Characteristics of Children by Age Groups and Domains
Four- and Five-year-olds
Physical Development and Health
Age four --- average height: 40.7 inches
Age four --- average weight: 36 pounds
Age five --- average height: 43.5 inches
Age five --- average weight: 40.5 pounds
Walks down stairs with alternating feet, climbs fences
Rides a bicycle, marches to music
Language Development and Communication – ages four and five
Develops knowledge about their world
Shows preferences for favorite books
Independently engages in reading behaviors
Has a vocabulary of 1500 to 2000 words
Approaches to Learning – ages four and five
Demonstrates persistence with challenging activities, showing a “can do” attitude
Demonstrates resilience in the face of challenge
Works toward completion of a task; seeks and accepts help or information
Appreciates and uses humor
Thinks more openly and creatively
Cognitive Development – ages four and five
Demonstrates awareness of ideas and language related to time
Understands the uses of forms of technology
Recognizes and duplicates simple patterns using manipulatives
Follows three commands in order
Understands the passage of time within their daily lives
Uses a variety of strategies to solve problems
Shares experiences, ideas, and thoughts
Emotional Development – ages four and five
Strives for independence, resents being treated like a baby
Moody; tries to express emotions verbally; expresses and manages anger appropriately
Develops skills for coping with adversity and change
Social Development – ages four and five
Is less cooperative than at age three; is proud of parents
Becomes more interested in friends than adults; may pick a best friend
Develops a sense of fairness and an awareness of personal behavior and its effects on others
Can balance their own needs with those of others in the group
Follows social rules, transitions, and routines once they are explained
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Characteristics of Children by Age Groups and Domains
Six- to Eight-year-olds
Physical Development and Health
Age six --- average height 47 inches; average weight 47 pounds; lose baby teeth; replaced by
first
permanent teeth; is constantly active; prefers running over walking; may have frequent minor
tumbles and scrapes
Age seven --- average height 48 inches; may look lanky due to thin body and long arms and
legs;
becomes better coordinated; movements become more fluid and graceful; develops improved
sense of balance and timing
Age eight --- average height 50 inches; enjoys sports, especially boisterous games; enjoys
skating,
skipping, and jumping rope; can handle simple tool; girls developing faster than boys
Language Development and Communication
Age six --- asks more complex questions and wants detailed answers; can understand and
follow
rules; begins reading, writing, and math at school
Age seven --- Has a longer attention span; favors reality; is less interested in fairy tales;
enjoys
reading animal stories and science fiction; begins to understand cause and effect
Age eight --- enjoys chapter books; enjoys telling and hearing riddles and jokes; grammar
skills
are improving; sentence structure includes using pronouns, plurals, and verb tenses
Approaches to Learning – ages six through eight
Uses multiple strategies and all available senses to explore the environment
Eager and interested in learning while playing, listening, questioning, and interacting
Chooses to participate in an increasing variety of experiences
Demonstrates a willingness to choose a variety of both familiar and new experiences
Is able to tell the difference between appropriate and inappropriate (or dangerous) risk-taking
Demonstrates resilience in the face of challenge; appreciates reading; uses humor
Works toward completion of a task despite distractions or interruptions
Develops a sense of purpose and the ability to follow through
Approaches tasks and experiences with increasing flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness
Cognitive Development
Age six --- concentrates on doing one activity for long periods of time; draws on everyday
experiences and applies knowledge to other situations; has improved memory; has a better
understanding of the concept of time; is inquisitive and eager to learn in school; may begin to
understand concepts of seriation, conservation, reversibility, and multiple classification; usually
can distinguish between fantasy and reality; can understand and follow rules
Age seven --- accepts idea of rules; knows harm may result if rules not followed; understands
concept of time; begins to show interest in collecting objects; likes to help teacher
Age eight --- understands the value of money and may be ready for an allowance; refines
concepts of seriation, conservation, reversibility, and multiple classification; attempts various
strategies to solve problem; forms hypotheses about cause and effect; thinks more openly and
creatively by comparing and contrasting solutions
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Characteristics of Children by Age Groups and Domains
Six- to Eight-year-olds, continued
Emotional Development
Age six --- may feel less jealous of siblings as outside interests become more important; is
still
egocentric, but is becoming interested in criticism upon failure, but recovers quickly; wants all of
everything; making choices is difficult; may have nightmares
Age seven --- may seem withdrawn and moody; may feel that everyone is against him or her;
is
sensitive and feels hurt by criticism
Age eight --- shows more spirit, is willing to try just about anything; is very sensitive to what
others think
Social Development – ages six to eight
Becomes more socially independent
Chooses own friends
May still have a hard time waiting and taking turns
Wants desperately to be right and to win
Often expresses sense of humor in practical jokes and riddles
Begins to see others’ points of view
Learns to share and take turns
May feel jealous of siblings as outside interests become more important
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Characteristics of Children by Age Groups and Domains
Nine- to Ten-year-olds
Physical Development and Health
Continues to improve coordination
Improves sense of balance and timing
May develop particular physical skills
Enjoys organized game
Can run, kick, throw, catch and hit
Further refines fine motor skills
Is able to use hands skillfully
Language Development and
Communication
Has a vocabulary of about 5400 words
Has better use of language
Is able to converse well with adults
Uses more abstract words
Approaches to Learning
Is enthusiastic about learning
Enjoys mysteries and secrets
May show less interest in TV programs
Cognitive Development
Is able to consider more than one conclusion to problems or choices
Understands more about truth and honesty
Likes to act in an adult manner
Likes games that involve mental competition
Enjoys quizzing parents, impressing them with new facts
May show interest in collecting certain objects
Emotional Development
Age nine --- is relatively quiet; worries about everything; is sensitive to criticism; has definite
likes and dislikes
Age ten --- is happy with life in general; likes praise and encouragement; likes teacher
attention and approval
Social Development
Age nine --- begins a new drive for independence; resents being “bossed” by parents; shows
increased interest in friends and decreased interest in family; is interested in group activities
and concerns; often competes with others
Age ten --- likes people and is liked by others; is dependable and cooperative; obeys adults
easily and naturally; has a strong group spirit, but may be diminishing
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Characteristics of Children by Age Groups and Domains
Eleven- to Twelve-year-olds
Physical Development and Health
Likes to test strength and daring
Becomes very conscious of overall appearance
Boys may grow little in height
Girls may experience a growth spurt
Girls may begin menstruation
Language Development and Communication
Uses language to discuss feelings
Has vocabulary of about 7200 words
Enjoys lengthy conversations with adults
Approaches to Learning
Likes active learning, reading aloud, reciting and science projects
May like group projects and classes based on cooperative learning
Cognitive Development
Is able to detect problems in daily situation and work out solutions
Grasps math concepts and applies them to daily activities
Understands concepts of seriation, conservation, reversibility, and multiple classification
Emotional Development
Is less self-centered
May express great enthusiasm
If puberty has begun, may become moody and show signs of Emotional Development turmoil
Social Development
Likes to plan and carry out activities with a group
Is willing to reach out to others for friendship
Has improved social skills
Is patient and friendly with younger children
Has a strong desire to conform to peers in dress and behavior
Likes team games
Is becoming interested in opposite gender, girls more interested than boys