Sensitive period: what is it in psychology. Sensitive periods of child development (according to L.S. Vygotsky) The sensitive period is characterized as

02.05.2022

WHEN WE HELP A CHILD LEARN TO WALK, TALK, READ, WRITE, WE TEACH HIM GOOD MANNERS, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR US AND THE CHILD IF WE ACT IN ONE WITH NATURE, IN ONE WITH THE PLANNED RHYTHM AND PACE. LEARNING AT A GOOD MOMENT WILL BRING THE BIGGEST RESULT. ONE AND THE SAME CHILD AT ONE AGE WILL ABSORB LIKE A SPONGE, AND AT ANOTHER - PUSH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OUT OF HIMSELF. WHY? GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH SENSITIVE PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT.

When we help a child learn to walk, talk, read, write, teach him good manners, it will be much easier for us and the child if we act in harmony with nature, at the same time with the inherent rhythm and pace. Learning at the right moment will bring the greatest results. The same child at one age will absorb like a sponge, and at another age will push knowledge and skills out of himself. Why? We get acquainted with the sensitive periods of development.

Sensitive (or sensitive) means "sensitive". What sensitive periods of child development? These are the periods most favorable for the impact of environmental factors. In other words, these are bursts of susceptibility. In order to get the highest yield of carrots in the garden, we will take into account the timing of sowing, thinning and top dressing. Similarly, in raising a child, it is necessary to take into account the boundaries and features of sensitive periods of development. It is better not to fight with nature, but to act together with it, and then we increase the chance for the most productive development of the baby.

“Never again does a child manage to learn something so quickly, fully and joyfully, except during the appropriate sensitive period,” said Maria Montessori.

It is very important to teach the child certain skills during the sensitive period. If he remains without the influence of the external environment, then the period favorable for learning will pass without benefit for the child.

Sensitive periods are also called windows. The windows are gradually closing, and after a certain age, it is almost impossible for a person (and a living organism in general) to master this or that skill or mental function.

The term itself belongs to the famous Soviet psychologist Lev Semenovich Vygotsky. According to Vygotsky, the sensitive period of development means that during this period “certain influences have a sensitive effect on the entire course of development, causing certain profound changes in it. In other periods the same conditions may turn out to be neutral or even have a reverse effect on the course of development.

In general, sensitive periods of development are characteristic of any living organism.

FIVE PERIODS OF SPEECH DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO VYGOTSKY:

Replenishment of vocabulary: 1.5-3 years.
The same period is characterized by the development of motor skills.
Acquaintance with letters: 3-4 years.
The beginning of conscious speech.
Interest in music, mathematics: 4-5 years.
Concepts of size, color, shape. Active perception of writing.
Development of social skills, interest in communication: 5-6 years.
Writing and reading.
Re-surge in language ability: 8-9 years.
The development of the imagination. The perception of culture.

Thus, it can be noted that the sensitive period for the ability to read is the period of 5-6 years. At this time, the child will most quickly master the ability to read.

The concept of sensitive periods is more deeply developed by the Italian educator Maria Montessori. The boundaries of sensitive periods are given approximately, and it is important to consider that they are individual for each child. The periods do not have clear boundaries, but are layered one on top of the other, while some periods gradually end, and some continue for a long time.

SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SPEECH DEVELOPMENT: FROM 0 TO 6 YEARS

0-4 months: The baby responds to speech by turning his head, imitating sounds.

1-1.5 years: Listens to the melody of the language, pronounces the first words.

2-2.5 years: Avalanche-like accumulation of vocabulary. Expression of desires and emotions. The beginning of mastering the grammatical norms of the native language.

2.5-3 years: The child thinks aloud, egocentric speech. Speaks his thoughts.

3.5-4 years: Conscious use of speech.

4-4.5 years: The child uses speech to solve his problems.

5 years: Interest in letters, work with a movable alphabet. Spontaneous writing is an expression of one's own thoughts. The child learns to read - i.e. understand other people's thoughts.

SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR PERCEPTION OF ORDER: FROM 0 TO 3 YEARS

The child needs order in the environment, in time, in the behavior of adults. Maria Montessori was sure: "For a child, order is the same as for us the floor on which we walk, and for a fish - the water in which it swims." The child has his own bed, his own place for toys. He knows that the shoes are in the hallway, and the dishes are in the kitchen. The kid is indignant if the mother put on her father's slippers or if the grandmother drinks from her mother's cup - because the order is violated.

