5 Yr Old Development

Psych 2314 October 13, 2012 A Five Year Old 's Development As a new parent you always seem to wonder if your child is on the right track of development. Are they walking at the right time? Are they going through potty training at a normal time? Are they reading and writing at a normal age? Each child is different and will develop at their own speed. Some might catch on quickly to tying their shoes, while others might take a little while longer. Here are a some general milestones children in the five year old age group can relate to. Growth spurts in five year olds may differ from one to the other as they all grow at different speeds. Your child might be experiencing a growth spurt, while its peers may not hit a growth spurt until years later. The growth rate during preschool years is generally much slower and steadier than the first few years of the childs life. Kids at this age are beginning to lose teeth which will soon be replaced by permanent ones. Breathing becomes slower and deeper, the heart beats more slowly and steadily, blood pressure increases, and the bladder gets larger allowing the child to withstand longer periods without going to the restroom. Growth at this age is usually occuring mostly in the legs and trunk of their bodies. Five year olds average about 41 pounds in weight and 43 inches in height. Girls are only slightly smaller and lighter than boys during early childhood years (santrock 123). A childs weight and height is influenced by many factors including diet, exercise, illness, emotion, and genetics. Adequate nutrition, a sleep schedule obtaining at least 10-12 hours of rest, and exercise can all play a positive roll in your childs growth. (extension.unh.edu) Children at this age are beginning to fine-tune their motor development skills. Five year olds have tons of energy. They find inactivity difficult and are constantly seeking activity within games and their environment. They have learned to balance and coordinate their movements allowing them to participate in activities like swimming, jumping rope, riding bicycles, skipping, hopping, and walking a balance beam. They are able to run and walk in a mature manner and are able to manage the direction, speed, and quality of their movements. By this age, they are developing skills needed to understand rules of sports such as soccer and baseball, and they can understand and incorporate rules in games such as "tag". They have developed hand-eye coordination which allows them to bounce and catch balls. (pbs.org) Kids in this age group are able to sit and pay attention for longer periods of time in classroom settings. They are also capable of performing classroom tasks such as writing, painting, cutting and pasting, and coloring within the lines. They can copy shapes, draw people, and prints some letters including their first names. This age group can perform tasks related to eating and grooming effectively. They can manage zippers and buttons, dress themselves, tie their shoes. And they are normally showing a preference for being right or left-handed by this time.(childparenting.about.com) Children at this age are becoming more independant. They are wanting to do most things on their own. They 'll be brushing their teeth & hair and washing & drying their hands before eating and after using the restroom. Most will also be able to clean up without constant supervision. They will also be aware of rules and how to follow them. Children at this age should already be informed about fire safety, and will be capable of responding appropriately in emergency situations.(raisingchildren.net) Accidents are the number one cause of death for children. Most of these deaths can be prevented with some basic safety guidelines. Car seats and booster seats should be used until they reach the proper height and weight standards to do otherwise. Make sure your child always wears a helmet and safety gear while riding bikes and playing sports. Children at this age should be stressed about the awareness of strangers and staying out of traffic. Food safety, such as washing fruits and vegetables, should be practiced. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Keep guns and bullets seperate and locked up. All kids seem to have an interest in phones by this time. Make sure they know how to use one properly and teach them about 911 and when to use it. (pediatrics.about.com) "A 5-year-old 's brain is almost the size of an adult 's, but will continue to develop for the next 20 years." (sheknows.com) Most five year olds are normally starting kindergarten. They are beginning to learn about the people and world around them. Many of them know the alphabet, upper and lowercase letters, and are able to write letters and are familiar with their sounds. This helps them in writting words, by sounding out letters, and reading them, too. Reading levels vary at this age. Some kids may just be learning words, while others may be able to read first-grade level books. Most children at this age have grasped the idea of stories and story-telling. They can repeat them and understand that they have a beginning, middle, and end. Many of them have learned their numbers and how to count, and they will start to learn shapes if they don 't know them already.