Early Elementary Years

Cognitive Development: Early Elementary Years¹

The development of cognitive and thinking skills follows a predictable order. As children develop their cognitive skills during the early years, they get a set of tools that will allow them to cope with (and also function within) the later demands of their school years.

This discovery will continue throughout their preschool, middle and high-school years as they experiment with different activities and situations. Young children who are given room to play and to try out different toys and tools will be more likely develop the skills needed to learn to read, write, do math and try out different life-skills situations as they grow from children to adults.

Key Point: Recent studies report that children who have little or no opportunities to play may fail to develop their cognitive, language and social skills to their full potential. They may also lag behind their peers in these areas.

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