Human Growth and Development

Age

Physical

Communication

Emotional

Cognitive

3 years

Can climb well (up/down stairs - using alternating feet), can run properly, can use a tricycle.

-900-1000 words

Shows excitement when seeing other children, Development of self-conscious emotions (guilt, shame, and pride), Understanding others’ emotions, Shows affection for friends. More detailed make-believe play, imaginary friends & have discussions (likes, wants, etc.),

Use toys with buttons/levers, engage in

-Ask short questions -Use pronouns and plurals

make-believe play, solve simple puzzles (3-5 pieces), turn book pages, open/close jar lids or door handles. Follow 3-word instructions, name colors, numbers, and letters, understand time and "same/different," use scissors, draw people, and recall story parts.

4 years

Hop and stand on one foot, dress/undress independently, use utensils with supervision, catch a ball.

2000 words 5+ word sentences, Know opposites

(hot/cold, big/small)

Know the difference between boys-girls.

Smell and sight often work together, allowing us to better understand our environment. This ability, known as intermodal perception , helps infants process multiple sensory inputs simultaneously. Some infants may struggle with this, such as turning away from a sound instead of looking toward it. Cross-modal perception , the ability to imagine one sense using another, develops as children grow. Gestalt Perception Gestalt perception is a theory that explains how humans instinctively organize sensory information into coherent patterns or unified wholes. According to Gestalt principles, we perceive objects as entire entities rather than just the sum of their parts. These principles suggest that the mind interprets complex visual scenes in a way that follows certain rules of organization. Key Gestalt principles of perception include: ●​ Proximity: Objects that are close together tend to be perceived as a group. ●​ Similarity: Items that are similar in shape, size, or color are often seen as part of the same group. ●​ Continuity: We tend to perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than disjointed ones. ●​ Closure: The mind fills in missing parts of a familiar shape to perceive it as a complete object. ●​ Figure-Ground: We separate objects (figures) from their background (ground), focusing on what stands out. ●​ Common Fate: Elements that move together are perceived as part of a group.

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