Psychological & Physical

Development in Children

 An important thing to remember when teaching lessons is knowing what you are teaching and to whom you are teaching. You should have a clear picture of what your students can and cannot do physically as well as emotionally. The best way to find this out is to ask them what their experiences are. Find out if they participate in other sports, if they enjoy schoolwork, and what they do for fun, etc. Look at their physical makeup; are they large or small for their age? The more research you do, the more successful the lesson will be, and the easier your job will be. Assessment of your students is an ongoing process and should be continuous.

 3-5 Years 

  • Little or no awareness of other kids, self-centered 

  • Little or no awareness of surroundings 

  • May not adjust to group activities 

  • Need variety, no task longer than 10 or 15 minutes 

  • Desire attention and approval 

  • Highly curious and imaginative minds 

  • Unlikely to comprehend cooperation 

  • Has difficulty concentrating and staying focused 

  • Rapid growth, soft bones 

  • Fatigue easily 

  • Very susceptible to extreme temperatures -won’t know they are getting cold. If they say they are cold, they are freezing! 

  • Use large muscle groups and are capable of gross motor movement. Not capable of fine motor movements. 

 6-10 Years 

  • Enjoy group activities 

  • Pride in accomplishments 

  • Adventuresome, more eager to try new things 

  • Longer attention span 

  • Very imaginative 

  • Interest in cooperation and team activities 

  • Like to test boundaries 

  • Rapid growth 

  • Better control of accessory (small) muscle groups 

  • Some capacity for fine motor movements 

  • Boys taller and heavier than girls 

  • Coordination better developed 

  • Fatigue easily 

  • Susceptible to extreme temperatures 

 11-14 Years 

  • Social interaction is very important 

  • Develop friendships quickly 

  • Enjoy activity and have the ability to concentrate (but don’t stand/talk too long) 

  • Competition is appreciated 

  • Seek leadership and direction from accepted instructors 

  • Like to be given limited amounts of responsibility 

  • Period of rapid growth, girls developing faster than boys 

  • Reaction time is getting better 

  • Greater endurance 

  • Fine motor skills more fully developed 

  • Often feel like they are “on-stage,” self-conscious of audience 

  • May take a step backward in skills as they become accustomed to their growing bodies.

 14-18 Years 

  • Mental endurance is stronger, able to understand more complex ideas 

  • Learning pattern usually established, find out if thinker, doer, feeler, watcher 

  • Usually self-reliant 

  • Adjust to groups easily 

  • Ready to accept leadership responsibility 

  • Self-motivated  

  • May have developed fears from previous experience 

  • Bodies are still growing, boys catching up to girls as they get closer to 18  

  • Endurance is relative to physical conditioning  

  • Reaction time is fully developed 

  • Coordination improved