Child Development 3-12
Part 3: Ages 10 to 12
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Core In-Service
February 19, 2010
9:00-11:00 a.m.
DEBBIE RICHARDSON, PH.D.
PARENTING ASSISTANT EXTENSION SPECIALIST
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & FAMILY SCIENCE
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Introduction
2
 Welcome
 Centra Instructions
 Overview of In-service
 Resource Materials
In-Service Objective
3
Extension Educators will be able to
describe growth, tasks, behaviors, and
abilities of 10 to 12 year-old children
including physical, cognitive, emotional,
and social development.
Domains of Development
Physical
Emotional
Cognitive
Social
Physical Development
5
AGES 10-12
Physical Development
6
Girls (9-13 years)
 Growth spurt of 2-6” in
one year
 Underarm & pubic hair
 Breast development,
widening hips, narrowing
waist, more fat
 Onset of menstruation
Boys (11-15 years)
 Growth spurt of up to 6”
in one year
 Facial, underarm, & pubic
hair
 Growth of genitals
 Deepening of voice
 Muscle development
Other Physical Changes
7
 Circulatory & respiratory
systems - increasing strength,
energy, stamina
 Increasingly active sweat
glands, may develop body odor
 Aches & pains
 May tire easily & appear lazy
 Appetite may fluctuate
sharply
 May develop acne or other skin  Sensitivity to body image and
problems
 May gain or lose weight,
appear out of proportion or
“gangly”, especially boys
 Clumsiness & awkwardness
very interested in learning
about body changes
Motor Abilities & Skills
8
 Well coordinated in large and fine motor skills
 Both skill and stamina for gross motor activities such as
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biking, skating, team sports
Like physical challenges
Should be able to perform a variety of movement
combinations
Demonstrate coordination in a fluid environment
Adapt speed and direction when needed
 Some may show more talents – sports, music, etc.
Puberty
9
 Development into sexual
maturity
 Hormones controlling
physical development are
activated
 Develop primary &
secondary sex characteristics
 Become fertile
 Increased sexual libido
Timing of Puberty
10
 Girls tend to experience pubertal changes earlier
than boys by 24 months on average
 Internal changes may begin:
 about
age 7-8 in girls and up to about 13
 about
age 9.5-11 in boys up to about 13.5
Timing of Physical Maturation
11
 Points in physical development may be very different for
individual youth between 10 and 15
 Being early or late developer can be stressful when
compared to timing of their friends
 Early developers
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Tends to be advantageous for boys
– sports, social standing
More problematic for girls
– body image, attention from others, lower self-esteem,
adjustment to school transitions
Influences on Puberty
Timing12& Tempo
 Primary influence is one’s genes
 Most important external factors: nutrition & health
 Puberty occurs earlier for children who have been well-
nourished and without serious illnesses
 Tends to occur earlier for kids growing up in conflict-
ridden families and for females in father-absent homes
 Excessive exercise is associated with delays
The Evolving Brain
13
Just prior to puberty…
 2nd wave of overproduction of gray matter
in the thinking part of the brain – neurons
and their branch-like extensions
 Predominantly in the frontal lobe – “executive functions”
such as planning, impulse control, reasoning
 possibly related to influence of surging hormones
 thickening peaks at around age 11 in girls, 12 in boys
 then gray matter actually thins some
The Evolving Brain
14
 White matter – wire-like fibers that establish neurons’
long-distance connections between brain regions –
thickens progressively from birth
 Striking growth spurts can be seen from ages 6-13 in areas
connecting the brain regions specialized for language and
understanding spatial relations (temporal and parietal
lobes)
 This growth drops off sharply after age 12
Sleep
15
 Rapid growth and change requires enough rest
 Hormones may affect sleep needs
 Need about 9 ½ - 10 hours sleep each day
Cognitive Development
16
AGES 10-12
Cognitive Development - Piaget
17
Concrete Operations: 7-12 yrs
 Logical thought
 Classifying & ordering objects in a logical sequence
 Make rational judgments and perform operations about
concrete or observable phenomena
 Abstract thinking evolving with limitations
 Better understanding of time and space
 Reversibility – changes in forms and orders
 Deductive reasoning –draw conclusions from information
 Relativism –other’s thoughts & perspectives differ, can be
wrong, thoughts/feelings may not reflect reality
Thinking
18
 No longer in just “here & now”,
but still think more about the
present than future
 Higher level skills that allow
thinking about ideas, anticipate
and begin to see personal future
 Increasing attention span and
concentration
 May begin to question old
beliefs, explore new ones,
develop strong beliefs
 Gradual ability to apply learned
concepts to new tasks
Thinking
19
 Can state their thoughts more clearly & want to be heard
 Criticize adults
 Eager to learn and master new skills
 Proud of doing things well
 Concerned about personal capabilities
 Frequent interest in learning life skills (cooking, fixing things, etc.)