Order in time no less important. The daily routine is established in a child, as a rule, in the first year of life. He knows that after breakfast a walk follows, and before going to bed he is bathed. The child is literally obsessed with consistency, and, listening to the same tale, does not tolerate a rearrangement of words and any changes. At this stage, he will not appreciate the creative processing of his favorite poems, but requires their exact repetition. A sense of order gives rise to a sense of security and immutability in him.

Next, we move on to order in relationships. The requirements of adults must be constant and specific. It's important for adults to be consistent. Why today you can’t eat sweets until you finish the soup, but tomorrow, when guests come, you can? The order of the future life of the child will be determined by the order in his environment at the age of 3 years.

SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SENSORY DEVELOPMENT: 0 TO 5.5 YEARS

According to Montessori, sensory education is the basis of thinking, serves as the basis of vocabulary, mathematical perception, writing, and aesthetic development. Cognition of the surrounding world by touch, refinement of sensory perception. Great importance is attached to the accumulation of the child's experience of working with materials of various shapes, colors and textures in order to develop visual, auditory and especially tactile sensations.

SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SMALL OBJECTS: 1.5 TO 5.5 YEARS

Manipulation of small objects. After a year, the child is literally fascinated by crumbs, buttons, grains of rice, peas. It is very useful to provide him with activities such as stringing buttons or chestnuts on a thread, assembling a designer. The concept of whole and part. Collecting pyramids, flipping through books, mosaics. It is known that speech lives at the fingertips, and the baby must be encouraged to engage in activities that stimulate the sensitivity of small fingers (picking cereals, playing with beads, modeling small parts from dough).

SENSITIVE PERIOD OF MOVEMENTS AND ACTIONS: FROM 1 TO 4 YEARS

The brain develops along with the body. At an early age, mental development goes hand in hand with physical and sensory development. “Every movement of a child is another fold in the cerebral cortex.” If you fetter the natural mobility of a child, this will adversely affect not only physical health, but also mental development, and threatens with psychological stiffness.

SENSITIVE PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT OF INDEPENDENCE: FROM 0 TO 5 YEARS

The child gradually masters new skills and is able to hold a glass when drinking by a year, eat independently at 1.5-2 years, and dress independently by the age of three. It is very important for parents to allow the child to do everything that he is capable of doing himself. Unfortunately, we are often in a hurry and dress the baby, because it’s faster, we continue to feed the baby from a spoon, although he already knows how to eat. It is very important not to miss the time of striving for independence. If you constantly seize the initiative in a child under five years old, then he will not become enterprising and independent.

SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: FROM 2.5 TO 6 YEARS

The child learns politeness, joins the culture, learns to interact with different people. Learning forms of communication. The importance of communication with peers, the development of the ability to negotiate. It is significant that in the Montessori environment, materials existed in a single copy so that children learned to wait, ask, thank and cooperate.

In addition to sensitive periods, there are critical periods characterized by violent jumps. If during the critical period the organism is not exposed to the environment, then the consequences for the development of certain functions become irreversible. For example, if a child of the first year of life is not exposed to speech influence, i.e. no one speaks to him, he will never be able to fully speak. This is confirmed by the so-called Mowgli children.

Sensitive and critical periods are also observed in the developmentemotional sphere. For example, it is very important for a child to know the love, affection, attention and touch of an adult from the very first minutes of life. From the first days of birth, he learns to trust an adult. If, instead of love and attention, deprivation, rejection awaits him, if the cry and other expressions of the baby's needs remain unanswered, he becomes withdrawn and distrustful. If from an early age the baby does not know affection and love, then how much effort will need to be applied later, how much love will need to be shown so that he believes, thaws and begins to express reciprocal feelings.

Modern parents try to develop their baby literally from the cradle, but it turns out that there is a certain time for the development of a particular skill. What are sensitive periods of development and why are they needed?

A sensitive (sensitive) period is a period of time that is most favorable for the development of a particular skill, ability or psychological quality in a child. The concept was introduced into psychology by Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, but the essence of this phenomenon was described in more detail by the Italian psychologist Maria Montessori. So, for the development of a certain ability of the baby, there is the right time, for each child it can be individual, since these periods do not have clear boundaries and overlap one another, for some baby they end abruptly, while for another they last a long time. What are the sensitive periods of development?

Sensitive period of speech development: 0 to 6 years

0-4 months- the child reacts to the speech addressed to him, turns his head towards the sound, he begins to make sounds.

1-1.5 years- the child listens to your conversation,

2-2.5 years- Vocabulary grows in speech, the child is able to express his requirements and desires with words and emotions.

2.5-3 years- the child pronounces his thoughts and actions.

3.5-4 years- the child can consciously use speech.