(childparenting.about.com) Five year olds are very creative, analytical thinkers and problem solvers. They can weigh their choices. For example, dad is going to the store while mom stays home. They are able to think a while about making a decision as to whether to go with dad and help him at the store, or stay at home and help mom around the house. They also love social interaction and enjoy activities with other children. They are able to think abstractly and can determine whether or not they have enough space available to play certain games or do certain activities. They are also capable now of asking higher-level questions such as, "what happens if we run out of food?", and "why was Joel mad at me?". (pbs.org) "The language skills of five-year-olds are well developed. They pronounce words clearly, speak in complex and compound sentences, use correct grammar for the most part and have good-sized vocabularies that continue to grow rapidly." (pbs.org) They enjoy starting and engaging in conversations, and are aware of waiting their turn to speak in one. By five years old a child knows 4,000-5,000 words, and learns about 3,000 more during this year. Some can acquire even more than that. "The average child has the capacity to acquire six to nine words per day, given access to new words in his or her daily experiences." (pbs.org) When adults name objects the child is able to learn new words, and they can increase their ability to dertermine a words meanings from context. There usually isn 't any pronunciation errors in words heard and used commonly in children at this age, and they are much better at holding conversations and talking on the phone. They understand that they can ask questions during their turn in a conversation and that everything doesn 't need to necissarily be known already. (pbs.org) Five year olds speak fluently and can use correct pronouns and plurals. They use the right tense most of the time, and will continue to seek out new words and knowledge. (sheknows.com) "By age 5, your child has made leaps and bounds in her emotional development." (webmd.com) They are able to show more self-control by this age, and will often ask before taking something that isn 't theirs. They can express their feelings and are able to notice when others are feeling down. For example, if they see a friend that is upset they may say "I 'm sorry that you 're upset." And if they are upset, they can state how they are feeling by saying something like, "I am mad at you." Kids in this age can determine when they see things as wrong in others behavior or appearance, and they can be hard on themselves when they think they have done something wrong.(childparenting.about.com) At age five, your child has moved past "parallel play" and is now increasing interaction with other children, whether it be in school or after school. "He will also begin to expand his relationship with the world at large as he increasingly understands more about the world around him." (childparenting.about.com) Friendships will begin to be of more importance in a five year olds life. Their circle of trusted adults may expand as they develop close bonds with teachers and other parents. They have an increased interest about how relationships work at this age, and may start asking about "who is married to who", and "how are they related to me." Giving, sharing, and empathy also play a huge role in a five year olds life. These skills will be tremendously important in a child 's social interactions. "Children this age can manage feelings and social situations with greater independence." (pbs.org) They may get upset and go to their room to calm down without being asked, or they might first try to work problems out with a peer before grabbing an adult for help. Emotional problems can arise in a five year old. They may have a hard time with the transition into school. "They may experience separation anxiety, or worry about interacting with new and unfamiliar peers and teachers." (childparenting.about.com) Anxiety might also disrupt their ability to focus in a classroom and follow instructions. Some behavioral problems in five year olds may derive from frustration. Children at this age may want to do things they are not yet ready to fully do. For example, they may draw a picture and get upset when it 's not as perfect as they want it to be. Talking back may be experienced. Five year olds might try to test their limits while they establish their independence. "At the same time, 5-year-old children have not been that far out of the preschool years, and it’s common to see children this age still resorting to tantrums and whining to express themselves." (childparenting.about.com) Children who are unable to form caring relationships with care providers or relatives might act self-abusive and hit their own head, bite, or hit others when upset. (pacer.org)

Works Cited Santrock, John. Essentials of Life-Span Development. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Papalia, D.E. & Wendkos Olds, S. A Child’s World: Infancy Through Adolescence. McGraw Hill Inc. 1996. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. Steinberg, L. & Meyer, R. Childhood. McGraw Hill Inc. 1995. Web. 13 Oct. 2012 "Child Development Tracker" pbs.org. PBS 2003-2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. Lee, Katherine. "5 Years Old - Child Physical Development" About.com. Web. 13 Oct. 2012 Iannelli, Vincent. "Safety and your Five Year Old" About.com. 27 Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012 McKay, Tiernan. "Your Blooming Five Year Old" Sheknows.com. 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012 "Preschooler Emotional Development" Webmd.com. 2005- 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012 Jordan, Dixie. "Does My Child Have An Emotional Or Behavioral Disorder?" Pacer.org. n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012

pbsparents.org. "Physical Development: 4-5 Years" Raisingchildren.net. 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012

Cited: Santrock, John. Essentials of Life-Span Development. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. pbsparents.org. "Physical Development: 4-5 Years" Raisingchildren.net. 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012