6 year old assignment

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Introducing our vibrant collection of worksheets designed specifically for 6-Year-Olds! These engaging activities are tailored to foster creativity, enhance problem-solving skills, and build foundational knowledge in various subjects. Crafted by educational experts, our worksheets are perfect for young learners eager to explore the world of numbers, letters, and beyond. With a mix of fun puzzles, exciting coloring pages, and interactive exercises, our worksheets for 6-Year-Olds promise to make learning an adventure. Ideal for both classroom and home use, they are the perfect tool to ignite your child's love for learning and pave the way for academic success.

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Common Topics in Math for 6-Year-Olds to Learn

Created: April 18, 2022

Last updated: January 5, 2024

$math for 6 year olds$

Math isn’t new for six-year-olds since they will likely have learned basic counting and number identification before that. As kids develop confidence in playing with numbers, parents, and tutors can introduce them to more complicated concepts. The article will throw light on some topics that will make children more proficient in math.

Math Topics to Boost 6-Year-Olds’ Math Skills

The ability to tell the time is necessary in our daily lives, yet it may be difficult for kids to master. You should first help your kids understand how time relates to their lives before teaching them to interpret it. With simple activities and games, children will develop an awareness of the passage of time from a young age.

Kids learn about time and seasonal changes throughout their school years. Six-year-olds memorize the hour and half-hour markings of a clock and are able to tell how many minutes comprise an hour and how many hours are in a day. Also, they get to differentiate between the “quarter to” and “half past” concepts. With the help of top math learning sites like Brighterly and math games for 6-year-olds, your child’s time-telling skills will improve.

Educating your kids about money is essential in preparing them for life in the real world. You can introduce physical money, worksheets, or money math games for 6-year-olds to practice skills and enhance their understanding of the concept. Brighterly’s money games, virtual coins, and other activities involving the concept can help your kids learn about money in a fun way.

At six years, pupils should be able to recognize monetary denominations and sum currencies in coin and bill form. Combining whole dollars and cents may be difficult for six-year-olds; however, with constant practice, your kids will appreciate the financial applications of math.

Addition and Subtraction

When teaching addition and subtraction concepts to kids, you should start with addition first. Most children understand the idea of gaining better than losing, thanks to the interactions with their parents and toys in their toddler years. When they get comfortable with addition, introduce them to subtraction.

But don’t take away toys as a way to teach kids subtraction since the approach can fuel resentment toward learning in children. Instead, use math worksheets for 6-year-olds or play games that subtly teach subtraction and addition. Also, don’t forget about the importance of repetition as a system for reinforcing ideas you’ve introduced to children.

Counting is among the basic math skills 6-year-olds should master, as it paves the way for other math topics on this list. Six-year-olds can count to a great extent, often up to 200, which reveals the vastness of numbers to kids. Counting as a math concept forms the foundation for a more complex mathematics for 6 year old that the your may face in the future. When the kids practice more, they improve their 6 year old math skills.

You can use counting along with your day-to-day activities or just use simple math games. To help your 6 year old struggling with maths, and make them enjoy counting, use math toys or other attractive colorful items. They can arrange items in a line and stand facing the items, counting them aloud from 1 to 10 first before they move to double-digit numbers.

Add fascinating and complex exercises like backward counting to your math for 6-year-olds curriculum. You can use a simple range, like having them count from 10 down to 1 or from 20 to 1. Don’t go above 50 so that the activity won’t get too complex and tedious for the students

Fractions should be more of a visual concept for children than a written one. For example, children may be unable to comprehend what ⅚ means on paper. But they will have no trouble understanding it when you explain that if they eat five slices of pizza out of a six-sliced pizza, they have consumed ⅚th of the whole pizza.

Before moving to more complex fractions, make sure your youngster understands basic fractions such as a half, a whole, and smaller fractions like ⅓, ⅔, etc. Halves (½) and wholes (1) are concepts children quickly grasp with the help of everyday activities. You can help your kids learn the concept of fractions by describing relatable scenarios, like how two half-glasses of Coke produce a full glass.

Geometry is one of the central themes that six-year-old kids should understand because of its prevalence in daily life. Shapes around us are often in 2D or 3D forms, but six-year-olds won’t know the difference without your help. Make it easy for your kids to recognize basic shapes like cylinders, rectangles, squares, circles, and triangles.

If you want to make your 6-year-old understand geometry better, you can try games where kids try to identify different shapes. A better way to do this is to get involved by showing them shapes you see on everyday objects and asking them to call the shape the image reminded them of. You can then teach them to draw the shapes and show them how different they are.

Another way you can make this happen is by teaching your kids craft-making. You can ask your child to cut a triangular object from a magazine, and then you will draw the real shapes on a cardboard and tell your 6 year old math learner to point to which shape their cut-out is. This is a very creative way for your kids to learn shapes and geometry as part of the 6th grade math curriculum.

Conclusion

Maths for a 6 year old can be very challenging because, let’s face it, a lot of numbers and symbols don’t make any sense at the beginning. So it is not out of place that your 6 year old mathematics learner will look to you for help. It is your job to help them figure out this new terrain.

These steps above are geared towards teaching you how to teach 6 year old maths. You can use math manipulatives for a more hands-on approach, but the knowledge of fundamental math topics you need to focus your efforts on is the first step to building your child’s interest in math.

Jessica is a a seasoned math tutor with over a decade of experience in the field. With a BSc and Master’s degree in Mathematics, she enjoys nurturing math geniuses, regardless of their age, grade, and skills. Apart from tutoring, Jessica blogs at Brighterly. She also has experience in child psychology, homeschooling and curriculum consultation for schools and EdTech websites.

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Helping with Math

Age 4-6 Math Worksheets

In this section, you can view all of our math worksheets and resources that are suitable for 4 to 6-year-olds..

We add dozens of new worksheets and materials for math teachers and homeschool parents every month. Below are the latest age 4-6 worksheets added to the site.

Adding 2-digit Numbers and 1-digit Numbers 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Defining and Non-defining Attributes of Shapes 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Analog and Digital Clocks 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Naming Numbers From 1 Up To 120 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Comparing Lengths of Two Objects 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Subtracting Numbers within 20 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Measuring the Length of an Object 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Word Problems on Addition and Subtraction of Numbers 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Subtracting 2-digit Numbers and 1-digit Numbers 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Comparing 2-digit Numbers Using Symbols 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Identifying Time in Hours and Half-hours 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Decomposing Numbers within 20 1st Grade Math Worksheets

Counting Numbers 1-100 (by ones) Kindergarten Math Worksheets

Word Problems Involving Comparison of Numbers Kindergarten Math Worksheets

Skip Counting by 2,3,4 and 5 Kindergarten Math Worksheet

Decomposition of Numbers from 11-19 Using Tens and Ones Kindergarten Math Worksheets

Representing Objects with Numbers from 0-20 Kindergarten Math Worksheets

Comparing Objects using their Measurements Kindergarten Math Worksheets

Modeling Real Life Objects Using Shapes Kindergarten Math Worksheets

2-D and 3-D Shapes Kindergarten Math Worksheets

4-6 years of age math learning objectives & standards:.

This is the entry stage where learners start to grasp basic fundamental concepts of number sense: number recognition, naming, and counting.
In this stage, numbers within 10 are the focal points for addition and subtraction of whole numbers . Visual representations and models such as ten frames , base ten blocks, definite sets of objects, rectangular arrays, skip counting , number bonds , and fact families are used to explain the concepts behind putting number/objects together or whenever some number/objects are being taken away.
Another strategy that learners can apply to learn addition and subtraction is by illustrating to them concepts of number properties such as identity property, commutative property, and associative property.
Learners will make use of their understanding of number recognition for their initial knowledge of cardinal and ordinal numbers . Here, they should be able to distinguish, compare, and predict orders of objects.
They are also introduced to the concepts of fractions by distinguishing and illustrating halves and quarters. Aside from these, learners make meaning of their math lessons by applying them in measuring length and distance using non-standard units (their own handspan, foot, ruler, number of clips, erasers, etc)
For them to have a starting foundation in Geometry, they are to explore basic shapes and solid shapes using their defining and non-defining attributes.

Home / Expert Articles / Child Behavior Problems / School & Homework

“My Child Refuses to Do Homework” — How to Stop the Nightly Struggle Over Schoolwork

By janet lehman, msw.

For many parents, getting their kids to do their homework is a nightly struggle. Some kids refuse to do their homework. Others claim that they don’t have homework, but then the report card comes out, and you realize that their work was not being done.

So why is homework time so difficult? In my opinion, one of the major reasons is that it’s hard for kids to focus at home. Look at it this way: when your child is in school, they’re in a classroom where there aren’t a lot of distractions. The learning is structured and organized, and all the students are focusing on the same thing.

But when your child comes home, their brain clicks over to “free time” mode. In their mind, home is a place to relax, have a snack, listen to music, and play video games. Kids simply don’t view the home as the place to do schoolwork.

If the homework struggles you experience are part of a larger pattern of acting out behavior, then the child is resisting to get power over you. They intend to do what they want to do when they want to do it, and homework just becomes another battlefield. And, as on any other battlefield, parents can use tactics that succeed or tactics that fail.

Regardless of why your child won’t do their homework, know that fighting over it is a losing proposition for both of you. You will end up frustrated, angry, and exhausted, and your child will have found yet another way to push your buttons. And, even worse, they will wind up hating school and hating learning.

A major part of getting your child to do their homework lies in establishing a system so that your child comes to see that homework is just a regular part of home life. Once they accept that, you’ve already won half the battle. Accordingly, my first few tips are around setting up this system. If you get the system right, things tend to fall into place.

Put this system in place with your child at a time when things are calm and going well rather than during the heat of an argument. Tell your child that you’re going to try something different starting next week with homework that will make it go better for everyone. Then explain the system.

You’ll find that this system will make your life easier as a parent, will make you more effective as a parent, and will help your child to get the work done. And when your child gets their work done, they’re more likely to succeed, and nothing drives motivation more than success.

Structure the Evening for Homework

When your kids come home, there should be a structure and a schedule set up each night. I recommend that you write this up and post it on the refrigerator or in some central location in the house. Kids need to know that there is a time to eat, a time to do homework, and also that there is free time. And remember, free time starts after homework is done.

Homework time should be a quiet time in your whole house. Siblings shouldn’t be in the next room watching TV or playing video games. The whole idea is to eliminate distractions. The message to your child is, “You’re not going to do anything anyway, so you might as well do your homework.”