 Internalized standards of right and wrong to some degree
 Begins to understand the motives behind the behavior of another
 Tendency to be disorganized and forgetful
10 Year Olds
20
 Still memorize & recite without thinking deeply about a subject
 Comprehends multiple features of a problem even while solving it
 Increasing ability to work independently – class assignments,
homework, longer projects, more complex writing & math
 Developing a conscience but not yet consistently able to tell right
from wrong – relies upon adult to help
 Aware of time but needs help to plan time in a practical way
 Still certain that own beliefs are correct and are universally
shared by others
11-12 Year Olds
21
 Able to use logic in arguments
 Apply logic to specific, concrete situations and problems
 Able to manipulate symbols dealing with abstract concepts
 Able to combine oral, visual, and written material in reports
 Decision-making skill improves
 Categorizes information in order to make sense of it
 Summarizes information from a book in own words
 Can read more adult-oriented materials, particularly those
about topics of specific interest
Social & Emotional
Development
22
AGES 10-12
Psychosocial Development
Erikson
23
Industry vs. Inferiority: 7-11 years
Busily learn to be competent and productive or
feel inferior and unable to do anything well.
Tries to develop a sense of self-worth by refining
skills.
Identity vs. Role Confusion: Adolescence
Tries to figure out “who am I?” Establish sexual,
ethnic, career identities or are confused about
future roles.
Changes that Influence
Social & Emotional Development
24
 Biological/hormonal
transformations
 Psychological shifts that
accompany emergence of
sexuality
 Heightened competition,
social comparison, and
self-assessment
 Shifting social roles and
expectations
 Increased capacity for abstract  More independence and
thinking
unsupervised time
 Educational/school transitions  Coping with stresses of change
 Shifting relationships with
family and peers
Self-Concept &
Self-Esteem
25
 Developing self-esteem requires positive reinforcement
 Important to be part of a group
 Typically far less optimistic; self-concept regarding their
abilities and expectations for success tend to decline
 Skills are not developing as rapidly as earlier in childhood
 Receive more “failure feedback”
 Reflect on their performances, compare to peers, learn that
current failures may be clues to future performances
 Some kids experiencing more frustration and pessimism about
their abilities may be hesitant to try new things with which
they are unlikely to succeed at first
10 Year-Olds
26
 Emotionally direct, simple -
 Seeks approval for being
less anxious & demanding
“good” from significant
people
 More often good-natured;
moodiness is short-lived and
infrequent
 Can be very affectionate and
concerned about others
 Continues to enjoy crude
humor and silliness
 Fears are lessening
 Enjoys clubs & group activities
 May show interest in opposite
sex but focus is still in small
groups of same sex
 Confides constantly in a best
friend
 Relates to peer group
intensely & abides by group
decisions
 Can be fickle
11 & 12 Year-Olds
27
 May be tired, moody, anxious,
and bicker
 Can be loud, rude, obnoxious;
personal habits and manners
take on less importance
 Like to argue, yet can be
cooperative & friendly
 Like to take chances and defy
rules
 Greater urge for independence
 Friends & groups are more
important
 More turmoil with friends
 Strong need to conform
 Opposite sex interests
emerge (girls more so)
 Tend to avoid complicated
tasks
 Very enthusiastic about
likes and equally passionate
about dislikes
Preteens in General
28
 Active & energetic
 Like one-on-one time with
 Fluctuate between dependent
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child & independent pre-teen
Maturity level may vary
greatly among individuals
Mature one moment,
immature the next
Increasingly self-conscious &
self-centered
Want to be like their friends
Peer pressure increases
Want to be “normal” – fear
being different
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adults
More modesty & privacy
Most prefer activities away
from home
Are often very “giggly”
May develop their own code
of behavior – music,
language, dress, rules, etc.
Preteens in General
29
 Develop group to which they
may show extreme loyalty
 May become experimenters
and risk takers
 Need guidance but are seeking
independence and recognition
as adults
 Wants parental assistance but
may resist when offered
 Strong opinions
 Hard on self and ultrasensitive
to criticism
 May experience sudden,
dramatic, extreme emotions
& emotional changes
 Tends to conceal feelings
 May anger quickly; Can show
sharp, violent temper
 Should be able to resolve
conflicts and help others
resolve conflicts in a positive
manner
 Strives to succeed
Characteristics
Implications
Desire to learn adult skills and create
useful products
Involve in daily chores, teach skills
(cooking, woodworking), arts/crafts
Peer group & friends increasingly
important
Unstructured time and safe place to
“hang out”
Want to plan their own free time; resent
being told what to do by adults
Include in planning from the start
May dislike being in a child care
program and think they can take care of
themselves
Give chance to contribute to decisions;
use win-win problem-solving approach
Begin expanding interests in community Visit various places
beyond home & school
Increasing ability to plan and work
together in groups
Provide more complex long-range
projects
30
Related Issues
31
AGES 10-12
Related Issues
32
 Home alone – self care
 Active but not
overscheduled
 Friends & friendships
 Sexuality
Discussion & Questions
33
Wrap-Up
34
 Review resource materials
 In-service evaluation
 Follow-up
 Next Session: Friday, Feb. 26, 9 – 11 am
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Part 4 - Influences, Risks, Resilience, & Resources