Sensitive Periods

Have you ever been surprised or in awe of your child's sudden ability to do something new?

You may have wondered why your child has a particular fascination (that one tiny sequin they can manage to hold in their hand all day) or intense motivation and focus (all cars must be lined up just so across the kitchen floor.)

It's likely they are responding to an intense inner call, a driving energy and focus to acquire new skills and characteristics when they will be learned most naturally, requiring the least amount of effort. The child is being drawn to exactly what is needed for their development at that time.

The sensitive periods are a critical phase of development where a child is more open, interested, motivated, and capable of learning particular concepts or developing specific skills.

Sensitive periods occur in each of the four planes of development. While learning continues throughout life, there are approximate ages for the onset and duration of each sensitive period:

Understanding the tendencies and behaviors related to sensitive periods is a major part of supporting a child's development, and gives us a lot of information about why they do what they do. This helps us prepare the environment according to their needs and interests during these specific windows of opportunity.

This understanding also helps us prepare ourselves, so we may observe and meet these sensitive periods with curiosity and respect, and trust the child in their process of self-construction.