Cognitive development - How toddlers develop logic and abstract thought
All a child needs is its own cognitive abilities to recognize and understand its environment and its own self. These include thought structures, language comprehension, perception, problem solving and memory. All these areas only develop during the first months of life, while other areas in the brain that involve bodily functions that are essential for survival have been developed since birth.
Cognitive skills
The first cognitive skills
The mental development of a baby does not happen in a linear way but by leaps and bounds. In the first three months of its life, a baby cannot comprehend that it can make things happen or that its caregivers are still there, even if the baby cannot see anyone. But it already recognizes voices and turns toward them.
Between the ages of three and six months, the next big steps in mental development take place. The baby understands that it can make things happen. For this reason, toys are now more consciously seen and their individual effects are consciously observed. Babies are also able to recognize objects. Surprisingly, the capability for abstract thought already exists at this age. Babies can already categorize different sensory impressions and, for example, classify a cat, a dog and a cow as animals.
Making plans and anticipating consequences
Developing and training their ability to concentrate
How to encourage a small child's cognitive development
Fostering cognitive skills with pegging games, stacking games & sorting games
With age-appropriate toys, it is possible for even toddlers to be able to spend a short period of time alone. A variety of pegging, stacking or sorting games are particularly suitable for this. They allow different forms to be recognized and assigned and, besides the ability to concentrate, this also trains fine motor skills and the understanding of colors.