The child as a whole Children usually grow up in some form of family, surrounded by a variety of people who try to provide a warm and secure environment. Understanding how children develop will help parents and other care-givers know what to expect. The body Children generally grow bigger as they grow older. But even this simple statement may lead to some surprises. Another interesting aspect is that from birth to maturity, children grow in spurts rather than at a constant rate.
Physical development is complex.
Development of skills in one area affects development in other areas. Adult expectations may be influenced by a child's size and shape, attractiveness and physical skills. Physical skills, or absence of them, can have a major effect on a child's self-concept. The term motor development describes the complex changes in the child's body activities and movement such as walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, pushing, pulling, bending, grasping, throwing, catching, kicking and other actions involved in receiving and moving objects. By the time the child reaches 6 or 7 years of age, nearly all of their basic motor skills have developed.