This paper presents an analysis of the child development’s stages under the historic-cultural perspective. The principles and fundamentals which should support periodization of child development according to Vigotski are presented, seeking to highlight the historical and dialectical character of his propositions. The paper also briefly presents Leontiev and Elkonin important contributions to this issue. Initially, the importance of an historic approach to child development is discussed, emphasizing the relationship between child and society and the concrete historic conditions as determiners of the child development process. Then, the fundamentals of age periodization in child development proposed by Vigotski are introduced, pointing the relationship between his propositions and the principles of the dialectical method. Next, the periods of child development provisionally identified by Vigotski are presented, followed by Leontiev and Elkonin analysis of periodization in child development from the category of main activity.
Child development; historic-cultural psychology; dialectical method