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Child Care Glossary
- Development
- The process in which a child gains skills in areas such as: social/emotional; intellectual; speech/language; and physical growth. This process includes both fine and gross motor skills.
- Developmental Appropriate Practice
- The implementation of curriculum and activities suitable for a child’s stage of development and supports the child’s learning process.
- Developmental Delay
- A delay in the acquiring of abilities and skills typically reached by children of similar ages.
- Developmental Disabilities
- Any condition or disorder that interferes with a child’s development and are typically evident before a person reaches age twenty-two. Such conditions are likely to continue indefinitely.
- Developmental Domains
- A term used by professionals to describe different areas of a child’s development. Examples are gross motor development and fine motor development.
- Developmental Milestones
- Term describing memorable accomplishments in child’s growth. Examples include: rolling over, crawling, walking, talking, etc.
- Developmental Stages
- An expected, sequential order of obtaining skills that children typically go through. Examples: crawling before walking, using fingers to feed themselves before using utensils.
- Distance Learning
- Using technology – radio, television, computer, or video – to allow student or professionals in one location to participate in activities/classes/meetings in another location.
- Dramatic Play
- Engaging in pretend play or acting out a scenario. Roll play.
- Drop Off Child Care Centers
- These facilities provide care for children for short periods of time while parents run errands or go to appointments.
- Drop- in Care
- A child care program that parents may use as back up or unscheduled child care.
- Dual Language Immersion
- Child care settings in which a child experiences a primary language that is different from the home/native language.
- Dyslexia
- An impairment in the brain’s processing of information that results in difficulty reading, spelling, writing, and related language skills. For more information, click here .