Even if your child doesn’t have homework some nights, homework time should still mean no phone and no electronics. Instead, your child can read a book or a magazine in their room or work on longer-term assignments. Consistently adhering to the homework time structure is important to instill the homework habit.

Start the Evening Homework Habit When Your Kids are Young

If your children are younger and they don’t get homework yet, set aside quiet time each evening where your child can read or do some type of learning. Doing so will help children understand that evening quiet and study time is a part of everyday home life, just like chores. This habit will pay off when the real homework begins.

Use a Public Place for Homework

For a lot of kids, sending them to their rooms to do their homework is a mistake. Many children need your presence to stay focused and disciplined. And they need to be away from the stuff in their rooms that can distract them.

You know your child best. If you think they’re not being productive in their room, then insist they work at the kitchen table or in some other room where you can monitor them and where there will be fewer distractions.

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If they do homework in their room, the door to the room should be open, and you should check in from time to time. No text messaging, no fooling around. Take the phone and laptop away and eliminate electronics from the room during study time. In short, you want to get rid of all the temptations and distractions.

Give Breaks During Homework Time

Many kids get tired halfway through homework time, and that’s when they start acting up. If your child is doing an hour of homework, have them take a 5-minute break every half-hour so that they can get up, have a snack, and stretch their legs. But don’t allow electronics during the break—electronics are just too distracting.

Monitor the break and ensure that your child gets back to work promptly.

Be sure to encourage your child when they’re discouraged. It’s okay to say things like:

“I know it’s a drag, but think of this—when you get your work done, the rest of the night is yours.”

“Look, if you do your work all week, you’ll have the whole weekend to do what you want.”

Show your child empathy—how many of us truly enjoyed homework every night? It’s work, pure and simple. But your child will be encouraged when they begin to have success with their work.

Help Your Child Get Started With Their Homework

Some kids have a hard time getting assignments started. They may be overwhelmed or unsure where to begin. Or the work may seem too difficult.

There’s a concept I explain in The Total Transformation® child behavior program called hurdle help . If you have a child who has a hard time getting started, spend the first five minutes with them to get them over the first couple of hurdles. Perhaps help them with the first math problem or make sure they understand the assignment.

For many kids who are slow starters, hurdle help is very effective. This doesn’t mean you are doing their homework for them—this is simply extra help designed to get them going on their own.

Help Your Child Manage Long-Term Assignments

If your child has a big, long-term project, then you want to work with them to estimate how much time it’s going to take. Then your child has to work within that time frame. So if your child has a science project, help them manage and structure their time. For instance, if the project is due in 30 days, ask them:

“How much time are you going to spend on it each night?”

They might say, “15 minutes a night,” and you hold them to that.

Don’t assume that your child knows how to manage their time effectively. As adults, we sometimes take for granted the habits we have spent a lifetime developing and forget that our kids are not there yet.

Make Sunday Night a School Night

The way that I structure the weekend is that Sunday night is a school night, not Friday. So if your child has homework for the weekend, and as long as they’re done all their work for the past week, they get Friday and Saturday night off and can do their homework on Sunday night.

If there’s a project or something big to do over the weekend, then work with your child to budget their time. They may have to put some time in on Saturday or Sunday during the day. But other than that, your child should have the weekend off too, just like adults do.

The Weekend Doesn’t Begin Until Overdue Work Is Done

If your child has overdue homework, their weekend shouldn’t begin until those assignments are done. In other words, Friday night is a homework night if their week’s work is not complete.

Believe me, this is a highly effective consequence for kids because it creates a great incentive to get their work done. Indeed, each minute they’re doing homework is a minute they could be hanging out with friends or playing video games.

If you can hold to this rule once and deal with the complaining, then next week the homework will be done.

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By the way, if they say they can’t do their homework because they didn’t bring their school books home, they should be grounded for the weekend. You can say:

“I don’t want to hear that you can’t do it because you don’t have your books. You’d better call around and find a friend who you can borrow them from. Otherwise, you’ll be staying in this weekend.”

Make Homework a Higher Priority Than Activities

Kids are involved in a lot of after school activities these days. I understand that. But my priority has always been “homework comes first.”

In my opinion, if the homework isn’t done on Monday, then your child shouldn’t go to football on Tuesday. It’s fine if he misses a practice or two. You can say:

“Here’s the deal. We’re not going to football today. You need to get your work done first.”

If your child says, “Well, if I miss a practice, I’m going to get thrown off the team,” You can say:

“Well, then make sure your work is complete. Otherwise, you’re not going to practice. That’s all there is to it.”

I personally don’t put football, soccer, or any other extracurricular activities above homework and home responsibilities. I don’t believe parents should be going from soccer to karate to basketball with their kids while homework and school responsibilities are being neglected.

Use Rewards for Schoolwork, Not Bribes

Most kids get personal satisfaction out of getting good grades and completing their work, and that’s what we’re aiming for. Nevertheless, it’s important to reinforce positive behavior, and that may mean offering an incentive for getting good grades. For instance, my son knew that he would get a certain reward for his performance if he got all B’s or above. The reward was an incentive to do well.

One of the shortcuts we take as parents is to bribe our kids rather than rewarding them for performance. It can be a subtle difference. A reward is something that is given after an achievement. A bribe is something you give your child after negotiating with them over something that is already a responsibility.

If you bribe your child to do their homework or to do anything else that is an expected responsibility, then your child will come to expect something extra just for behaving appropriately. Bribes undermine your parental authority as kids learn that they can get things from you by threatening bad behavior. Bribes put your child in charge of you.

The appropriate parental response to not meeting a responsibility is a consequence, not a bribe. A bribe says, “If you do your homework, I will extend your curfew by an hour.” In contrast, a consequence says, “If you don’t do your homework, you’re grounded until it’s finished.” Never bribe your kids to do what they’re expected to do.

Use Effective Consequences

When giving consequences, be sure they’re effective consequences. What makes an effective consequence? An effective consequence motivates your child to good behavior. They put you back in control and teach your child how to problem-solve, giving your child the skills needed to be successful.

An effective consequence looks like this:

“If you fall below a B average, then you can no longer study in your room and must study at the kitchen table until you get your average back to a B.”

For the child who prefers to study in their room, this is an effective consequence.

Another effective consequence would be the following:

“If you choose not to study during the scheduled time, you will lose your electronics for the night. Tomorrow, you’ll get another chance to use them.”

And the next day, your child gets to try again to earn the privilege of electronics. Short-term consequences like this are very effective. Just don’t take away this privilege for more than a day as your child will have no incentive to do better the next time.

For more on consequences, read the article on how to give effective consequences to your child .

Be Prepared to Let Your Child Fail

Failure should be an option, and sometimes you just have to let your child fail . Parents often do their kids a disservice when they shield them from the consequences of their actions. If your child chooses not to study enough and they get a failing grade, that’s the natural consequence for their behavior. And they should experience the discomfort that results from their behavior.

Let me be clear. If you interfere and try to get your child’s teacher to change their grade, your child will learn the wrong lesson. Your child will learn that if they screw up enough, Mom and Dad will take care of them. And they don’t learn their math or science or whatever it is they failed.

To be sure, failing is a hard lesson, but it’s the right lesson when your child fails. And it’s not the end of the world. In fact, for many kids, it’s what turns them around.

Don’t Fight with Your Child Over Homework

Don’t get sucked into arguments with your child about homework. Make it very clear that if they don’t do their homework, then the next part of their night does not begin. Keep discussions simple. Say to your child:

“Right now is homework time. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you can have free time.”

Say this in a supportive way with a smile on your face. Again, it’s important not to get sucked into fights with your child. Remember, you don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to. If your child refuses to do his or her work, then calmly give the consequence that you established for not doing homework.

Also, trying to convince your child that grades are important is a losing battle. You can’t make your child take school as seriously as you do. The truth is, they don’t typically think that way. To get your child to do homework, focus on their behavior, not their motivation. Rather than giving a lecture, just maintain the system that enables them to get their work done. Often, the motivation comes after the child has had a taste of success, and this system sets them up for that success.

Stay Calm When Helping Your Child With Their Homework

It’s important to be calm when helping your child with their homework. Don’t argue about the right answer for the math problem or the right way to do the geography quiz. If you get frustrated and start yelling and screaming at your child, this sets a negative tone and won’t help them get the work done. It’s better to walk away than it is to engage in an argument, even when you’re just trying to be helpful.

For couples, it may be that one of you is more patient and acceptable to your child. Let that person take on the homework monitoring responsibilities. And don’t take it personally if it isn’t you.

Remember, if you can’t stay calm when helping your child, or if you find that your help is making the situation worse, then it’s better not to help at all. Find someone else or talk to the teacher about how your child can get the help they need. And try not to blame your child for the frustration that you feel.

It’s Your Child’s Homework, Not Yours

Remember that your child is doing the homework as a school assignment. The teacher will ultimately be the judge of how good or bad, correct or incorrect the work is. You’re not responsible for the work itself; your job is to guide your child. You can always make suggestions, but ultimately it’s your child’s job to do their assignments. And it’s the teacher’s job to grade them.

Know the Teachers and the Assignments

Build good relationships with your child’s teachers. Meet with the teachers at the beginning of the school year and stay in touch as the year progresses. Your relationships with your child’s teachers will pay off if your child begins to have problems.

And if your child does have problems, then communicate with their teachers weekly. If they’re not handing in their work on time, ask the teachers to send you any assignments that they didn’t get done each week. Many schools have assignments available online, which is a big help for parents. Just don’t rely on your child to give you accurate information. Find out for yourself.

The bottom line is that you want to hold your child accountable for doing their work, and you can only do that if you know what the work is. If you keep yourself informed, then you won’t be surprised when report cards come out.

Work with your child on a system to keep track of assignments. I recommend an old-fashioned paper calendar simply because we already have too many distracting electronics in our lives—experiment and use what works best for your child.

Finally, try to see your child’s teachers as your allies. In my experience, most teachers are dedicated and caring, but I realize that this isn’t always the case. So, for your child’s sake, do your best to find a way to work with their teachers.

If You Think Your Child Might Have a Learning Disability

Kids are expected to do some difficult work, and your child may struggle. If your child is having an especially hard time, talk with their teacher. Ask if it’s typical for your child to be struggling in this area.

In some cases, the teacher may recommend testing to see if your child has a learning disability. While this can be hard to hear as a parent, it’s important to find out so that you can make the necessary adjustments.

If it turns out that your child does have a learning disability, then you want to get an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) set up with the school.

Most kids don’t enjoy homework, and for some, it will always be a struggle. Our children all have different strengths and abilities, and while some may never be excellent students, they might be great workers, talented artists, or thoughtful builders.

