In today’s world, understanding how young children grow and develop is more important than ever. If you are passionate about guiding children during their most formative years, the Child Growth and Development course at Laguna Technical College provides a strong foundation to do exactly that. Whether you’re aiming to work in a preschool, childcare center, day-care facility, or development support role, this course gives you practical tools, real-world knowledge, and the flexibility many need.
What the Course Covers
The Child Growth and Development course (3.0 semester units / 90 clock hours) is carefully designed to address multiple dimensions of growth from birth through age 11. It includes:
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Theoretical Foundations: You’ll explore both historical and modern theories of how children develop -- thinking, feeling, socially and physically. These help you see why children act and learn the way they do.
- Social, Physical, and Intellectual Growth: This course trains you to support children in developing skills like communication, motor coordination, emotional regulation, problem solving and more. You’ll learn how to plan activities that nurture social skills, cognitive abilities, and physical wellness.
- Practical Application & Hands-On Learning: A significant portion of the course is dedicated to applying theories in real settings. This includes independent study, externship, observation of children, and direct participation—helping you turn knowledge into practice.
- Age-appropriate Learning: Because children from birth up to age eleven go through so many developmental stages, the course teaches methods tailored for each stage. That way, you develop the ability to adjust your approach for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary age.
Why Choose Laguna Technical College for This Course
Here’s what makes Laguna Technical College’s offering especially strong:
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Flexible Format: Study online, on your own schedule. The course is structured so you can balance other responsibilities while learning.
- Experienced Instructors: The people guiding this course are practitioners – they bring real experience in childcare settings, which helps you learn not just theory but what works on the ground.
- Compliance with Licensing Standards: The course aligns with Community Care Licensing requirements in California, which helps ensure that what you learn meets regulatory expectations for many childcare settings.
- Hands-On Experience: The externship component lets you apply your learning in a practical environment. Observations, supervised field work, and applied project work are part of the experience.
- Affordable & Supportive: Laguna Technical College offers good value, including discounts when enrolling in multiple courses at once. Also, their admissions team provides support throughout registration and planning.
Who Benefits Most
This course is ideal for:
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Aspiring educators or childcare providers who want a deeper understanding of how children grow socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually.
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Caregivers or school staff who want to improve their practices and design age-appropriate learning experiences.
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Anyone seeking to work with young children in settings such as preschools, day care, after-school programs, or community child development centers.
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Individuals balancing other commitments (work, family) who need a flexible schedule. Because many components are online or hybrid, this course supports different learning styles and time needs.
Outcomes You Can Expect
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
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Recognize developmental milestones from birth through age eleven and plan activities that support healthy growth across multiple domains (social, cognitive, emotional, physical).
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Use modern theories of child growth & development in your practice, helping you design learning environments and curricula that truly match children’s needs.
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Apply observation and assessment tools to gauge how children are progressing, adjust strategies for individual learners, and work effectively with families and communities.
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Demonstrate readiness to engage in workplace settings (preschools, childcare centers) with practical, hands-on techniques and professional standards.
How to Get Started
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Review the Early Childhood Education programs page on the Laguna Technical College website and locate Child Growth and Development.
- Check the Admissions section to understand prerequisites, how prior related experience or coursework might reduce what you need to study.
- Download the catalog or program guide so you can see schedule, deliverables, externship requirements, and costs.
- Enroll when ready, possibly bundle multiple courses to get cost savings.
Final Word
If you’re looking to make a real difference in young children’s early years, building strong foundations in their social, cognitive, emotional, and physical growth, the Child Growth and Development course at Laguna Technical College is a smart choice. It gives you knowledge, tools, and flexibility—so that you can support children to thrive and set them up well for what comes next.
