Developmental Milestones: 6 Years
Children are starting to become more familiar with the rules around them and know when rules apply and when they don’t. They like following rules and can even start enforcing them when others decide to break them.
Their friendship circles are starting to evolve and are becoming more defined. Peers will help them develop a sense of belonging and of their own identity. Being liked and accepted by friends is very important to them.
Learning to write and spell at this time can cause confusion in their speech, however this will correct itself over time and with practice.
Please keep in mind that these milestones are guidelines only, as all children are different and develop at their own pace. Do not be concerned if your child does not perfectly ‘tick all the boxes’ and avoid comparing your child to other children of a similar age. If you are worried that your child’s development is particularly delayed, visit your GP.
- A developed understanding of how some things work may be apparent at this stage
- Children are also capable of understanding that people may have different opinions and that rules may apply in some places but not in others (e.g. running around is ok in the playground but not in the classroom)
- Conversations are becoming more in depth and they can express their feelings, fears and experiences in detail
- Children are starting to become more settled in their school environment. Their peers become more important and help create a sense of belonging. They may define their friendships more by having a select few that are especially important to them
- A child’s sense of identity is emerging
- The fears and anxiety of separation will slowly subside as they become more confident as an individual and happy to embark on activities alone
- Fine motor control is developing rapidly and children can really start taking their writing forward by forming letters and words. They can be slow at this but practicing their writing as often as possible will speed this up
- Their improved gross motor skills and ability to co-ordinate movement means that children can move far easier
- They should be able to skip, hop, jump and run without too many problems, they can also start to learn to ride a bike as balance is well established
- Most children are able to distinguish their left from their right
- Fine motor control is developing rapidly and children can really start taking their writing forward by forming letters and words. They can be slow at this but practicing their writing as often as possible will speed this up
- Their improved gross motor skills and ability to co-ordinate movement means that children can move far easier
- They should be able to skip, hop, jump and run without too many problems, they can also start to learn to ride a bike as balance is well established
- Most children are able to distinguish their left from their right
- Role play is starting to become more planned. They are able to put together a few movements and practice a short show before performing it to an audience. They can also act out a make believe piece of role play
- Drawings will start to become more detailed and you can guess what they are creating – people are more likely to have hair and more facial features, arms will have hands or fingers on them
- They are more observant of objects or people and if drawing a friend they can choose the correct hair colour for example
At 6 years old, a child’s understanding of the world is being guided by the National Curriculum subjects.
Children love to play and this is a great way to support their development and learning. See below for our independently tested and approved toys and apps to support your 6 year old’s development.
