Cognitive development in children

According to Barrouillet (2015), he cognitive development process is continuous as the baby ages and it keeps on improving until the time when the starts using data and thinking to collect, sort and process the information. The fate of cognitive development is based on learned factors and the genetically inherited characteristics. Moreover, cognitive development is evaluated on the grounds such as intelligence, information processing, language development, reasoning and finally the memory. Notably, cognitive development in children has been studied widely with the oldest being the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) (Black, et al 2017). This famous test was adopted in the United States of America in 1916. According to Boyd et al, (2014), if a child is exposed to the environment favorable to their mental growth, they will definitely behave in an intelligent manner regardless of age, gender and race.

On the other hand, if children are kept away from the learning environmental factors, no cognitive development will be recorded. Significantly, Jean Piaget, a French Psychologist went ahead with the research and came up with a more well-known and influential assertion about the cognitive development in children. Piaget’s theory dates back in 1956 and it is based on observation more as opposed to the laboratory tests of the behaviorists (Carson et al 2015). This psychologist supports that cognitive development for early childhood is depended more on the child’s knowledge that enables them to interact in their natural environment successfully. At about seven months, children are due to acquire object permanence and the physical development allows the children to learn intellectual skills.

Significantly, it is at this stage when a child starts learning about language as a skill. Pre-operational stage This stage is also known as the toddlerhood or the early childhood and it has two major sub-stages. What happens at this stage is that intelligence in children is demonstrated by memory and imagination. The language of the child matures and they begin using symbols to communicate. Infancy This is the stage characterized by newborns. At this level, a baby is in a position to explore new things around its surrounding. For instance, at this stage, an infant is in a position to distinguish colors through observation. Moreover, the infant is able to follow things as they move against the target of its sight.

Also, the infant is able to anticipate activities and a good example is when a baby starts sucking as it sees a nipple ahead. At this stage, the baby is able to pronounce two to five words and are capable of pronouncing simple words such as mama and papa. They are very much interested to play with toys at this particular stage. Toddlerhood This stage incorporates all toddlers between eighteen months and three years. This is the stage that that employees sensorimotor of Piaget cognitive theory. At this level, all toddlers recognize the permanence of people and other objects. They also learn daily activities such as routine house chores. School-age This stage incorporates young- school children ranging between six and twelve months.