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Child Development
Child Development
Children usually progress in a natural, predictable sequence from one developmental milestone to the next. But each child grows and gains skills at his or her own pace. Some children may be advanced in one area, such as language, but behind in another, such as sensory and motor development.
Milestones usually are categorized into five major areas: physical growth, cognitive development, emotional and social development, language development, and sensory and motor development.
About Being 6
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?Hwid=ue5723About Being 6
Physical growth and development
Physical growth and development
Your child grows at his or her own pace, and healthy growth is different for every child. Your child's natural growth rate may be slower or faster than the example below.
Most children by age 6:
- Grow about 6 cm (2.5 in.) and gain about 3 kg (7 lb) in a year.
- Are developing their first molars.
- Are starting to lose baby teeth.
Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)
Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)
Most children by age 6:
- Can tell you their age.
- Can count to and understand the concept of "10." For example, they can count 10 pieces of candy.
- Are learning to express themselves well through words.
- Begin to understand cause-and-effect relationships. "Magical thinking" typical of preschoolers quickly fades around this age.
- Are learning to write.
- Start to grasp the concept of time.
Emotional and social development
Emotional and social development
Most children by age 6:
- Continue to have fears typical of the preschool years, such as fear of monsters, kidnappers, and large animals.
- Want their parents to play with them. Parents are their main source of companionship and affection. A gradual shift begins, though, to fulfilling more of these needs with friends and other people they admire, such as teachers.
- Play in ways that include a lot of fantasy and imagination.
- Often like to be the "big kid" and feel as if they are taking care of a younger child.
- Usually like to play with friends of the same gender. Boys most often play with other boys, girls most often play with other girls.
- Start to understand the feelings of others, with the encouragement of parents and other caregivers. But they are still most focused on themselves.
- Are developing a sense of humour. They may like simple jokes and funny books and rhymes.
Language development
Language development
Most children by age 6:
- Are able to describe a favourite television show, movie, story, or other activity.
- Speak with correct grammar most of the time.
- Can spell their first name and can write some letters and numbers.
- Read some simple words.
Sensory and motor development
Sensory and motor development
Most children by age 6:
- Can control their major muscles. They usually have good balance and enjoy running, jumping, skipping, and other forms of physical play.
- Can catch a ball.
- Skip with ease.
- Draw a person with at least 8 parts. They can also copy different shapes and like to make designs.
- Can write their names.
- Dress themselves, although they may still need some help with difficult buttons or laces.
About Being 7
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?Hwid=ue5719About Being 7
Physical growth and development
Physical growth and development
Your child grows at his or her own pace, and healthy growth is different for every child. Your child's natural growth rate may be slower or faster than the example below.
Most children by age 7:
- Grow about 6 cm (2.5 in.) and gain about 3 kg (7 lb) in a year.
- Lose about four baby teeth each year. These are replaced by permanent teeth.
Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)
Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)
Most children by age 7:
- Have a solid sense of time. They understand seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, seasons, and sometimes years.
- Begin to show a preference for learning style. For example, some children like hands-on activities, such as a science experiment with colour. Others like to work independently and quietly, such as practicing printing.
- Can solve simple math problems using objects (such as counting beads).
- Consider issues and problems using only one factor at a time.
Emotional and social development
Emotional and social development
Most children by age 7:
- Become more aware of and sensitive to the feelings of others. This trait is called empathy.
- Overcome some fears they had when they were younger, but still can be terrified of the unknown. For example, going to a new school can be a tremendous stress for a 7-year-old. Many children also fear being in trouble with their parents or other adults. They are generally worried about the opinions of others.
- Develop friendships, usually with other children of the same gender.
- Play in larger groups sometimes but also need time alone.
Language development
Language development
Most children by age 7:
- Tend to talk a lot in situations where they are comfortable.
- Pronounce words correctly. For example, most children do not substitute the sound "fr" for "thr" in words like "through."
- Are becoming better readers, but sounding out vowels often can still be difficult.
- Still have some difficulty with basic spelling.
Sensory and motor development
Sensory and motor development
Most children by age 7:
- Are becoming more coordinated in activities that use the large muscles, such as swimming or climbing.
- Use safety scissors easily.
- Draw a person with 12 parts.
- Use a pencil to write their name.
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