How is typical development characterised?

Typical development is characterised by:

Variety

Of movement, interaction, engagement, play repertoire.

Complexity

Of thinking, cognitive, perceptual skills and play repertoire.

Smooth transitions

Between movements and between arousal/alert states.

Exploration

Of environment, toys, caregiver.

Goodness of fit

Between child, caregiver to challenge.

Ability to self-regulate

Including regulation of emotion, hunger, arousal/attention movement

Shared delight

Between child, caregiver, toy: What motivates child to keep engaging/playing/trying?

IMG_3029(1)

In this video sequence of typically developing twins (below), observe a number of the characteristics of typical development including variety in movement and in exploration of toys, smooth transitions and well regulated attention.