Developmental Milestones of Preschool children: An Analytical Study on Berhampur City of Ganjam District

Abstract

Pre-school is an ideal period for learning new skill. The period of pre-school begins after babyhood and continues up to the age of six. This is a very critical period for the child for his growth & development. The present study was aimed to assess the of children going to Preschool between 3-5 years age group was selected as sample for the study. The purpose of this study was to assess the gender-based differences inphysical, gross and fine motor skill development of children. Data were collected through personal interviews with the help of Anthropometric Measurement and the Observation methods. For the purpose of the data collection the researcher has personally gone to the villages and visited different play school in Ganjam district.For data analysis used statistical tools like mean and standard deviation graphics.4 points rating scoring procedure was used, frequencies and percentage were used to analyse the data. These findings provide valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for gross and fine motor skill of preschool children,in conclusion the gross and fine motor skill development of preschool children involved gender-based differences in object control skills. The strength of this study was that the gross and fine motor skills were assessed using a standardized process. Oriented assessment tool that evaluated performance techniques for each component of a skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross and fine motor skills of preschool children. In conclusion, the present data confirm that individual differences in children’s activity choices and activity levels are associated with proficiency on several motor skills.

Introduction

Preschool children, being the most vulnerable group, are a key indicator of a community’s overall health and well-being. The preschool years (ages 3 to 6) are critical for a child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. During this time, children rapidly develop speech, motor skills, and social behaviors. Brain development is intense, reaching 90% of its adult size, and early experiences significantly shape future growth and learning.

Children should be given opportunities to explore, interact, play, and express themselves, as these experiences form the foundation for lifelong learning and behavior. While children share many biological and developmental similarities, each child is also a unique individual shaped by personal and cultural experiences.

Research shows a strong correlation between motor skill development and later physical activity, fitness, and healthy body weight. Gross motor skills (e.g., walking, crawling) and fine motor skills (e.g., grasping, reaching) are both essential.

The current study aimed to:

1. Assess physical and psychological differences between preschool boys and girls.

2. Evaluate children's ability to express thoughts clearly through speech.

3. Encourage critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and environmental connection in children.

Methodology:

• Study Area: Four Anganwadi centers in Berhampur city, Ganjam district.

• Sample Size: 100 preschool children (50 boys and 50 girls), aged 3–6 years.

• Data Collection: Questionnaire and observation methods were used.

• Analysis: Data were processed using statistical tools (mean, SD, percentages, charts) via Microsoft Excel.

The findings aim to guide future social and educational interventions, support child development, and reduce nutritional and developmental burdens.

Conclusion

After analyses the data of preschool children by using different statistical tools it can be concluded that with regard to physical growth of pre-school children boy’s secured higher scores than girls. Some Indian studies show boys get better care then girls. Different social development activities are studied boys have higher scores than girls. In finer motor skill girls secured better score than boys whereas in gross motor skill boys secured more score than girls. Due to better parental Education and good nutrition, it is possible to achieve better motor development. Emotional state of children shows different negative emotion expressed by the boys and the girls of early childhood years. In the present study boys show more negative emotion than girls. It is concluded that girls are more stable, relax and cool mind than boys so they more pleasant emotion.Different social development activities are studied in all social aspects both boys and girls are social active while boys create more friends compare to girls. As regard to different language skill of pre-school children it is observed that boys’ language skill is better development than girls. Lastly cognitive development of pre-school children is studied and observed that both boys and girls have almost similar cognitive mental ability. The present study has found that the usage of play was methodology was significant effective for the preschools and the developmental domains are interrelated to each other. The current research states that all developments – fine, gross, cognitive, language, socio-emotional and physical are independent and work together to promote a child’s overall health and wellbeing. Emotional health and socio-emotional competence provide a solid foundation for emerging cognitive abilities and together they are the bricks and motor that comprises the foundation of human development. This means that how we nurture a child’s heart is just as important as how we nurture his mind and his body. Implication: 1) Provide patient guidance and encouragement for fine motor activities. 2) Introduction new physical activities that require coordination outdoor games. 3) Promote social activities that appreciate and emphasize. 4) Parents will be more supportive and cooperative with child care facilities in the future.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Narmada Padhy, Dr. Rita Hansdah. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.