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Chapter 13: Physical
Development from Four to Six
Unit 5: The Child from Four to Six
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Chapter Objectives
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Summarize how an average child’s posture and body shape
change from ages four to six
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Compare and Contrast average motor skills development for
four, five, and six-year olds
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Explain why good nutrition is essential for children ages four to
six
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Identify three ways that four to six-year olds are able to care for
themselves
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Describe three steps that can help minimize toileting accidents
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List three areas of outdoor safety to discuss with four to six-year
olds
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13.1
Growth and Development
from Four to Six
Chapter 15-Unit 5
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Growth from Four to Six
Height and Weight
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Rate of growth is slightly slower
than in children ages 1 to 3
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Average increase in height during
these years is about 2-1/2 to 3
inches
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Most children gain 4 to 5 pounds
Boys are slightly heavier and taller
during this period
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Growth from Four to Six
Posture and Body Shape
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Noticeable changes between 4th and 7th birthdays
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Bodies become straighter slimmer and protruding belly flattens
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Hold shoulders back and upper bodies are more erect
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Chest broadens and flattens with improved abdominal strength
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Legs lengthen, grow straighter and firmer
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Neck becomes longer
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Balance and coordination improves
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Hold their arms close to their bodies when they walk or run
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Growth from Four to Six
Teeth
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Children this age start loosing primary teeth
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Larger permanent teeth start to appear
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6-year old molars appear and are called the
“first molars”
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Children start with 20 primary teeth but end up
with around 32 adult permanent teeth
First permanent teeth to appear
4 all together; 2 on top and 2 on bottom
They appear behind the primary teeth and act as
an anchor keeping other teeth in their place
Primary teeth are lost in the same order they
appear
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Generally the 2 lower front teeth and 2 upper
front teeth
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Teeth
Thumb Sucking
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Some children in this age group continue
to suck their thumbs
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Self-soothing techniques
Most adults worry about this habit but it
is sometimes best to just ignore it
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Trying to force a child to quit sucking his or
her thumb can cause more problems
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Generally children will stop on their own
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If thumb sucking is excessive, consult
your physician
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After the 5th birthday, thumb sucking can
cause changes in the shape of the roof of
the mouth or in the way the teeth line up
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Development Four to Six
Motor Skills
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Basic gross and fine motor
skills improve significantly
during this period
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Many motor skills must be
taught and require guidance
and practice (i.e. throwing a
ball)
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Motor Skills
Gross Motor
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REMEMBER: Gross motor skills are also called “large motor”
skills
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4, 5, and 6 year olds are very energetic
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Favorite activities are physical activities and include running,
jumping, climbing, or turning somersaults
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4 year olds are learning to throw and catch both large and small
balls
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5 year olds show improved speed and coordination in all their
activities
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6 year olds movement are even more smoothly coordinated
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Enjoy balancing activities like walking on a curb or learning to ride a
bicycle
Ones that involve rhythm
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Motor Skills
Fine Motor Skills
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REMEMBER: Fine motor skills are also called “small motor” skills
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4 and 5 year olds show improved dexterity
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Can dress themselves and may not be able to fasten buttons until they are 5
5 year olds improve in hand eye coordination has improved to the point
they can pour liquids from a pitcher into a glass
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Dexterity is ease and skill in physical activity
Most 4 year olds can learn to lace their shoes
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Small muscle groups such as fingers, wrists, and ankles
Enjoy cutting, pasting, and using glue, print some letters yet trouble printing
words
6 year olds show even greater fine motor skills and hand-eye
coordination
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Able to draw detailed pictures, use scissors, and write their own.
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Hand Preference
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Some children express a preference for using one hand more
than the other after age 2
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Some switch off during their preschool years
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2nd half of the 5th year, most children are either using their right
or left hand for most activities
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85% of all children prefer to use their right hand for most
activities
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Ambidextrous means being able to use both hands with equal skill
Research continues on how a preference for one hand develops
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Some believe heredity is probably the source of hand preference
Others think it depends on which hand parents usually put objects
into
Some link hand preference to the areas of the brain controlling motor
skills or language
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13.2
Caring for Children from
4 to 6
Physical Development from Four to Six
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Health and Wellness
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Research has shown that 4-6 year old children do better
when they eat 5 or 6 small, nutritious meals and snacks a day
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Snacks should be nutritious, appealing foods rather than
convenience foods that are high in salt, sugar, or fat.
