A Developmental Chart for Ages 6-8

Teeth, Toys, And Tumbling. What to expect from First Grade on. 

There’s a lot going on in First, Second, and Third Grade. Your child isn’t just working on motor skills, or linguistic development, they’re also learning social awareness and figuring out how the world works. Here’s a little of what to expect in this exciting and challenging period. 

Physical

• 6 – permanent teeth.
• 6 – physical play, wrestling and tumbling.
• 7 – nearly mastering physical skills.
• 7 – physical growth slows down.
• 8 – less tired, more healthy.
• 8 – more adult in body proportions. 

Cognitive

• 6 – likes reading.
• 6 – enjoys collecting things: toys, leaves, erasers, dolls, or cars.
• 7 – grasps basic math concepts, such as more, less, add, and subtract.
• 7 – understands cause and effect, and concepts of before and after.
• 8 – can handle most fears.
• 8 – takes an interest in the wider world, other cultures, countries, and events. 

Social

• 6 – has nightmares.
• 6 – starts to have more same-sex friends.
• 7 – begins to have an idea of self, especially in comparison with peers.
• 7 – wants more time to self.
• 8 – makes closer friendships.
• 8 – plays rule-based games with other children. 

Language

• 6 – learns to write with pencil and paper.
• 6 – understands conversational concepts, such as listening and waiting to speak.
• 7 – writes own stories using imagination or daily life.
• 7 – reading skills develop faster than spelling.
• 8 – masters reading.
• 8 – writes richer and more detailed stories. 

Parents of first graders can help their child’s development in several ways: 

1. Read. Bedtime stories, with either you or your child reading, are a great way to bond, and to encourage verbal skills. 
2. Write. Practice writing all the time, with grocery lists, stories, and journals. 
3. Friends. Give your child opportunities to work on social skills, by setting up play-dates, joining an activities club, or signing up for an after-school program. 
4. World. Be alive to how the world works. First graders are interested in everything, from where the rain goes to how diggers work.  

For more information on the development of children from six through eight, please see the full article: