CHILD DEVELOPMENT STAGES II

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We apologise for the long break but we are BACK and BETTER!

This is the concluding part of the article "CHILD DEVELOPMENT STAGES" . Here, we would be looking at the developmental stages of children between the ages of 4-10. 

                                           Happy reading!

Age	Motor	Social	Speech	Physical	Vision and hearing
4 years	Goes down stairs one foot per step, skips on one foot, Can walk a straight line Builds a tower with ten or more blocks Paints & draws with purpose, may have an idea in mind, but often has problems implementing it so calls the creation something else. Can peddle a tricycle Copy a triangle, circle, square, and other shapes Dress and undress, brush teeth, and take care of other personal needs without much help	Imitates adults &playmates  Shows affection for familiar playmates Moods change rapidly; laughing one minute, crying the next; Bathroom talk, boasts exaggerates Cooperates with others; participates in group activities Can be bossy with other children and might throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want. They often develop favourite games like “mummies and daddies” and “superman”	Questioning at its height. Many infantile substitutions in speech. Speak clearly on the whole, but they may still not use some sounds correctly e.g “th” for “s” or “w” for “r” Ask “why”, “when”, “how” questions and ask what words mean States first name, gender, siblings’ names, and sometimes  telephone number	The size of head is near that of an adult , but they are only about three – quarters of their ultimate adult height.  On average, your child will be about 41 pounds and approximately 43 inches tall.	It's important for children to have a complete eye examination before and after they start school. School requires children to focus more closely on work as against looking at distances as toddlers.
5 years	Jumps or hops forward ten times in a row without falling. Draws a man Reproduces many shapes &letters: squares, triangles Demonstrates fair control of pencil or marker, may begin to colour within the lines Can touch toes without flexing	Tends to be clingy because of a whole new system that may be different at home especially after school. Less tantrums and arguments Love to play together rather than by themselves	Speech is almost entirely  grammatically correct Recognises the humour in simple jokes; makes up jokes and riddles Uses past tense of irregular verbs consistently , “went”, “caught”, “swam”	At this age, children will begin to lose fat, grow out of their chubby cheeks and develop more lanky frames. Some begin to lose their milk teeth.	-
6 years	Span of attention increases; works at tasks for longer periods of time Enjoys making things Able to trace objects Has fun with problem solving like stacking, puzzles &mazes Understands time(today, tomorrow &yesterday)&simple motion(some things go faster than others) Recognises seasons &major activities done at certain times Folds and cuts paper into simple shapes Can tie laces, strings and perform tasks such as buttoning buttons They are more adept at drawing and writing letters, with more legible and recognisable  pictures and stories. They are better skilled at using tools such scissors(parents/adult supervision)is still required Can write own name Tell date of birth	They tend to have a great desire for peer approval; this is typical of children of the 'middle years'(6-9years) They also want to play with children of the same sex Self-perceived failure can make the child easily disappointed and frustrated Friendship with parents is less depended on but still needs closeness and nurturing Uses language rather than tantrums or physical aggression to express displeasure. Children this age show interest in cleaning themselves but still need supervision and help in ensuring that all the soap is out.	Able to read themselves Can understand up to 13,000 words. Understands opposites words Able to carry on adult-like conversations Classifies according to form, colour&use Uses all pronouns correctly Talks a lot Asks a lot of questions.	Baby teeth begin to disappear for permanent ones They  appear lanky with significant increase in muscle mass	-
7 years	They begin to effectively combine motor skills like running after landing from a jump	They are more self-sufficient& express an increasing desire to make more decisions& choices for themselves. They express preference for types of food or books. In the area of food, parents/caregivers ensure that they provide a variety of nutritious foods not necessarily in one meal Negotiating skills are brought to the fore at this age. They negotiate over chores, extracurricular activites and so on Need little supervision but with reminders	Understands 20,000-26,000 Aware of mistakes in other people's speech	Lengthening of limbs will continue. Growth is less dramatic as was the case in pre-school years.	-
8 years	Finger control is quite refined. Stamina increases; can run and swim further	The need to have a natural desire to be part of a group grows and therefore it is important to talk to your eight year old about the negative side to this - Peer Pressure. Let them know the importance of trusting their instincts and doing what (s)he know or feel is right in any given situation They gravitate primarily towards friendships of the same gender. They tend to refer to certain activites as being  'for girls' or 'for boys. This provides the opportunity for parents to dispel such myths e.g ''math is for boys' or 'girls'cannot play sports' Begin to show interest in sleepovers but may not fall through with the idea Are generous one minute, selfish the next. However, with guidance and good child discipline, parents can set positive examples that will help steer them towards good behaviour&the development of strong morals. Have keen interest in money	Able to form complex and compound sentences much more easily and exhibits few lapses in grammar Able to read appropriate texts with ease&begin to demonstrate competence with writing simple compositions	This continues as one of refinement rather than major noticeable changes Changes in the child's face and body and features take on a more elongated look Grows an average of 2-3 inches a year. An eight year old will take on the look of a 'big kid'	-
9years	They are better skilled with increased body control which allows them work on strengthening physical skills such as speed&strength in sports and other physical activities such as dance. They are able to use simple tools such as hammer by themselves. Like to draw, paint, make jewelry, build models, or do other activities that use their fine motor skills Enjoy active play like 'tag' , swimming and so on They are able to dress and have their bath themselves.	Are able to recognise basic norms&appropriate behaviour Can control their anger most of the time. They are curious about relationships between boys and girls. Few will admit to this interest.	Have speech patterns that are nearly at an adult level. They are able to debate issues. They can express their opinions with supporting ideas.	Your nine year old is quite close to puberty at this age. Typically, puberty starts sometime btw 8 and 12 for girls and 9-14 for boys. Their physical growth differ as well i.e. some nine year olds appear stockier or skinner than others. Some appear taller or shorter than others. Most children by age 9, grow about 2.5inches(6cm) and gain 7lb(3kg) in a year. By now, they have their permanent upper&lower lateral incisors by now, and some may be losing their cuspids and molars.	-
10 years	Have developed control of their large and small muscled. They are able to enjoy activites that use skills, such as basketball, dancing and football Have developed endurance. Many can run, ride bikes and enjoy activites that require a degree of physical conditioning They continue to advance their fine motor skills, such as those needed for clearer handwriting and artwork.	They enjoy being with their friends. They often have a best friend of the same gender. Continue to insist they are not interested in children of the opposite sex but may act silly as a way of getting attention from or interacting with them	Enjoys reading. They may seek out magazines and books on subjects of special interest. Can read and understand a paragraph of complex sentences Are reading books with chapters Can converse easily with people of different ages Speech patterns are nearly at adult level	They can grow to be about 2.5 inches(6cm) and gain about 7lb(3kg) in a year. Girls are usually taller and weigh more than boys. Signs of early puberty may develop in girls such as breast buds	-

Remember, children develop at their own pace and should not be compared. A child can develop in one area faster than another child, yet develop less quickly in another.

Child Development is a fascinating process that makes us have a better understanding of our children's development as well as provide insight to our growth history and experience.

Cheers!

Team Kidz Avenue

 References:

 www.childparenting.about.com

 www.greatschools.org

 www.webmd.com

 www.kidspot.com

"Developmental Milestones: Your 8 year old"


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