Late Childhood
Childhood extends from the age of 6 to 12 years, starting from the child’s entry into education and ending in adulthood. This is the maturity period, as the child’s new interests develop as well as the sexual maturity; the child develops into physical development And in terms of sex, it is still developing, but it appears strongly at the end of this stage. This stage is therefore called the latency period. In addition, the late childhood is affected, at its beginning and end, by conditions that profoundly affect the personal and social changes of the child, The beginning of late childhood is characterized by the entry of the Is a major change in the lifestyle of most young children and is therefore responsible for many changes in their lives in terms of attitudes, values and behavior. Although it is possible to pinpoint the onset of late childhood However, one can not be very precise about the time this period ends, because sexual maturity (the criterion used to separate childhood from adolescence) is at a different age, due to significant differences in the ages at which boys Girls are sexually mature, as a result; Some children have a longer period than the average in early childhood, while some have a lower than average period.
Female growth in late childhood
The average age of sexual maturity in females is 12.5, so the breasts begin to appear and their period of menstruation comes at the age of 10. This development may be exciting and confusing. For example, a 12 year old girl may have difficulty understanding why Her 9-year-old friend has breasts, while she does not have any breasts.
Male growth in late childhood
The signs of sexual maturity in late childhood males are increased by the size of the testicles and the scrotum at the age of nine years. The penis usually begins to grow around the age of 12, and the pubic hair will begin to grow at this time, as well as the armpit, leg and chest And facial hair.
Characteristics of late childhood
The period of physical development
The signs of growth in early childhood are shown by increased height, weight, bone stiffness, improved skill development and endurance, and develops skills such as self-help skills, social assistance skills, school skills, and play skills. Skills in writing, drawing, sewing and other in school, also develops skills such as throwing, catching, cycling, swimming and others.
Development of intellectual capacity
At this stage, the IQ of the child develops considerably. He can exercise his power in memory, attention, thinking, and imagination. He can also solve problems intelligently, and by the end of this stage he becomes stable.
A period of learning ability
The child acquires the mental readiness to learn at this stage, and his interests can develop in reading, writing, computational activities, awareness-raising, a sense of subordination to school rules, laws, and discipline as he tries to learn new experiences through imitation.
Social Development Period
Late childhood is a stage of natural socialization, so primary school provides an ideal situation for such socialization. The social environment and functions of the child develop, and each classroom can make it think and work with others, exchanging joy and sadness with them , And also learns some social norms and standards, through active participation in society.
Period of emotional development
At this stage, children acquire a strong motivation to learn to control the external expressions of their emotions in particular. Expressing emotions, especially unpleasant feelings, is socially unacceptable to peers of the same age.
The evolution of interests
Acquired interest and feelings develop towards specific subjects and areas of activity, when the child enters primary school, and the child may not have any specific interest.