School Age Growth and Development
At this age you can expect your child to dress himself, brush his teeth without help, play cooperatively with other children, play board and card games and follow the rules, name colors, hop, walk down stairs alternating feet, skip, talk in 4-5 word sentences, sing songs, listen to stories, shares things spontaneously, recognize letters of the alphabet, print letters, know his phone number and address and his speech should be fully understandable.This is a time of growing independence and children at this age want to be considered more responsible. To help foster this sense of responsibility, now is a good time to begin giving your child an allowance. The amount is not very important, but is usually 50 cents to $1.00 per year in age and should be used for special things that your child wants. Managing an allowance will help to teach your child about the value of money and the importance of saving.
While it is also important that your child begin to have regular age appropriate chores (setting or clearing the table, taking out the garbage, cleaning their room, etc.) around the house, these should probably not be tied to his allowance. Positive reinforcement is important for completed chores, and failure to complete chores can be punished by loss of a privilege (TV, videogames, etc.). Allowing your child to have a choice of which chore to do sometimes helps with compliance.
Encourage self esteem and a positive self image in your child by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for things that he has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore and take on new challenges.
Your six year old will likely have given up naps by now and are able to sleep all night for at least eleven hours. If not, check to make sure that he has a good bedtime routine and has developed the proper sleep associations.
For more information on your six year old's growth and development:
- Short Children
- Sleep Advice
- Temperament and a Shy Child
- Fears
- Stuttering
- Bad Habits and Fidgeting At School
- Sensory Integration Disorder
- Kids' Allowance Calculator
- Bedwetting
- A Behavior Makeover for Back Talk
- When Can I Leave My Kids Home Alone?
