BRIEF OVERVIEW OF 6-YEAR-OLD

OBSERVATION
• PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT: STILL GROWING, MUSCLES AND BRAIN NOT FULLY DEVELOPED,
COORDINATION SKILLS ARE STILL DEVELOPING
• EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: GETS DISTURBED EASILY, MOOD SWING
• COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: KNOWS COINS, STUTTERS/LISPS,
• PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: LEARNING TO GET ALONG WITH OTHERS, FOOL
AROUND, HATE PUBLIC AFFECTION
• MORAL CHARACTER : HELP OTHERS, BEHAVE WELL
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• SENSE OF BODY IMAGE STARTS TO DEVELOP
• BODIES ARE STILL GROWING (GROWTH SPURTS)
• THEY DON’T GET TIRED AND ARE FULL OF ENERGY
• COORDINATION ISN’T FULLY DEVELOPED SO THIS MEANS THAT THEY ARE CLUMSY
• BECOMES ILL EASILY : COLDS, SORE THROATS, AND OTHER ILLNESSES
• AGE WHEN THEY STILL URINATE ON THEMSELVES
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
• BONES ARE NOT ABLE TO WITH STAND TOO MUCH PRESSURE
• LIGAMENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO WITH STAND TO MUCH PRESSURE
• EXTREMELY ACTIVE
• STILL DEVELOPING COORDINATION.
• LARGE MUSCLE GROUP IS MORE DEVELOPED THEN COORDINATION.
• STRUGGLING TO CONTROL A PENCIL
(SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
6-YEAR-OLD PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTERISTICS (OBSERVATION)
THE 6-YEAR-OLD BOY I OBSERVED IS ALWAYS ACTIVE. I ALWAYS SEE HIM AT LUNCH TIME RUNNING
AROUND EITHER PLAYING TAG OR PLAYING A MONSTER GAME WITH HIS FRIENDS. IN THE PE CLASS
THAT I WORK IN, HE IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE KIDS WHO NEVER STOPS, SO HE DOES FIT THE
RESTLESS CATEGORY. ALTHOUGH HE ISN’T AS TALL AS THE REST OF STUDENTS IN THE
CLASSROOM, JOSHUA HAS GROWN A BIT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL. HE STILL ISN’T ABLE
TO WRITE HIS NAME PROPERLY ON HIS ASSIGNMENT BUT AGAIN ITS GETTING BETTER SINCE THE
SCHOOL YEAR STARTED. JOSHUA HAS BEEN GETTING SICK A LOT EVER SINCE THE WINTER STARTED,
HE’S HAD TO MISS SCHOOL A LOT BECAUSE OF COLDS AND FLUS, WHICH MATCHES THE TYPICAL
DEVELOPMENTS FOR SIX YEAR OLDS.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• STUDENTS AT THE AGE OF 6 SHOULD BE GETTING ANY TYPE OF EXERCISE FOR A MINIMUM OF
ONE HOUR A DAY.
• 6 YEAR OLDS SHOULD BE SLEEPING ANYWHERE FROM NINE TO TWELVE HOURS.
• 6 YEAR OLDS SHOULD BE EATING HEALTHY AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PARENTS PRACTICE
GOOD EATING HABITS WITH THEM AT HOME SO THAT THEIR BODIES CAN PROPERLY DEVELOP
AND HAVE THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS.
• LIMIT SCREEN TIME USAGE FOR THIS AGE GROUP TO ONE OR TWO HOURS A DAY.
(CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, 2017)
TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS
• FEEL INSECURE ABOUT THEMSELVES AS THEY ARE GROWING AS INDIVIDUALS.
• DO NOT ACCEPT PUNISHMENT OR UNDERSTAND WRONGS EASILY.
• CAN BE VERY PRIDEFUL AND ACT AS IF THEY ARE THE CENTER OF THE WORLD.
• STAGE WERE THEY ACT: DEMANDING AND NEGATIVE.
• SHOW MORE INDEPENDENCE FROM FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.
• HARD TIME TO ADAPT TO RULES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
• THIS AGE LEVEL IS SENSITIVE TO BEING CRITICIZED AND HAVE A HARD TIME ADJUSTING TO
BEING WRONG; FOR THEM, FAILURE IS HARD TO ACCEPT.
