• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About/Hire Me
    • About Me
    • Hire Me
    • Contact
    • Family
    • Faith
    • FAQ
    • My Running Story
    • Recipes
  • Disney
  • Fitness
    • runDisney Information Page
    • Fitness
    • Races
  • Parenting
  • Travel

Through Heather's Looking Glass

  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • family
  • About Me

The Key Types of Development to Look Out for in Your Child

September 8, 2021 | Kids

Children will generally start school at around four to eight years old, depending on where in the world they live. But they start learning vital skills long before that, as soon as they’re born, and potentially even before that. There are lots of important skills that babies and infants develop as foundational skills for the rest of their lives. And, as they continue to get older, they keep building on these skills and learning new things. Grabbing a toy can turn to learning how to hold a crayon and eventually being able to write their own name. You can do lots of things to help your child’s development at home, with several different types of development to consider.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

 

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development is the development of your child’s thinking skills and memory. It’s the skills and knowledge that help them to understand the world around them, and the development of their thought process. This involves everything from telling right from wrong to problem-solving. Your baby is constantly learning new things every day, even just from watching what’s happening in their environment. They’re always processing new information from both external sources and their own emotions and thoughts.

 

There are different types of cognitive development, including intellect, memory, and reasoning. You can do lots of things to help promote your child’s cognitive development at different ages. Generally interacting with your child in various ways will help to grow different skills. Start talking to your baby from the beginning and make sure your face is visible too, so your baby can start to pick up on facial expressions. Read books and try out different activities, sing, and encourage reaching for and then playing with different toys. You can start to teach colors, shapes, and other basic things from around a year old.

As your child grows, you can start to introduce more activities that help them to develop cognitively. Encourage playing pretend and imaginative thinking, learning animals, shapes, colors, and eventually numbers and letters, and making decisions and choices. Help your child to start thinking on their own and using their own words to express themselves. 

 

Social and Emotional Development

Social and emotional development is all about learning to recognize different feelings and learn how to cope with them too, as well as interacting with others. Small children have a lot of big feelings, and it can take a long time before they’re really able to manage them. Even adults can struggle to understand their feelings and know what to do with them, so we can’t expect children to be able to do it perfectly. The development of social skills is important too, as children first learn to interact with their family and then start to develop the skills that they need to interact with peers.

You can do many things to help with the development of your child’s social and emotional skills. Making sure they get plenty of attention from you is the most important thing, from making eye contact and talking about different things to providing physical affection. Interacting with your child in different ways, including engaging them in conversation, reading stories, and more will help your child learn to recognize and express their feelings. Pets can be excellent for teaching your child important social and emotional skills, including empathy. By watching pets, children can learn to recognize when they might want space or other important cues.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

 

Speech and Language Development

The development of speech and language might start in the womb. Babies start to pick up on speech patterns, tone of voice, and other things very early. Their speech and language skills develop in various different ways as they grow. Speech is related to making sounds, which later become words. Language is the use of words, both spoken and written, and gestures to communicate. Both speech and language development are important for your child, and for you to help develop.

Talking to your child regularly is essential to help develop speech and language skills. It doesn’t always come naturally to all parents, but even just narrating what you’re doing or thinking out loud ensures your baby hears you talking more. Communication can start before your baby is able to talk too. Responding to gestures like lifting their arms to be picked up and asking questions are two things you can do. Many parents use baby signs or a signing system like Makaton to teach their children non-verbal ways to communicate too. Eventually, you will also start to explore written language too. At this point, you will want to explore reading readiness vs emergent literacy. Making sure your child is ready to learn to read is important. Some children might show interest in it earlier than others.

 

Fine Motor Skill Development

Fine motor skills are the skills required to make small movements like grabbing onto or holding something. When babies are born, they reflexively grab onto things and their fine motor skills continue to develop as they get older. Eventually, you will want to be making sure your child can hold a pencil or pen and other skills so that they’re ready for school and learning to write.

Fine motor skills help your child to do a lot of things. Being able to move their fingers in small movements allows them to do things like doing up a button, tying a knot, zipping a zip, using tableware, using a keyboard, playing musical instruments, and a lot more. One of the most important skills children need to learn before they start school, is being able to hold and use a pen or pencil. Due to a larger focus on using tablets and other digital devices, a lot of children aren’t developing the fine motor skills needed to start learning to write and draw. This is one skill you should try to develop at home. There are lots of ways to develop these skills, from playing games that require picking things up to encouraging your child to dress themselves and doing arts and crafts.

 

Gross Motor Skill Development

Gross motor skill development includes the physical skills that your child needs to move around and make large body movements. This can include walking and running, riding a bike, swimming, and other types of exercise. Babies start to develop these skills when they begin to raise their heads when sitting, then roll over and eventually crawl and walk. Gross motor skill development is partly about developing strength in the muscles and bones but is also related to coordination and hand-eye coordination.

You can start developing your child’s gross motor skills early. Tummy time is important to help your baby start to strengthen the muscles in their neck and other muscles needed to lift the head. Placing a toy out of reach encourages your baby to reach for it. When your baby starts to stand, toys that can be wheeled around are great for encouraging stands and taking steps with support.

 

You can also practice gross motor skills by playing catch, playing with stacking toys, dancing, trampolining, and lots of other activities. Go out on bikes, whether they’re balance bikes, bikes with training wheels, or two-wheelers. Other things like trikes, scooters, rollerblades and skates, and other outside toys and modes of transport are fun too. Get active as a family to develop these important motor skills.

 

Children grow and develop in different ways. You can help your child to grow by helping with different types of development using various methods.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Sign up for my newsletter

Primary Sidebar

I am Heather Montgomery, a 30 something southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 10-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
Thank you for visiting, and feel free to contact me with questions, (or for PR inquiries or press trip invites) at Support@HeathersLookingGlass.com.

