{"id":681,"date":"2021-01-05T14:24:39","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T14:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montessorilearning.ca\/?p=681"},"modified":"2023-06-22T11:06:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T11:06:45","slug":"intellectual-and-cognitive-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montessorilearning.ca\/intellectual-and-cognitive-development\/","title":{"rendered":"My Child \u2013 Intellectual and Cognitive Development in the Early Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE BIG DEAL BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY<\/b><\/p>\n

From its first breath, the newborn baby begins to understand the world around through their senses.\u00a0 Their hands, nose, mouth become the instrument through which they pick up impressions.\u00a0 These first impressions work their way to the brain.\u00a0 This is where the work of analysing, dissecting and categorizing information takes place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even a toddler who cannot yet verbalize, is very quick to translate impressions. For example, a toddler<\/a> that touches something hot and makes a sound so as to express \u2018hot\u2019.\u00a0 This toddler may not have the words to express but is able to take the impression (through touching and feeling) and translate it into information.<\/span> \u00a0The faculty of the brain and the work it conducts is a gift of nature.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The role of the adult therefore is to nurture this gift of nature by offering activities and play that the child can collect information and the brain can process this to create more healthy outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fantasy play in young children while may be entertaining for the child, can create more negative outcomes. Firstly, the child\u2019s brain is still developing and thus is not able to clearly distinguish between reality and fantasy.\u00a0 Offering play or audio visuals that cannot be categorized appropriately creates confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly, offering fantasized play or programs is wasting natures resources as most fantasy play does not offer much sensorial experience i.e., there is not much opportunity to capture impressions of touch, smell, and other such information. Thus, not only is the information translated into confusion but also there is minimal brain development<\/a> taking place.\u00a0 In excessive amounts fantasized play and audio visuals can cause harm to the process of brain development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some options for at home activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n