Michigan 4-H Youth Development: 5- to 8-Year-Old Programs


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4-H Youth Development Michigan State University 160 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 USA Phone: 517-432-7575 Fax: 517-355-6748 Email: msue4h@msu.edu Disclaimer & Indicia

Five- to Eight-Year-Olds

Youth Development Programs for School-Aged Children

About the Major Developmental Changes

When working with 5- to 8-year-olds or school-aged children, it's important to think about the developmental changes these young people are going through. It is also necessary to consider how these changes affect how you work with children in this age group. Keeping children's development in mind will help ensure fun and learning for all — adults and children alike!

What follows are the characteristics related to children's physical, cognitive, social and emotional development during the 5- to 8-year-old stage, along with implications these characteristics have for working with children. Individual differences play a big role in how children behave and what they like to do. Sometimes children's development is uneven. For example, while physically a child may look older than other children who are the same age, he or she may lag behind peers in social skills.

Furthermore, children are influenced by the people and the places where they spend their time: their family, their friends, their school, and their community. Another important point to remember is that even though we look at specific aspects of the child's development to understand it better, each child is a "whole" child. The children who are in your clubs, groups and classrooms are a "complete package."

Physical Development

School-aged children, or 5- to 8-year-olds, have slower growth rates as compared to children in the early childhood years. They begin to refine their large (gross) and small (fine) motor skills, resulting in greater control of their bodies. They also are generally healthy and have lots of energy. What this means for those working with this age group is:

Children need opportunities to be physically active.
A leader should plan times for group games and other recreational activities.
With increased small motor coordination, children can participate in more complex arts and crafts projects.
Children gain a sense of independence from their increasing physical abilities.
Developing new physical skills adds to a child's self-esteem.

Cognitive Development

School-aged children are "here and now thinkers" who have not mastered abstract thinking. They are beginning to develop new memory skills. They begin to think more intuitively and develop hunches about things. During this developmental stage, children begin to improve their language abilities. Their vocabulary increases and they're able to express ideas and manipulate words. They also begin to increase their problem-solving abilities. They're learning to read and write and they like to learn and use new skills.

Activities and programs for this age group should:

Use real objects and materials and concrete, "real world" experiences. Children should be involved in activities with concrete objects and that use common materials.
Match their new thinking skills to capitalize on shifts in cognitive development.
Encourage them to talk about what they're doing to enhance learning through reflection. Ask "How can we solve this problem?" and "What do you think will happen?" instead of giving the answer to stimulate thinking skills.
Be fun as well as educational.

Social Development

Children this age show a strong interest in friends. They may prefer to play with friends who are the same gender. They are beginning to develop self-discipline. They're also less self-centered and more sensitive to the needs of others. It is at this time that they begin to understand the "rules" for how the social world functions.

Implications for working with this age group suggest:

Planning activities that develop positive social interaction skills, such as learning how to be a friend, communication and helping others.
Developing discipline strategies aimed at promoting self-discipline.
Planning activities that promote cooperation, such as working in pairs or small groups, or games that involve teamwork.
Allowing kids to be involved in making the rules.

Emotional Development

During this developmental stage, 5- to 8-year-olds often seek adult approval and support. They may have difficulty talking about feelings. They're concerned with fairness and see right and wrong as absolute. They begin to compare themselves with others. They may choose to work out fears by "acting out" or withdrawing.

When programming with this group:

Allow time for individual, small and large group activities.
Plan activities that focus on creative expression.
Develop positive communication skills and discipline strategies. Model positive communication with adults and children.

The Michigan 4-H Cloverbud Program Policy Information document outlines policies that seek to ensure that 4-H cloverbud members remain safe and have positive, developmentally appropriate experiences in 4-H.

More Things to Consider When Working With Five- to Eight-Year-Olds

Learning Materials

More information on learning materials available to support these activities can be found in the Michigan Guide to 4-H or through the MSU Bulletin Office.

Training & Events

For upcoming training and events in this area, check the 4-H Volunteer Workshops web site, the MSU Extension Calendar and the 4-H Exploration Days web site.

Contact Information

For more information on how to get involved as a youth or volunteer, contact your county MSU Extension office or:

Sheila Urban Smith, Program Leader
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
USA

Phone: 517-432-7575
Fax: 517-355-6748
Email: smiths20@msu.edu

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