Developmental

Characteristics

Kinder - 1st Grade

Physical

  • Enjoy long periods of free play

  • Developing eye-hand coordination

  • Enjoy small group cooperative play

  • May require rest after high-energy play

  • Improved body coordination; yet still can fall easily

Social Emotional

  • Eager to receive adult praise

  • Enjoy dramatic play

  • Eager to engage in new activities/adventures led by involved adult

  • Eager to identify with older children

  • Enjoy exploring new materials and equipment

  • Can be easily frightened by novel or strange events

  • Prefer play in small groups

  • Like responsibilities they can handle

  • Learning to cooperate with others, but may at times display selfish behavior

Cognitive

  • Understand language better than they speak

  • Are interested in present; vague concepts of past/future

  • Eager to learn

  • Ask many questions

  • Define things by their use

  • Developing a sense of humor

  • Communicate best within a small group of peers

  • May need guidance of adult when starting a new task

2nd - 3rd Grades

Physical

  • Enthusiastic about games

  • Experiencing improvement in both gross and fine motor skills

  • Possess a high activity level

  • Practice to master variations of movement for physical activities

  • Enjoy games that allow for comparison of skills

  • Enjoy games that allow for self-f-improvement

Social Emotional

  • Have a strong drive toward independence

  • Develop a strong sense of loyalty to friends

  • Need to belong to a group

  • Play with and are friends with same-sex peers

  • Like to take on responsibility

  • Live in a world of games, rituals and humor inhabited only by children

  • Like to have a best friend

  • Have a rigid sense of right and wrong

  • Need help accepting peers who are different or left out of a group

Cognitive

  • Like to talk; use language to express feelings/tell stories

  • Developing a sense of time

  • Enjoy collecting things

  • Enjoy problem-solving games like treasure hunts

  • Can plan and carry out projects with adult support

  • Becoming more self-directed in activities

  • Better able to understand and appreciate differences of opinion

4th - 6th Grades

Physical

  • May be careless about their clothes, room and body cleanliness

  • Girls may have sudden growth spurt and beginning signs of puberty

  • Enjoy physical activities that master specific skills

  • Enjoy competitive games

  • Possess a high activity level

  • Enjoy games that allow for comparison of skills

  • Enjoy games that allow for self-improvement

Social Emotional

  • Enjoy small, peer-dominated group discussions

  • Like to join organized groups

  • Are anxious to grow up

  • Are intensely loyal to their peer group

  • Form a close one-on-one friendship

  • Have a growing desire to assert individuality and independence

  • Can be daring and competitive

  • Can be critical of peers and adults

  • Are self-conscious of their abilities

Cognitive

  • Ask many questions and what thoughtful answers

  • Can often understand other points of view

  • Developing strong interests, hobbies, and collections

  • Enjoy daydreaming

  • Enjoy problem solving games and puzzles, etc.

  • Enjoy rule-based games

  • Are beginning to develop view about social/global issues

  • Beginning to enjoy humor by telling jokes and understanding sarcasm

7th - 8th Grades

Physical

  • May appear awkward as result of rapid physical growth

  • Experiencing the beginning of puberty

  • Differ greatly in rate of maturation

  • Need to become familiar with changing body with strong drives

  • Tend to tire easily

  • Have a high activity level and appetite

  • Enjoy cooperative games and competitive sports

Social Emotional

  • Sensitive to their appearance

  • Establishing a personal moral code

  • Unsure of their place in society

  • Depend on their peer group to develop identity

  • Critical of their parents and home

  • May adopt extremes and fads in clothing, speech, handwriting, and mannerisms

  • Form close one-on-one friendships

  • Enjoy small, peer-dominated group discussions

  • Have a strong desire to assert individuality and independence

Cognitive

  • Capable of high level of abstract thought

  • Beginning to think about their future life roles

  • Need time and freedom to engage in self-reflection

  • Are able to postpone gratification

  • Can plan ahead and organize tasks with little or no guidance from adults

  • Beginning to develop views about social issues