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Developmental Milestone for 8 and 9-Year-Old & Health Delay Signs

Middle childhood is a time of physical, mental, and emotional growth.

Age 8 is a magical year while at 9 years old, children are poised for major transition as they stand on the cusp of adolescence. They are more independent and more mature.

Movement, Hand, and Finger Skills Milestones

  • Able to balance better and move more intentionally. Their locomotor and motor skills, such as turning, spinning, and jumping, become more fluid.
  • Fine motor skills will generally become more precise – Handwriting will become smaller, neater, and all of the letters will likely be the same size.
  • Jump, skip, and chase
  • Dress and groom self completely
  • Use tools (i.e., hammer, screwdriver)
  • Have stronger and smoother muscle control that allows them to expand their physical limits and interests.

Language Milestones

  • great vocabulary growth
  • may show an interest in reading as a favorite activity,
  • Nine-year-old children are able to write and read skillfully and will be able to express themselves using complex and sophisticated vocabulary and ideas.
  •  able to use research material from the library and the internet to gather information for reports on various subjects including historical events and figures.

Cognitive Milestones

  • Can count backward
  • Know the date and can name months and days of the week, in order
  • Read more and enjoy reading
  • Understand fractions and the concept of space
  • Draw and paint
  • Enjoys collecting objects
  • move into more abstract thinking – allows them to rely on symbols rather than being mostly dependent upon the use of counters or other manipulative materials.

Social and Emotional Milestones

  • Shows genuine empathy for others and start to put others first in situations
  • Aare better able to handle conflict
  • Growing independence will lead them to seek relationships independent of their family, including sleepovers at friends’ houses
  • Capable of taking on a wider range of chores and responsibilities around the house and start participating in decisions affecting the family
  • Still greatly influenced by their parents
  • Nine-year-old children may also be moody, and maybe upset one minute and then fine the next.
  • Peer relationships take on more importance
  • Most 9-year-olds prefer to play with same-sex playmates
  • Engage in less pretend play and more sports-related activities or board games.
  • Like competition and games
  • Start to mix friends and play with children of different gender
  • May be modest about body
  • Enjoy clubs and groups, such as Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts
  • May become curious about relationships but does not admit it

Developmental Health Watch

  • Face bigger academic challenges at school
  • Struggling to make friends
  • Has trouble managing his/her emotions

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Meiling Wong

Meiling is a Singaporean mom who loves spending time with her 2 kids until they ditch her for slime-making and digital gaming. These days, she keeps herself busy trying to keep up with the social media while still contemplating if she should learn how to play "Clash Royale".

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