Middle childhood, which includes kids aged 6 to 12, is an important time for major growth in thinking skills and social interactions. During these years, children learn to see things from other people's viewpoints, which is a big change in how they think.
According to a thinker named Jean Piaget, kids in middle childhood usually go through what he calls the Concrete Operational Stage. In this stage, they start to think more logically about real things around them. They learn important ideas like:
These skills help kids solve problems step by step. For example, they can understand that if you pour water from a tall, skinny glass into a short, wide glass, the amount of water is still the same.
Making friends becomes very important during this time. Friends can really affect how kids feel about themselves. They provide support and help kids feel good about who they are.
When kids form friendships, they also learn important social skills like:
Having good friendships can improve a child’s self-image and emotional health.
To learn more about these ideas, a great activity would be to do a group project about the role of friends in growing up. Students could talk to their classmates about their friendships and share what they find out about how friends affect feelings and social skills. This teamwork will help everyone understand how important friendships are and how they shape childhood development during these key years.
Middle childhood, which includes kids aged 6 to 12, is an important time for major growth in thinking skills and social interactions. During these years, children learn to see things from other people's viewpoints, which is a big change in how they think.
According to a thinker named Jean Piaget, kids in middle childhood usually go through what he calls the Concrete Operational Stage. In this stage, they start to think more logically about real things around them. They learn important ideas like:
These skills help kids solve problems step by step. For example, they can understand that if you pour water from a tall, skinny glass into a short, wide glass, the amount of water is still the same.
Making friends becomes very important during this time. Friends can really affect how kids feel about themselves. They provide support and help kids feel good about who they are.
When kids form friendships, they also learn important social skills like:
Having good friendships can improve a child’s self-image and emotional health.
To learn more about these ideas, a great activity would be to do a group project about the role of friends in growing up. Students could talk to their classmates about their friendships and share what they find out about how friends affect feelings and social skills. This teamwork will help everyone understand how important friendships are and how they shape childhood development during these key years.