Seven Years

Development

Physical
  • Still has better large muscle than small muscle coordination 
  • Rides a two-wheeler 
  • Begins to alternate rigorous and restful activities independently. 
  • Favors competitive games. 
  • Has more refined eye-hand coordination. 
  • May ask endless questions about life, death, and the human body. 
  • Still occupied with subject of teeth.
Emotional
  • Becomes better at expressing negative feelings through language 
  • May blame another for own mistake.
Social
  • Plays with boys and girls together. 
  • Usually has a best friend of the same sex. 
  • Shows growing concern about popularity among peers. 
  • Seeks approval of peers as well as adults. 
  • Takes it upon self to enforce rules. 
  • Tattles on other children perceived to be misbehaving. 
  • Tends to be quite critical. 
  • Begins to look for role-models.
Mental
  • Experiences rapid language development. 
  • Wants to be “first”, “best”, “perfect”, “correct”, in everything. 
  • Is greatly concerned with right and wrong. 
  • Still has difficulty with the concepts of honesty and dishonesty. 
  • Begins to use logical reasoning to solve problems. 
  • Continues to enjoy dramatic play.
Parenting
  • Read to your child every night. 
  • Limit the amount and monitor the quality of television. 
  • Provide a quiet, well-lit place for homework. 
  • Be available for supervision. 
  • May want to start an outside group activity (soccer team dance class, Girls Scouts, church group, etc.) 
  • Get to know your child’s friends and their parents. 
  • Provide supervision for your child after school. This is the best protection against future problems.