Problem solving and cognition is about the ways in which children learn new things and solve problems. Many children vary in their learning styles and how they express their approaches to learning. It includes how children explore their environment to figure things out, whether by looking at the world around them, manipulating different objects, or dropping something to watch it fall.
The ability to pay attention, think creatively, and solve problems are all important aspects of children’s approaches to learning that develop during the early childhood period. This domain also includes foundational skills like counting and recognizing letters and numbers.
Here’s some examples of what most children are expected to do at ages 3, 4, and 5 within this developmental domain.
3 year old:
- draws a circle, when you show them how
- avoids touching hot objects, like a stove, when you warn her
4 year old:
- names a few colors of items
- tells what comes next in a well-known story
- draws a person with three or more body parts
5 year old:
- uses words about time, like “yesterday” “tomorrow” “morning” or “night”
- pays attention for 5 to 10 minutes during activities. For example, during
- story time or making arts and crafts (screen time does not count)
- writes some letters in her name
In addition to looking for key milestones to monitor your child’s development, you can monitor for signs or look-fors that may indicate that your child needs extra support or may have a developmental delay.
A developmental delay could be detected if your child is not meeting the milestones for their age in one or more of the domains.
Bringing any concerns to your pediatrician and child care provider can ensure that your child gets the support that they need to help them be successful in school and beyond.
Definition
Strategies
Developmental Milestones
Resources
Detecting Delays
Who to Contact
Screening/Monitoring