Explain some characteristics of young children …

Children are continually changing physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. They follow a general pattern of growth and development. Parents and teachers who are aware of common characteristics of different age-groups will be able to deal with children’s behavior more appropriately and teach them more effectively.

Some children may develop faster or slower than others their age. For example, a particular six-year-old may fit more closely the age characteristics of a five-year-old or a seven-year-old. Remember also that children may temporarily revert to younger behavior during emotional stress or tension.

Church lesson manuals have been prepared with children’s growth characteristics in mind. As you study and prepare each lesson, be aware of how each part of the lesson can help you meet the children’s needs.

1. They use physical descriptions of their self or material possessions to differentiate themselves from others – they may use descriptive words like ‘tall’, or ‘big’ or refer to the clothes they wear or the toys or objects they have. Their self-descriptions are in absolute terms – this means they do not see themselves in comparison with others. To give an example, instead of saying, “I am taller than Kiran”, the child will say, “I am tall.”

2. They describe themselves in terms of things they can do. For example, in terms of their play activities – “I can ride a cycle”; “I can make a house”; “I can count”. Thus, their self understanding contains active descriptions of themselves.

3. Their self descriptions are in concrete terms – i.e., they define themselves in terms of things they can do or what is visible to them – “I have a television.”

4. They often overestimate themselves. Thus, a child may say, “I am never scared” or “I know all the poems”, but may not remember them completely.

5. Young children are also unable to recognise that they can possess different attributes – that they can be ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘mean’ and ‘nice’ at different points in time.