Know

Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills and abilities that children reach throughout their childhood. Educators and pediatricians use these milestones to check that a child’s development is progressing along the typical track. Although each milestone described below corresponds with an age or grade level, it is important to remember that all children develop at their own pace. It is normal for a peer group to reach milestones at a range of ages, even spanning a few years in either direction.

Physical Developmental Milestones for School-Age Children

The range and progress of cognitive development can be vast across school-age children, from about 5 to 12 years of age. The same is true for school-age children’s physical development.

General guidelines and characteristics of typical development of physical milestones for school-age children include:

• School-age children gain between 4 and 7 pounds each year, along with an increase of 2-to-3 inches in height. A classroom group typically has a 3- to 6-inch height difference.
• Growth spurts are common in school-age children, as are periods where children’s growth slows. Children experiencing a growth spurt usually require an increase in daily calories. Growth spurts can also lead to body parts being out of proportion. For example, a child may stay the same height while their feet grow more rapidly. This event often leads school-age children to feel awkward or clumsy with their movement and bodies. This phase typically passes once puberty has ended.
• School-age children begin to see an improvement in their motor skills. As they grow older, they have better control, coordination and balance.
• Muscle mass will begin to change in school-age children, making them stronger as they age.

Take a look at the chart below for a closer look at how school-age children develop within their age groups. These milestones shouldn’t be considered a checklist to evaluate a child’s development, but more of a guide for what typical physical milestones to expect.

National Physical Education Standards

Another helpful resource regarding physical development and appropriate expectations is SHAPE America’s National Physical Education Standards. These standards offer a comprehensive framework for educators to understand what children and youth should know, understand, and be able to accomplish physically overtime. The standards can be a helpful tool for ensuring consistency and quality in physical education activities and experiences. Different from the CDC Milestones, the SHAPE America Standards set expectations based on grade-span learning indicators, rather than grade-level indicators, as the development of motor skills is influenced by the opportunity to practice skills and the level of encouragement and support provided. Examples of the Physical Education Standards include:

• Develops a variety of locomotor and non-locomotor motor skills.
• Develops social skills through movement.
• Develops personal skills, identifies personal benefits of movement, and chooses to engage in physical activity.

To learn more about the standards and how they apply across grade-spans, you can visit: https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/default.aspx

Brain Development in School-Age Children

A child’s brain develops rapidly during their first few years of life. Because of these rapid changes, growth spurts, and other factors, there is a large focus on the development of children’s brains from birth until five years of age. However, school-age children’s brains are still developing as they learn how to do new things and think differently. In fact, our brains continue to mature well into our twenties. Jean Piaget theorized about the stages of brain development and different types of intelligences. School-age children are in the stage of brain development that Piaget called the concrete operational stage. In this stage, children understand logic and concrete information, especially in their own lives. They may still struggle to grasp hypothetical or abstract concepts, specifically those that will happen in the long-term future. School-age children begin to be less egocentric and are able to consider and understand things from different viewpoints. Other brain functions begin to improve as well, such as:

• Concentration:
  School-age children will be able to focus on a task or topic. They will also begin to develop methods of ignoring distractions when focusing on a task.
• Memory:
  Both long-term and short-term memory skills begin to improve in school-age children. They can recall important things from months or even years in the past and can recall things like where they put their jacket after outdoor time.
• Attention span:
  School-age children will be able to focus on important tasks for longer periods. They will begin to read longer books, stay interested in topics at school, and be able to participate in long-term projects.

Brain development is a form of physical development — it is a part of a child’s body that grows and changes. The three major brain functions mentioned above help school-age children develop their motor skills, interact and engage with others, and participate in sports and other physical activities.

Puberty: What to Expect

This age group experiences body changes that come at the beginning of puberty. This happens when hormones in the body begin to create changes, such as the widening of hips, growth of body hair, and maturity of sex organs, etc. Sometimes these changes happen very quickly—as if overnight, while other times they happen gradually over a few years. The onset and speed of changes that accompany puberty can often be confusing and even scary for school-age children. The average age of beginning puberty is around 12; however, children can begin to show signs of these changes at a much younger age. It is important for you to be aware of what kinds of changes school-age children experience as a result of puberty. This knowledge prepares you to answer questions from children and/or their families, and to be understanding and sympathetic to the drastic physical changes the children in your care are going through.

Supporting All Learners

There may be times when family members or caregivers have concerns about their child’s development. As a school-age staff member, you may also notice a child who isn’t developing as quickly or in the same manner as their peers. It is very important to keep in mind that all children develop at their own pace and have their own individual strengths. This is especially true for school-age children in multi-age environments. If you discover that a child’s skills are not emerging, or growth is not occurring as it should, or if you are concerned about a possible developmental delay, discuss the situation with your trainer, coach, or administrator. They will be able to help you better assess the situation and, if necessary, refer the family to programs or services available for their needs.

When supporting all learners in a school-age environment, remember:

• Children develop at their own pace. Never compare children and their abilities. When children are compared, they are likely to feel as though they are not as smart, competent, or capable as their peers, which is harmful to their development. If a family member compares their child to a peer, encourage them not to do so by letting them know children develop at their own pace, and all have their own individual strengths.
• Most children will catch up and be on track with their developmental milestones.
• If you have concerns that a child may not be developing typically, make observations and record the behaviors that cause your concern. Always go to your coach, trainer or administrator first before discussing this with a family member, as approaching the family first can potentially cause them to worry unnecessarily.

If a school-age child in your program has a diagnosed need that affects their physical development or physical abilities, they should have an IEP, or Individualized Education Program. The IEP helps identify the child’s strengths and challenges and lays the framework on how the school or program will help the child improve and build skills. You should work with your trainer, coach, or administrator, as well as the family to discuss how your specific program can help support the child’s development. In the Learn activities section of this course, you will find an article titled, The Need for Skilled Inclusion in Out-of-School Time Programs: Kids Included Together Responds. This article has helpful information on the importance of including all children in your learning environment.

Influences and Factors Affecting School-Age Growth

A number of outside factors can influence and affect a child’s development. It is important to be sensitive to these factors and influences, and to remember that all children develop at their own pace. Some contributing factors that can affect school-age children’s development include:

See

Watch this video as it explains some basic information about the physical developmental milestones of school-age children.

In this next video, you will see a variety of ways to incorporate all learners into the planning of physical activities.

Do

The changes that school-age children go through as they develop and grow can be difficult for children and families to understand. As such, It is important that you provide any resources necessary to answer questions about a child’s development.

• Recognize that it is normal for all children to develop at their own paces.
• Support children as they go through changes in their physical appearance.
• Create an environment that supports all learners.