Parents Guide to Cognitive Development in Infancy
Parent Play Time
Jean Piaget is a theorist who researched cognitive development throughout all stages of life. He noticed, for example, that even infants have certain skills in regard to objects in their environment. These skills are simple sensorimotor skills, but they directed the way in which the infant explored his or her environment and so how they gained more knowledge of the world and more sophisticated exploratory skills. Each new interaction provides information that the individuals organizes into a thought structure called a schema. For example, an infant knows how to grab his favorite rattle and place it into his mouth. The baby practices this manner frequently. When he comes across some other object such as a watch or necklace, he easily learns to transfer his “grab and thrust” schema to the new object. This Piaget called assimilation: The baby assimilates a new object into an old schema.
By joining our afterschool program, we begin by having playtime between parents and their children. During the age range of birth to two years old children begin grasping and comprehending more about the environment around them. Parents playing with the child during this time is creates a bonding experience. It also it gives parents more of an understanding more about their development such as reflexs and new behaviors while playing with different toys. While the parents are participating in this playtime, we observe the children and answer any questions that parents inquire.
Object Permanence Activity
Jean Piaget also made note of another developmental pattern in infants and young children. The concept of object permanence plays a significant role in the theory of cognitive development. In the previously mentioned sensorimotor stage of development, a period that lasts from birth to about age two, Piaget suggested that children understand the world through their motor abilities such as touch, vision, taste, and movement. During early infancy, babies are extremely egocentric. They have no concept that the world exists separate from their point of view and experience. To understand that objects continue to exist even when they are unseen, infants must first develop a mental representation of the object.
For this activity, we demonstrate object permanence for parents to practice with their child. Our program will supply information packets and toys to use. The parents will hold the toy up in plain sight where the child recognizes it and then hide it. This activity has been used between many parents and children in the past. We also repeat this activity a couple months later. It gives parents an understanding of how far along their cognitive development has progressed. The link below is an example of what we will do during our after school session.
Nurturing Your Child
A major influence on cognitive development in infants is how the child is nurtured. The caretakers of the child impact greatly, therefore it is necessary to stimulate the child appropriately. The simplest forms can stimulate the child such as sights and sounds. For example, there are different games and toys that children can partake in that will help different areas of the brain develop. If parents are knowledgable on how to help different areas progess throughout development it will benefit the child during these early stages. The information taken in during this time will last them throughout other stages of development such as childhood and adolesence.
To relate this information to our program, we have a guest pediatrician who has volunteered their time to answer any questions parents may have about nurturing their children. It is important to ask questions. Other parents who are attending may ask questions you have not considered. Typically, parents enjoy this afterschool session because a lot of information is given. A link has been placed below is a video to give an example if you are unable to attend.
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