4-4.5 years- at this age, the child can solve his problems independently with the help of speech and communication.

5 years- there is an interest in letters, the child may suddenly begin to write, the ideal time to start reading.

Sensitive period of order perception: from 0 to 3 years. For a child, order is a part of his life, and order is in everything: in time, in relationships, in the environment in which he is. Why is it so important for a baby in the first year of life? , since a certain sequence of actions - a mode - gives the child a sense of protectionvalue and confidence, helps to identify oneself in this world.

The child understands and knows that after breakfast you need to go for a walk, that toys are in a box near the bed, dishes are in the kitchen, and his clothes are in the closet. Any change in the child's habitual environment or regime leads to his indignation, because the usual order is violated.

In addition, the order should be in communication with the child, all prohibitions and educational moments are strictly agreed between the parents and consistent. For example, if something is impossible for a baby, then it is always impossible, regardless of the situation or conditions. From the environment in which a child lives up to 3 years, it depends on what his subsequent life will be.

Sensitive period of sensory development: from 0 to 5.5 years. Sensory development is the basis for thinking, a rich vocabulary, mathematical perception. Learning the world by touch develops visual, sensory and especially tactile perception of the environment, which is why it is so important to introduce a child to materials of different textures, shapes and colors from an early age.

Sensitive period of perception of small objects: from 1.5 to 5.5 years. Speech lives at your fingertips, so you need to encourage the child's interest in small objects. And after a year, the baby is drawn to buttons, crumbs, cereal grains and small details. Give your child the opportunity, under your supervision, to string beads on a string, assemble parts of a puzzle or construction set, sort out cereals, and sculpt from dough. Encourage any activity that stimulates the development of fingertip sensitivity and fine motor skills.

Sensitive period of movements and actions: from 1 to 4 years. In a child, mental development goes in parallel with physical development, so you can not forbid the child to move, as this will affect the development of his brain. The task of parents is to ensure maximum safety for the child and give free rein to his movements, and this will have a beneficial effect on both his health and intelligence.

Sensitive period of independence development: 0 to 5 years. Gradually, the child learns everything new and by the year he already knows how to drink from a cup, by two he can eat on his own, and by three he can dress. Do not miss the desire for independence of your baby, do not strive to do everything for him, be more patient. If you constantly stop the initiative of the child and deprive him of independence, then he will grow up as a dependent person who will always need your help and care, but already in more serious matters than buttoning.

Sensitive period of development of social skills: from 2.5 to 6 years. This age is ideal for teaching a child the rules of communication with adults, communication skills with peers, the ability to negotiate, ask, change, be able to wait and be patient. Therefore, do not limit the child’s social circle only to the family, if he does not go to the garden, then try to provide him with communication with children in another way: playgrounds, sports sections, developmental activities.

Also be sure to find out

Photo in text: istockphoto.com

Today I want to raise the topic of sensitive, or as they are also called sensitive (from the English. sensitive - sensitive), periods. They are inherent in every baby by nature itself, they manifest themselves in the same way, however, for everyone at their age. This period cannot be artificially forced to start and end at a certain time.

I often heard phrases from mothers like “all children are like children, they sit and sculpt / dance / draw / sing in class, and mine takes and runs away”, or “does not want to study in a developmental school at all”, etc. Are you watching your baby? Are you looking at what he is more disposed to now?

Very often, mothers simply perform routines around the house, not paying attention to the baby. No, of course they feed him, water him, dress him and even play, but because many of us (to be honest 😉) simply DO NOT know how to play, we often feel like just bad mothers who do not pay attention or time, “dislike” their child (yes, that’s exactly what many people think, unfortunately!).

So. The main need of a baby up to 4 years old is to:

talked to him (voice what you are doing),
gave freedom of movement (remove all obstacles in the way of the child at home),
let him touch everything he wants (hide everything dangerous and let him explore the space).

ALL! Girls! Super-duper newfangled toys are not required, developmental materials are not required. You are nearby and freedom of action is the main need of your schilopop. And don't be upset that you didn't talk to him in English or play a game of chess 😉

Yes, of course, additional classes for a three-year-old may become interesting, but if you are not able to provide them, first look for an opportunity to find your balance and resource. A child needs a HEALTHY and HAPPY mother!

Well, let's talk directly about sensitive periods :). Maria Montessori argued that a child will never be able to learn so fully and joyfully, except during a sensitive period.

Your task as a parent is simply to know about these periods and support the baby in them. So, what are the periods of sensitivity in babies under 6 years old?

I offer an excerpt from Ksenia Krasnova's webinar on sensitive periods:

I picked up materials about each of the periods.

