Social Development
The development of social skills is important for children to be able to interact and communicate with others effectively. Psychologists also believe that social development actually leads to cognitive development because it shapes what and how the child will learn about the world (Omrod, 2008). One psychologist in particular, Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, theorized that our specific mental structures and processes can be traced back to our interactions with others (Woolfolke & Winne, 2012). Vygotsky believed that cognitive development is actually the transformation of socially shared activities into internalized processes (Woolfolke & Winne, 2012).
Schools are a great place for social development to occur as it provides an environment that allows interactions with others to happen on a day to day basis. As parents, you can ensure that your child is meeting their developmental milestones by exposing them to as many different social settings as possible starting form a very young age. This includes organizing play dates, taking kids out to public places such as Museums that provide workshops, summer camps, etc. These kinds of activities also provide your child opportunities to develop in many other ways including their physical development and their multiple intelligences.
Schools are a great place for social development to occur as it provides an environment that allows interactions with others to happen on a day to day basis. As parents, you can ensure that your child is meeting their developmental milestones by exposing them to as many different social settings as possible starting form a very young age. This includes organizing play dates, taking kids out to public places such as Museums that provide workshops, summer camps, etc. These kinds of activities also provide your child opportunities to develop in many other ways including their physical development and their multiple intelligences.
Learn More About Social Development: Read the following document BELOW!
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Click on the picture to the left for FUN ideas of activities that you can do with your child to help develop their Social Skills!
References:
Educational Psychology. Toronto: Pearson Canada. Excerpt: Self and Social Development pgs. 66 – 78; Excerpt: ZPD and Implications of Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories for Teachers pg. 45 – 52.
Ormrod, J.E. (2008). Educational Psychology Developing Learners. Uppersaddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Pgs. 474-489.
Educational Psychology. Toronto: Pearson Canada. Excerpt: Self and Social Development pgs. 66 – 78; Excerpt: ZPD and Implications of Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories for Teachers pg. 45 – 52.
Ormrod, J.E. (2008). Educational Psychology Developing Learners. Uppersaddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Pgs. 474-489.