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Developmental Milestones at age 5-7 years

Major motor skills Fine motor skills Language Vision and hearing Social achievements and play When to be concerned

Major motor skills


Children aged 57 years old can skip, and have strong ball skills.

Fine motor skills


Children can colour pictures and ill learn to tie their shoe laces.

Language
Children!s riting skills develop, usually beginning ith their name. "eading skills are developing, and they can talk #luently and con#idently.

Vision and hearing


Children should demonstrate everyday visual competence #or near and #ar.

Social achievements and play


Children choose their o n #riends, dress$undress themselves, sho caring behaviours, have an understanding o# rules and ill argue.

hen to !e concerned
Some children are slo er to reach these age%appropriate milestones, but ill o#ten catch up. &thers have not been e'posed to certain skills and so ouldn!t be e'pected to develop them. For e'ample, a child ho only ears !slip%on! shoes or shoes ith velcro straps is unlikely to learn to tie shoelaces by age seven.

More in"ormation
For more in#ormation on developmental milestones in childhood, including recommended health check%ups and childhood immunisation,

see (evelopmental Milestones. http)$$tumblon.com$milestones$*+,

Is eager to learn and has a strong desire to please adults


- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Children have a natural appetite #or learning that can be either /uickened or s/uashed. 0ncouraging your child to ask /uestions and giving him opportunities to practice the abilities he is currently developing establish patterns o# li#elong learning.

Can be both cooperative and competitive


- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 1oth cooperation and competition can #oster learning. 2n general, it is ise to emphasi3e cooperation, since the ability to ork ith and learn #rom others ill dramatically shape your child!s school e'periences.

May focus on only one part of a situation. for example, a child of this age may believe that a tall, narrow bottle of soda contains more soda than a short, wide bottle with an equal amount because one is taller than the other.
- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 4he best teacher is e'perience ith care#ul observation. 2n the e'ample o# the glasses, ask your child hich one hold more ater, and then e'periment to see hich glass can hold more. 4hrough these e'periences your child ill learn to look and think care#ully.

May believe that objects have feelings. for example, a child of this age might feel sorry for a car that has a lot of passengers in it.
- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 4his childhood capacity #or empathy helps children to enter into the orld o# stories. When you read ith your child, be sure to talk about ho the people 5and objects67 in the story might #eel.

Understands the concepts of today, tomorrow, and yesterday


- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 8aving an interactive child!s calendar and talking regularly about the days o# the eek ill help your child to understand the concepts o# today, tomorro , and yesterday. Concerned that your child hasn!t met this milestone yet9

ollows two!step directions. for example, if you say to your child, "go to the #itchen and get me a trash bag," he will be able to remember and fulfill that direction.
- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& :iving your child responsibility ithin the home is an ideal ay to develop ability ith multi%step directions. ;our child ill #eel important #or contributing and proud o# being able to complete all parts o# the direction. 2# your child does not understand t o% part directions ith prepositions, you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

$nows his name, age, and address


- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Since children learn by repetition, children usually learn their address by reciting it regularly until it is memori3ed. For many children, using a song ill help them to memori3e it much more /uickly. 2# your child cannot correctly state his #irst and last name, you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

%nswers who, what, when, where, why questions


- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 4he best ay to develop ability in ans ering /uestions is through #re/uent real%li#e conversations. (on!t be a#raid to ask many /uestions to encourage your child!s observation and verbal skills.

&evelops confidence by practice and with encouragement from adults


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Con#idence is critical to a child!s development. 8ealthy development depends on a child continually taking risks and trying ne things. ;ou can build your child!s con#idence by providing support #or #irst attempts at challenging ne skills. =raise him not only #or success, but also #or perseverance in his attempts. 2# your child is very #ear#ul, or very aggressive, you may ant to talk ith your pediatrician.

'ome is still very important and is the foundation for your child to become responsible
- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& When a child begins #ormal schooling 5particularly in public or private schools7 it is tempting to think that home is less important. 8o ever, it remains the center o# nurture and is primarily here your child ill gro in character % hich ill directly a##ect his enjoyment o# and success in school. 8o ever, i# your child has a strong #ear o# separation #rom parents, you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

Increasing separation and independence from parents are healthy steps in your child(s development
- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& (epending on personality, some children ill be ready #or separation 5like going by himsel# to :randma!s or a #riend!s house7 earlier than others. 2n most case, it ill be a gradual process, beginning ith a short period o# time, to give the child con#idence being alone in the ne environment.

)ends to identify with the parent of the same sex


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& -lthough a child at this age tends to identi#y more ith the parent o# the same se', having a healthy relationship ith both parents is very important #or your child!s social and emotional development.

