Parenting goes beyond the feeding, clothing, and shelter life basics. It's a mastery involving deep human segments like emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. The procession from birth, infant, teen to adult is defined through a particular psychological path. However, child development has no set formula, as every child is unique. No level of professionalism can totally understand our children's cognitive behaviors, especially in early childhood years.

The little angels explore the world differently, defining the odds of nature. However, we must also align and understand proven theories, such as Piaget's, on cognitive development in early childhood. Parents and caregivers need to reflect on significant stages of a child's life. This enhances parenting skills, allowing parents to venture into numerous horizons.

Early childhood development: Cognitive behaviors and development stages

The early years are incredibly the most significant in a child's development. The transformation is quite remarkable, with multiple cognitive, physical, and emotional changes. It's also the best years to discover and explore parenting in different dimensions. Early-stage transitions significantly impact children's physical and intellectual well-being, which is evident in their teen and adult lives.

Child development surprisingly starts from birth, kick-starting all aspects from intellectual, physical, emotional, and social skills. The stages are triggered by multiple factors, including the environment. Cognitive growth is scientifically defined in four stages (Piaget's theory).

• Sensorimotor
• Preoperational stage
• The Concrete operation
• Formal operational stage

The key phases are quite practical for a child's growth and offer a better understanding of parenting. However, most parents have no clue about psychological theories but follow their natural instincts. This has played out well as most children emerge best with minimal negative intellectual effects.

Simple ways to enhance a child cognitive behaviors and development.

Cognitive relates to thinking ability, knowledge, and interaction with the environment. The abilities are improved based on the child's milestones. However, all children are unique and acquire milestones differently. It’s not advisable to compare kid’s development to avoid misleading conceptions.

1. Singing fun activity songs

I believe as an adult you have that nursery rhyme replaying in your mind—the 'old MacDonald" or "Humpty Dumpty" the vivid visions, actions, and sounds. The songs are impactful and help stimulate the brain beyond the infancy and toddler stages.

Start with simple songs (sign-along songs) from an app or TV. Encourage the baby by smiling and enjoying the music. Ensure to repeat particular songs to help them memorize the words. This allows the child to identify items and names in the song. 

The songs gradually enhance vocabulary, sequencing, and cognitive skills and improve memory. It’s also a great way to improve concentration span and visuals.

2. Make believe games

Make-believe is a favorite play for children; it's a source of memory-making and language development. Children love playing pretend as it fits different roles and stimulates the imagination. Besides the cognitive aspect, make-believe/pretend play improves social skills.

3. Mirror check

The first look in the mirror is always hilarious. Some give the "who is that" face, others cry, while others smile back at what they see. Mirrors are an incredible tool in child development as they allow the child to build confidence from their images. The child can view different faces and emotions, thus reducing anxiety. It's an excellent way for self-identity.

4. Using open-ended questions

Open-ended questions create room for thinking and verbal expression. The child gives thought to the question and provides a genuine answer. Parents shouldn't discourage or put off any answer as it indicates what the child is thinking or already knows.

The open questions should be simple based on their age and activity. For example, "What are you drawing?" "What's your favorite toy?" Open-ended questions help in cognitive growth, language, and social skills.

5. Visit recreation centers or have a family getaway.

Space outside the home comes in handy for children in all age gaps. The new environment arouses curiosity to learn new stuff. This rejuvenates the brain by registering new knowledge. Recreation centers allow children to interact with others, try challenging tasks like building sand castles, or try new games. This engages all motors, from physical to psychological, thus providing holistic growth.

6. Read story books

Regardless of age, parents can read exciting story books with description images. Older children can easily create mental pictures and conduct pretend play. However, infants and toddlers can view the colorful images. This enhances their visual and memory senses.

7. Encourage mental games (cards or board games)

Children are brilliant and can grasp different challenges. Introducing new games, such as chess and card games, stimulates their brains to tackle the games. This allows children to reason, memorize the rules, and seek ways to conquer their opponents. It's a fantastic way for problem-solving, creative thinking, visual enhancement, and language development.

Conclusion

Comprehensive child development comprises holistic efforts. Cognitive behaviors and development is enhanced through seeing, touching, playing, and hearing. Parents should involve their children in multiple activities to ensure smooth progression