Late Elementary (ages 8-10) – Cultivating Communities for Change

Late Elementary

8–10 years of age

During late childhood children continue to gain greater control over the movement of their bodies, mastering many gross and fine motor skills. Brain development during this age enables physical development as well as greater reasoning and flexibility of thinking. Peers relationships become central to their lives, expanding their world beyond the boundaries of family.

Milestones

Developmental Milestones

The following milestones, including cognitive, social/emotional, and physical domains, are markers of a child’s development from infancy on into adolescence. They are used to help determine if a child is undergoing typical development or if support may be helpful for them.

Milestones

What is happening cognitively?

Cognitive skills continue to expand in late childhood. Thought becomes more logical and organized. Children at this age understand concepts such as the past, present, and future, giving them the ability to plan and work toward goals.

Typically at this developmental stage children can:

follow home or school rules
spend 30-60 minutes on homework assignments
put belongings in appropriate places in bedroom or other locations in house
complete daily routines within reasonable time limits without assistance
adjust homework schedule to allow for other activities (e.g., starting early if there’s an evening Scout meeting)
maintain a hobby over several months

reason/anticipate in advance the consequence of choices and make adjustments accordingly (e.g., to avoid getting in trouble)
think more logically
think about things more abstractly and understand that issues aren’t always simple
concentrate on what they do for longer periods of time
demonstrate increased problem-solving ability
begin to understand time and the days of the week

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Milestones

What is happening socially and emotionally?

Late childhood is a developmental period when children are engaged in learning social rules, respecting others, developing social relationships, and how to collaborate. In this developmental period, children also learn about competing, protecting their rights, and being responsible.

Typically at this developmental stage children can:

imagine other people’s perspectives
self-regulate their emotions
accept not getting what they want when working/playing in a group
“shift gears” when plans have to change due to unforeseen circumstances
make impulsive decisions
be curious about gender, sexuality, babies and where they come from

sometimes joke about toileting, body functions and body parts
talk about having boyfriends or girlfriends and kissing or holding hands with another child of a similar age
wonder about the differences among bodies
try to understand relationships
explore masturbation in private
be intensely interested in peers

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Milestones

What is happening physically?

During late childhood, there is a wide range of “normal” regarding height, weight and shape. Kids tend to get taller at a steady pace, growing about 2-2.5 inches each year. Children at this developmental stage are also getting ready to enter puberty. Some children enter puberty early in this stage of their lives. Girls may get their periods and develop breasts and body hair while boys may start experiencing a change in their voice and growing facial hair. This developmental stage is sometimes described as the “gangly or clumsy” years. Because children grow so fast during puberty, their centers of gravity change and their brains might take a while to adjust.

Typically at this developmental stage children:

are taller, heavier, and stronger
experience hormonal changes leading to physical development, pre-puberty/puberty; start of menstruation
experience increase in muscles strength and size

have their hand-eye coordination get better over time, along with motor skills like ball-catching and throwing
experience changes in sleep patterns, and many children start to stay awake later at night and sleep until later in the day

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Mind the Signs

Adults and caregivers in a child’s life can keep an eye out for the following concerns that caregivers or children might have. Items under typical worries are common and likely to go away with time. Items under warning signs, such as withdrawing from certain people or showing little interest in playing, might be a sign that something more serious is going on in a child’s life. If your child is exhibiting a behavior under the warning signs category and you are concerned, you should contact your child’s pediatrician or a professional of your choice for guidance.

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Typical or Expected Worries:

Fears of the dark, insects/reptiles (e.g., spiders, snakes, etc.)
Sleeping away from home (e.g., sleepovers, sleep-away camps, etc.)
Begin to worry about death; this concept moves from impermanent (e.g., when’s grandpa coming back?) to understanding that death is a permanent state
Peer relationships and fitting in
The health of loved ones; children may have experienced a death in their immediate family or outer circle, or learned about negative health outcomes from drinking/smoking in a school prevention program
Schoolwork; feelings the increased rigor and pressure of academic success; feeling the pressure of grades starting to “count”
Environmental events outside of their circle/control (weather, school violence/shootings)
School transitions: moving from upper elementary to middle school; locker combinations, getting lost in a new school, meeting new kids

Warning Signs:

Fears of the dark, insects/reptiles (spiders, snakes, etc)
Sleeping away from home: sleepovers, sleep-away camps, etc
Begin to worry about death; this concept moves from impermanent (ex: when’s grandpa coming back) to understanding that death is a permanent state
Peer relationships and fitting in
The health of loved ones: may have experienced a death in their immediate family or outer circle, or learned about negative health outcomes from drinking/smoking in school prevention program (and their dad smokes, etc)
Schoolwork; feelings the increased rigor and pressure of academic success; feeling the pressure of grades starting to “count”
Environmental events outside of their circle/control (weather, school violence/shootings)
School transitions: moving from upper elementary to middle school; locker combinations, getting lost in a new school, meeting new kids