Physical Development

• Reflexes control newborns’ behavior
• Gross Motor

  Crawls at 6-8 mos.

  Walks at 11-12 mos.

  Jumps with both feet by age 2
• Fine Motor

  At 2 years can scribble, zip a zipper, turns doorknob (in reach)
• Gender differences in early childhood

  • Girls have more fatty tissue than boys, but boys have more muscle than girls.
  • Boys may be slightly taller and heavier than girls.
• Gross Motor Skills- early childhood

  Noticeable increase in large muscle activity.

  Appearance more slender, less baby fat attributed to learning to walk and slower growth rate of fatty tissue.

  Hopping, jumping, running.

  Can pedal a tricycle.

  Age 5-6 can skip, roller skate, and skip rope.

  Bounce and catch a ball.
• early childhood fine motor skills

  • Right/ left hand preference.
  • Age 3-4, draws with crayons.
  • Can draw O and +.
  • Can dress self.
  • Age 4-5 can string shoelaces, cut on a line with scissors, and print first name.
  • Ages 5-6 can draw squares and triangles
  • Copies most alphabet letters
• sleep problems are common in early childhood
• Grow about 2 inches per year until age 11.
• Around 6, girls are typically shorter and weigh less than boys. By ages 10-12 boys and girls are about the same weight and height.
• characteristics of middle childhood:

  • slow constant growth with smoother, more coordinated movements to enable athletic skills.
  • Girls taller, boys stronger. Girls better at fine motor, boys better at gross motor.
  • Must stay active. Difficult to sit for long periods
• in middle childhood, children eneter a period of  engaging in active sports such as swimming, ball playing, and bike riding.
• in middle childhood, children can use fine motor skills like handwriting small print
• in adolescence:

  • Physical changes are more dramatic and profound.
  • Growth spurts.
  • Around age 12, girls weigh about 3 lbs more than boys.
  • By 13-14 years, boys exceed girls in both weight and height.
  • By age 18, boys are abut 4 inches taller and 20 lbs heavier than girls.
  • Boys have greater physical strength than girls.
  • Reproductive maturity beings with puberty.
  • Health risks from behavioral issues such as drug use and eating disorders.