Sensitive period of speech development (from birth to 5-6 years)

So, all you need to do is communicate with the child. When he can’t speak, tell him all your actions. Speak slowly, do not lisp, pronounce all words clearly. Show Doman's cards, read, sing - do what the baby likes. If he is already speaking - do not interrupt, let him speak for himself, do not finish the phrase after the child - after all, he is getting the first experience of communication and phrase building.

Sensitive period of sensory development (from birth to 4-5 years)

Sensory education serves as the basis for studying mathematics, expanding vocabulary, and mastering writing. Aesthetic development is also closely related to sensory development. The more subtly developed a person's feelings, the more developed his aesthetic sense. Sensory education develops the ability to perceive the subtlest shades of the surrounding world, helps to focus on the details and thus collect material for the imagination. Maria Montessori believed that the imagination cannot have a base other than sensory.

Sensitive period of the order (from birth to 2-3 years)

The craving for order is so strong that psychologists do not recommend moving, redecorating the nursery or, for example, radically changing your appearance from birth to three years old (so, just in case, suddenly you want to dye your hair from a brunette to a blonde;)). Not only the order in the house is important, but also the order in actions. For example, if you get up every morning, make your bed and then go to brush your teeth, and at some point you reverse these actions, the child may have a fit of indignation (and if he can’t talk, then you may not even understand what happened to the behavior of the baby). Morning and evening rituals, a clear daily routine, etc. are important here.

Sensitive period of sensitivity to small objects (two to three years)

The child needs to manipulate small objects to refine fine motor skills. If children are shown what can be done with mosaics and beads, buttons, grains, then they will not use them for other purposes. We start stringing with large beads, then use small beads. We sort chestnuts and walnuts first, working with both hands, gradually moving on to small grains. At 9 months, the baby grabs bread crumbs with outstretched thumb and forefinger. At 9.5 months, the index finger is already bent when grasping small objects. At 10.5 months, the baby turns the pages in a picture book. At 1 year old, he turns the cap of the vial and strings the rings onto the pyramid. At 2 years old, the child skillfully draws a round spiral, at 2.4 years old he makes cuts with scissors on a paper strip held by an adult. At 2.6 years old - imitates writing movements, at 2.7 years old - forms a roller from plasticine, at 2.9 years old - draws a closed circle.

Sensitive period of development of motor skills (from birth to 4 years)

Tight swaddling, “don’t go there / don’t jump here” prohibitions - all this limits the baby’s ability to move. However, through movement, the child also matures intellectually. Maria Montessori said that every movement of a child is another fold in the cerebral cortex. Motor activity contributes to the saturation of the blood with oxygen, and so it enters, incl. and in the brain! The ban on movement threatens with diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system, as well as psychological stiffness.

Maria Montessori believed that the task of education is not to mix good with the immobility of the child and evil with his activity, which is the sin of outdated ideas about discipline.

Sensitive period of social education (from 2-3 to 6 years)

Socialization is an important element of survival in our world. In the Montessori environment, all materials are in a single copy. This prompts the child to ask if it is possible to join the work and act together with the one who first took the material. And if the kid was refused, he must patiently wait until the other child finishes the work and makes room.

Mathematics sensitive period (from 4 to 6 years)

Sensitive period of development of independence (from birth to 5 years)

I beg you - DO NOT DO FOR THE CHILD THAT HE CAN DO FOR YOURSELF!!!

Children know how to dress if you teach them. Children know how to use cutlery if you teach them. Kids can do a lot of things on their own - just BELIEVE IN THEM!

Speaking of independence! I suggest you take my training “Independent kid. Montessori in mom's life. The training is designed for mothers of babies from 0 to 5 years old. Consists of 7 video lessons, checklists and tasks for them:

Lesson 1 interior and furniture for self telny actions and movement of the baby.

Lesson 2: Consider how you can provide safety child in the house.

Lesson 3 dress when to dress, when and how to choose clothes.

Lesson 4 toys, and review them for suitability and age appropriateness.

Lesson 5 Arrange them in a specific order.

Lesson 6 options toys for kids up to 5 years old.

Lesson 7 Montessori and what elements should be present in it.

The cost of the training is UAH 600 / RUB 1400 / USD 25.

You are getting:
— 7 training lessons;
– access to a closed working group of training with additional materials on the Montessori method;
- personal consultation with me;
— electronic version of the book “Mom 3.0: I want and I will”;
- recording of the lecture "How to maintain a relationship in a couple when you are a mother"

The comparison of children with flowers is not only related to poetry. It has practical meaning. The gardener takes care of the flowers and trees, the parents carefully raise the child, wanting to get good fruits.

