DEVELOPMENTAL PROFILE
FOR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
AGE 5

Physical Development

• Large muscle (muscles that control things like running and jumping) coordination is a major domain of interest and concern for the child.  Small muscle and pincer control work (using muscles of the wrists, hands, and fingers) takes much effort and is only beginning with the majority of children.
• Jumping, running, skating, tumbling, throwing and kicking large balls seem compelling and exciting for many children.
• Child usually has good control over toileting and elimination but has accidents and can get confused about the origin of body needs associated with gas, stomachaches, and constipation.
• Frequent colds and illnesses may result from exposure to more children and the onset of stress as school demands increase when a more rigid structure is imposed.
• Aches and pains may increase - especially psychosomatic (bodily symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance) and stress related issues-- headaches, stomachaches, leg aches.
• Hypersensitivity to "little" hurts increase (e.g., pulled hair, blisters, scrubbed face).

Emotional Development

• Shows interest in initiating activities and participating in tasks for the sake of working and being involved.
• Shows interest and enjoyment in working together to do a task.
• Very stable age for most children.
• Fears recede for most children.
• Feels and expresses a sense of contentment.
• Enjoys working with others rather than competing.
• Enjoys adult company and bonds with a warm teacher.
• Typically closer with mother during this time period.
• Very verbal in describing needs and ideas.

Philosophical/Moral Development

• Basic stage of heteronomy (lack of self-determination) with child still pre-moral (does not understand intentions behind behaviors).
• Child is good because he wants to be, desires approval, praise and enjoys conforming.
• Derives pleasure from being perceived as "good" and loves being labeled as “helpful”.
• Tends to exaggerate and get involved in flights of fancy.
• Behaviors such as lying, cheating and taking things may increase.  This is often related to the child's desire to be seen as good coupled with a slower growth in self-control over desires.
• Child “bosses” others as a part of own blossoming desire to be good.
• Enjoys learning to see the distinctions between fantasy or pretending vs. reality.
• Child is just beginning to see "others" as having different needs and ideas.

Social Development

• Referents (individuals child wants to “please”):
• Parents, siblings, extended family
• Teacher may be seen as “ideal”
• Friends take on some importance
• Generally friendly and helpful-- enjoys interactions with others.
• Likes to assume fair and reasonable responsibility, but may need some reminding and help to do so.
• Enjoys playing house and assuming or playing adults roles.
• Enjoys play that puts them in adult helping roles -- mom, dad, fireman, mailman, etc.
• Begins to value and show a sense of modesty.
• Generally friendly and not overly demanding of others.
• Enjoys gentler vs. aggressive play.

Intellectual/Cognitive Development

• Intuitive stage-- child begins to acquire a mode to deal with integration of different viewpoints from his own.
• Greatest successes still come from using the right hemisphere of brain for intuitive processing (thinking creatively).
• Attention span increases.
• Enjoys utilizing skills to manage self and help self-- dressing, cleaning, bathing, etc.
• Enjoys rote learning-- counting, naming, labeling body parts, etc. and may be ready to begin decoding if the child has developed phonemic awareness (can hear and name different sounds within a word).
• Initiates organizing by planning and follow through.
• Activities that help children begin to develop logical thinking skills, understanding of spatial relationships, and beginning concepts of time (past, present, future) are appropriate.
• Concepts (understandings) tend to be piece-meal rather than integrated (seen in the context of the whole).