As your child continues to grow, you will notice new and exciting abilities that your child develops. While children may progress at different rates and have diverse interests, the following are some common milestones children may reach in this age group.

At this age, children are continuing to grow and growth is dependent upon adequate nutrition, active bodies and emotional well being. Gradeschoolers are refining their gross and fine motor skills. 5-8 year-old children enjoys lots of physical activities like running, rollerblading and riding bikes. 9-12 year old children prefer playing games and sports.

Big kids are now learning how to make and keep friends. They are also learning socially acceptable behaviors and model appropriate behaviors. At this stage, they prefer to play with children with the same gender and get involved with hobbies or common interests.

At this rate, experiences are instrumental in the development of cognition play and discovery. The brain is capable of many things but it is extremely important that the brain makes new and frequent connections through these experiences.

What children learn through play and discovery often affects understanding. It is down to us parents and caregivers to provide opportunities for play and interaction.

Watching kids grow up can be both rewarding and sad. Remember to celebrate each developmental milestone with your child and remember that as with all milestones, children develop at different paces at a certain age range.

I hope you’ve found this article useful. If you have questions, leave a comment below or message me at ogalalaexpert@oga-lala.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Teacher Raissa is a teacher by day and Crayola addict 24/7! She absolutely adores children and has been working (and playing!) with them for the last 9 years. She teaches math, is a homeroom adviser to adorable Preschoolers, and believes in learning through play.