The Earliest Years

The Earliest Years: The Growth and Development of Children under Five examines the growth and development of children during the first five years of life. Topics include patterns of growth and the importance of mother-child relationship in child development; the child's widening world and growing independence; the importance of play in young children; and nursery school education. This book is comprised of six chapters and begins by comparing a five-year-old child to a newborn baby in terms of learning and skills. The next chapter focuses on a child's patterns of growth during the first year of life and the role of the mother or mother-substitute in all the aspects of child development at this stage. The third chapter explains how the child at one to three years of age begins to embrace and familiarize with the new rhythms of life, with emphasis on walking, talking, toilet training, and feeding. This book then describes how a child becomes more independent of the mother at 3-5 years of age and develops social relationships with other children of the same age. This text also considers the specific values that play provides to very young children and what types of play offer the best means for overall development. The final chapter looks at the provisions of nursery schools to meet the needs of the young child. This book will be of interest to parents, psychologists, and educators.