The development of children is significantly influenced by the degree of intellectual, physical, emotional, and social stimulation in their environment. Children learn through play, exploration, hands-on observation, and through positive feedback from the adults who influence them on a daily basis. Children learn at their own pace using all of their senses and learning cannot be forced. The comparison of individual children to a “standard of normal” is non­productive except to provide a baseline from which special programs can be developed for children who have special needs