Socio-emotional development refers to the emotions and social notions that manifest themselves in a child's behaviors. This development affects how the child behaves at home, in school and later in society. The field of attachment theory specifically addresses how a child's early relationships with his parents can shape his relationships later in life. The challenge is for a child to develop the most suitable style of interaction, one that allows him to have and maintain successful relationships.
In the first few years of life, a child's brain undergoes tremendous development. This process slows and accelerates, based on experiences and practices. Memory processes activated at a young age significantly can affect a child's learning ability and later school performance. The brain actively retains what a child learns, whether through experience or through education. Hence, one of the biggest challenges in early child development is determining the suitable environment and set of experiences to amplify a child's neurological development.
The development of language leads to a child's ability to express herself, learn and perform in society. While the stages of language development are essentially the same for every child, the speed at which a child learns a language is influenced by many factors. Language acquisition begins at home, as most of her first language experiences will be related to interactions with her parents. Thus, it is a challenge to develop productive literary skills that can be used in conversations and integrated into later periods of life.
Educators introduce logical reasoning skills early in a child's education. This is due to the challenge of acquiring such skills naturally. While a child in early development naturally acquires skills, such as theory of mind -- the ability to infer others' thoughts and emotions -- she cannot learn logical reasoning without specifically being educated on the subject. So, it is important for the child's development to encounter and understand situations that must be solved logically.