges. Infancy (0-2 years) focuses on rapid physical growth, sensory development, and the formation of emotional bonds. Progress in language, motor skills, and social interaction is seen in early childhood (3–6 years). During middle childhood (7–12 years), cognitive abilities expand, problem-solving and academic skills are fostered. Adolescence (13–18 years) involves significant physical, emotional, and social changes, including the development of identity, independence, and critical thinking. Understanding these stages helps caregivers support the overall development and well-being of the child.
child Development
It refers to the qualitative changes that occur along with the quantitative changes of development in an individual. Development not only represents the physical changes occurring in an organism from its origin to its death, but more specifically it represents the progressive changes occurring from its origin to maturity.
stages of child development
Human development passes through different stages. Each phase has different characteristics and behavior. The characteristics of one phase are different from those of the other phase. Therefore, the teacher must know these characteristics to understand a child. Different psychologists have divided human development into different stages. Some classifications are as follows.
According to Ross Child Development
Human development passes through the following stages:
| According to Ross Child Development | |
| (i) infancy | 1 to 3 years |
| (ii) Early childhood | 3 to 6 years |
| (iii) late childhood | 6 to 12 years |
| (iv) adolescence | 12 to 18 years |
According to Sele State Development
| According to Sele State Development | |
| (i) infancy | 1 to 2 years |
| (ii) childhood | 3 to 6 years |
| (iii) late childhood | 6 to 12 years |
| (iv) adolescence | 12 to 18 years |
According to the Colesnik stage of development
| According to the Colesnik stage of development | |
| (i) prenatal | The period from conception to birth is called the ‘pre-natal’ stage. |
| (ii) Newborn | From birth to 3 or 4 weeks |
| (iii) Early infancy | 15 to 30 months |
| (iv) late infancy | 5 to 9 years |
| (v) Early childhood | 30 months to 5 years |
| (vi) middle childhood | 5 to 9 years |
| (vii) late childhood | 9 to 12 years |
| (viii) adolescence | 12 to 21 years |
according to interest of child development
| According to interest of child development | |
| (A) germ period | Its duration is 0 to 2 weeks. During this period, the fertilized egg develops due to cell division. |
| (b) fetal stage | This stage lasts for 2 to 10 weeks. In this stage, different parts of the body start developing their shape. |
| (C) fetal stage | The period from 10 weeks to birth comes under this stage. |
According to EB Hurlock
| According to EB Hurlock | |
| 1. Prenatal period | From conception to birth i.e. 280 days. |
| 2. Infancy | from birth to 2 weeks |
| 3. childhood | up to 2 years |
| 4. childhood (A) early childhood (b) later childhood |
From 2 to 11 or 12 years. up to 6 years 7 to 12 years |
| 5. Adolescence (A) pre-adolescence (b) early adolescence (c) late adolescence |
From 11 to 13 years to 20-21 years. In girls it occurs at the age of 11-13 years and in boys it occurs after one year. up to 16-17 years up to 20-21 years |
1000+ important (CDP) questions for all teaching exams
According to Dr CL Kundu and Dr DN Tutu
| According to Dr CL Kundu and Dr DN Tutu | |
| 1. Prenatal One. ovum B. fetus C. fetus |
0 to 250 or 300 days. 0 to 2 weeks 2 to 10 weeks from 10 weeks to birth |
| 2. Newborn stage | Life span of the first two weeks immediately after birth |
| 3. Infancy | first two years after birth |
| 4. Early childhood | 2 to 6 years |
| 5. Middle childhood | 6 to 10 years |
| 6. Late childhood | 10 to 13 years 1 |
| 7. Youth | In girls it happens at the age of 12 years, in boys it happens at the age of 14 years. |
| 8. Early adolescence | 13 to 15 years |
| 9. Late adolescence | 15 to 20 years |
| 10. Adulthood and old age | 20 years to the end |
according to jones of state development
| According to Jones of State Development | |
| (A) infancy | from birth to 5 years |
| (b) childhood | 6 to 12 years |
| (c) adolescence | 13 to 19 years |
| (d) adulthood | above 20 years |
Stages of Child Growth and Development PDF Notes
Candidates preparing for teaching exams can easily access the Child Development and Growth Stages Notes PDF file from the link given below. They can refer to the PDF as reference during preparation and most importantly during revision.
Download Stages of Child Development and Growth
sharing is Caring!
