The development of the Self Concept begins in the Sensory-Motor Stage.
Four particularly critical concepts include the concept of self; cause and effect; and object permanence; and symbolic behavior.
1. Self-Concept: One of the first major concepts that must be developed is the understanding of ourselves as discrete individuals separated from the world. Three activities come to my mind to facilitate this development. They are the three M's: message, movement and mirrors.
Message: Much touching and rubbing of the childās legs and arms and back, etc. is going to hasten the development of a body map in the child's brain. This will help to increase his/her awareness of body limits.
Movement: Encouraging the baby to get down on the floor and explore and thrash and roll and crawl and manipulate objects will hasten the development of a body motor map in the childās brain.