*egins to measure himself by other people(s expectations


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 4his is a healthy step in development that is made easier i# the e'pectations placed upon him are realistic #or his developmental stage. 4hen, his sense o# satis#action in meeting e'pectations, and disappointment in not meeting them, ill help him to continue to develop normally.

Is becoming aware that he is one of many people in the world


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& >p to this time, most children are #ocused primarily on themselves. -t this developmental stage, your child begins to reali3e that he is part o# a community, and is more sensitive to the needs and ants o# others. ;our child may be very interested in books that help him understand other people, and other parts o# the orld.

May enjoy being with you and at home more at age + than he did at age ,
- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& -s children have more time outside the home, they o#ten more highly pri3e the time at home ith #amily. 8o ever, by age , your child ill probably be more #ocused on his peers.

&evelops the social s#ills to ma#e friends


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Children at this age need to be guided in the process o# building #riendships. 4hey must be taught e'plicitly and by e'ample ho to be kind, help#ul, #aith#ul, etc. Literature ith e'emplary characters help your child to envision the kind o# #riend he can become. 2# your child sho s little interest in other children, you should talk ith your pediatrician.

Imitates both good and bad adult behavior


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 4alking about adult behavior 5particularly behavior that you do not ant him to imitate7 is one o# the best ays to help your child process hat he e'periences. ;ou may #ind that your child senses that particular behaviors or e'pressions are inappropriate % or he may be una are. "eading children!s literature together allo s you to talk ith your child about the actions o# characters ithout commenting on the behavior o# a particular adult in your child!s li#e.

Communicates well with others without your help


- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& -llo ing your child to speak #or himsel# sparks him to develop his verbal skills. When you ask him good /uestions, you ill encourage both his thinking skills and his verbal skills. Speaking #or your child ill delay his verbal development. 2# your child displays little interaction ith other people, you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

'ow other children perceive your child will affect his self!image
- Social < 0motional milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Children are sensitive to one another, even at a young age. 2t is important to give your child a strong sense o# values at home so that he can respond to peers! perceptions in appropriate ays.

-ounds as if he is reading when he pretends to read


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& When you read a book ith in#lection, your child listens to the ay you read. So it is not surprising, hen your child sits to @read@ to himsel#, that he not only remembers major parts o# #amiliar stories but even uses proper in#lection to tell the story. Concerned that your child hasn!t met this milestone yet9

.njoys being read to


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& -t this age, you can begin to introduce more variety into your reading. - year or so ago, your child might have anted only a #e lines o# te't per page ith many illustrations. -s you read, and his imagination develops, he ill be content ith more ords, and #e er pictures per page. Some children at this age are very content #or parents to read them chapter books that have #e pictures or lack illustrations altogether6 8o ever, most ill still enjoy picture books ith more comple' story lines.

/etells simple stories


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range.

#$%& Children learn to tell stories by hearing stories. (on!t be surprised i# you begin to hear invented stories about the characters #rom your child!s #avorite book. 4hat is a great sign that he is interacting ith the stories. ;ou can also ask him to retell storylines #rom #avorite books A you ill probably be ama3ed at the details he remembers6

Uses descriptive language to explain or to as# questions


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& ;our child ill develop a rich vocabulary by hearing rich vocabulary. "eading books not only introduces him to stories, but gives him more ords ith hich to e'press himsel# because books 5even childrenBs books7 use a larger vocabulary than adults use in everyday li#e.

/ecogni0es letters and letter!sound matches


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& &ne o# the most important developments o# literacy at this stage is to connect letters ith their 5many7 sounds. Children ill naturally associate one sound ith each letter, but it is help#ul to introduce the alternate sounds o# letters 5#or e'ample, the t o sounds o# g, and c7 early so that hen your child encounters these letters in print, he is not con#used by the less common sound.

-hows familiarity with rhyming and beginning sounds


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& Many pieces o# children!s literature e##ectively use alliteration 5 ords that begin ith the same letter7 and rhyme 5 ords that end ith the same sound7 to create an e'perience o# sounds that engages young minds just as much as the story itsel#. 1e sure to include poetry and rhyming books in your reading routines6

Understands that print is read left!to!right and top!to!bottom


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& ;our child ill learn the #lo o# print by #ollo ing your #inger as you point to the ords you are reading. While his attention ill likely be #i'ed on the illustrations, #ollo ing the ords ith your #inger can give him a sense o# ho ords #it on the page.

