Classic Theories of Human Development

Deciding to open a summer camp for children from the ages of 18 months to 18 years i would choose the following activies.

Ages 18 months: (1. Sensorimotor stimulation activities. According to Piaget stages of human development for the first year or two and a half years of life, infants are only aware of sensorimotor experience. They do not connect with things outside themselves. They do not know how things react so they are always experimenting (A Science Odyssey). I would choose toys and ojects that are soft and that could not be easily broken. Items that could not be swallowed. For example soft books with things that make souds and with many colors. Books like these would also prepare a toddler for reading later on.
(2. Another activity would be blocks, the old time favorite which cannot be ingested and will help build motor skills and coordination.

Ages 5 years: (1. The cognitive mind has progressed. At this age they are well familiar with sight and sound. Therefore the next level of learning begins. Again according to Piaget when he helped standardize tests for gauging the reasoning abilities of five to eight year olds. He was fascinated to find that at a certain age, children could solve particular reasoning problems, but more than that, at an earlier age, they nearly always gave the same wrong answer.(A Science Odyssey). The first activity I would choose would be a learning game, something like a V-Tech computer or V-tech handheld game since it resembles the handheld gaming systems. These learning systems are designed to teach them problem solving, computer and technology skills and creativity.

(2. The next activity would be plenty of books believe or not children at this age love books. They also need books. Without reading skills they surely would not be able to play and understand some of the activites they are involved with. Words are everywhere and at that age would be the best time to push lots of words and phonics on them.

Ages 8 years: (1. At this age motor skill and coordination are fairly well developed. According to Piget's stages they are aware of events outside of their lives. (A Science Odyssey). They have entered the concrete operational stage. Given concrete materials, they begin to grasp conversation-that change in shape does not mean change in quantity. During this stage Piaget said that, children fully gain the mental ability to comprehend mathmatical transformations and conservation. (Exploring Psychology in Modules, David G Myers, pg. 115). My first activity would be more comprehensive math and reading games. Challenging mind games such as Monopoly and scrabble help a child at that age to reach deep into their brain and really use counting, reasonong and spelling skills.

(2. My next activity for them would be an outside sport, something that would require plenty of hand and eye coordination, such as bike riding, jumping rope and skating. These activities also help with jugdement skills

Ages 18 years: (1. Theorist Erik Erikson (1963) Contended that each stage of life has it's own "psychosocial" task, a crisis that needs resolution. The adolescent's task is to synthesize past, present and future possibilities into a clearer sense of self. "Adolescent's wonder, Who am I as an individual? What do I want to do with my life? What values should I live by? What do I believe in?" Erikson called this quest the adolescent's" search for identity". (Exploring Psychology in Modules, David Myers, pg. 128.) My first activity would be books and information and computers. Looking up and finding out information on what they want to do for their career. The internet can be very helpful. Exploring what they really want to do, and what they enjoy doing could also be an activity.

(2. My next activity would be sports or some kind of craft and cooking project. The new technology in cooking and crafts make these projects more interesting and fun.


In this unit I learned that a child's developing mind is not like that of an adult. They do not think like adults do. They do not reason or comprehend the way an adult does. Sometimes I forget that with my son. This unit helped me to remember that he will be a kid until he grows up.