As children grow into adolescence, they go through many developmental stages. Child development refers to the stages of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and linguistic growth that occur from birth to early adulthood. All aspects of a child's development can be affected by many different factors, including an inadequate learning environment, lack of social interaction, differences in cultural background, abuse, and the loss of a parent. All of the above examples can influence the child's maturation, "a process of biological growth that allows for orderly changes in behavior, relatively unaffected by experience" (Myers 172). Children grow and mature at very different rates, some faster than others, which is why we need to understand the importance of different types of child development. While all parts of a child's development are important, it is probably language learning that is most important to the child's development as a whole. The first type of development that can be observed is physical development. Physical development refers to a child's general and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are the use of large groups of muscles that can develop naturally through outdoor and indoor play. During play, a child can use their gross motor skills by standing, jumping, climbing, running or riding a bicycle. “If children are encouraged to be physically active, these skills can develop into advanced patterns of motor coordination that can last a lifetime” (brightfutures.org). Fine motor skills involve using the muscles in the hands. These muscles can develop when using your fingers for cutting with scissors, writing, painting, and many other activities. Underdeveloped muscles, weight gain, and high blood pressure are all signs of… middle of paper… In preschool, they will learn to initiate and complete tasks based on experience or exposure to those tasks. Interactions with parents, teachers, peers, and other adults are important in a child's life. These relationships actually shape the brain and lay the foundation for later developmental outcomes, from academic performance to mental health and interpersonal skills. Works CitedBright Futures. Np, nd Web. March 16, 2014.EarlyChild.pdf>.G, David Myers. Psychology. 10th ed. New York: Worth, 2013. Print.KidsMatter. Np, nd Web. March 17, 2014. on friendship/social-development/social-development-social-development-for-children>. WebMD. Np, nd Web. 16 March 2014.piaget-phases-of-development>.