Long before the child is six years old (school age) it may
have seen enough of such barns for the general notion to be distinctly
formed. By observing different objects, by comparing and grouping
similar things together, it has formed a general notion in a regular
process of induction, and that without any help from teachers.
At two and three years of age, or as soon as a child begins to
recognize and name new objects (because of their resemblance to things
previously seen) this tendency to concept-building is manifest.
Another illustration: The child has seen the family horse several times
till the word horse becomes associated with that animal. While out
walking it sees another horse, and pointing its finger says "horse."
The memory of the first horse and the similarity calls forth the
natural conclusion that this is a horse, though it may not be able to
formulate the sentence. More horses are seen and compared till the
word becomes the name of a whole class of animals. By a gradual
process of observation, comparison, and judgment the word horse comes
to stand for a large group of objects in nature.
A child's mind is naturally very _active_ in detecting resemblances and
in grouping similar objects together.
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