2. Able to catch a ball more easily using only their hands
3. Freindships become more and more important.
Physical, social, and mental skills develop quickly at this time.
Critical time for children to develop confidence in all areas of life, such as through freinds, schoolwork, and sports
EMOTIONAL/SOCIAL CHANGES
Children in this age group might:
Show more independence from parents and family
Start to think about the future
Understand more about his or her place in the world
Pay more attention to freindships and teamwork.
Want to be liked and accepted by frieinds.
THINKING AND LEARNING
Show rapid development of mental skills
Learn better ways to describe experiences and talk about thoughts and feelings.
Have less focus on one's self and more concern for others.
POSITIVE PARENTING TIPS
Show affection for your child. Recognize her accomplishments.
Help your child develop a sense of responsibility-ask him to help with
household tasks, such as setting the table
Talk with your child about school, freinds, and things she looks forward to in the future.
Talk with your child about respecting others. Encourage
him to help people in need.
Help your child set her own achievable goals-she'll learn to take
pride in herself and rely less on approval or rewards from others.
Help your child learn patience by letting others go first or by finishing a task before
going out to play.. Encourage him to think about possible consequences before acting
Make clear rules and stick to them, such as how long your child can watch TV or when
she has to go to bed. Be clear about what behavior is okay and what is not okey
Do fun things together as a family, such as playing games,
reading, and going to events in your community
Get involved with your child's school. Meet the teachers and
staff and get to understand their learning goals and how you
and the school can work together to help your child do well.
Use discipline to guide and protect your child, rather than punishment
to make him feel bad about himself. follow up an discussion about what
not to do with a discussion of what to do instead
Praise your child for good behavior. It's best to focus praise more on
what your child does ("you worked hard to figure this out") than on traits
she can't change ("your are smart")
Encourage your child to join school and community groups, such as
a team sports, or to take advantage of volunteer opportunities.
CHILD SAFETY FIRST
More physical ability and more independence can put children
at risk for injuries from falls and other accidents. Motor vehicle
crashes are the most common cause of death from unintential
injury among children this age.
Teach your child to watch out for traffic and how to be safe
when walking to school, riding a bike, and playing outside.
Make sure your child understand water safety, and always
supervise her when she's swimming or playing near water.
Supervise your child when he's engaged in
risky activities, such as climbing.
Talk with your child about how to
ask for help when she needs it.
Keep potentially harmful household products, tools,
equipment, and firearms out of your child's reach.
HEALTHY BODIES
Parents can help make schools healthier. Work with your child's school
to limit access to foods and drinks with added sugar, solid fat, and salt
that can be purchased outside the school lunch program.
Make sure your child has 1 hour or more of physical activity each day
Limit screen time for your child to no more than 1 to 2 hours per day
of quality programming at home, school, or afterschool care.
Practice healthy eating habits and physical activity early. Encourage active play, and be
a role model by eating healthy at family mealtimes and having an active lifestyle.