What is meant by the term ‘Child Development’?
The term child development relates to the process of learning and mastering skills like sitting, walking, talking, skipping, and tying shoes. Children learn these skills, called developmental milestones, during predictable time periods. It is the process by which human beings become fully functioning adults. According to Wikipedia;

“Child development refers to the biological and psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy”.

The study of child development relates to a number of important practical areas:

• It provides practical guidance for parents, teachers, child-care providers, and others who care for children.
• It enables society to support healthy growth. Understanding early brain development, for example, means that parents can provide better opportunities for intellectual stimulation, and society can reduce or eliminate obstacles to healthy brain growth.
• The study of child development helps therapists and educators better assist children with special needs, such as those with emotional or learning difficulties.
• Understanding child development contributes to self-understanding. We know ourselves better by recognizing the influences that have made us into the people we are today.
• The study of children informs best practice in childcare settings.