I have to admit that dealing with my son’s homework was one of my least favorite experiences as a parent. It was overwhelming at times. Often, I just wasn’t equipped to offer the help he needed.

Our son struggled with a learning disability, which made the work feel unending at times. My husband James was much better at helping him, so he took on this responsibility. But even with this division of labor, we had to make adjustments to our schedules, our lives, and our expectations to make sure our son did his homework as expected.

Life would be easier if all children were self-motivated students who came home, sat down, and dug into their homework without being asked. This is hardly the case, though. Therefore, you need to set up a system that is right for your child, and it’s going to be easier for some kids than for others.

We’re trying to raise our kids to be responsible and accountable for their homework. And we’re trying to avoid fighting with them over it every night. When I had parents in my office, I would take these concepts and show them how they could make it work for their families in their own homes. The families I worked with were able to turn the nightly homework struggle around successfully time and time again.

Related content: The Homework Battle: How to Get Children to Do Homework

Empowering Parents Podcast: Apple, Spotify

About Janet Lehman, MSW

Janet Lehman, MSW, has worked with troubled children and teens for over 30 years. A veteran social worker, she specializes in child behavior issues — ranging from anger management and oppositional defiance to more serious criminal behavior in teens. She is co-creator of The Total Transformation® Program , The Complete Guide To Consequences™ , Getting Through To Your Child™ , and Two Parents One Plan™ .

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Hello, my grandson recently moved with me from another state. He is currently in 8th grade (but should be in 9th). He basically failed the last 2 years and was promoted. I would say he is at a 6th grade level. It's a daily fight with him to do his homework. He won't even try. I know a lot of this is because no one has ever made him do his homework before. I thought he would just have to get in a routine of doing it. He's been in school for a month now and its a fight every single day after school. I have lost all the patience I had. I am tired of being a broken record and being the "bad guy". I don't want to give up on him and send him back to his mom, where I know he will never graduate. I have made so many sacrifices to get him here, but I am literally at my wits end with this. I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I didn't think it was going to be this hard.

My rule is homework after school. If he comes home and does his homework after school, it was easier for him to complete. That lasted a week and a half. Now, he just sits there and does nothing. Does anyone have any suggestions? I couldn't live with myself if I sent him back and he became nothing but a drop out. I know I am not one to have patience, and I am trying but at the same time, I am almost over it. I don't like going to bed crying and knowing that he is crying too. I am open to all suggestions. Please and thank you.

I'm so sorry you are facing these struggles with your grandson. We here from many caregivers in similar situations, so you're not alone in your frustration. We have several articles that offer helpful tips for managing these homework struggles, which can be found here: https://www.empoweringparents.com/article-categories/child-behavior-problems/school-homework/

We appreciate you reaching out and wish you all the best moving forward. Be sure to check back and let us know how things are going.

Jessicar Thank you for this article and strategies. I echo many of the frustrations expressed by other parents here, including my opinion (as an educator) that homework should not exist. I agree that teachers and parents are in a struggle about which adult is responsible for supporting the child in getting More homework done. The best thing for my son was a free "homework club" in fourth and fifth grade where a teacher monitored completion of homework. He has nothing like this in middle school so far. Where I really disagree with the article is about extracurricular activities. Kids need physical activity through sports! They need enrichment beyond academics through the arts, theater, music. Many families send their children to religious, language, and/or cultural programs after school. If I sat in school all day, I'd want to move my body and interact with others too. The solution is not removing extracurricular activities that are healthy or motivating or valued. The solution is for schools to limit homework. Given that there is still homework as a reality--I'd like advice on when to have child do homework AFTER sports or extracurricular activity. When is the best time for homework if the goal is to go to bed on time (in my house in bed around 9 pm)? Between extracurricular and dinner--when the kid is tired? After dinner? My child is in 7th grade and I still can't figure it out. What do others do/think?

I found school to be extremely boring, as a teen. Looking back I realize that I hadn't found the work challenging enough. Personally, I struggled with this all through high school. I was completely disinterested in school, as a result.

I noticed that there wasn't a section addressing situations where children, who are motivated by challenges, do poorly as a result of boredom.

I enjoy reading many of the articles; even those which don't necessarily apply to my current situations with my child. One never knows what obstacles or challenges one may come across. Thank you

Here's what I know. Correcting our children when their behavior is displeasing is what most parents focus on. Without a lot of explanation I'm going to try to get you to change your focus. All children have 4 emotional needs:

1. A sense of belonging

2. A sense of personal power

3. To be heard and understood

4. Limits and boundaries

Rather than focus on your child's behavior, focus on meeting these needs. Meet the needs, change the behavior. There a 25 ways to meet these needs. One of the most effective is to spend regular one-on-one time with your child doing what your child wants to do. How do you spell love? T-I-M-E. It seems counter-intuitive, but just try it for a week. Do this for 1/2 hour every day for a week. See what happens.

Frustrated Confused Parent, I went through similar challenges with my son when he was in high school. As a grade school student his grades were always B and higher. The changes began when his mother and I separated; my son was 12yo. Prior to our separation I was the one who maintained, and enforced the habit of completing his assignments before extracurricular activities could be enjoyed. His mother never felt she had the patience or intelligence to assist him with his homework assignments and upon our separation she completely ignored his school work. Although he continued to follow the structure I had established through grade school, he soon began to realize that no one was showing interest any longer and, thus, began shirking school related responsibilities. My son and I were, and still are, close. I am certain that the separation likely had some affect on him, but it was more than that. He was reaching his teens and becoming more self-aware. Friends began to play a more integral and influential part in his life. Unfortunately my son's grades began slipping as he reached his early teens. For me, this was extremely frustrating since I was aware of how intelligent he was and of what he was capable. After many aggravating, lengthy, heated, and unyielding conversations with his mother about maintaining the structure established through grade school, it became clear she was incapable or simply unwilling. Essentially, he was on his own. Of course I would do whatever I could to help. For starters, I facilitated a transfer to a Charter School, realizing that he needed more individualized attention than that which a public school could provide. It seemed as though he was getting 'lost in the shuffle'.

Unfortunately the damage had already been done. After two years under his mother's lack of tutelage my son had developed some poor habits.

He struggled with maintaining good grades throughout his high school career. By 'maintaining good grades' I mean that he would take a grading of 45 in math and bring it to a 70 within three weeks of the end of a marking period. He ALWAYS passed, though. He would somehow get his grades to or even above passing by the end of the period. As I began to see this, I began to have more faith knowing that when the going got tough he would step up and take charge. It also indicated that he did well with what might perceive as an impossible goal. So, I started to have faith that he'd find his way.

He has since graduated, he has a good-paying job, and he is beginning school to become an electrician within the next month or so. In two weeks he moves into his own apartment, also. He's never done drugs, never drank alcohol, and never started smoking cigarettes. All of which I have done as a teen and well into my adult years. I am in recovery. My son is aware of my own struggles. Most importantly, I believe, is that he has a complete understanding that we all struggle in our own ways. Working through the difficulties, challenges, and obstacles are what makes us stronger and it's our compassion for others, and ourselves, which help us grow into decent adults.

I came to realize that the 'grades' he received in school had nothing to do with the amazing adult he's become; it was literally everything else.

NanaRound2 My 6 year old grandson has just taken 2 hours to write a list and write 3 sentences. He thinks if the words were shorter it wouldn't take so long. Already went through this with his dad. I celebrated more than he did when he graduated. Can't drag More another kid through school. Losing my mind and like the previous comment have tried EVERYTHING.

Yeah -been there, done that. Doesn't work. At least not for my child. I've read every *actual* parenting book out there ( You know, the books publishes by Harvard & Stanford professors who've been studying parenting and child psychology for the past 30 years?) ... and you're all missing something - because I've tried it all.

My kid DGAF. This was almost painful to read. "oh, yup - tried that one. That one too. Oh, hey - I've tried that as well."

This is so frustrating; tell me something I haven't already tried 50 times.

Psych Fan I'm with you my sophomore son DGAF . I tried so much stuff even set time stuff and he just doesn't go get his work out. He's 5'9 so I am 5'1 and I can't move him to do stuff . All he does is debate with me that More Grades really don't matter that he's like I'm just going to get D's because I'm not going to care to do better because I do not like school. He doesn't understand why I don't approve of D grades because I know he has better potential but he's like D grades I will pass and get my diploma .

The first thing on the list is to try and stay calm. While doing homework with my children I'm usually very calm. When I do get frustrated I'll leave the room for a moment, wash my face, and take a few deep breaths until I calm down. Or I'll make hot chocolate to help calm my nerves. It's not a perfect system, but what is?

Number two is to set clear expectations around homework time and responsibilities. We have a standard homework time at our house, with a timer and everything. If our kids meet the homework time goal they'll be rewarded later in the evening with family time. Each of our kids know their roles and responsibilities in the house whether the work gets done before dinner or not.

Number three is a relationship with the teachers, each of whom e-mail us, some two or three times a day. Contact with them has never been better. They're teachers are all pretty awesome too.

Number Four, play the parental role most useful to your child...I have three kids. One needs no help at all, one needs minor help and advisement, while the third requires constant supervision or their e-mail might 'accidentally' open up. This we've provided through double teaming. One parent works with them until the other gets home, then they switch while the other goes to make dinner.

Five, keep activities similar with all your kids. We all live on the same schedule, if one of them finishes homework early they get the reward of extra quiet reading time-my kids are ALL book worms.

Six, Set up a structured time and place for homework. Done. Homework table with a supplies basket right in the middle of the room. Big enough for all of them to work at and then some, it's an octagonal table which my husband built. I also always have their 'homework snacks' waiting for them when they get home, and I usually try to make it healthy-even if they don't realize it.

Seven, start early. My kids have been doing 'homework' with me since they were babies, and (as I pointed out to them yesterday) they loved it. We'd learn about cooking, dinosaurs, amphibians, insects, math, English, chemistry, even the periodic table came up. We'd do work pages every day and they'd love it.

Eight, hurdle help, works in area's like math, but not so much with history or English when the problems aren't as straight forward. But we do use this method where it applies.

Nine, choose the best person for the job. I'm best at English and my husband at math. When I get stuck on math I know who to go to, and I'll even study in my spare time to get better at it so I can be more useful in case he has to work late. That being said, we both devote a lot of our time to helping our kids with their homework.

Ten, show empathy and support. Done, not only can I relate to my kids, but I've pointed out that not getting their work done will make them feel bad bad enough, and that that's why we should work on getting it done together, so they have something to be proud of.

