5 - 6 Year Olds

Physical Milestones

• Child will be more in control of his or her body.
• Child will have a marked increase in stamina and coordination.
• Child can throw and catch a ball with practice.
• Child may start to loose baby teeth as permanent teeth start emerging.
• Child will show a preference to their right or left hand.
• Child will be able to skip.
• Child will be able to master buttons.
• Child will show an interest in learning how to lace and tie his or her own shoes.
• Child will be able to write the alphabet, though the letters may not be neat or precise.
• Child is usually worn out from a day of play and learning and goes to bed easier. However, many children in this age group do not like being awakened in the morning and may be fussy.

Learning Milestones

• Child has a broader sense of right and wrong.
• Child shows a strong desire to learn.
• Child can put events in order, such as beginning, middle, and end.
• Child knows their whole name, address and birthday.
• Child is able to differentiate between fact and make believe.
• Child understands directions, such as under, over, around and through.
• Child learns better when he or she is kept on a routine.

Emotional Milestones

• Child’s mood swings are more stabilized as they settle into childhood and become comfortable with who they are.
• Child shows protective tendencies toward pets, younger siblings, and even parents.
• Child has the ability to understand when he or she has done something wrong and that they may need to be punished.
• Child has a firm set of family ties and is loyal.
• Child may develop fears, such as a fear of the dark, monsters, or people who are different.
• Child wants to do things for himself or herself, such as bathing, grooming and brushing teeth.

When to call the Doctor

Child seems to have speech or vision problems.

Specific Ways Children Can Cope With Anger

Children at this age have a harder time with boundaries and rules. They have a tough time with expressing anger. Here are a few tips on helping your child express his or her feelings better.

Children can learn to handle their anger in several ways. Give children several choices so they can pick those that work best for them. Remember that some angry episodes take longer than others to solve.

All of the influences your child is subjected to can have a powerful effect on how children relate to their world and solve problems. In today's world, learning to cope with anger and frustration in a positive way may be one of the most important tools your child ever learns.

DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL. Do something with your body such as stomp your feet (the "Mad Dance"), run around the house, or punch a pillow. Or, play with play dough, clay, or bread dough, which can be rolled out, pounded, twisted, and pulled apart. Any of these physical activities can help children focus their anger on something else and help them to calm down.

TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS. Some young children can talk to a parent, brother or sister, grandparent, a child care provider or a friend about what is making them angry. Talking helps some people work through their anger so they can accept what is making them angry, or solve the problem in a positive way. If children can't or won't talk to a person, they can be encouraged to talk to a family pet, a puppet, or an imaginary friend.

SING AN "UN-MAD" SONG. Help children make up words to a song or poem that expresses what they're feeling. Words from a favorite song can be substituted with this "un-mad" song. For example, the words "I'm so mad 'cause I can't play. Go away, go away, day!" can be sung to a familiar or made-up tune.

ASK OTHER PEOPLE HOW THEY COPE WITH THEIR FEELINGS OF ANGER. Help children collect ideas from other people on how to cope with anger. Help the child decide which ones are OK based on the information in this publication. For example, some people take a fast walk to drain off anger, while others take deep breaths when they get angry.

DRAIN THE ANGER FROM YOUR BODY. Let children relax with some water play activities or finger-painting. Or let the child scribble as hard as she can on a scrap of paper and throw the paper away as if throwing the anger away. Or encourage the child to dictate a story about what has made her angry to an adult and have the adult read it back. The child can then crumple up the paper and throw it away.

Ideas For Helping Your Little Ones Manage Anger Positively:

Drawing pictures to express feelings, warm bathes can help wash away bad feelings, snack time may help balance out irritable children and have them sit down and take some deep breaths. The more we as parents can be in control ourselves the less the anger will escalate.

Teach Children What Is Acceptable and What Is Not

Acceptable

• Hug a stuffed animal
• Have a good cry
• Draw a picture
• Talk things over
• Rip up old newspapers
• Walk away from the situation
• Play with clay or water
• Bounce a ball
• Take deep, slow breaths
• Ask for help
• Listen to music
• Go someplace quiet to cool down

Unacceptable

• Break something
• Scream at someone
• Bite someone
• Be mean to a pet
• Hurt yourself
• Throw a temper tantrum
• Hit somebody