Practice Test Geeks(CDA) Child Development Associate Practice Test
← All CDA Flashcard Decks

Principles of Education and Development Flashcards

6 cards from real CDA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Principles of Education and Development flashcards as text

  1. Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'whole child' development?

    Answer: Recognizing that all developmental domains (cognitive, social, emotional, physical, language) are interconnected and equally important

    Whole-child development recognizes that all domains are interdependent — growth in one area influences and is influenced by all others.

  2. What is the significance of the sensitive period concept in early childhood development?

    Answer: It identifies windows of time when the brain is especially receptive to certain types of learning and experience

    Sensitive periods are neurologically driven windows during which specific learning occurs most easily and efficiently, informing when to offer certain experiences.

  3. A CDA professional is planning curriculum for a group of 4-year-olds. Which approach is MOST consistent with constructivist learning theory?

    Answer: Hands-on exploration projects based on children's questions and interests

    Constructivist learning involves children actively building knowledge through investigation, experimentation, and reflection — guided by their own questions.

  4. Which of the following is a characteristic of the preoperational stage of cognitive development (Piaget)?

    Answer: Symbolic thinking, egocentrism, and inability to conserve

    Preoperational children (ages 2–7) think symbolically (language, pretend play) but are egocentric and lack conservation — core Piagetian characteristics.

  5. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which needs must be met FIRST before a child can engage in learning?

    Answer: Physiological and safety needs

    Maslow's hierarchy places physiological (food, sleep, warmth) and safety needs at the base — these must be met before higher-level learning can occur.

  6. What does 'attachment theory' (Bowlby/Ainsworth) mean for CDA professional practice?

    Answer: Secure attachment to consistent caregivers provides the foundation for exploration, learning, and social development

    Secure attachment to consistent, responsive caregivers creates the safe base from which children explore, take risks, and build social-emotional competence.