Use positive reinforcement and incentives. :) There was this one time I sat my son down at a table with a work book about 400 pages long. He was young, not even in school yet. Next to the book I placed a giant bag of M&Ms. I told him for every page he got done, he could have one m&m. About ten minutes later he finished the workbook and grinned up at me. When I found out he'd finished the book, I quickly checked it to see if it was done well, and then pushed the bag of M&M's towards him and told him he could just have it...Now they get rewarded in video games and computer time...

It seems that according to this article I'm doing everything right...So why is my child still struggling with homework/classwork? They've literally just refused to do it. Have seriously just sat in their chair without saying a word and stared at the table, or desk, or screen- as the majority of work is now done on computers...I'll sit with them, ask them if they need help, try to help them with problems. They will tell me the right answer to the questions being asked and then refuse to write it down. I feel like I've done everything I can as a parent to help them, but despite all my efforts, it isn't working. So...when all of these things fail, when a parent has done everything right, and there is nothing more they can do short of taking the pen or pencil into their own hands and doing it themselves, (but that would be cheating their child out of an education) what then should the parents do?

When our kids don't get their homework done before dinner, they're sent down the hall where it's quiet so they can finish it at the desk there, while the other kids have family time. They are told to come and get us if they really need help after that. But at this point it's like ostracizing our child for not doing homework.

I agree with most of what's on this page, and our family lifestyle reflects that, but I will disagree with one thing it said. It is our job to help our kids and be supportive of them yes, to nurture them and help them get the skills they need to take care of themselves and their home when they're older...but it is not our job to do the teachers work for them, they get paid for that. Some days it seems like that's what's expected of parents. Some even send home classwork if the kids don't finish it in class. Which means the child now has even more work to do on top of their homework. Though I understand that the teachers want the child to finish the lesson, and were the homework not a factor I probably wouldn't mind it as much. I don't even mind them sending home study guides to help kids before tests (Which is what homework was originally) but to send home overwhelming piles of work each night for parents to help kids with, (Each child with different homework so that parents need to bounce from history, to math to English) it's unreasonable. When teachers send home homework, they're dictating what the parents can do with the little time they have with their child. Which is wrong. We once had to cancel a trip to a science museum because our child had too much homework to finish and there was no way to make it in time and get their homework done. They could have had an amazing educational experience which would overall help them get excited about learning with new and fun tactile experiences, but their schedule (and therefore our schedule) was being dictated by the teacher while they weren't even in class. Of course I try not to talk bad about homework in front of my children, because that would make it even more difficult to get them to do it. But children NEED family time, they NEED to be kids. To be allowed to get away from their work and be themselves, to go outside and play with their friends, or even go out to dinner once in a while with their parents. Homework has made it difficult to grow a relationship with our children beyond the confines of what the teachers are dictating. It's violating in some ways and frustrating in others. It's grown into this monstrous thing which it was never meant to become, and the funny part about it is that most studies done on it show that schools who don't have homework have higher test scores and graduation rates. Not to mention better mental health rates. Studies also show, that after a child is taught something, they'll only really learn it after a good nights sleep, and that no amount of homework will change that. Sleep is what our bodies need to absorb important information we learn throughout the day, so staying up late with homework might even be harmful to a child's education...

Sorry I guess that turned into a bit of a rant...In the end I was hoping to find something useful in this article, something I hadn't tried that might work, but I've done it all, and will probably continue to do all of it in hopes that consistency might be the key...It's just that even after years of already doing All of this consistently, it's still not working. It's as if my child has made a conscious decision Not to work. He's not unintelligent, he understands it, he's even been tested and found to have an above average ability to learn. He just not doing it..So what now? What more can I do to actually inspire him to do the work?

AshumSmashum Out of all of this, most of which I've read and tried a billion times, your comment hit deeper. My son scores in the 99% on tests but cannot sit down and do the simplest homework. He does have autism and adhd so when he freezes up on homework, despite More knowing it, I'm lost at how to help him get it done. He knows the work so why does he need to show it with 20 math problems after school that take forever to complete one? (whatever honors algebra stuff he's in, I was lucky to learn division lol) He has a high IQ and excels in all subjects and yet is being tutored, so far, in English just to get the work done. I'm so done with the emotional toll it takes on me and him at home. Nobody wants to go to work for 8 hours and come home and do the same for another 5 so why do we think our kids want to come home and do more classwork? I'm so appreciative of your comment!

JC Hi Barb, thank you for bringing this up! My son sounds a lot like you...and he really wants to get good grades and go to an Ivy League school. What could someone do to help an 8th grader in the moment of struggle, while making sure they don't get more More anxious from falling behind for the rest of the year?

Tb Hi Barb, I'm the parent of an 8th grader and I want to thank you for the comment you left here. You helped me look at the deeper issues and I really appreciate that. I'm going to approach the conversation with my son differently, thanks to you. Thank More you!

My 11 year old daughter, Alice, has always helped her 7 year old sister, Chole, with homework. But just recently Alice has been giving Chole the wrong answers. We have been trying to get her to give Chole the correct answers

but she always yells at us. She has a baby sister 2 months named Ray and ever since Ray was born she has been giving Chole wrong answers. I once overheard her and Kevin, my husband, talking about how she felt left out. She came and talked to me and said exactly what she had told Kevin. She also told me she has been getting bad grades and doesn't get her homework. Me and Alice talked and she said "All the cool New York girls get straight A's and ever since I started getting D's and F's they said I wasn't cool anymore." We started having her grandparents come over and she would yell, hit, scream, and talk back to them. She is a great student but she spends all of her time on her phone. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even at school she is on her phone. All I'm asking is that 1. How do I make her stop screaming, yelling, hitting, and back talking? 2. How do I make her feel cool and get A's again?and 3. How do I get her off her phone?

sounds like you have a number of concerns around your daughter’s behavior, and

it certainly can feel overwhelming. We would suggest https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/its-never-too-late-7-ways-to-start-parenting-more-effectively/ and focusing on just one or two of the most serious, to get

started. Behaviors like verbal or physical abuse would be of top priority,

while behaviors like https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/how-to-walk-away-from-a-fight-with-your-child-why-its-harder-than-you-think/ we would recommend ignoring, and not giving it any power or control.

Empowering Parents author Sara Bean offers some great insight into the reason

for poor child behavior in her article, https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/the-surprising-reason-for-bad-child-behavior-i-cant-solve-problems/.It sounds like your daughter is struggling to

find more effective ways to solve the problems she is facing, and the result is

the acting out behavior. Keep in mind, you can’t make your daughter do anything, but what you can do is help her to

learn better tools to solve whatever problems may come her way. Best of luck to

you and your family as you continue to work on this.

Emma Reed Alice also swears at school and she swears to teachers. Please we have tried everything, even her sister at age 18. What have we done wrong?

Being away from loved ones when they are struggling can be

distressing. It may help to know that it’s not unusual to see changes in

behavior as kids move from the tweens into adolescence, as Janet Lehman

explains in the article https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/adolescent-behavior-changes-is-your-child-embarrassed-by-you/. Normally responsible

kids can start to push back against meeting expectations and disrespect towards

parents and other authority figures can become quite common. The behavior you

describe isn’t OK; it is normal though. I can hear how much you want to help

your daughter and granddaughter

work through these challenges. If your daughter is open to it, you could share

some Empowering Parents articles with her, such as the one above and this one, https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/my-childs-behavior-is-so-bad-where-do-i-begin-how-to-coach-your-child-forward/.

We appreciate you writing in. Best of luck to you and your family moving

forward. Take care.

mphyvr Thanks for all these "strategies", they might work for some parents, but quite simplistic and just plain old common sense for more defiant kids... Thanks anyways and hope this article helps many.

Psych Fan I'm a mom of a sophomore he's also a swearing boy and will have quite a tantrum even with consequences of take away all he does is sleep. He doesn't like school says school is a waste of time and that grades won't matter in his adulthood . He says More it over n over about how schooling won't help him in the future as I go it will help you do good on a ACT and SAT he is like getting good scores on those are only good if your going to college. He also is like jobs won't look at my grades . I tell him homework teaches him responsibility once a job sees your amount of effort in school your going to have a heck of time getting hired. I even ask him how is he going to succeed to work real well at a job when he doesn't work hard at school he goes I don't need to work hard at school but I will need to work hard at a job.

dcastillo68 If it was only this simple, but, in reality it is not. Middle school syndrome is the worst. Kids don't want to be labeled as nerds so they do everything to try to fail. I went through that with my first born, and now again with my youngest. It is More very frustrating when I was the total opposite when I was growing up. I cared about my grades an I took it for granted thinking they will feel the same way. Now seeing how they are happy with just getting by is really frustrating to me because I am such an over achiever. They didn't even get an ounce of this. Very very frustrating. And I wish I have never invited video games to this household. That is all they want to do. I keep using this an incentive to bring them back on track, but as soon as I give them their games back, they are back to their old habits. Sorry, but I can't wait until they are finished with school and hopefully moving out of state to hopefully a college career. I may change my mind later, but at the moment, this is just how I feel. It is very hard too when you don't get any help. I find today's teacher to be lazy and pushing on more responsibility to the parents. Who has time to do a full day's of work, only to do additional work at home? okay, enough venting.

@frustrated single dad Diane Lewis Hi there - I have a son adopted out of foster care. He is 6 1/2 and has been in 5 homes. He is totally the same! They learn this behavior and are incredibly manipulative. They are so insanely smart. I worry about exactly the same thing. They turn on and off the behavior depending on who they are with and what they want.

We did Parent Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT) at the Mailman Center (Jackson Hospital Miami). It made a huge difference in the short-term. They basically taught us to be full-time behavioral therapists with my son. The effects wore off after a few months as my son adapted and found ways to circumvent the consequences techniques taught to us. He is like the Borg! I am going back to get more ideas on how to adapt and change and stay one step ahead of my son. The gals there are really smart!

So, that being said - we have to be Jean Luc Picard and constantly change and adapt and outsmart them - just like changing the phasers on a laser gun! It is bloody hard work. And, harder the older they get -

eg. He drops like a dead weight - throws his book bag and will not get in the car to go to school - response - next morning I headed it off by calling out to the kids "LAST ONE IN THE CAR IS A ROTTEN EGG!" This has worked for 2 days now.

Wont do homework 2 nights ago - response - "ooh I like doing word puzzles - Im going to do them and win" - this worked one night but not the next - he just then just left me to do his work - so I have told his teacher that there will be no school party for Alex next week unless he gets his homework finished - we will see if this works.....

