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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