Please, no guest post requests. 🙂

More about me

Privacy Policy

You can also find me here:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Family Fun in Tuscaloosa: Your Ultimate Getaway Beyond Game Day
  • 5 Reasons to Try a New Way of Travel
  • Experience Superhero-Sized Fun at Gaylord Opryland DC Summer
  • Digital Nomads: Safely Working Remotely While You Roam
  • Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) as a Travel Ball Mom

 

Search

How to Start a Blog

How to start a blog
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • Family
🌴 GIVEAWAY ALERT!🌴 Ready to escape to para 🌴 GIVEAWAY ALERT!🌴 

Ready to escape to paradise? I spent a few dreamy days at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers, and I’m giving YOU the chance to win 2 FREE nights at this beachfront oasis! 😍☀️ #margaritavillepartner

Here are 5 things I didn’t expect to love so much (but totally did):
1️⃣ Fins Up Beach Club — live music, great drinks, and cabana vibes for days!
2️⃣ The Rooms — bright, coastal decor and ocean views that make you feel like you’re living inside a vacation postcard.
3️⃣ The Spa — a total hidden gem. My massage was next-level relaxation.
4️⃣ The Restaurants — from casual beachfront bites to more elevated dining, the food alone is worth the trip.
5️⃣ The Vibe — laid-back luxury with the perfect mix of fun and relaxation. It’s always 5 o’clock here! 🍹

✨ Whether you’re staying overnight or popping in with a day pass, Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach is pure island bliss.

🎉 Now YOU could win a 2-night stay!

🏖️ Prize: Complimentary Two-Night Stay at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach
⚠️ Blackout dates apply.

How to Enter:
✅ Like this post & follow both @HeathersLG and @margaritavillefortmyers
✅ Tag at least 2 friends in the comments (extra comments = extra entries!)
✅ Comment: Are you a pool or beach person?

🌟 BONUS (not mandatory) for 5 extra entries: SHARE this post on your stories and TAG me so I can see it!

Good luck — and remember, it’s always island time somewhere! 🌊🍹

Redemption Details:
Winner must book by August 31, 2025
Valid for travel between August 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

Must be 18+ to enter
Giveaway closes midnight July 25, 3025. Not sponsored by Instagram. 

#MargaritavilleResort #FortMyersBeach #BeachClubVibes #CabanaLife #SpaDay #BeachGetaway #ResortGiveaway #FinsUp
I’ve had an interesting first few days of being I’ve had an interesting first few days of being in my 40’s. A bit of a nerve wracking medical week I guess you could say. 

Have you ever had an MRI? Do you suffer from hearing loss? 👂 

#thisis40 #hearingloss #mri #inmy40s #40andfabulous
✨ This is what radiance looks like ✨ #ad Sin ✨ This is what radiance looks like ✨ #ad 

Since turning forty, I’ve been all about simple changes that help me feel strong, healthy, and confident — inside and out. 

Adding Organixx Collagen to my coffee each morning has been one of the easiest ways to support my skin, hair, and joints while juggling busy mom life. It blends right in and makes me feel like I’m doing something good for myself every single day. 

Because for me, it’s not just about looking good — it’s about feeling my best, staying active, and showing up for the people and moments that matter most. 
Radiance starts from within, and @organixxco helps make it part of my everyday routine.

🤩Use code HMONTGOMERY to save 10%! Link is in my bio.

 #organixx #organixxcollagen #CollagenRoutine #GlowFromWithin #BusyMomLife #ThisIsWhatRadianceLooksLike
I LOVE @disneyphotopass photographers! We have met I LOVE @disneyphotopass photographers! We have met some of the kindest most fun cast members while getting our pictures taken. 

If you don’t get pics taken with them often you probably won’t get this reel, and that’s ok. IYKYK. It’s all in good fun! 💚

What did I miss/forget?😆

#disneyphotopass #photopassphotographer #disneypics #disneyfunny #disneymeme
Follow me for more parenting hacks. 💁🏻‍♀ Follow me for more parenting hacks. 💁🏻‍♀️

#backtoschool #parentinghack #backtoschooltips #backtoschoolshopping
I turned 40 today. 🎉 Hitting a milestone like t I turned 40 today. 🎉 Hitting a milestone like this has me reflecting—not just on what I’ve accomplished, but on who I’m becoming.

I’ve always been driven to achieve, to push, to prove. But lately, I’ve been learning to celebrate presence over performance, connection over perfection.

Today wasn’t about checking a box or hitting a goal—it was about pausing, feeling grateful, and eating a ridiculous amount of cake with people I love. And honestly? That feels like growth.

Here’s to 40: more aligned, more grounded, and still a little extra. 😉

#thisis40 #40andfabulous #thankyoujesusfor40years #birthdaygirl❤️ #40andoverclub
Turning 40 tomorrow. 🎂 Big milestones always Turning 40 tomorrow. 🎂 

Big milestones always make me pause and ask:
What am I proud of?
What needs to shift?
Am I becoming the woman I want to be?

💡 As an Enneagram 3, I’ve always been wired to achieve — and for a long time, that meant shaping myself into whatever version I thought people would like best.

There are tables where it’s clear I’m not welcome — and that used to wreck me.
But at 40? I don’t do cliques. I don’t do shrinking or contorting to be accepted. 👀

I’ll always be kind. I’ll always be respectful. But I’m done dragging a chair to tables that were never built for me.

I’m moving over. Making space.
Creating my own table.

✨Who’s in?

#ThisIs40
#OwnYourStory
#ReelTalk
#Over30Club
#ChristianWomen
#PersonalGrowthJourney
#enneagram3

Copyright © 2025 · Through Heather's Looking Glass · Theme by Bella Creative Studio

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    %d