It is totally exhausting and you have to be on your A game all the time. Im telling you this but - I have to tell myself this too. We have to stay really fit (like cross fit) and work out like a marine. We have to be very disciplined with ourselves - a healthy body is a healthy mind - we cannot let up at all. We have to stay calm at all times (again self discipline).

Im always looking for concrete reactions to situations with my son. Like I said - the entire day goes on like this with everything except what he wants to do. Wont get dressed in the morning - put out his clothes in dining room where there are no distractions or toys - tell him that if he gets dressed and ready for school quickly - he can spend the left over time on the trampoline. That worked this morning.

STAY STRONG MY BROTHER IN ARMS!!! If you can get into a PCIT program - do it.

Love to you - R

My child comes home and says he doesn't have homework, does something easy to make it look like he's doing his homework, or says he did it during free time in class. How do you combat this without going to the school everyday? Neither my husband nor I can do More this because of work, and the we asked the teacher's if it was possible to send us the assignments via email or let us come pick them up once a week with no cooperation. He is a very smart kid and gets "A's' on the work he does, but he is failing all of his core classes because he won't do homework.

@atmywitsend , my child is the same way. I'm at my wits end. I feel like I'm a failure as a parent because I thought I taught my smart kid to succeed - and instead she's lying to me.

Psych Fan NinaMays I'm with the same feelings as my son can be above a C student but he choose to go oh I rather just get F's on this work than to actually get at least a B or A on these many assignments.. I ask him why he chooses F's More in many assignments when he could get a grade to bring his grades up and me telling me he's not being his full potential as by making him not do his work how can I truly believe he's going to be successful and he's like I have big brains . Then I'm like why not show me by doing your school work he goes I don't need do that and I show you of my big brains by telling you school isn't important. Telling me I am brainwashed. He is a sophomore in high school.

FRUSTRATED PARENT NinaMays This is my reality too - "relationship" with teachers is difficult when they won't co-operate with homework expectations, or follow up email - the schools complain that kids are on the internet - yet its them providing wifi passwords - so kids are playing in class - lying about More homework - and since I'm not in the class, I have no idea until report cards surface.

Responses to questions posted on EmpoweringParents.com are not intended to replace qualified medical or mental health assessments. We cannot diagnose disorders or offer recommendations on which treatment plan is best for your family. Please seek the support of local resources as needed. If you need immediate assistance, or if you and your family are in crisis, please contact a qualified mental health provider in your area, or contact your statewide crisis hotline.

We value your opinions and encourage you to add your comments to this discussion. We ask that you refrain from discussing topics of a political or religious nature. Unfortunately, it's not possible for us to respond to every question posted on our website.

1. The Homework Battle: How to Get Children to Do Homework
2. What to Do When Your Child or Teen is Suspended or Expelled From School
3. Acting Out in School: When Your Child is the Class Troublemaker
4. Young Kids in School: Help for the Top 4 Behavior Problems
5. When Your Child Has Problems at School: 6 Tips for Parents
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Your 6-year-old: Milestones and development

Your 6-year-old is a big guy, but he's still little, too. Be sensitive when he messes up, and if he's developed a bad habit, keep in mind that it's his way of coping with stress. Stay out of power struggles by giving him a choice when you can and being firm when you can't. Provide him with structure, a good place to do his homework, and plenty of healthy food. Help him learn to ride his bike, and teach him some safety rules about riding, too. Time to stock up on payouts from the tooth fairy!

Welcome to 6

Little big kid, bedtime battles, family night, eye problems, bike riding lesson, creating a library, tooth fairy, your social butterfly, cleaning up, picky eaters, mom's interests, handling accidents, power plays, soothing routines, homework habits, extended play, asking questions, staying hydrated, music appreciation.

Now We Are Six is a book of children's poetry by A.A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh. The title alone makes it a fun book to have on your child's shelf. But this kind of book illustrates some other interesting points about 6-year-olds:

Sixes love poems because of the word play and repetition.
They also enjoy nonsense words and onomatopoeia (words that sound like the thing they describe, such as "hiss" or "buzz").
Kids this age are working to understand more about what "big people" do - discoveries that make them feel both confident and confused. The poems reflect a child's increasingly complex world.
Sixes have vivid imaginations . The characters in such poems include knights, teddy bears, and all kinds of fanciful creatures and situations. The familiar inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood are also here. Children this age cling to the comfortingly familiar as well as looking eagerly to new things.
Six-year-olds still love being read to , even as they begin to master books all on their own.

Strive to find a balance between thinking of your child as a "big kid" (which he is) and a "little one" (which he also still is, in many ways). Grant him more responsibility to make choices, get himself dressed, and the like.

At the same time, recognize that he's not mature enough yet to be a master at things like self-discipline and self-control. He's still learning the ropes, and he will slip up.

Even once-reliable sleepers sometimes have trouble going to bed and staying there. All the anxieties of the day can surface the minute your child's head hits the pillow. Should she go to the sleepover even if she's scared to? What will her brother do when he finds out she lost his baseball? Couple this anxiety with her growing body and busy day.

If your child is resisting bedtime, ask her why it's become a problem. She may identify another reason: Maybe she's not tired or is afraid of the dark. More physical activity, cutting out caffeine, or soothing her fears may help.

Most kids still respond well to a strict bedtime routine . Let your child have some control over the process of shaping it. Curb screen time, computer play, and vigorous activity an hour or so before bedtime as these things tend to jazz kids up instead of calm them down.

Your child may prefer being read to after a bath, or just snuggling to chat. A talk is a great way to catch up and the perfect time for her to unburden herself of those worries that may be keeping her awake.

Looking for more family time? Some families hold a weekly Family Night where outside engagements are verboten. Others hold regular pizza-and-movie dinners.

Or you might consider the modern twist: The Unplugged Night, where computers, tablets, phones, and all manner of electronic gizmos are shut off for a fixed amount of time while you all play board games or take a family walk.

Often the early school years are when vision problems first surface. Doctors screen for vision health during pre-school checkups. Teachers also tend to notice when their students have difficulty seeing the board or participating in class activities.

Among the things to watch out for:

Complaining about being able to read signs or other words at distances
A lack of interest in reading
Holding a book very close to the nose
Lots of eye rubbing
Chronic eye tearing (which can indicate a blocked duct)
Abnormal eye alignment (such as a wandering eye or crossed eyes )
Sensitivity to light

An eye exam will check both your child's visual acuity and general eye health. Nearsightedness (myopia) is the most common vision problem for kids of school age. Fortunately, today's glasses are sturdy and, because they're not actually made of glass, less likely to break than specs of a generation ago. Contact lenses aren't advised until adolescence.

A tip for teaching a child to ride a bike : Hold on to his shoulders rather than the seat as you run alongside. This allows him to correct his balance, not you.

Note that some kids pick riding up in a jiffy; others will need patience and lots of practice. Try to curb your own frustration if your child takes a while to catch on. You'll only make him feel worse.

As your child grows more confident about bike riding, be sure you've gone over basic safety rules with him.

Wear a helmet each and every ride.
Stick to the sidewalks, not the street.
Stop at each corner to look both ways before crossing.
Watch the terrain, because piles of wet leaves or sand, dirt, and pebbles can be hazards that lead to wipeouts.
Keep both hands on the handlebars. And never mind that "Look Ma, no hands!" business!

What books should be in a good first library? Here are some guidelines:

Foremost, look for books your child can read comfortably. The general rule: Kids should be able to read a page with no more than five errors.
Simple readers that repeat words and phrases or that have lots of rhyming words and predictable plots all build confidence. (Example: Dr. Seuss's Beginner Books series.)
Consider your child's interests. Choose tales that relate to experiences in her life, like going to the dentist or making the soccer team. If she likes a certain author or illustrator, look for more titles by that person.
Aim for variety. Don't forget poetry and nonfiction titles.
Include some books with only illustrations. As your child looks at the pictures and tells the story in her own words, she builds storytelling skills. She's also learning that pictures provide clues to what the story is about, a skill that will help her figure out unfamiliar words in books with print.
Pick up a few books that are beyond her reading ability, too. These are for you to read aloud together. Her auditory comprehension (understanding what she hears) is still way ahead of her reading comprehension (understanding what she reads). Being read to expands a child's vocabulary.

Paging the tooth fairy! While some children begin to lose teeth as early as 4 or 5, age 6 is the average age for the first tooth to come out. Think about how you will commemorate this big event. Will your child put the tooth under her pillow and hope the tooth fairy will exchange it for cash? If so, how much?

Some families wrap the tooth in tissue, while others use a fancy box. Given that your child has a mouthful to lose in the coming years, pick a routine you'll be happy to repeat. (Giving a big gift for each lost tooth, for example, can add up.)

Six-year-olds become quite social in their play, drawing friends into their dramas and concocting more elaborate story lines. They're more creative about finding and using props around the house; for example, using blankets to build forts and towels to make capes. It's a good idea to provide lots of prop possibilities and be generous about sharing household items when you can.

An interest in rules makes its way into playtime, too. Kid this age love to be the director. "Run into the room and say, 'Boo!'" they may order a friend. Often kids will take turns directing the play. But if you have two or more assertive types, the bossiness can lead to fights. Let them try to hash it out themselves, but be prepared to step in to help them resolve serious conflicts.

Bonus: How to help your child make friends

It seems to be a modern maxim that the bigger kids get, somehow the messier the house becomes. A few little tricks can help you from getting dragged down by clutter, which organizational experts know is a major stressor to busy parents. For example:

Try the "ten-minute" rule. Set a timer and spend just ten minutes whittling away the clutter you see. Then stop. This keeps the job from becoming overwhelming but yields visible results.
Teach your child to clean up one game or play zone before embarking on a new one.
Hang some pegs inside a closet or just inside a doorway that your child can reach. It can be easier for little hands to hang a jacket on a peg than a hanger.

Handling picky eater issues requires the same matter-of-fact, low-pressure strategy that's effective for other behavioral challenges like power struggles and defiance. No arguing, no raised voices. Put the food on the table - healthy options , of course - without dwelling on it.

Try to have at least one thing you think your child will eat, and then let her choose what, and how much, to eat. If it's only bread, so be it. Your child won't starve or die of malnutrition. The goal is to avoid introducing a lot of emotion surrounding food.

There's also a legitimate scientific reason for kids' dietary fussiness. They have more taste buds than we do (taste buds die as we age), so flavors are more intense. That may be why your child turns up her nose at spicy flavors and vegetables like broccoli. (And some people – supertasters – have more sensitive taste buds than others.)