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Small meals are better suited to their small stomach size and
provide a more constant level of energy
Apples, grapes, cheese, yogurt, and raisins
Encourage good eating habits and do not force it
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Forcing kids to eat certain foods has shown to have negative
effects and an issue with eating certain foods
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Do not use foods as a reward
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Teaching Children About Nutrition
At Home
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Take advantage of children’s curiosity at this stage and use
food as a source for learning
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Involve children in preparing meals to increase their interest
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Tear lettuce for salads
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Stir orange juice concentrate
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Mix batter
Children feel proud about the contribution they made to
meal time
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Improves fine motor skills
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Spending time in the kitchen together gives positive time that
parents and children can bond
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Teaching Children About Nutrition
At School
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Schools use food as a learning tool
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Teachers ask questions to promote learning about food
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Children can learn ingredients that are good for them and help
them grow
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Texture, appearance, quantity, nutrition
Counting (Math Readiness)
Foods come from different food groups
School lunch is the first time many children will make an
independent choice about what they eat
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Children who are in school all day usually eat the lunch offered at
school or bring lunch from home
School lunch programs may offer foods that can be higher in sugar or
salt, so discuss with your children the healthy choices
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Nutritional Concerns
Poor Nutrition
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Lack of money to buy nutritious foods is not the most
common cause of poor nutrition
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Some parents are simply not aware of the right choices or
understand the basics of good nutrition
Parents may rely too much on convenience foods
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Some foods may be nutritious but are way too high in fat, calories,
or salts
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Some adults set poor examples
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Poor nutrition will weaken the health of a child which means
a child might get sick more often
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Nutritional Concerns
Weight Problems
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Children 4-6 vary their body types
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Some may seem chunky or slim but are still healthy
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Always consult a doctor if questions arise about a child’s health
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If a doctor decides there is a problem with a child’s weight, they may
recommend more physical activity
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MyPyramid is a resource parents can use in planning healthy meals and
snacks
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When a child consumes more calories than they expel, that child is at
risk for being overweight
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The opposite can also be true, not consuming enough calories for the amount
the body expels, a child can become underweight
Overweight children are at risk for developing life-threatening diseases
such as diabetes and heart disease
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Checkups and Immunizations
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Most children between 5 and 6 will begin kindergarten
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Most schools require
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Before they can attend school, they are required to receive a medical
check-up and certain immunizations
Hepatitis B
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella (German measles)
Check with schools for specific requirements
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Self-Care Skills
Clothing: Dressing and Choosing Clothes
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4, 5, and 6 year olds are usually able to dress themselves
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Some may need help with fasteners
Many children have difficulty putting together clothes that match
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Learning opportunity: Parents can teach children about matching colors and clothes
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Comfort, durability, and economy are still the main guidelines for choosing
clothes
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Children this age have definite likes and dislikes
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Some have favorite garments
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Group identification becomes important at this age
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Children choose to wear clothes like their classmates
Group Identification is a feeling of belonging with others
Parents can satisfy a child’s need to wear certain clothes by allowing them to
select their won
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Self-Care Skills
Caring for Clothes
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Children this age can learn
basic clothing care
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Dirty clothes go in the
appropriate place
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When it is laundry time,
children can help sort clothes
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They can help fold and hang
up clean clothes
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Putting clothes away is easier if
the child has storage within
reach
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Putting hooks at eye level,
low rods and handy shelves
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Self-Care
Bath Time
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Many this age are less
interested in washing and
bathing regularly than when
they were younger
Praising children for taking a
bath or shower is much more
effective than nagging them to
do so
Set up and maintain hygiene
routines
Caring for Teeth
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Children begin handling a
tooth brush well about age 5
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Tooth decay is a special
concern at this age because
permanent teeth are coming in
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Dentists sometimes apply:
 Fluoride- a substance that
strengthens the enamel of
teeth to prevent decay
 Enamel- the hard, outer
coating of teeth
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Sleeping and Toileting
Sleeping
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By age 4, children are not normally taking afternoon naps
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Some continue taking a daily name until they begin a full day
of school, depending on their needs
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Most children this age need 10-12 hours of sleep
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Keep bedtime routines consistent so the child gets adequate
amounts of sleep
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Children this age are generally more cooperative about
going to bed
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Toileting
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By their 4th birthday, most
children have few toileting
accidents, either at night or
during they day
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When accidents occur, it is
often the child is too busy with
another activity and doesn’t
want to stop playing or they
forget
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Sometimes a child may have
an accident if they are in a new
place because they are afraid
to ask to go to the bathroom
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Use these steps to minimize
accidents:
 Make sure they use the
bathroom before leaving
home
 When arriving in a public
place, point out where the
bathroom is
 Keep an extra outfit
available incase of an
accident
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Children when they start
school sometimes have
accidents because of all the
stress
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Outdoor Safety
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Bicycles- safety helmets should always be worn to protect the
head; rules of the road should be explained to children
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Traffic- one of the most dangerous situations for children
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Taught to look both ways before crossing the street
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Never play near parked cars
Playgrounds- Wonderful for socializations and gross motor skills
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Safety Precautions
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Swings-always sit on the swing, never stand. One child at a time.
Stay a safe distance from others swinging
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Slides- hold onto handrails when climbing the ladders, slide feet
first, do not slide down in groups
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Climbing Equipment- Not too many children on one piece of
equipment, assistance for younger children, and age-appropriate