Trees need to be watered, trimmed, dug, fed, and all this must be done at a strictly defined time. There are also periods in the development of the child when he is most sensitive to certain “influences”. During these periods, it is not difficult for him to learn something new, everything happens as if by itself. Whereas in other periods the same skill, the same information is either acquired with difficulty or not acquired at all.

This feature in the development of children was noticed by Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky, who said that timeliness is one of the main principles of education. Observing children, teachers noticed that at a certain age, the formation of certain qualities and functions of the psyche occurs very quickly and efficiently. This is especially noticeable in the example of speech: in early childhood, a child masters speech with unusual ease, so naturally that many take it for granted. However, it is worth missing a few favorable years, and the development of speech will become extremely difficult.

Such favorable conditions for the development of a child in one direction or another, characteristic of a certain age, are not due only to external influences - upbringing or the environment surrounding the child. They are connected with internal processes, with the peculiarities of the development of the psyche, with the activity of the child's brain.

This is how any person works - at different periods of life, he pays attention to different aspects of the world around him. A young person perceives the world in a completely different way than a mature or elderly person. In a child, the psyche is only being formed; it changes much faster than in an adult. For the correct formation of different aspects of the psyche, its different functions, a different range of sensations, impressions, different information coming from the outside world is needed. Because of this, the perception, thinking of the child, everything that relates to the analytical activity of the brain, in one period or another become especially susceptible to strictly defined sensations, impressions, information. This susceptibility, "age sensitivity" is called sensitivity or sensitivity(from the Latin word sensus - sensation, feeling).

Sensitive periods of development- age intervals of individual development, during which the internal structures are most sensitive to the specific influences of the surrounding world.

Researchers began to work closely with sensitivity in the first half of the 20th century. Lev Semenovich Vygotsky wrote:

During this period, certain influences have a sensitive effect on the entire course of development, causing certain profound changes in it. In other periods the same conditions may turn out to be neutral or even have a reverse effect on the course of development. Sensitive periods coincide quite well with what we have called... optimal terms of study.

Maria Montessori, an Italian teacher, author of the famous method of early child development, studied in great detail the sensitive periods of development of preschool children.

The essence of her methodology is to give children maximum freedom, unobtrusively help their development within each sensitive period (special didactic materials are used for this).

Types and properties of sensitive periods

In the development of a preschooler, the following sensitive periods can be distinguished (based on the classification of P. Epstein):

The period of development of a "sense of order" (from 0 to 3.5 years)
The period of development of movements and actions (from 0 to 4 years)
The period of perception of small objects (from 1.5 to 4 years)
Social skills development period (from 2.5 to 6 years)
The period of refinement of feelings (from 2.5 to 6 years)
Speech development period (from 0 to 6 years)
Writing period (3.5 to 4.5 years)
Reading period (from 3 to 5.5 years)
The period of development of spatial relations (from 4 to 6 years)
The period of development of musicality (from 2 to 6 years)
The period of development of mathematical representations (from 4 to 6 years)

There are other classifications, as a rule, more concise. So, for example, the period of speech development (from 0 to 6 years) includes an interest in writing and reading, and feelings and spatial relationships can be attributed to the general period of sensory development (from 0 to 5.5 years).

It should be added that school-age children and adolescents have their own sensitive periods. For example, at the age of 10-11 years there is a peak of cognitive interest (the interests and hobbies of a child at this age are especially diverse). The sensitive period for the development of mental abilities is 4-10 years.

In primary school, children are sensitive to learning activities: they are diligent, diligent, receptive, uncritically accepting the teacher as the highest authority, and his words as the truth. Their mind is aimed at learning, imitating, repeating the necessary actions after the teacher. At this age, the correct, positive one is easily developed.

Adolescents over 14 years of age are sensitive to the development of their inner world. This is a huge, not always noticeable inner work: the search for oneself, one's place in the adult world. The emotional sphere is enriched, the teenager learns to manage himself, the sense of responsibility sharply increases.

In general, the sensitive periods of school-age children and older have not been studied well enough. And yet we can say for sure: the conventional wisdom that with age the child's abilities increase, the internal conditions for his development become more and more favorable, is not true. The general characteristics of sensitive periods are well researched; they confirm this conclusion.