Try serving veggies steamed or cooked with a little sauce or butter. Sweeter options like red peppers, sweet potatoes, and carrots may be more popular than chard or broccoli. Know, too, that kids who eat with their families instead of alone have been shown to eat more healthfully.

Feeling like you have no time for your own interests? Try this exercise: Make a list of 10 things you love to do and work your way through the list.

Look for patterns among the items: Crafts? Reading? Sports? Pick one activity in one of your top categories and decide you'll spend time at it this month. Read a best-selling novel? Take a tai chi class? A baby step of just couple of hours a month is a small time commitment - but a big step toward reclaiming a bit of your old self.

Misdeeds deserve consequences, right? But in order to hand down a suitable consequence, you need to understand why your child misbehaves. Did she do it on purpose or was it an accident? Does she know the difference?

At 6, your child is learning the difference between accidental and intentional behaviors. Most children don't plot to do wrong. Baseballs sail off course and through windows; pants get ripped; things happen.

Yes, you may have told your child thousands of times to throw the ball away from the house. But kids this age are impulsive and have trouble visualizing future sequences of events; they often can't see what effect their actions will have until something bad happens.

In the event of an accident, grit your teeth and try to stay calm. Talk about the implications of her behavior. Try to involve your child in an appropriate remedy: helping to clean up what was broken, for example.

But sometimes, kids know exactly what they're doing wrong. Kids intentionally act out when they're angry, frustrated, tired, or feel under pressure. Put yourself in her place. She has so little control over her life. She's bound to go over the line occasionally as she tries to assert herself.

While you can't let her get away with bad behavior, be sensitive. You may need to deal with the underlying issue by making sure she gets more rest or role-playing other things she can do to manage her anger .

Bonus: Your top 10 discipline dilemmas - solved

All of this social pressure can wear on your child. Sometimes she'll need to shut out the world and play alone, avoiding the stress of managing peer relationships. Balance playdates with plenty of private time.

Getting snared in a power struggle with a 6-year-old can be tough to avoid. He wants control, and he'll fight for it valiantly. Engaging in these tussles with your child is a losing proposition, though. He'll continue to defy, dawdle, ignore, argue - whatever it takes to grab back some control. The more you insist and get upset, the more power he feels. He now knows just what to do to get a rise out of you.

The trick is to give your child power without surrendering yours. That means choosing your battles. Let him make choices over things appropriate for his age - what to wear, what friend to have over. Give him options whenever you can. "Would you like turkey or ham for dinner?"

And when he truly has no choice, be firm and in control. "You must wear your helmet." Don't debate, and give swift, appropriate consequences if he disobeys or argues with you. "You wear it, or you won't ride your bike the rest of the day."

Structure makes children feel safe. They have something to hold onto amid all the anxiety and know what to expect. "When I get home, I know I'll have a snack, do my homework, and then walk the dog."

You'll also notice how much less fighting there is if you stick with the routines. Kids will understand what needs to get done and when. Enough said. And they feel proud when they pack their own backpacks and finish their chores.

That's not to say you have to be a zealot. There are times - like birthdays or meteor showers - when it's okay to veer off schedule and get to bed a tad late.

If kids catch on to routines now and learn good habits, they can handle larger changes down the road. Let's face it, if they can't brush their teeth and do their homework now, how will they ever pay the bills and get to work on time when they grow up?

Now that your child is entering the homework years, it's a good time to plan how to handle it. Set up a place for your child to work. Many kids do well with a desk or table in their bedroom, but some younger kids prefer to do the work near a parent - maybe at the kitchen table. Have your child do his assignments at a consistent time, such as right after school or right after dinner.

Should you help? Be available to answer questions, but most teachers feel it's best if you don't give answers or actually do the work. The point isn't that the work gets finished correctly but that your child understands the underlying concepts.

Hair twisting, nail biting , nose picking , and shirt gnawing are just a few of the annoying habits 6-year-olds develop. Your child isn't out to irk you. Such habits are a way of coping with stress . Nagging to stop is actually counterproductive. It only draws negative attention to the habit, making your child more nervous and attached to it.

Instead, talk about it in a more casual way. Identify the habit and offer rational reasons for stopping, ones that are clear and understandable to a 6-year-old. "Picking your nails can give you an infection that could hurt." Or "You've been growing out your hair for a long time now. But if you keep chewing on it, we may have to cut it because it's not a polite thing to do."

Enlist your child's help in coming up with ways to stop. Suggest a secret wink or hand motion to signal him when he's chewing on his shirt, for example. Offer positive reinforcement: If he can keep his shirt out of his mouth for a month, you'll buy him that sports jersey he's been begging for.

Most of these unpleasant habits disappear as kids get older and learn other ways to handle anxiety. Peer pressure will help, too. Not too many kids let their classmates get away with picking their noses.

Your child's longer attention span allows him to extend a play theme over a few days or across multiple playdates now. Try to set aside a place in your house for your child to leave out things he's working on, such as art projects, forts or playhouses, or block cities.

Do you find yourself reading Wikipedia to your increasingly curious child, fielding questions about tough topics like whether God exists or why some people are fat? Your child is not only curious about abstract issues, she can now articulate such thoughts better.

When you feel put on the spot, it's okay to stall for time, so long as you do follow-up: "That's a good question. We're almost to school now, but let's talk about it more when you come home." Never get upset at a child for raising any topic. She needs to know she can come to you with anything.

Keep explanations simple. While 6-year-olds can ask abstract questions, they can't understand abstract answers. They're still literal, concrete thinkers for the most part.

Use their questions as a springboard for some of those difficult topics you'll have to deal with eventually anyway. For example, questions about why those people outside the shelter always look so dirty can lead to a meaningful conversation - at his level - about people who may not have as much as he does.

Do be careful about relating these conversations to other adults in your child's presence, no matter how poignant or funny they are. You don't want to make him feel self-conscious or silly for coming to you. Kids want to be taken seriously.

Many kids don't drink enough water during the day. The Institute of Medicine recommends that children 4 to 8 years old drink 7 cups of water per day. To encourage staying hydrated, get your child a water bottle, such as a sports bottle or one made for hiking. (Discount stores offer many types decorated with popular characters or sports teams.)

Put his name on it and let him carry it with him to school and around the house. (Be sure to wash it every day.) Doing the same yourself can help set a good example. Bonus: Your child gets in the habit of swigging plain H2O rather than soda or juice.

The average 6-year-old is about 45 inches tall and weighs approximately 45 pounds. Your child will double that weight by the time he reaches adolescence and grow to five feet tall or more!

Your child's doctor tracks this growth, of course, but you can help your child develop in a healthy way by serving nutritious food and making sure he gets lots of exercise. Two kinds of measurements to bear in mind: height-weight percentiles and BMI .

If the doctor tells you that your 6-year-old son is in the 75th percentile for weight, for example, that means 75 percent of the boys his age in the United States weigh the same or less than your child and 25 percent weigh more.

BMI, or body-mass index, is a calculation based on the relationship between height and weight and it's often used to help determine whether a person is underweight or overweight . A different chart is used for children than adults.

Your child's feet are growing, too. Although it's tempting to buy the most inexpensive shoes you can find because they are outgrown so quickly, remember that your child depends on secure footwear for all that running and playing he should be doing at this age.

Be sure that shoes fit well, and if they have laces or straps, fasten them securely on your child's feet. Every child needs a good pair of tennis shoes. Plastic croc-style shoes or flip-flops won't allow him to run well.

Just because you find yourself spending more time behind the wheel with your child doesn't mean you're doomed to a decade or more of listening to kids' music. Play what you like to hear in the car.

Ideally, it's great to expose your child to many forms of music, from classical and jazz to reggae and rock. One caveat: Be careful about the news programs and talk radio you consume. Your child is paying attention even if it doesn't seem like it, so if the subject or language isn't appropriate, find something else that is.

Bonus: How to encourage your budding musician.

Look ahead to 6 ¼-years

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Your 6 1/2-year-old: Milestones and development

Doctor visit: The 6-year checkup

doctor holding a child's hand down on the table, measuring her blood pressure

Your 7-year-old: Milestones and development

Your 6 1/4-year-old: Milestones and development

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies .

AAP. 2018. 10 Tips for parents of picky eaters. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Picky-Eaters.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

AAP. 2018. Kids and tech: Tips for parents in the digital age. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Tips-for-Parents-Digital-Age.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2020. Water: How much do kids need? https://www.eatright.org/fitness/sports-and-performance/hydrate-right/water-go-with-the-flow Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

ADA. Undated. Eruption charts. American Dental Association. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/e/eruption-charts Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

AOA. Undated. School-aged vision: 6 to 18 years of age. American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-health-for-life/school-aged-vision?sso=y Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

CDC. 2020. About child & teen BMI. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

CDC. 2020. Developmental milestones: Middle childhood (6–8 years of age). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle.html Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

MedlinePlus. 2020. School-age children development. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002017.htm Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

Milne AA. 1927. Now We Are Six. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

National Sleep Foundation. 2020. Children and sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep Opens a new window [Accessed December 2020]

Where to go next

Middle Childhood (6-8 years of age)

Developmental Milestones

Middle childhood brings many changes in a child’s life. By this time, children can dress themselves, catch a ball more easily using only their hands, and tie their shoes. Having independence from family becomes more important now. Events such as starting school bring children this age into regular contact with the larger world. Friendships become more and more important. Physical, social, and mental skills develop quickly at this time. This is a critical time for children to develop confidence in all areas of life, such as through friends, schoolwork, and sports.

Here is some information on how children develop during middle childhood:

Emotional/Social Changes

Children in this age group might:

Show more independence from parents and family.
Start to think about the future.
Understand more about his or her place in the world.
Pay more attention to friendships and teamwork.
Want to be liked and accepted by friends.

Thinking and Learning

Show rapid development of mental skills.
Learn better ways to describe experiences and talk about thoughts and feelings.
Have less focus on one’s self and more concern for others.

Positive Parenting Tips

Following are some things you, as a parent, can do to help your child during this time:

Show affection for your child. Recognize her accomplishments.
Help your child develop a sense of responsibility—ask him to help with household tasks, such as setting the table.
Talk with your child about school, friends, and things she looks forward to in the future.
Talk with your child about respecting others. Encourage him to help people in need.
Help your child set her own achievable goals—she’ll learn to take pride in herself and rely less on approval or reward from others.
Help your child learn patience by letting others go first or by finishing a task before going out to play. Encourage him to think about possible consequences before acting.
Make clear rules and stick to them, such as how long your child can watch TV or when she has to go to bed. Be clear about what behavior is okay and what is not okay.
Do fun things together as a family, such as playing games, reading, and going to events in your community.
Get involved with your child’s school. Meet the teachers and staff and get to understand their learning goals and how you and the school can work together to help your child do well.
Continue reading to your child. As your child learns to read, take turns reading to each other.
Use discipline to guide and protect your child, rather than punishment to make him feel bad about himself. Follow up any discussion about what not to do with a discussion of what to do instead.
Praise your child for good behavior. It’s best to focus praise more on what your child does (“you worked hard to figure this out”) than on traits she can’t change (“you are smart”).
Support your child in taking on new challenges. Encourage her to solve problems, such as a disagreement with another child, on her own.
Encourage your child to join school and community groups, such as a team sports, or to take advantage of volunteer opportunities.

