The middle years of childhood are an important period of development, ending with the major transition of starting secondary school! It’s a time of opportunity and challenge for both children and parents.
During middle childhood your child will continue to develop in the following areas:
- Physical growth
- Thinking skills
- Language development
- Emotional regulation
- Social development
Your child is exploring who they are and who they want to be. They will:
- Fine tune the skills they’ve learnt so far
- Set their health habits for the future
- Start grappling with puberty, physical changes and gender roles
- Start making meaningful friendships
- Form attitudes about the world they live in
- Start their journey towards independence
This is a period of rapid change as your child transitions into adolescence and into secondary education. Your child may start to become concerned with:
- The influence of their friends and other children
- Trying to ‘fit in’
- Their school performance
- Their appearance
You, your wider families, friends and community all have a vital role in supporting your child’s development through the middle years. It can be tricky finding the right balance between supporting your child to be independent and responsible, and keeping them safe, providing protection and guiding them to make positive choices.
Our advice and guidance will help you understand your child’s development and support them on their journey through middle childhood.
