What developmental phase follows infancy and precedes early childhood?

The toddler phase is recognized as the developmental stage that occurs after infancy and before early childhood, typically ranging from approximately 1 to 3 years of age. During this phase, children experience significant physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. They begin to develop mobility skills, such as walking and climbing, and they also start to gain greater independence in exploring their environment.

This stage is characterized by rapid language development, where toddlers begin to form simple sentences and express their needs and desires. Socially, toddlers start to engage more with caregivers and peers, learning about sharing and cooperation, although they may still demonstrate egocentric behavior as they are just beginning to form an understanding of others’ perspectives.

Moving on to the other options, the preschool stage, while close in timing to the toddler phase, typically refers to children aged 3 to 5 years, indicating a later phase than the toddler stage. The school age phase further progresses into the development of 6 to 12-year-olds, and adolescence involves teenagers, marking a transition into the later stages of development where significant physical and emotional changes occur. Therefore, identifying the toddler phase as the correct answer highlights the importance of recognizing the distinct developmental milestones associated with each stage in early childhood development.