Properties of sensitive periods:

Versatility. Sensitive periods are directly related to human ontogenesis, therefore they are characteristic of all children without exception, regardless of cultural, social, racial, or any other differences.
Individuality. The time of occurrence, intensity and duration of sensitive periods are individual for each child. The classification indicates the average values.
expressiveness. If the beginning of a sensitive period can be difficult to notice, then the peak of its intensity can amaze inexperienced parents. The child begins to relate to the activities necessary for him with an extraordinary passion; his interest is concentrated on the chosen subject so that he ignores all other elements and qualities of the environment. He shows miracles of industriousness and energy, long and intensive work does not cause him fatigue. The sensitive period is expressed so clearly that it is difficult not to pay attention to it.
Temporality. With the end of the period, the “window of opportunity” closes forever, regardless of the extent to which the child has been able to use them.

Brief description of sensitive periods in the development of a preschooler

Periods of development of speech, reading and writing

The baby perceives and "absorbs" the sounds that he hears from other people. He tries to repeat them (at the same time training his vocal apparatus), experiments and, finally, after frequent repetitions, he understands the connection between the word and the object that denotes it.

Accumulating auditory, visual, motor experience causes the formation of speech centers of the brain. It has been established that speech centers do not develop or develop poorly if during this period the child is surrounded by people with speech defects (deaf-mute parents) or is completely deprived of human society (children raised by animals). It is impossible to make up for the lack of speech impressions at a later age.

The child's brain "processes" absolutely everything that it perceives, regardless of the complexity of lexical and grammatical structures. The degree of development of his speech centers depends on how rich, beautiful, correct speech a child hears during this period.

The periods of speech development in children have been studied very well, and a lot of materials can be found on this topic. It is curious that the child's interest in reading (and the corresponding sensitive period) usually occurs later than the interest in writing - the graphic reproduction of speech signs. This must be taken into account when working with a child.

Until now, in pedagogy there is no single view on the best age to start learning a foreign language. Observations show that in bilingual families, where different languages surround the child from early childhood, are used freely by family members, there are no problems with mastering both languages at once. Grammatical constructions, pronunciation, vocabulary are assimilated equally well. In cases where the second language is being studied, but does not surround the child in everyday life, the results are controversial. K. D. Ushinsky believed that until the child fully mastered his native language, it would be a mistake.

It is believed that the sensitive period study foreign language - 5-10 years. Normally, a five-year-old child speaks his native language at a very high level. His speech is correct and rich, his vocabulary is high, often he can read, and quite fluently. It is well established that after 10 years, the basic neural networks necessary for the formation of speech no longer develop.

The period of development of the "sense of order"

Having got out of infancy, the baby feels an urgent need to explore the world around him. He begins to establish connections between objects and people around him. He builds on these connections to advance his research further and further. Agree that you can only rely on something permanent, unchanging, such as the earth on which we rely when walking (we believe that the earth's gravity will not disappear under any circumstances). In early childhood, the child is very sensitive to order.

The meaning of order for him is not entirely about keeping the environment clean and the toys decorously standing in their places. Order is constancy, which means predictability and security. There are always pajamas in the top drawer of the chest of drawers, mother always reads a fairy tale before going to bed, shelters, kisses and wishes good night, the world around her is constant and predictable, which means everything is in order, the baby feels. The child will protest, it is worth breaking the usual ritual or putting some thing in an unusual place.

Order-consistency must be maintained with respect to:

Things, home furnishings
Daily routine and daily rituals (morning procedures, meals, bathing, going to bed)
Requirements that adults make to a child

As an “image of order”, “outright disorder” (from the point of view of an adult) can also be fixed. In this regard, the child is important constancy, not purity. If scattered things, toys are the norm of life in a family, then such constancy will not harm the development of a “sense of order” (but, of course, it will bring up slovenliness). Inconstancy is much more dangerous - in this case, the child will not only feel uncomfortable, but will transfer the external disorder into his inner life.

The period of development of movements and actions

Small children are exceptionally mobile, everyone knows that. But it is not obvious to everyone that movement for a child is an urgent need, and not pampering and a whim. Movement is directly related to brain development. The body of the child persistently requires physical activity. Running, fussing, noisy games and walks should be perceived by adults as an undoubted blessing. The more time a child spends in motion, the better it grows.

The norms adopted by the state suggest that a healthy preschool child should walk 4-4.5 hours a day (2 hours in the morning before lunch and in the afternoon). The walk can only be canceled if the wind speed is more than 15 m/s and the air temperature outside is below 15 degrees (for children under 4 years old) and below 20 degrees (for children 5-7 years old). At the same time, the second half of the walk according to the norms is given to outdoor games.

Four and a half hours a day, not including morning exercises and home games!

The period of perception of small objects

All parents notice the peak of this period, because small objects, to which the child is literally “drawn” at this time, are dangerous for him.