• CHILDREN AT THE AGE OF SIX FEEL THE NEED TO PLEASE THEIR TEACHERS. REASON FOR THIS IS
BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE TEACHERS ATTENTION AND THEIR APPROVAL.
• INDIVIDUALS NOW START TO FEEL SENSITIVE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FEELINGS OF
OTHERS.
(SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
6-YEAR-OLD EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR
CHARACTERISTICS
• DURING A PADDLE LESSON IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION, THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PADDLES FOR
THE WHOLE CLASSROOM. JOSHUA HAD TO SHARE A PADDLE WITH A ANOTHER STUDENT AND
WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL. HE WANTED IT ONLY FOR HIMSELF AND DIDN’T WANT TO
ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HE HAD TO SHARE HIS WHEN MOST OF THE STUDENTS HAD THEIR OWN.
JOSHUA THREW A TANTRUM AND BEGAN TO CRY AND IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER COACH MILLER
TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO PLAY THAT
HE STOPPED CRYING AND SHARED. COACH MILLER PLAYED A BIG FACTOR IN GETTING HIM TO
STOP CRYING BECAUSE JOSHUA LOOKS UP TO HIM AND LOOKS FOR HIS APPROVAL.
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• PARENTS SHOULD BE AFFECTIONATE WITH THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
• AT HOME, CHILDREN SHOULD BE DEVELOPING A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITIES BY HAVING CHORES OR ANY TYPE OF
RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO THEM.
• PARENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO HELP OTHERS OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND NOT ALLOW THEM
TO NOT BE SELF-CENTERED.
• HAVING GOALS SET AT THIS AGE LEVEL WILL HELP STUDENTS FIND A SENSE OF IDENTITY AND BE MORE PROUD OF
THEMSELVES.
• JOINING ANY KIND OF SPORTS OR ORGANIZATIONS WILL HELP DEVELOP EMOTIONAL SKILLS.
• PARENTS SHOULD BE PUSHING THEIR CHILDREN TO TRY OUT NEW CHALLENGES.
(CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, 2017)
TYPICAL COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENTS
• WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT FEELING WELL, AS TIRED OR NERVOUS, THEY START TO STUTTER OR MAY EVEN HAVE
A LISP.
• 6 YEARS OLDS ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY COLORS AND NUMBERS.
• STUDENTS CAN USUALLY IDENTIFY COINS SUCH AS PENNIES, DIMES, AND NICKELS.
• HAVE NO PROBLEM BEING SUPERVISED BY ADULTS AND HAVE AN EASY TIME ACCEPTING INSTRUCTIONS.
• DOES NOT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, WILL ONLY WORK WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO.
• ONCE PROVIDED WITH A LOT OF CHOICES, 6 YEAR OLDS FIND IT HARD TO MAKE DECISIONS
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO PIAGET & VYGOTSKY
• PAIGET BELIEVED IN TWO THEORIES: ORGANIZATION AND ADAPTATION. ORGANIZATION REFERS TO
THE TENDENCY OF ALL INDIVIDUALS TO SYSTEMATIZE OR COMBINE PROCESSES INTO COHERENT
(LOGICALLY INTERRELATED) SYSTEMS. “THE PROCESS OF CREATING A GOOD FIT OR MATCH BETWEEN
ONE’S CONCEPTION OF REALITY (ONE’S SCHEMES) AND THE REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES ONE
ENCOUNTERS IS CALLED ADAPTATION.” (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
• VYGOTSKY: HIS THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IS “OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A SOCIOCULTURAL
THEORY BECAUSE IT MAINTAINS THAT HOW WE THINK IS A FUNCTION OF BOTH SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL FORCES.” (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
(SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
6-YEAR-OLD COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
CHARACTERISTICS
• JOSHUA FITS THE STUTTERING CATEGORY EXPLAINED ON THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT GUIDE.
