The first few years encompass the most impressive changes in a person's
life. Anyone who observes children during the preschool years cannot help
but be deeply impressed by the rapidity of their development. Within a
few short years, the child changes from a wholly dependent, immobile,
uncommunicative responsibility to an active participant in a complex set
of relations with his physical and social surroundings. His physical develop-
ment alone is a wondrous thing to behold. In a very brief period he
changes from being able only to lie on his back or stomach (however he's
put down) to running, jumping, hanging by his knees, throwing and catch-
ing a ball, and engaging in all kinds of intricately coordinated activities.
Such activities involve a refined degree of self-control, the ability to acti-
vate and deactivate a complex set of body movements, both gross, like
those involved in running, and fine, like those involved in catching a ball
or drawing a picture. Although the child's physical development is hardly
complete by the time he enters school, the change during the first five years
is dramatic.

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