Social, cognitive and physical development milestones for 5-year-olds

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Le Thu Phuong - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Most children from the age of 5 have begun to develop more independence, self-control and creativity. Children also have certain social, cognitive and physical development. At this age, children are satisfied with playing with their toys for longer periods of time, are eager to try new things, and when they feel frustrated, they are better able to express their emotions. Although children grow and develop at a general rate, your child will likely reach most of his or her own social, cognitive, and physical development milestones. In this article we will provide useful information to help you better understand this problem of 5-year-old children.

1. Development milestones

1.1. Physical and motor development Your 5-year-old baby is now able to coordinate more complex movements and is sure to enjoy showing off his physical abilities. You may find your child can't sit still, squirms even while watching TV or eating, even when he sleeps in one position but wakes up in another position. Don't worry too much, these are just normal expressions of children of their age. When your child is 5 years old can reach developmental milestones such as:
Your child's ability to run and jump becomes better because at this age, he will have better coordination and balance. Children can ride a bike, jump rope, balance on one leg for short periods of time, walk down stairs... Your baby's little muscles are working better, use flexible hands to button a shirt. shirt, catch a big ball, comb his own hair and even tie his shoelaces, Your child may need less assistance to feed and may even be able to eat his own meals. Your child can gain about 5cm in height and 2kg in weight by the time they are 4 years old. 1.2. Behavioral Development Five-year-olds have been in school for a while, how your child behaves at school, at home, or around people is very important. Always keep an eye on your child's behavior. Here are some developmental behavioral milestones for a 5-year-old:
Your child may become more independent at this age, and he or she may enjoy starting to mingle with family members. family and friends. Your child may want to do things on his own, like eating or dressing himself, choosing his own clothes, putting on his own shoes, etc. Your child may become more sociable once he starts walking. learn and meet more children. 1.3. Cognitive development Cognitive development means developing the ability to think, reason, and solve problems. Cognitive development ensures that a child develops both mentally and emotionally. You may have noticed that your child's attention has increased significantly now and he can now sit and play a favorite game longer than before. Your child will also be able to fully understand the concept of time (today, tomorrow, yesterday) and also know the seasons, recognize words by eye and try to pronounce difficult words. Some children were able to read simple words or do some elementary math problems. Here are the cognitive developmental milestones you should know:

Children can understand the concept of rules and can even follow them, helping parents with a few small household chores. Play more complex games like jigsaw or lego. Children are more patient and independent, able to make some small decisions. Your child can understand the concept of 'right' and 'wrong'. Your child will recognize most of the alphabets, possibly even writing them down from memory. Children love to read picture books and tell an imaginary story to their liking. Your child can remember your phone number, be able to say his full name, address, age and date of birth. 1.4. Language and communication development: By the time your child turns 5, he or she will be better at communicating with people. Good communication skills always help in the long run. You'll find that your baby enjoys talking more, even when no one in the room can imagine stories to tell his doll or superhero friends. You may also find your child is using full complex sentences and will have adult-like conversations. They can understand jokes and puzzles and will enjoy participating in school performances.
5-year-old baby language development milestones:
Child speaks longer, more complex sentences clearly and coherently. You may be surprised and amused when your child gives his or her point of view about a certain event or story. Tell your friend about a day at school, show you your interests. Can understand other people's point of view. Expressing more complex emotions, such as jealousy or frustration 1.5. Social and emotional development Social and emotional development can help a child make new friends. It also helps children understand their own feelings as well as the feelings of others. Children will also be able to empathize and share their problems. Your child's independence is showing at this time, but he still needs your love and care. Therefore, the social and emotional development in a child helps to perfect their personality.

Things children can do to demonstrate social and emotional development during this period include:
Express feelings clearly, understand more complex emotions like jealousy/frustration. Children can have better control over their emotions, with fewer sudden outbursts of anger/sadness. More patient, more open and also more reasoned. Seeks approval, but may not respond well to criticism. Enjoy fun days with your classmates. Connect with family members Your child can distinguish between reality and fantasy. 1.6. Learning and Educational Development By age 5, your child's study skills will develop. To see if your child is meeting academic and educational milestones, see the following:
Your child should be able to distinguish and write lowercase and uppercase letters. Your child can already master the basics of the alphabet, numbers and colors, and more.

2. Tips for parents to help develop in 5-year-olds

Your child learns a lot from discovering new things and gaining experience. Therefore, it is important to expose your child to new sports, crafts, and social situations. As a parent, you can help your child learn new things and reach different developmental milestones as follows:
Let your child play games that can help him develop various social skills such as caring, share, etc. Engage your child in activities such as singing, storytelling, and reciting, as these will help your child develop his language skills. You can have your child participate in various household chores with you such as cooking, cleaning, washing, etc. These daily tasks will help children develop their motor skills. Engage your child in activities that involve drawing, coloring, and more. Get your kids involved in some outdoor activities like cycling, swimming, playing ball, etc. with friends. If you can introduce your child to a few foreign languages, this is the right time for them to familiarize and memorize.

3. When do you need to worry?

Children develop and grow at their own pace, so don't worry if your child hasn't hit all of these milestones by age 5. You should not compare your child with other children because sooner or later he will reach all those developmental milestones. However, there may be abnormalities in children of this age that you should be aware of so that you can intervene early or consult a doctor:
You notice that your child seems withdrawn and withdrawn isolated or autistic Your child exhibits extreme emotions or behaviors such as sadness, anxiety, fear, etc. You think your child is not responding to others or if he is acting superficially in front of others. You notice that your child is easily distracted and has difficulty concentrating on any activity for more than five minutes. Your child may forget or lose a skill he once had. Your child has difficulty with daily household chores such as undressing himself, drying his hands after washing or brushing his teeth, or some movement disorders may occur in children. Your child's behavior is not age appropriate. Your child is restless and has trouble sleeping. Your child cannot draw basic pictures yet. Your child does not share his or her daily activities. Your child is unable to use language (language disorder) to express his or her feelings and thoughts. Your child cannot remember his or her first or last name. Your child doesn't enjoy doing a lot of different activities or games. Your child cannot distinguish between real and unreal situations. Your child does not express emotions differently ( affective disorder ). During the development stage of 5-year-old children, if they notice abnormal signs in cognition, physical, etc., parents should take the child to reputable facilities for timely examination and treatment. At Vinmec International General Hospital, children will meet with pediatric psychiatrists and psychologists, through the Denver II test to assess four areas of child development including: fine motor, gross motor, and language. , individual-society; along with psychological tests such as CBCL, DBC-P, CARS... to detect psychological disorders with teher. From there, giving advice and training instructions, psycho-behavioral therapies suitable for each child.
For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.
References: babycenter.com, expatwoman.com, parenting.firstcry.com