Physical Development

-       Play is essential to development

-       Neuroscientists suggest that play might help in the important process of pruning brain synapses during childhood

-       Play allows children to experiment safely as they learn about their environment, try out new behaviours, solve problems and adapt to new situations

Emma is 14 years old, like most european girls her age she is starting to grow taller and heavier than most boys in her class, as Valentines day is fast approaching, Emma has made a Valentines card for the boy she has a crush on, he’s visibly smaller than Emma, therefore he thinks she is not pretty. Charlie, has his eye on Nancy, she has not hit puberty and is deemed “popular”, Emma gave Charlie the card, he threw it in the snow when she was “not looking” Nancy saw and spread the word to everyone?

Ask yourself: As an educator what would you do? What support would you offer? 

Growing up, have you ever felt that you didn't meet a certain expectation (ex. physical, motor development), within your group of friends or in the classroom? Looking back, have you noticed if this expectation or any others have changed over time?

-       Obesity: in Canada the obesity rate in teenagers has tripled in the past 25 years

-       Eating disorders: Bulimia and anorexia are one of the most common eating disorders seen in females than males

-       Puberty marks the beginning of sexual maturity

-       Between ages 12 and 13, girls have their first menstrual period

-       Boys develop facial hair over the next several years, reaching their final beard potential by about age 18-19

-       Girls reach their final height by age 15-16, several years ahead of boys

-       Most boys continue growing until about age 19, but both boys and girls can continue to slightly grow up until age 25

-       Early maturation is associated with emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, especially in societies that define thinness as attractive

-       Other problems for early maturating girls are lower achievement in school, drug/alcohol abuse etc.

-       Early maturity in males is associated with popularity

-       Early maturing boys tend to engage in more delinquent behaviour, are at a greater risk for depression and abusing alcohol

-       Children become taller, leaner, and stronger, therefore they are better able to master sports and games

-       Throughout elementary school many of the girls are likely to be as large as or larger than the boys in their classes

-       Between the ages of 11 and 14, girls are on average, taller and heavier than boys of the same age.

-       Between ages 2, 4 or 5 preschoolers’ muscles grow stronger and their brains develop to better integrate information about movements.

-       Balance improves, therefore they are able to run, jump, climb, and hop

-       During their third year, most children learn to run, throw and jump but these activities aren’t controlled until age 4-5.

-       Fine motor skills such as tying shoes requires coordination of small movements

-       During this time, most children will begin to develop a life long preference for their right or left hand.

-       By age 5, about 90% of students prefer their right hand for skilled work, while 10% prefer their left

-       Approximately 1% of individual are ambidextrous