1. Prenatal and Newborn
1.1. Physical
1.1.1. While the baby is in the womb, it goes through many physical changes. In the first 2 weeks, they divide and grow in complexity. By 8 weeks the fetus has a basic anatomy. When they reach 40 weeks, it increases in size up to 20 inches. After in infant is born, physical reflexes kick in to aid survival.
1.2. Emotional
1.2.1. During this phase, many emotional aspects are felt by both the child and the mother. Many have to make choices on whether or not to screen for future problems with their child by using genetic counseling and prenatal testing. Many mothers also experience postpartum depression, a difficult experience for any new mother.
1.3. Cognitive
1.3.1. During this time, infants are exploring the world. They are using their senses to figure out what things are and how to respond to them.
1.3.2. Don't forget that compared to a grownup person every baby is a genius. Think of the capacity to learn! The freshness, the temperament, the will of a baby a few months old! -May Sarton
2. Middle Adulthood
2.1. Physical
2.1.1. During this time, people face the gradual changes to their body that come with age. Height can diminish slightly from this stage until the end of your life. Conditions due to diet and lifestyle can also affect the physical being.
2.2. Emotional
2.2.1. Although many people associate midlife with a crisis stage, many people during this time are quite content. Careers have bloomed, kids have grown, relationships are rekindled, and many still feel youthful.
2.3. Cognitive
2.3.1. Although some mental capabilities due decline, such as memory and general intelligence, it is during this time that people hold the most important positions in society.
3. Late adulthood
3.1. Physical
3.1.1. Although many people over the age of 65 remain active and participate in vigorous exercise, there are some changes the body faces. There is internal aging with reduced blood flow to the brain and the size of the brain is reduced. Also, reaction time becomes longer, the senses change and there are more health risks.
3.2. Emotional
3.2.1. Many people in late adulthood choose to stay busy and active, or sometimes disengage from society and loved ones. Either direction, many are happy with the choice that they make to be busy or even uninvolved.
3.3. Cognitive
3.3.1. Memory, especially short term memory, declines during late adulthood, These changes can be minor and most can learn to adjust to them.
4. Death and Dying
4.1. Physical
4.1.1. There are many physical reasons for death both in late adulthood, infancy, early childhood, adolescence, and any other time in your life. Things may be hard to predict like sudden infant death syndrome, or accidents that can kill children.
4.2. Emotional
4.2.1. There are stages of grieving such as denial, anger, Bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Many deal with these emotions while they are facing death, or grieving someone else’s death
4.3. Cognitive
4.3.1. Grieving is both an emotional and a cognitive struggle. Some ages are unsure with how to understand what death even means.
5. School Aged
5.1. Physical
5.1.1. Children in middle childhood have mastered their fine motor skills. They can play organized sports, learn new skills such as skating skiing, riding bikes, and throwing and catching small balls. They can now use computer keyboards, write in cursive, and draw pictures with more detail.
5.2. Emotional
5.2.1. There is a shift from external definitions of one’s self to more internal ideas. Instead of being a fast runner, an 11 year old may see themselves as smart, a good friend, and outgoing.
5.3. Cognitive
5.3.1. “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” ― Margaret Mead
6. Preschool
6.1. Physical
6.1.1. During the Preschool years, children are learning how to master their physical abilities. They can now jump, hop, skip, and run. By the age of 4, a child can even throw a ball to a friend!
6.2. Emotional
6.2.1. Friendships at around the age of three begin to form. They desire companionship for playing games and fun. They begin to pretend and role play as a way to explore and understand the world around them.
6.2.1.1. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. Albert Einstein
6.3. Cognitive
6.3.1. "Only boys wear pants!" At this time of development, gender schemas are formed. What it means to be a boy and a girl are learned and used for self-identity.
7. Infancy and toddlerhood
7.1. Physical
7.1.1. During this stage, the child goes through may phsyical changes. They start off by lifting their head, rolling over, sitting up, walking by holding onto something, and then walking on their own.
7.2. Emotional
7.2.1. Through the faces that babies make, one can see that they do expereience a variety of emotions. Joy, pain, surprise, and even anxiety.
7.3. Cognitive
7.3.1. Ten tiny little fingers that always want to play, that never stop exploring the wonder of today. Ten tiny little fingers that from the very start, will reach out for tomorrow yet always hold your heart.
8. Early Adulthood
8.1. Physical
8.1.1. During this time, most of the physical growth has already been achieved. People in their 20's tend to be healthy, yet decline due to age may begin.
8.2. Emotional
8.2.1. During this phase many people are focusing on who they want to spend their life with. The search for the right partner can surely be an emotional ride.
8.3. Cognitive
8.3.1. Post Formal thought is used at this point when adult life sometimes needs a relativistic approach.
9. Adolesence
9.1. Physical
9.1.1. Physical changes are a large part about being a teen. During this phase of development both boys and girls grow many inches and gain weight. Public hair develops, breasts grow, and girls begin to menstruate.
9.2. Emotional
9.2.1. This time of development is not only defined by physical changes, but emotional as well. Teens deal with hormone changes that can leave them moody and emotional. They deal with rumors, loss of friendships, break ups, and learning who they want to be in this world.
9.3. Cognitive
9.3.1. Adolescence are able to think in more abstract terms. They are now able to use formal operations to solve problems. Also there is a strong emphasis on schooling during this age to prepare them for either high education or jobs as adults.