Child Safety First

More physical ability and more independence can put children at risk for injuries from falls and other accidents. Motor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of death from unintentional injury among children this age.

Protect your child properly in the car. For detailed information, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Car Seats: Information for Families external icon .
Teach your child to watch out for traffic and how to be safe when walking to school, riding a bike, and playing outside.
Make sure your child understands water safety, and always supervise her when she’s swimming or playing near water.
Supervise your child when he’s engaged in risky activities, such as climbing.
Talk with your child about how to ask for help when she needs it.
Keep potentially harmful household products, tools, equipment, and firearms out of your child’s reach.

Healthy Bodies

Parents can help make schools healthier. Work with your child’s school to limit access to foods and drinks with added sugar, solid fat, and salt that can be purchased outside the school lunch program.
Make sure your child has 1 hour or more of physical activity each day.
Keep television sets out of your child’s bedroom. Set limits for screen time for your child at home, school, or afterschool care and develop a media use plan for your family. external icon
Practice healthy eating habits and physical activity early. Encourage active play, and be a role model by eating healthy at family mealtimes and having an active lifestyle.
Make sure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep each night: For school-age children 6-12 years, 9–12 hours per 24 hours (including naps)

For More Information

Infants and toddlers
Middle childhood
Adolescence

CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” Campaign For more details on developmental milestones, warning signs of possible developmental delays, and information on how to help your child’s development, visit the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign website.

CDC’s Parent Information (Children 0―3 years) This site has information to help you learn how to give your child a healthy start in life.

CDC’s Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers Learn ways you can help build a safe, stable, and nurturing relationship with your child.

CDC’s Breastfeeding Information This site has answers to frequently asked questions about breastfeeding.

CDC’s Information on Infant and Toddler Nutrition Tips for Parents – Ideas to help children maintain a healthy weight.

CDC’s Protect the Ones You Love CDC’s Injury Center has information on how you can protect your child from drowning and other common causes of injury.

CDC’s Information on Vaccinations View the immunization schedule for infants and children and find out if your child’s vaccinations are up to date.

My Plate – Infants external icon The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition for 2 through 5 years of age.

My Plate – Toddlers external icon The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition for toddlers

HealthyChildren.org external icon AAP’s Healthy Children website provides information on feeding, nutrition, and fitness for all developmental stages from infancy to young adulthood.

Just in Time Parenting external icon (JITP) Quality, research-based information to families at the time it can be most useful.

Healthy Kids Healthy Future external icon You will find information on physical activity for young children and on ways to keep them moving.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration external icon (NHTSA) NHTSA has information on safety recalls and safety tips for children riding in motor vehicles, walking, biking, playing outside, waiting at school bus stops, and more.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. external icon (NICHD) Visit NICHD to learn how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and about safe sleep environments.

World Health Organization information on infant nutrition external icon This site has information to promote proper feeding for infants and young children.

CDC’s Parent Information (Children 4−11 years) This site has information to help you guide your child in leading a healthier life.

CDC’s Healthy Weight Information . Tips for parents – Ideas to help children maintain a healthy weight.

CDC’s Youth Physical Activity Guidelines This site has information on how to help children be active and play.

My Plate- Preschoolers external icon The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition for preschoolers.

CDC’s Parent Information (Children 4 — 11 years) This site has information to help you guide your child in leading a healthier life.

CDC’s Youth Physical Activity Basics This site has information on how to help children be active and play.

CDC’s Kids Quest Kids Quest is a CDC website designed for students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, to get them to think about people with disabilities and some of the issues related to daily activities, health, and accessibility.

CDC’s BAM! Body and Mind CDC’s BAM! Body and Mind is a website designed for kids 9 through 13 years of age to give them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The site focuses on topics that kids told us are important to them—such as stress and physical fitness—using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features.

My Plate – Kids external icon . The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition for children over 5 years of age.

HealthyChildren.org external icon AAP’s Healthy Children website provides information on feeding, nutrition, and fitness for all developmental stages from infancy to young adulthood. Visit this website to learn more about emotional problems external icon , learning disabilities external icon and other health and development concerns.

Let’s Move-Kids external icon Five simple steps for parents towards creating a healthy environment at home.

StopBullying.gov external icon StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on how children, parents, educators and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying.

SAMHSA’s KnowBullying app external icon A free app for parents to help prevent bullying, created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency (SAMHSA).

Teens Health external icon Visit this site for information on healthy eating and exercise external icon for children and teenagers, safety tips for your child at home external icon when you can’t be there, and other important health and safety topics.

CDC’s Adolescent and School Mental Health Learn how connection is key to good adolescent mental health.

CDC’s Parent Information (Teens 12— 19) This site has information to help you learn how to guide your teen to be safe and become a healthy and productive adult.

CDC’s Pregnancy Prevention for Teens . Tips and information especially for teens and designed with input from teens.

CDC’s BAM! Body and Mind CDC’s BAM! Body and Mind is a website designed for kids 9 through 13 years of age, to give them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The site focuses on topics that kids told us are important to them—such as stress and physical fitness—using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features.

CDC’s Information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth Health Learn about the physical and mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry external icon The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has many fact sheets for parents on child and adolescent health and development.

My Plate – Teen external icon The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition for teens.

National Institute of Mental Health external icon The National Institute of Mental Health has information on mental disorders affecting children and adolescents, including anxiety and depression.

StopBullying.gov external icon StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on how children, parents, educators, and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying.

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Coding For Six Year Olds

With technology continuing to become more integrated in our everyday lives, it’s never too early to introduce kids to coding. Platforms like Scratch and ScratchJr have made programming fun and accessible to young children, and there are even fun online live classes your child can take to help build their interest in coding. If you’re looking for ways to help your child learn to code while having fun, read on for some great resources for coding for 6 year olds!

Start coding for 6 year olds

Helping your child learn to code can be fun, but it can also be overwhelming to know where to begin. Before you begin teaching your child coding, identify the right language for them to start. Here’s a handy chart to help you:

ScratchJr is a great coding language for your six year old to start. It’s an introductory programming language aimed at children 5-7 which allows them to create their own interactive stories and games. It makes use of graphical block coding to make characters on the screen move around and interact. Kids can make use of a large library of built-in graphics and sounds, and can also modify those characters with the paint editor, recording their own sounds, and even insert photos of themselves. ScratchJr was inspired by the popular Scratch programming language developed by MIT, and it’s a great stepping stone on the way to more complex coding. It’s available for free on iPads, Android tablets, and Chromebooks.

How to download and get started with ScratchJr

Getting started with ScratchJr is easy! Just follow these simple steps:

Make sure you’re on an iPad, Android Tablet, or Chromebook
Go to your device’s app store and search for ScratchJr, or if you’re on that device right now, just click on one of these links: iPad or Android tablet or Chromebook
Once it’s installed, find the ScratchJr icon and give it a tap! Allow the app permission to access your device’s camera, microphone, and files. You’re ready to go.
Here are some ScratchJr projects ideas your student can begin exploring.

Top intro coding programs and websites for 6 year olds

There are a number of fantastic resources available online to help teach your child how to code using ScratchJr and other platforms.

1. Create & Learn’s Scratch Junior Introduction

In this wonderful class by Create & Learn, students are guided through a hands-on project by an expert teacher. The Scratch Junior Introduction walks kids through coding a fun dance party animation, teaching them how to add characters, control the characters with coding blocks, and how to combine different blocks to make their animation. It also prepares them to continue on to the full 6 week Scratch Junior course if they’re interested in learning more!

Small class sizes
Guided by expert teachers
Project based learning
Must be available for the scheduled live class time

2. Steve & Kate’s Camp

These live, in-person camps are a great way for kids to learn new skills and make new friends! Steve & Kate’s Camps allow kids to choose from a variety of activities, including coding with ScratchJr. This allows campers to experience a wide range of new skills and hobbies, and decide what they really enjoy doing. Steve & Kate’s Camps offer both summer and holiday sessions in a number of cities around the United States.

In-person learning
Many locations offered for both summer and winter camps
Wide range of activities from which kids get to choose
Not focused exclusively on ScratchJr/coding

3. Code.org

Code.org is an organization dedicated to the idea that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. They offer a myriad of self-guided tutorials on a number of subjects, including ScratchJr. Code.org is also known for their Hour of Code , in which kids can learn new coding skills by working on a project over the course of an hour. These offerings are great for parents looking for ways to be more directly involved in the learning process for ScratchJr and other computer science disciplines.

Work at your student's pace
Hour of Code offerings are great, low-commitment projects
Wide range of tutorials from which kids can choose
No additional help available from live teachers
Must be self-motivated

Best coding and computer science classes for 6 year olds

If you’re looking for a deeper dive into coding for your child, these award-winning classes offered by Create & Learn, and led live by experts, can help guide them along the way. You can also check out Create & Learn’s coding curriculum for 6 year olds to see in what order the classes should be taken, based on your child's experience level.

1. Scratch Junior Class

This six week class follows the introductory class mentioned above. In the Scratch Junior Class, kids create a series of animations and games while learning about core coding concepts. They’ll cover how to use loops, messaging, capture events in a game to take action, and more in the ScratchJr environment. These classes are all taught in small groups by expert teachers, ensuring your child gets the most of it!

2. Scratch Junior Club

Once your child has finished the Scratch Junior Class, they can move on to joining the Scratch Junior Club! In this online club, they’ll create a new project every week, putting the skills they’ve learned to use over the course of six different projects. They’ll be guided by an expert through each project from start to finish in a 45-minute session each week. It’s a great way to practice what they’ve learned and secure that foundational knowledge!

3. Budding Digital Artist Class

Nurturing creativity is important, and there are a ton of ways for kids to express their creativity as they learn how to use technology, such as digital drawing, digital photography, stop motion video, and more. The Budding Digital Artist Class teaches a wide range of digital art topics and basic techniques, allowing your child to explore many different digital mediums. Students are guided by expert teachers through different art projects in each session, learning the basics of art, developing their digital fluency, and exploring their creativity!

