Unit 8.1 developmental milestones for 9 to 12 year old children

Social and Emotional

• Begins to realize that adults are not always right
• May test authority limits, talk back and show signs of rebellion
• Want to be their own person and make their own rules
• May enjoy competitive sports
• Learning to see other’s point of view
• Better able to control their emotions, but feelings are easily hurt
• Very conscious of appearance and want to conform to peers
• Worry about not fitting in, not being invited to a party
• May develop a “crush”
• Difficulties dealing with failure
• May tattle to gain attention and to enforce rules
• Developing a strong sense of what is right and wrong

Cognitive & Language/Communication

• Reading and writing skills improving with every year
• General knowledge base is expanding
• May perform better in some school subjects than in others
• Daydreams about future events
• May start to think about future career
• Can understand concepts without direct, hands-on experience
• Memory abilities are expanding
• May be able to judge behaviour and anticipate consequences of actions
• Able to understand abstract concepts
• Able to express themselves well
• Understands emotions
• Will have periods of being talkative and periods of withdrawal
• Can carry on extended conversation

Physical

• Increased body strength and dexterity
• Improved coordination
• May experience a growth spurt
• May show bodily changes indicating upcoming puberty
• Girls may begin to menstruate
• Boy’s voices may begin to crack
• Require about 10 hours of sleep a night to keep up with energy levels
• May appear gangly with long limbs
• Eyes reach maturity
• May find hobby/exercise that they enjoy more than others
• Can complete all self-care routines