Michigan 4-H Youth Development: Early Adolescents


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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

Early Adolescents

Youth Development Programs for Young People Aged 9 to 15

Early Adolescents

About the Major Developmental Changes

Early adolescence, the stage of life between childhood and adolescence, is usually thought of as the ages of 10 to 14 or 9 to 15. It’s an exciting, sometimes scary time in the life of a child-growing-into-an-adolescent because of the major changes that take place during these years:

Physical changes: Puberty is the key to the physical changes in early adolescence. The hormonal changes that began when the child was between 5 and 9 increase. Bodies begin to change, and kids begin to see themselves differently! Girls go through growth spurts of between 2 and 6 inches a year, breast development, the appearance and growth of pubic and underarm hair, widening hips, smaller waistlines and, of course, the beginning of menstrual periods. In general, hormonal changes begin about two years later for boys, who go through growth spurts of up to 6 inches a year, muscle development, the appearance and growth of facial hair as well as pubic and underarm hair and, often, "wet dreams" (nocturnal emissions).
Thinking changes: At the same time physical changes are taking place, early adolescents are beginning to develop new ways of thinking. They’re no longer caught in the "here-and-now" of childhood; they’re beginning to develop higher-level thinking skills that allow them to think about ideas, anticipate and begin to see a personal future. They may begin to question old beliefs and explore new ones, as well as to criticize the adults in their lives.
Social changes: Social changes occur during early adolescence for many reasons. They are brought about because of the body changes kids are going through and the new thinking that kids are beginning to develop. The freedom and responsibility granted to kids by parents and society also contribute to social changes, because early adolescents are allowed to do more things and go more places. Peers become increasingly important during these years, a process that helps kids to gradually "wean" themselves from parents and become independent. Early adolescents also move from primarily having friends of the same gender to having friends of the opposite gender, marking the beginning of exploring and learning about male-female relationships.
Emotional changes: It’s not surprising that amidst these all of these other changes, early adolescents sometimes feel unsure of themselves and need the support of adults. With many things changing both inside and outside of the early adolescent, life can seem pretty topsy-turvy at times. If early adolescents act like children one day and adults the next, it’s because that’s exactly how they’re feeling!

Six "Jobs" of Early Adolescents

Each stage of life has "jobs" that each individual needs to learn in order to go on and live a healthy or productive life. Many people who study human development believe that if the "jobs" at a particular stage are not learned, people get "stuck" at this stage of development and will be less successful (at work, at home and within themselves) than those who master their "jobs." Early adolescents have six interrelated "jobs" to accomplish during this stage of their lives:

Increase positive feelings about themselves and who they are.
Increase positive feelings about their changing bodies.
Become more responsible and develop decision-making skills.
Become increasingly independent.
Develop better interpersonal communication skills.
Begin to think about a plan for the future.

Adapted from work and research by: Christine Nelson, former 4-H Program Leader and Extension Human Development Specialist, Department of Child and Family Ecology, Michigan State University.

4-H Resources for Working With Early Adolescents

Several resources are available to help the adults who work with early adolescents better understand these young people and help them build skills to prepare for healthy, successful and productive futures:

Character Education
A community-based approach to teaching young people six values that transcend the divisions of politics, religion, race, gender and social class – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Activities are available in six age groups, including ages 9 to 11 and 11 to 13.

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:

Janet Olsen, 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: olsenj@msu.edu