North Star Pediatrics

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Five Years Old

Please remember that every child grows and develops at his own rate and that no two children are exactly alike at a given age.

Motor Development

A five year old is quite poised and physically controlled. He is quite direct in his approach, facing things squarely. He goes directly to a chair and seats himself.
The five year old is able to walk a straight line.
He loves to run and his coordination has improved to include skipping and hopping into his collection of gross motor skills.
He is able to climb well and many may master roller skating, ice skating and bicycle riding.
Roughhousing and tumble activities are quite popular at this age.
The five year old is able to go up and down stairs with ease, alternating feet.

Fine Motor Development

The five year old’s fine motor development is well controlled and almost mastered. He is able to lace his shoes and many five year olds are ready to learn how to tie their own shoes -- a task filled with pride, once mastered.
Five year olds are able to fasten buttons and do much of their own dressing. Success is better achieved if his clothes are laid out for him, as he still has trouble telling front from back and making compatible color combinations!
Handedness is usually established by five years of age.
Many five year olds can print their first name and are able to draw a recognizable person -- including arms and legs and other details. When coloring, there is a definite attempt to stay within the lines.

Language Development

Five year old children love to talk and many mothers describe their talking as “constant.
“Why” questions are very popular at this age and are asked mainly to obtain information.
Usually, if he hears a word he doesn’t know, the five year old will ask for a definition.

Social Development

The five your old enjoys life very much and constantly looks at the sunny side of things.
He is determined to do everything just “right”.
Mother is the center of his world. The five year old wants to please her, be near her, talk with her, follow her around the house and help her with her daily chores. Many times a five year old will prefer mother’s company to being with their friends.
The five year old plays well with older siblings and is extremely protective of younger ones.
Five year olds are not too adventurous. They are comfortable with the way things are.
They live in the “here and now” with little thought to past and future.
The five year old likes to play and is able to do so without much guidance. He is able to play cooperatively with peers, taking turns and sharing. Participation in group games comes easily.
Five year olds are very modest about their bodies and their bathroom functions. Most five year olds are toilet trained, but some bed wetting is common.

Learning

Five is a factual age. They enjoy working with materials to actually build things and puzzle solving is popular.
Most five year olds are familiar with all the letters of the alphabet and are able to print random letters. Some five year olds can print their first name and most can at least recognize their name in print.
The five year old loves to read. Favorite book topics include the humorous, silly, ridiculous stories and animals that act like people. Also enjoyed are stories or books that increase their intellectual understanding of concepts (rhymes, opposites, etc.). Usually, the five year old needs to be read to, but you may notice him recognizing simple words and always asking what letter combinations spell.
The five year old no longer confuses past and future. He has a good concept of time. He is interested in clocks and calendars, but has not yet mastered telling time. Many do, however, know the names and order of the days of the week.
The five year old is able to judge his own abilities (what he can and cannot do) before attempting something new.
The five year old has trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality and frequently uses “magic” as a reason for certain happenings. Belief in God and Santa Claus are very strong at this age.

Routines

When eating, the five year old does a good job feeding himself, although table manners are not too polished. He tends to dawdle and talk too much at mealtime. His appetite is good, but with simple tastes, and he usually cleans his plate.
Bedtime is easy for most five year olds. Routines disappear and he is willing to go to bed. The average sleep stretch at night is 11 hours. Nightmares are common at this age and require a simple hug and reassurance to return the child to sleep.
The five year old is not a perfect bather, but is cooperative and does a good job with step by step instructions.

Age Appropriate Toys

Beads, sewing cards, Blocks, puzzles
Simple board games, card games and picture lotto or bingo
Craft materials -- the five year old loves to cut, trace, color, paint, draw and paste
Dolls, doll houses, dolls with accessories (like Barbie), miniature town with people and vehicles
Occupational costumes for dress up and imaginary play
Simple science equipment -- magnets, magnifying glass, flashlight, stethoscope
Skate, jump rope, punching bag, bicycle, kite

Safety

He must wear a bike helmet every time he rides his bike.
Teach basic pedestrian safety:
1. Stop at intersections and look both ways before crossing the street.
2. Always cross streets at the crosswalks.
3. Never cross streets between parked cars.
4. Stay on sidewalks.
If your child rides a school bus:
1. Remind child to stay seated while bus is moving.
2. Remain quiet during bus ride -- no roughhousing.
3. Look both ways before crossing the street when leaving the bus.
With car pools:
1. Every child should have a seat belt and should wear it properly for the ride to and from school.
2. Always enter and exit the car on the curb side -- never on the street side.
Teach your five year old his full name, address and phone number. Make sure he can recite it plainly so that he can be understood by a trusted adult should he become lost.
Instruct your child on how to reach you in case of an emergency.
Establish a code word that only the family knows and is able to give out. Never go with any adult who doesn’t know the code word. Never talk to strangers when approached. Take time to instruct them on what to do if:
1. Someone asks his name or where he lives
2. Someone offers him candy or money
3. Someone tries to get him alone
4. Someone wants him to get into a car or tries to grab him
5. Someone wants to use his phone and no one else is home
6. Someone is following him home

Dental Care

Children now need to continue seeing their dentist twice a year for a dental checkup, cleaning and possibly fluoride treatment.
Age 5 1/2 is when most children begin losing their “baby teeth” making room for their permanent ones.