AFTER FINISHING A LAP OR TWO, HE WOULD STRUGGLE TO COMPLETE A FULL SENTENCE AND
OFTEN STUTTERED. HE ALSO KNOWS HIS COLORS ALREADY BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT
COLORED POLY DOTS FOR CERTAIN GAMES. THE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO MOVE AROUND
AND STAND ON DIFFERENT COLORED DOTS WHICH COACH MILLER INSTRUCTS THEM TO GO TO
AFTER CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF TIME. JOSHUA HAS NO PROBLEM FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS
AND GOING TO THE COLORED DOT HE IS INSTRUCTED TO GO TO.
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
• FOR MANY STUDENTS THE LANGUAGE PROBLEMS SUCH AS STUTTERING AND LISPS ARE NOT
PERMANENT, ITS MORE OF A STAGE AND SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO THE CHILD'S ATTENTION.
• TRY OUT NEW SIMPLE ACTIVITIES TO HELP MASTER SKILLS.
• ALLOW FOR CHILDREN AGE 6 TO PRACTICE WITH MONEY. HELP THEM GIVE CHANGE BREAKING
DOWN A DOLLAR USING QUARTERS, DIMES, NICKEL'S, AND PENNIES.
• GIVE INDIVIDUALS THE CHANCE TO MAKE DECISION BUT DO NOT GIVE THEM AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT
OF CHOICES.
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
• BOYS WILL HAVE A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER.
• FRIENDSHIPS AT THIS STAGE CAN GO FROM BEING HAPPY WITH EACH OTHER TO FIGHTING WITH
EACH OTHER WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS.
• ALWAYS WANT TO WIN AND WILL DO ANYTHING TO HAVE IT THEIR WAY. FOR EXAMPLE CHILDREN
USUALLY SWITCH UP THE RULES FOR THEMSELVES TO THEY CAN BE THE WINNER OF THE GAME.
• DURING SCHOOL, THEY WILL FOOL AROUND AND CAN DISTRACT OTHER STUDENTS.
• DO NOT LIKE SHOWING AFFECTION OUT IN PUBLIC, MALES STRUGGLES MORE WITH THIS ONE
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO ERIKSON

• INDUSTRY VERSUS INFERIORITY : CHILDREN AT THIS STAGE HAVE THEIR BEHAVIOR DOMINATED
BY INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND PERFORMANCE. INDUSTRY RESULTS WHEN THEY ARE PUSHED
AND ENCOURAGED TO SUCCEED NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, THE KEY IS GIVING THEM MOTIVATION
TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. INFERIORITY RESULTS WHEN THE STUDENTS IS FAILING AND NOT
GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF HIS OR HER EFFORTS.
• (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
6-YEAR-OLD PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
CHARACTERISTICS
• I OPEN THE GATE FOR THE STUDENTS IN THE MORNING, SO I SEE JOSHUA GETTING DROPPED OFF EVERY
MORNING. HE ALWAYS TRIES TO GET AWAY WITH NOT GIVING HIS MOTHER A KISS, SHE ALWAYS CALLS HIM BACK.
JOSHUA GETS MAD BUT HE DOES IT ANYWAYS AND WALKS WAY EMBRASSED. IT PROVES THAT SIX YEAR OLDS DO
NOT LIKE SHOWING PUBLIC AFFECTION. JOSHUA ALSO HAS AN UNSTABLE FRIENDSHIP, I SEE THEM EVERY DAY AT
RECESS SOMETIMES THEY'RE IN A GOOD MOOD AND OTHER TIMES THEY'RE FIGHTING, THEY COME UP TO ME TO
TELL ON EACH OTHER AND WITHIN THE SAME DAY THEY ARE BACK TO BEING FRIENDS. SOMETHING ELSE THAT
FITS THE CATEGORY DESCRIBE IS THAT JOSHUA HAS BEEN CAUGHT BY US TRYING TO SWITCH UP THE RULES.
DURING THE SOCCER SESSION THAT WE HAD HE TOLD THE STUDENTS IT WAS OKAY FOR HIM TO GRAB THE BALL
AND HE WASN’T EVEN THE GOALIE. HIS OBJECTIVE WAS TO CONTROL THE BALL BY GRABBING, WHICH IS
UNDERSTANDABLE, SINCE HIS COORDINATION SKILLS AREN’T FULLY DEVELOPED YET.
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
• IT IS IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS THIS AGE BE GUIDED ON HOW TO MAKE AND KEEP FRIENDSHIPS.