The reason for this craving is an interest in the composition of objects and in how the parts and the whole relate. In addition, fine motor skills, which are directly related to the development of speech, improve from manipulations with small objects. Wise nature "knows" about this and directs the child in the right direction.

In order to protect the child and get the most out of the sensitive period, it is necessary to create conditions for the study of small objects. Give him a string of beads on a strong fishing line, sew different buttons to a piece of fabric. Offer your child special exercises, such as stringing nuts, large buttons, sorting peas, beans, beans, assembling and disassembling models with small details.

Period of development of social skills

It is interesting to watch children in the sandbox. Children under 2 years old play “each by themselves”, and if they notice an interesting toy from a neighbor, they calmly come up and take it away. The neighbor is not upset if he has something to do, however, the first kid is not very upset if he failed to take possession of the toy.

This is not the case for children over 2 years of age. They are already aware of themselves as individuals, and understand that other people are also individuals. A heightened sense of ownership provokes tears, conflicts and even fights. From this age, children begin to actively learn communication skills.

During this period, it is extremely easy to teach a child etiquette. He trusts adults to such an extent that he literally copies their behavior, gestures and words (which often makes adults smile). One has only to slightly direct the child in the right direction, explain some rule of politeness and practice, as the baby will begin to please his parents with good manners.

Children of this age are spontaneous, sociable without embarrassment and any deliberateness. Offer: “Go to the boy and ask him for a typewriter like this: “Please lend me this typewriter for a while, play,” and the child will come up and repeat your phrase exactly. Or: “Come up to the girl and say: “Hello, let's go on a swing together?” - You will be surprised how naturally the same question sounds from the mouth of the baby.

As often as possible, talk with your child about other people, analyze situations from everyday life, logically justify the rules of behavior. At the same time, remember that these rules are also obligatory for parents - practice should confirm the theory.

In the case when a child behaves ugly, screams, fights, takes away toys from other children, it will be correct to work out the conflict situation on the spot. To do this, you need to calm the baby, then show how to correct what he was wrong about (for example, come up, console the victim, apologize) and do it. In conclusion, it is good to discuss what could be done so that both sides of the conflict feel good.

It is curious that in a classroom equipped according to the Montessori method, all educational materials are presented in the singular. It's made on purpose. When several children want to work with the same material, they will have to negotiate, give in to each other. So they learn to build relationships, to cooperate.

The period of refinement of feelings

Feelings are not just intermediaries between the child and the outside world. They are the basis of thinking, because it is the processing of sensations that causes the formation of the first connections between brain neurons. The finer, richer the sensory experience of the child in early childhood, the more flexible his thinking will be.

Maria Montessori paid special attention to the sensory development of children. She has created a unique set of educational materials that help children train their senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, stereognostic sense (the ability to recognize an object by touching). Moreover, Montessori believed that the essence of such training is not just that the child recognizes the color, shape, and other qualities of objects in the world around him, but that he refined his feelings, that is, he practiced attention, comparison, acquired the skills of recognition.

The emotional sphere, creative imagination, artistic taste, the ability to see beauty also belong to the realm of feelings. The subtlety of feelings has a positive effect on all spheres of human life.

Today, many parents realize the importance of early childhood development. What we have learned about sensitive periods, on the one hand, confirms this idea. On the other hand, the desire of parents almost from the cradle to load the baby with serious lessons in a foreign language, sports, dancing, reading and other subjects useful for his future seems to be controversial.

It is more correct to listen to nature in order to give the child the maximum number of opportunities for development in a favorable period, to create conditions in which the formation of different aspects of the child's psyche will be optimal. For this:

Watch your child. Remember that a child's commitment to any activity or object is a sure sign that he is at the peak of the corresponding sensitive period.
Try not to miss the time, because favorable periods pass irrevocably. Prepare in advance for the onset of the next period: prepare the environment, select didactic material, think over ways to practice.
Remember that sensitive periods are individual. In different children, their terms may be different, and the severity of the peak of the period may also be different. Assuming the onset of the period, engage with the child in. Then it will be easy to notice the beginning of the period.
During the beginning and peak of the period, try to give the child as much study material as possible. At this moment, do not be afraid to overload it - the speed of perception and processing of the material corresponding to the period increases 10-15 times (compared to normal time).
Don't fight nature; Don't force your child to do something. The result is likely to be mediocre. On the contrary, classes within the framework of a favorable period will bring not only magnificent results, but will bring joy to both the baby and his parents.

Never again does a child manage to learn something so quickly, fully and joyfully, except during the appropriate sensitive period.

