At each stage of development your child is learning in several areas at the same time. A toddler is learning to walk (physical), learning colors (intellectual), is uncomfortable with strangers (social), expressing feelings of independence (emotional), and becoming aware of adult disapproval for misbehavior (moral).

There are five areas of human development:

Physical development: the changes in size, shape, and physical maturity of the body, including physical abilities and coordination.

Intellectual development: the learning and use of language; the ability to reason, problem-solve, and organize ideas; it is related to the physical growth of the brain.

Social development: the process of gaining the knowledge and skills needed to interact successfully with others.

Emotional development: feelings and emotional responses to events; changes in understanding one's own feelings and appropriate forms of expressing them.

Moral development: the growing understanding of right and wrong, and the change in behavior caused by that understanding; sometimes called a conscience.

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