• IT IS CRUCIAL THAT AT THIS STAGE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT THAT THEY DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO WIN
AND SHOULDN’T REACT BAD WHEN EVER THEY LOOSE. LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE ALL WINS.
• PARENTS SHOULD BE INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENT IS FOCUSING AND
BEHAVING WELL IN SCHOOL.
• BE SENSITIVE WHEN DEALING WITH THEIR FEELINGS.
((UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENTS
• INTERESTS ARE TO BEHAVE
• MAY NOT BE TRUTHFUL OR EVEN BLAME OTHER BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS A DESIRE TO PLEASE
AND DO RIGHT.
• IS VERY CONCERNED WITH PERSONAL BEHAVIOR, PARTICULARLY AS IT AFFECTS FAMILY AND
FRIENDS
(UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993)
TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENTS ACCORDING TO KOHLBERG
• TYPES OF STAGES:
• AGE 1: “PUNISHMENT-OBEDIENCE ORIENTATION. “YOU MIGHT GET CAUGHT.” (THE PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES OF AN ACTION
DETERMINE GOODNESS OR BADNESS.)” (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
• STAGE 2: “INSTRUMENTAL RELATIVIST ORIENTATION. “YOU SHOULDN’T STEAL SOMETHING FROM A STORE, AND THE STORE OWNER
SHOULDN’T STEAL THINGS THAT BELONG TO YOU.” (OBEDIENCE TO LAWS SHOULD INVOLVE AN EVEN EXCHANGE.)” (SNOWMAN, J. &
MCCOWN, R., 2013)
• STAGE 3: “GOOD BOY–NICE GIRL ORIENTATION. “YOUR PARENTS WILL BE PROUD OF YOU IF YOU ARE HONEST.” (THE RIGHT ACTION IS ONE
THAT WILL IMPRESS OTHERS.)” (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
• STAGE 4: “LAW-AND-ORDER ORIENTATION. “IT’S AGAINST THE LAW, AND IF WE DON’T OBEY LAWS, OUR WHOLE SOCIETY MIGHT FALL
APART.” (SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
(SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R., 2013)
6-YEAR-OLD MORAL CHARACTERISTICS
• JOSHUA DURING PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS LAST WEEK GOT IN TROUBLE WITH COACH
MILLER FOR DISRUPTING THE CLASS, HE WAS SO UPSET BECAUSE COACH MILLER SAID HE
WOULD CALL HOME IF HE WOULDN’T STOP. I’VE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR JOSHUA
TO NOT LET DOWN COACH MILLER. WHEN HIS PEERS GET MAD AT HIM, HE DOESN’T REALLY GET
AFFECTED BY IT BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO COACH MILLER, BEING MAD AT HIM HE GETS
REALLY UPSET. ESPECIALLY IF THE COACH TELLS HIM HE'S GOING TO TALK TO HIS PARENTS. IT
GOES TO PROVE THAT HE IS VERY CONCERNED WITH HIS BEHAVIOR AND DOESN’T WANT HIM TO
AFFECT HIS PARENTS MOOD.
MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
• TEACH THE CHILD THAT WE ARE HUMAN AND MISTAKES WILL HAPPEN.
• PARENTS SHOULD TEACH STUDENTS TO OWN UP TO THEIR ACTIONS
• DO NOT RESPOND BAD TO CHILDREN LYING AT THIS AGE, IT IS A NORM FOR A CHILD TO LIE AT
THIS STAGE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IT IS HANDLED IN A CALM MATTER AND THAT THE STUDENT
UNDERSTANDS IT IS NOT OKAY.
REFERENCES
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. (2017). CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/NCBDDD/CHILDDEVELOPMENT/FACTS.HTML

CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (2015). THE AGES AND STAGES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://CHILDDEVELOPMENTINFO.COM/AGES-STAGES/#.WR3ID_QRLRC

SNOWMAN, J. & MCCOWN, R. (2013). ED PSYCH. BELMONT, CA: WADSWORTH, CENGAGE LEARNING.

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. (1993). CHILD DEVELOPMENT: USING THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT GUIDE.
RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://DEPTS.WASHINGTON.EDU/ALLCWE2/FOSTERPARENTS/TRAINING/CHIDEV/CD06.HTM