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New!

Understanding Child Development, 11th Edition

Rosalind Charlesworth, Ph.D., Rebecca Howard, Ph.D.

  • Copyright 2027
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2026-01-01T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $77.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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Understanding Child Development 11th Edition by Rosalind Charlesworth, Ph.D./Rebecca Howard, Ph.D.
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Overview

"Understanding Child Development," 11th Edition, offers a comprehensive, research-based foundation for working with children from birth through age eight. Designed for educators, caregivers and professionals across early childhood settings, the text connects theory and research to real-world practice. The revised structure moves from foundational theory to domain-specific development, then to factors influencing learning and age-specific applications. Updated content reflects current research, sociocultural issues and NAEYC standards. Practical features, including case studies, reflection prompts and application activities, support meaningful, developmentally appropriate interactions with children. Inclusive of diverse learners and family contexts, this edition equips professionals to support every child’s growth.

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Meet the Authors

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Rosalind Charlesworth, Ph.D.

Rosalind Charlesworth, Ph.D., was professor emerita and retired department chair in the Department of Child and Family Studies at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Dr. Charlesworth’s career in early childhood education included experiences with both typical and non-typical young children in laboratory schools, public schools and day care centers, plus research in social and cognitive development and behavior. Throughout her career, she was known for her contributions to research on early childhood teachers' beliefs and practices. In 1999, she was the co-recipient of the NAECTE/Allyn & Bacon Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Educator award. In 2014, she received the Legacy Award from the Weber State University Child and Family Studies Department in recognition of her contributions to early childhood education. Dr. Charlesworth passed away in 2021, and leaves behind a legacy as a deeply respected and valued early childhood educator, author, advocate, mentor and inspiration to many in the field.

Rebecca Howard, Ph.D.

Rebecca Howard, Ph.D., is an early childhood consultant, professional development trainer and university instructor. She was a faculty member at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she held a variety of teaching and advising positions since 2000 in teacher education, educational leadership, interdisciplinary studies and theater. She founded the Oxford Early Childhood Center in 1986, and was owner/administrator and lead teacher until the program closed in 2014. While operating OECC, she created the OECC Integrated Curriculum, which was grounded in creativity and culturally responsive practice as foundational pedagogical components of a comprehensive approach to development across domains. She has presented at numerous professional conferences, provided extensive professional development trainings over a wide range of topics, published articles for Childhood Education and Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism and authored a chapter on dramatic play and gender performance in the book "Children Under Construction: Play as Curriculum" (2010). In 2023, she authored a major revision of the 12th edition of Mary Mayesky’s "Creative Activities and Curriculum for Young Children," and in 2025 authored a major revision of the 9th edition of Rosalind Charlesworth’s "Math and Science for Young Children," both for Cengage.

What's New

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  • A new structure reorganizes content into a clear progression from theory to domain-specific development, learning influences and age-based applications.
  • Updated alignment with NAEYC’s 2022 DAP and 2020 Professional Standards ensures relevance to current early childhood education practices.
  • Targeted Terms and Concepts are now listed at the beginning of each chapter to support vocabulary development without disrupting the reading flow.
  • Visuals, tables and figures are redesigned for clarity, and technology content is integrated into chapters to reflect its role in early learning.
  • Updated content reflects current research, demographic data and inclusive practices for working with diverse children and families.

Features

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  • Brain Development, Child Development in Practice,and Time to Reflect features connect research to real-world teaching and spark discussion.
  • Each chapter opens with Learning Objectives and ends with summaries tied to those objectives to reinforce comprehension and retention.
  • Comprehensive coverage spans from prenatal through age eight, across all developmental domains, with attention to typical and non-typical growth.

Table of Contents

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Part I: OVERVIEW OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THEORY.
1. Studying the Young Child.
Part II: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ACROSS DOMAINS.
2. Physical/Motor Development and Health/Safety.
3. The Cognitive System, Concept Development, and Intelligence.
4. Expressive Language Development.
5. Affective Development.
Part III: FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNING.
6. Factors Affecting Learning I: Perception, Processes, Adult Role, and Assessment.
7. Factors Affecting Learning II: Play, Technology, and Families.
Part IV: PRENATAL AND INFANCY PERIODS.
8. Prenatal Period, Birth, and the First Two Weeks.
9. Infancy: Theory, Environment, Health, and Motor Development.
10. Infant Cognitive and Affective Development.
Part V: TODDLERS, PRE-K, AND KINDERGARTENERS: AGES ONE THROUGH SIX YEARS.
11. Toddlers: Autonomy, Independence, Transition.
12. Toddler, Pre-K, Kindergarten: Affective Development, Guidance, and Behavioral Management.
13. Support for Pre-K and Kindergarten Development Across Domains.
Part VI: PRIMARY GRADES: AGES SIX THROUGH EIGHT YEARS.
14. Pre-K To Primary: Bridging the Gap into the Primary Grades.
15. Physical Growth, Health, and Motor Development of Primary Grade Children.

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MindTap
Each MindTap product offers the full, mobile-ready textbook combined with superior and proven learning tools at one affordable price. Students who purchase digital access can add a print option at any time when a print option is available for their course.

This Cengage solution can be seamlessly integrated into most Learning Management Systems (Blackboard, Brightspace by D2L, Canvas, Moodle, and more) but does require a different ISBN for access codes. Please work with your Cengage Learning Consultant to ensure the proper course set up and ordering information. For additional information, please visit the LMS Integration site.

Standalone Digital Access — Ultimate Value

Recommended and most popular

  • ISBN-10: 8214131421
  • ISBN-13: 9798214131429
  • RETAIL $99.95
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Textbook Only Options

Traditional eBook and Print Options

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  • ISBN-10: 8214131456
  • ISBN-13: 9798214131450
  • RETAIL $77.95

  • ISBN-10: 8214131367
  • ISBN-13: 9798214131368
  • RETAIL $185.95
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Supplements

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Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

FOR STUDENTS

MindTap for Charlesworth/Howard’s Understanding Child Development, 1 term Instant Access

ISBN: 9798214131429
MindTap for Charlesworth/Howard's "Understanding Child Development," 11th Edition, is the digital learning solution that powers students from memorization to mastery. It gives you complete control of your course to provide engaging content, challenge every individual and build their confidence. Empower students to accelerate their progress with MindTap. MindTap: Powered by You. MindTap gives you complete ownership of your content and learning experience. Customize the interactive syllabi, emphasize the most important topics and add your own material or notes in the eBook.