Complete information on the developmental characteristics of later childhood

Later childhood period is the most important phase of one’s life. It is the period where child is influenced by numbers of factors of the environment. This is the period between 6 and 12 years age, beginning with the entry into school and ending in the advent of puberty. This is the period of excellence and pseudo-maturity. New interests develop, and except maturity in sex, there is maturity in other physical and mental spheres. As regards sex, it remains dormant, but emerges with great force at the end of this stage. It is, therefore, that this stage is called ‘latency period’.

Special Characteristics of Late Childhood:

This is the period of steady growth. The first teeth are replaced by the permanent set. The bones become harder. The height and weight increase. There is improvement in motor development, skill and endurance. A child at this stage is physically restless. He must engage himself into one or the other activity.

This the age of intellectual advancement, when new experiences are acquired and applied. The child develops powers of observation, reasoning and abstract thinking. He accumulates a large amount of knowledge and information. He learns the three R’s-reading, writing and arithmetic. He is able to read books and form desires and pleasure. His power of perception becomes keen. His memory (remembering, recognizing and recalling) becomes keener. This gives place to logical thinking.

Physically and intellectually, this is the period of stability. His IQ also becomes stable and indicates the degree of his intellectual capacity for future. He displays interest in reading different types of works. A boy loves adventure and fairy tales and girl loves fairy tales, mild romance and biographies.

During this period, there is future development of social traits like cooperation and team spirit. Gregarious instinct ripens at this stage, and it gets numerous opportunities for fulfillment while and child comes into contact with children of his age in the neighborhood and school. Now the child tries to loosen the sackles of the family ties. He becomes increasingly independent of his parents whom he considers merely convenient persons to provide food and shelter. He becomes member of a gang or band, and plays all sorts of mischief with the elders. He asserts himself in the gang and sometimes becomes a hero or a leader. In the word of Ross, “He no longer ploughs his lovely furrow, but finds in the company of others like himself an indispensable means of self-assertion.”

Social development takes places mostly at the playfield. Boys take interest in competing games like football, hockey, kabadi and khokho. The girls usually prefer indoor games, but given the opportunity, they show interest in badminton and skipping. The team spirit develops here, but there are numerous chances of quarrels. Girls at this stage show interest in music, painting, needlework and dancing. Boys like biking, climbing and mischief making.

The conduct of the young boy is mostly governed by the members of his group. The rebukes of parents work as deterrents. But the more his parents are aggressive, the less are the children cooperative.

Difference between infancy and late childhood:

Infancy is supposed to continue up to the first six years of life. The growth is very rapid during this period. Roots of many characteristics are laid during this period. Many of the experiences of this period continue their impact for the whole life. During the first year, the growth is very rapid. The growth of the brain is faster than any other part of the body during infancy, whereas in childhood muscles are more evenly distributed. Milk-teeth fall giving place to permanent ones. There is the greater adjustment of hands and feet. During late childhood, girls develop more than boys do.

In infancy, speed of learning is very fast. Hunger and thirst are closely related with mental development. The child insists on the fulfillment of his desires. At two years, he can express himself. By the age of two years anger, affection, surprise and fear may be shown. In late childhood combat, curiosity, self-display, repulsion and acquisition, etc. are more active. Greater consciousness of realities of life is seen during late childhood. Children are less dependent on parents, more tolerant and polite during this period as compared to infancy.

Educational Provisions:

During late childhood, the child begins to think about his future and tries to find a model for himself. This model may be in his father, mother, a friend or a teacher. This implies that elders have to be very careful about their behavior.

Further, such educational activities should be organized for him as to give adequate play of his instincts of combat, inquisitiveness, self-display, constructiveness and acquisition, etc. Since the child is now more interested in realities of life, he may be taught certain aspects of social science, especially history, geography and social studies. Syllabus in mathematics may be more comprehensive in order to give suitable mental exercises to children. Songs and poems should be of higher standard than they are for children within 6 years ago. Co-curricular activities should be comprehensive for giving play to such instincts as combat, constructiveness and self-display. An attempt should be made to see that children ‘learn through doing’.