Maria Montessori

What is a sensitive period when it is better to teach a child various skills?

What periods are called sensitive

All kids, regardless of nationality, social level, develop, according to the teachings of the world's most famous educational psychologist Montessori, in the same way. For the period from 0 to 6 years, there are several stages when the baby is especially receptive to the world around him. Such periods are called sensitive.

Sensitive period of speech development in children

Age from 0 to one year:

At a certain stage, closer to the age of 12 months, the baby becomes contact, he tries to somehow show his emotions. The first thing he does is imitate the sounds that surround him. Sometimes you can hear how the baby even mimics adult speech, but it is still illegible, because he himself does not yet distinguish some of the nuances. Experts say that if the baby was bottle-fed or even deprived of maternal affection, further development may take place a little differently than those who closely communicated with the mother.

From one to three years:

This is the most fertile period for the development of speech. The child is able to memorize a large number of words and reproduce them. If the baby does not hear human speech at this age, then he may not learn to speak normally at all. For example, as is the case with children who grew up with animals. They will not become like ordinary kids and communication in terms of speech will be very limited for them. World-famous teachers advise during this period to talk a lot with the child, read fairy tales to him, maintain any communication, but less lisp and indulge in the wrong pronunciation of words.

Three to six years old:

Many children at this age pay attention to letters. They see them in the names of stores, various inscriptions. At the same time, they themselves try to draw letters on the walls, sand, snow, lay them out of cubes and sticks. Just Montessori recommends maintaining this interest in children and thus, while playing, learning various letters, later, closer to the age of 5, an interest in reading will awaken. By this age, it is already possible to learn almost all the letters without forcing the baby to do this. Then reading will be easier.

Sensitive period for perceiving order: 0 to 3 years

You can teach a baby to order without imposing it on him, but simply take advantage of age. At about 2 years old, the child often throws tantrums and is naughty. It has been noticed that a similar phenomenon occurs more often in those families where diets, sleep and wakefulness are not observed, clothes are not neatly folded, etc. That is, a certain order of things is violated. For a child, this is important. By observing the regimes and systematically putting your toys and clothes in order, you can set a certain example for him, which he will observe for the rest of his life.

Sensitive period of sensory development: 0 to 5.5 years

Sensors are called our organs of perception of the environment - hearing, smell, sight, tactile sensations. As soon as the baby begins to touch objects intentionally with his hands, pull them into his mouth, he gets acquainted with the environment. Gradually, he distinguishes sounds, colors, smells, different textures. This all happens in its own way, but the baby can be helped to remember as many different sensations as possible. To do this, you can play with it with objects that have a different shape, color, texture. Teachers recommend the game "magic bag". Fold there objects of various shapes and sizes, of course, safe for the baby. Pieces of fabrics and various materials. Let him touch with a pen and try to guess what it is.

Sensitive period of perception of small objects: from 1.5 to 5.5 years

Playing with small objects, the child develops fine motor skills, which improves cognitive abilities, that is, mental abilities. The palms are directly connected with the brain, when the hands perform some actions, for example, modeling from plasticine or dough, playing with sand, peas, buttons, beads, beans, massage and activation of some areas of the palms and fingers occur, which positively affects the brain. Therefore, the baby should be allowed to play with small objects, but in order not to get them out of the ear, nose later, you need to do this under supervision or to protect the child as much as possible, for example, string beads, buttons on a thick, strong thread.

Sensitive period of movement and action: 1 to 4 years

When a child learns to walk, he often falls because he does not yet fully control his body. Gradually, the skill improves and falls are reduced. To help your baby better coordinate their movements, you can let him climb stairs, climb special slides, simulators, stand on one leg, or try to stand on unstable objects. These activities should only be done under adult supervision to minimize injury.

Sensitive period for developing social skills: 2.5 to 6 years

In this period of time, skills are laid, which are called etiquette or a system of behavior in society. This is what will later be defined as good breeding or lack thereof. Children at this age imitate the behavior of their close relatives or those with whom they are most of the time. If the parents themselves are not educated, then the likelihood that the child will behave in the same way is very high. Only by personal example can one lay in the younger generation the necessary skills to communicate with others.
From birth to 6 years old, the baby is like a sponge, he eagerly absorbs everything that surrounds him, there is a fairly intensive development that can be used to unobtrusively teach elementary skills. Learning to do something specifically does not always work out well. The child, in most cases, resists, especially at an early age. Not only you won’t be forcibly sweet, but you won’t learn much, and knowing at what age the baby is more inclined to what, you can just play with him or show him by example, having a specific goal of learning something and the results will be much better.