*egins to match spo#en words with written ones


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& @Sight ords@ are a delight to children and parents alike. 4his is, in a sense, a child!s #irst e'perience o# reading, o# recogni3ing a set o# letters and kno ing the ord they make. Some children ac/uire this skill long be#ore they kno the sounds that the individual letters make, hile others ill learn to decode sounds be#ore gaining any sight ords. &ne #un ay to encourage sight ords is to choose a #amiliar ord 5like @he@ or CsheD7 and every time you come to that ord in a book to let your child say it. =reschoolers pick up sight ords very /uickly ith this kind o# activity.

*egins to write letters of the alphabet and some words he uses and hears often
- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& 2t is important to balance encouragement ith structure as your child is learning to rite letters. 8e may have creative ays o# shaping his letters, just as he has inventive spelling. 1oth o# these are #ine and normal. 8o ever, as you help him to learn conventional spelling, it is also important to learn ho to #orm the letters properly so that the habits he #orms at home help him in school. Wipe clean books are an e'cellent tool to teach letter riting, as they usually include arro s ith numbers to sho hich motion comes #irst, and the child can rite directly on top o# the model.

*egins to write stories with some readable parts


- Literacy milestone #or the *%? years age range. #$%& =utting ords together to communicate in riting is a major milestone #or children. Eot long a#ter he begins to recogni3e sight ords, he ill ant to begin communicating using his ne #ound ritten vocabulary.

Is capable of measuring ingredients and using simple #itchen utensils such as an eggbeater, grater, and vegetable peeler
- Fine Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& =ractice basic skills until they are mastered be#ore allo ing your child to try advanced tasks. -s your child builds skill and con#idence in the kitchen, you ill have a helper and constant companion.

Uses a pencil to ma#e shapes 1li#e a square2 and then to ma#e letters, words, and sentences
- Fine Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 2# your child does not yet hold a pencil properly, this is the time to teach him. Forming good habits no ill help him #or years to come. Many children #ind tracing help#ul to learn to rite letters and numbers. Wipe%o## books enable your child to do this repeatedly and, hen ready, move to riting independently. 2# your child continues to #ind holding a pencil di##icult, you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

&raws people, houses and trees with more detail than before 1for example3 at least 4 body parts when he draws a person2
- Fine Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Children develop dra ing ability ith encouragement. ;ou can ask your child about his dra ing and its speci#ic parts. 4his ill help him to be more precise in his dra ings. 2# he has dra n a person, you can ask him hat is missing and encourage him to add the missing elements, but take care that your comments donBt sound like criticisms.

5erforms a series of motions in order to do a complicated motor activity li#e pumping himself on a swing, s#ipping, jumping rope, or swimming stro#es
- :ross Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& Comple' motor activities re/uire instruction, encouragement, and practice. Without good instruction, a child may learn to s im a k ardly but not learn techni/ues that ill make it #un and easy. Without encouragement, a child may be discouraged by the challenge o# an activity. Without practice, even good instruction and encouragement ill #all short.

&evelops more visual!motor coordination and can catch bounced or thrown balls more easily
- :ross Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& ;ou!ve al ays anted to say, @Feep your eye on the ball6@ and no is the time. Like all skills, practice is the key to mastery. 4o make it easier at #irst, you may ant to use a balloon 5 hich is easy to catch because it moves slo ly7 to give him greater success and build con#idence.

*alances on one foot for 67 seconds


- :ross Motor milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& ;ou can help your child build con#idence by making it a game) Who can balance on one #oot #or the longest9 &r, can you stand on one #oot ith your eyes closed9

/ecogni0es opposites, defines objects by their use, and uses relatively good sentence structure
- Speech < Language milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& ;ou don!t need to teach grammar lessons 5yet7 to help your child understand parts o# speech and use proper structure. Modeling is the best teacher) speak properly to your child and read lots o# books together. 2# your child does not use plurals or past tense properly hen speaking 5despite good modeling7 you should discuss this ith your pediatrician.

Understands the rules of conversation and is able to tal#, then listen


- Speech < Language milestone #or the *%. years age range. #$%& 8o you listen to your child 5and to others7 teaches your child ho to listen. Model active listening ith good eye contact, clari#ying /uestions, and simple restatements o# hat has been said.

$nows all the letters and their sounds, and numbers to 677
- Cognitive milestone #or the *%. years age range.

#$%& Much o# hat your child ill learn in the #irst years o# elementary school ill be related to reading, riting, and math. Learning the letter names and sounds 5and letter combination sounds7 is the #oundation o# learning to read. 4he best ay to rein#orce these skills is in the conte't o# books your child loves.

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