Importance of Physical Development for Toddlers

The importance of physical development for toddlers lies in the fact that children grow at a much faster pace. Hence, it is important to track the various changes that are taking place. There are multiple benefits of physical development to children and it also significantly affects the pace of their learning.

So, you always need to know if your children have been growing both mentally and physically per defined standards. Exhaustive research conducted in this sphere has shown that children grow faster than adults. The physical development of toddlers refers to the maturity of their limbs and overall body parts.

" The experiences of the first three years of life are almost entirely lost to us, and when we attempt to enter into a small child's world, we come as foreigners who have forgotten the landscape and no longer speak the native tongue."

-Selima Frailberg, The Magic Years, 1959

This quote embodies the very fact that we are very often naive to the complex physical changes that take place in a child, especially during their early years. Each of these changes determines and forms the foundation of their further development into mature adulthood.

What is physical development in toddlers?

Physical growth in toddlers occurs at a slower pace than in infants. The following points chart the various physical changes that take place over various months:

Physical development milestones achieved by 18 Months :

• fast walking and often falling

• stiff running

• climbing stairs with help

• sitting by self on a small chair

• trying to throw a ball

Physical development milestones achieved by 24 Months :

• running without falling

• climbing upstairs without help

• trying to kick a big ball

Physical development milestones achieved by 36 Months

• properly climbing up stairs with one step after the other

• walking on toes

• able to ride a cycle

• jumping from steps

Each child attains these milestones at their own pace. Some children are a bit early while others tend to be a little late. A host of factors play into this such as genetics and proper environmental stimulation.

Why is physical development important in early childhood?

Early childhood, from 1 to 3 years old, is a period of rapid physical growth though not as fast as infancy. These early years form the foundation for the child's later development into an adult form. The height and weight change in spurts. The body fat decreases by certain percentages till the age of 3 years.

On the other hand, as children enter puberty, the importance of physical development in adolescence comes into play. They attain an adult-like body and become reproductively mature. They develop various primary and secondary sexual characteristics. According to the milestones chart, these changes take place in a standard sequence. Typically, pubertal development takes place in about four years, but some adolescents complete it in two years, whereas others take five to six years.

What are the benefits of physical development for toddlers?

Some of the benefits of physical development for toddlers are:

• Increased hand-eye coordination

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• Able to walk properly without the parent's help

• Lesser body weight to carry around

• Increase in head circumference giving a more mature look

• Moving from crawling to running

How does physical development affect learning?

Physical development, as we know, is supported by various physical activities such as sports and games. Such physical activity is known to be associated with better brain function and cognitive development. Children are able to make better associations between different concepts and developed hand-eye coordination helps them in various writing tasks which play a huge role in learning. This further facilitates much improved academic performance.

As the child's brain develops including the head circumference, they are more receptive to new learning. This is the reason why children in the age groups of 3-4 years old are advised to join formal education as they are at the optimum physical development stage to facilitate better learning outcomes. As a result, the importance of physical development for toddlers cannot be understated.

FAQs

1. Why is physical activity important for child development?

2. Physical activity provides a space for the child's maturing muscles to take the strain and extend, which leads to the lengthening of their stature, thus playing an important role in child development.

3. Which foods need to be taken for the proper physical development of toddlers?

4. Foods high in protein and several essential minerals should be given to the child such as berries, eggs, milk, meat products, and cheese. These foods help the child's body to absorb and have enough energy for physical development.

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5. What kinds of games help the child in physical growth?

6. You must let the child play in parks where there are a lot of toys that let the child exert himself physically on monkey bars, see-saws, and swings.