What is child development?

Child development is the series of changes a child makes from the time they are born until the time they complete adolescence and become young adults. These changes are physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual. While every child develops differently, the ultimate goal at the end of the child development period is for the person to become independent and no longer need their parents or caregivers for survival in society. This involves developing problem-solving skills, learning self-control, understanding how to interact with others, using new speech and language skills, developing fine and gross motor skills, and mastering sensory awareness. Genetics, environmental factors, prenatal events, access to education and various stimuli, a child's learning capacity, and medical diagnoses can all impact child development, both positively and negatively. In the professional world, child development is often divided into three stages: early childhood (birth to around age six), middle childhood (around age six to around age twelve or the start of puberty), and adolescence (around age twelve until around age eighteen). Those who work in the field may specialize in one age group.

Why learn about child development?

Children born today are the key to keeping society running in the future, so understanding child development and supporting those children to ensure they hit their developmental milestones is important to almost every person. Whether you're a parent, a caregiver, or someone who works with children on a professional level, learning about child development helps you make a positive impact. If a child isn't progressing the way he or she should, you can intervene and attempt to correct it. Specific courses, certifications, and degrees may also help you advance your career.

What careers use child development?

Any career that involves children must understand child development on some level. Teachers, educators, and administrators, from preschool through high school, use this information on a daily basis. Those who work in child care, such as daycare workers, nannies, and babysitters use child development. In the medical field, therapists, counselors, pediatricians, and pediatric nurses create a plan of care based on developmental milestones. Other careers include social work, manufacturing and retail of children's products, communications—including those who write and develop children's books and television programs—community service careers, and case managers.

What are the benefits of taking an online Child Development course?

Online Child Development courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Child Development skills. With a wide range of Child Development classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Child Development career skills.

What Child Development courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Child Development, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Child Development Courses - Learn Child Development Online

Explore the Child Development Course Catalog

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Certificate in Taxation
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Value Chain Management Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Financial Management Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of London
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Skills you'll gain: Process Design, Global Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Statistical Analysis, Organizational Change, Process Mapping, Customer Retention, Integrated Marketing Communications, Advertising, Innovation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Training and Development, Virtual Teams, Databases, Cost Accounting, International Finance, Research, Team Management, Economic Development, Cultural Diversity
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of London
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Skills you'll gain: Process Design, Global Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Statistical Analysis, Organizational Change, Process Mapping, Customer Retention, Integrated Marketing Communications, Advertising, Innovation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Training and Development, Virtual Teams, Databases, Cost Accounting, International Finance, Research, Team Management, Economic Development, Cultural Diversity
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Special Competitive Studies Project
AI in National Security: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Public Sector Missions
Skills you'll gain: Public Safety and National Security, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Generative AI, Program Evaluation, Policy Development, Technology Roadmaps, Technical Consulting, Emerging Technologies
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IIT Roorkee
Executive MBA
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, New Product Development, Capital Budgeting, Supply Chain, Integrated Marketing Communications, Business Marketing, Sales Process, Innovation, Succession Planning, Management Accounting, Supply Chain Management, Statistical Process Controls, Marketing Management, Revenue Management, Sampling (Statistics), Project Portfolio Management, Financial Statement Analysis, Strategic Marketing, Service Recovery, Conflict Management
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of Colorado Boulder
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Object Oriented Design, User Story, SQL, Systems Engineering, New Product Development, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Strategic Decision-Making, Delegation Skills, Unsupervised Learning, Sampling (Statistics), Failure Analysis, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Supplier Management, Sustainability Reporting, Data Ethics, Data Mining, Proposal Writing, Generative AI, Process Capability, Engineering Management
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Google Cloud
Change Management for Google Workspace - Français
Skills you'll gain: Change Management, Organizational Change, Culture Transformation, Gap Analysis, Google Workspace, Training and Development, Customer Success Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Business Analysis, Strategic Communication, Needs Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement, Communication Strategies
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
O.P. Jindal Global University
M.A. in International Relations, Security, and Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Diplomacy, Intelligence Collection and Analysis, Risk Mitigation, Environment, Sampling (Statistics), R Programming, Survey Creation, Environmental Issue, Qualitative Research, Political Sciences, Economic Development, International Relations, Cybersecurity, Socioeconomics, Governance, Emerging Technologies, Mitigation, Social Sciences, Security Strategy, Conflict Management
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
Skills you'll gain: Vulnerability Assessments, Operations Management, Data Storytelling, Business Strategy, Project Scoping, Competitive Intelligence, Survey Creation, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Social Justice, Business Ethics, Descriptive Statistics, Environment, Capital Budgeting, Market Opportunities, Storytelling, Marketing Planning, Leadership Studies, International Relations, Artificial Intelligence, Policy Development
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Master of Science in Management
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years