4. NASA STEM Club Class

Space has always fascinated kids and adults alike. In the NASA STEM Club Class, your child can learn a wide range of topics related to space science, NASA, and other STEM skills. Just like the other classes here, each session is project-based to encourage curiosity and develop problem solving skills. Students get to learn about many fun areas, including rockets, Mars, the International Space Station, the Solar System, and more!

How to teach your 6 year old coding

The most important things when it comes to your child learning how to code is getting them interested and helping them stay excited about coding. Here are a few tips to help:

Keep them engaged by helping them learn how to make things they want to make, such as easy games to code and Code.org games
Focus on age-appropriate material, so the learning process is natural rather than overwhelming.
Encourage them to share the projects they create with friends and family to help keep their enthusiasm up and drive them to create more!
Help them learn about computer science topics adjacent to coding to broaden their understanding of computer science as a whole, such as the parts of the computer they’re coding on!
Get them involved in after school activities to encourage them to keep to a schedule and structured learning framework.

Get started with coding for 6 year olds

There’s an endless range of possibilities on the internet to help get your 6 year old started with computer science and coding. If you're looking for a way to jump right into tinkering with coding on your own along with your child, check out our blog post on fun Scratch Jr project ideas to make . To learn from a comprehensive curriculum designed by professionals from Google, Stanford, and MIT, with live expert guidance in an engaging environment, enroll your child in a fun and effective class today:

Written by Create & Learn instructor Josh Abbott Salazar. Josh is a teacher, coder, audio engineer, and musician. After graduating with a Master's in Music from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, Josh turned his attention to the technology side of things, and has been working in various aspects of coding and engineering ever since. He runs a small music studio in Nashville called Tango Sound Studios, and develops video games in his spare time.

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How to Teach a 6 Year Old How to Code - Parents Overview Guide

May 31, 2022 by Seng Leave a Comment

This blog will discuss how you can help your 6 year old child start learning or wanting to learn how to code and program. Technology is changing quickly, which makes it interesting for kids to learn about. If your 6-year-old shows an interest in computers and how they work, especially coding, you can start teaching them with these simple tips and tricks.

how to teach a 6 year old kid how to code

All About Teaching 6 Years Old How to Cod e

Technology exploration and coding for children provide them with hands-on experience with computers and a creative outlet, and good problem-solving abilities that can be used in other aspects of their lives. As a result, coding has become an integral aspect of computer literacy for young people – even at 6 years old.

If your 6 year old loves to play on a computer, tablet, or video game console, take pleasure in mentally challenging educational exercises, such as word puzzles and ordinary puzzles or found playing building toys such as LEGO exciting, they may probably want to start on learning how to code too! Coding may sound challenging, but it does not mean we will start on a tricky part.

Using the right resources, your 6 year old will enjoy learning to code. To get your child ready for computer programming, assist them in acquiring simple, essential skills through applications, games, activities, toys, and more!

Best Tips to Teach Your 6 Year Old How to Code

Learning to code does not have to be complicated. Parents must remember to provide their children with age-appropriate coding assignments to gain the core knowledge necessary to be successful. The more a child learns about the fundamentals of coding, the more creative options they will discover.

It is essential to introduce your 6-year-old to the essentials gradually and concisely. Computer programming can be made simpler for kids by explaining what the basics are or helping them learn through activities. After all, for kids, one of the best methods to acquire knowledge is to learn through play.

Get to know some of the tips on how you can teach your 6 year old how to code with my list below.

How to Teach Kids 6 Year Old How to Code

Start with the basics.

Some children may already be familiar with the basics of coding by the time they reach age 6. However, it is possible that others are not aware of what it comprises or believe it is beyond their comprehension.

An excellent place to start is by explaining it to the kids. The first step in training children to think like computer programmers is to first lay the foundation of coding.

You can help your 6-year-old learn the basics and ideas of coding by explaining what it is and what it is used for. Communication with computers is accomplished through the practice of coding and s the language that tells smartphones how to run apps and consoles how to execute games. Almost all of what your children interact with via their computers, websites, and social media is powered by coding.

Start a Project

Having a project plan is very helpful for programmer kids who are unsure of how to proceed. As any programmer will tell you, hands-on experience is the only way to truly master programming concepts and knowledge that you have learned from reading.

An excellent method to learn these modern skills is completing coding assignments or projects. Participants in an actual programming project can learn how to think like a programmer and what tools are needed to complete a real-world application.

Use Age-Appropriate Programming Tool

Nowadays, there are various programming tools where one can learn coding. For a 6 year old child, one of the most popular and most used programming tools is Scratch.

Scratch is one of the simplest programming languages to master, thanks to its drag-and-drop interface with colored blocks.

Over the age of eight is generally considered an appropriate time to introduce a child to Scratch. However, Scratch offers a more user-friendly interface for children aged 5 to 7 years old called Scratch Jr. ScratchJr's UI is substantially less complicated than Scratch's to make it easier for children to get started.

Books for Coding

Most 6 years old can read and retell familiar stories, and it is a good thing if they want to start to learn to code. While there are many benefits of reading such as increasing a child's ability to focus, one of the best ways they can learn how to code is by reading books that are age-appropriate for them.

If your 6 year old finds that reading words is still difficult for them, there are ranges of books for them to choose from to help them start. Some books available are picture or illustrated books and activity books that introduces young children to the basic of coding.

Below are a few coding books that are age-appropriate for your 6 years old:

DK Workbooks: Computer Coding: An Introduction to Code

DK Workbooks: Computer Coding is a highly visual workbook that teaches computer programming fundamentals with Python, a free and open-source coding language. With straightforward, step-by-step directions and colorful pixel art, DK Workbooks: Computer Coding is an excellent introduction to computer coding for students who are just starting. There are written tests at the end of each chapter in this book and an eye-catching dictionary of essential vocabulary.

If your child is more than ready to explore more of the basics of coding, this book will be ideal as they will be able to create Python-based programs, animations, and games once they have finished the book.

Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding

Hello Ruby is a delightful combination of a picture book and an activity book written by Linda Liukas. This book aims not to instruct your 6 years old in a specific programming language but rather on general principles of computer programming.

By reading Hello Ruby, your 6-year-old may develop computational thinking and problem-solving skills.

Lift-the-Flap Computers and Coding

Just like Hello Ruby, Lift-The-Flap Computers and Coding Book is a picture book. However, if Hello Ruby has an activity inside, this book has none and is focused on chapters.

By opening the flaps on the illustrations in this chapter book, students are encouraged to learn more about how computers function "under the hood." This coding book written by Rosie Dickens will help your 6-year-old discover how algorithms work and basic mathematical concepts through a series of fun-filled quests and riddles.

STEM and Coding Toys

Do you want your 6 year old to learn knowledge in coding with less screen time or no screen time at all? Thanks to the various STEM and coding toys available for kids nowadays, it is now possible.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) toys focus on these four disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Coding toys can also be recognized as stem toys, and these toys have a significant impact on the educational well-being of parents and guardians who have long pondered what benefits their children gain from playing with toys.

While these STEM toys are highly educational for your children, they can also help them improve diverse thinking, creativity, and hand-eye coordination. Enhancing spatial awareness can also be gained by playing with STEM or coding toys.

Summary About Teaching 6 Year Old to Learn How to Code

When a child is six years old, they are either in kindergarten or beginning first grade. Even at this young age, children are expected to learn how to code because it is an integral part of being able to use computers well.

It is an excellent idea to help your youngster learn basic computer programming abilities by using apps, games, and other educational materials. I hope that by the time you finish reading this blog, you will have a better understanding of how you can begin teaching your 6-year-old to code.

More Inspiration for 6 Year Old Kids Learning to Code

Looking to be inspired? Here are some other posts related to teaching six year olds how to code.

Best Coding Toys for 6 Year Old Kids
How to Teach 6 Year Old Kids Coding and Programming

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Growth & Development: 6 to 12 Years (School Age)

As kids grow from grade-schoolers to preteens, you can expect many changes from their physical appearances to their favorite activities. Children between 6 and 12 years old will begin valuing friendships and become more involved in activities like sports and/or painting.

Doctors use certain milestones to tell if a child is developing as expected. There’s a wide range of what’s considered normal, so some children gain skills earlier or later than others. Children who were born prematurely reach milestones later. Always talk with your doctor about your child’s progress.

What can my 6- to 12-year-old child do at this age?

As your child continues to grow, you will notice new and exciting abilities that your child develops. While children may progress at different rates and have diverse interests, the following are some of the common milestones children may reach in this age group:

6- to 7-year-olds:

Enjoy many activities and stays busy
Like to paint and draw
Practice skills in order to become better
Can tie shoelaces
Can do simple math like adding and subtracting

8- to 9-year-olds can:

Jump, skip and chase
Dress and groom self completely
Use tools (i.e., hammer, screwdriver)

10- to 12-year-olds may:

Like to write, draw and paint

What does my 6- to 12-year-old child understand?

As children enter school-age, their abilities and understanding of concepts and the world around them continue to grow. While children may progress at different rates, the following are some of the common milestones children may reach in this age group:

Understand concept of numbers
Know daytime and nighttime
Can differentiate right and left hands
Can copy complex shapes, such as a diamond
Can tell time
Can understand commands with three separate instructions
Can explain objects and their use
Can repeat three numbers backwards
Can read age-appropriate books and/or materials

8- to 9-year-olds:

Can count backwards
Know the date
Read more and enjoy reading
Understand fractions
Understand concept of space
Draw and paint
Can name months and days of week, in order
Enjoys collecting objects

10- to 12-year-olds:

Write stories
Like to write letters
Enjoy talking on the phone or texting

Wellness and Fitness Milestones

Kids at this age need physical activity to build strength, coordination, and confidence — and to lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle. They’re also gaining more control over how active they are. Kids who enjoy sports and exercise tend to stay active throughout their lives. Staying fit can improve how kids develop in school, build self-esteem, as well as prevent obesity, and decrease the risk of serious illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease later in life.

What is “normal” physical growth for a 6- to 12-year-old child?

For 6- to 12-year-olds, there continues to be a wide range of “normal” regarding height, weight and shape. Kids tend to get taller at a steady pace, growing about 2-2.5 inches (6 to 7 centimeters) each year. When it comes to weight, kids gain about 4–7 lbs. (2–3 kg) per year until puberty starts.

This is also a time when kids start to have feelings about how they look and how they’re growing. Some girls may worry about being “too big,” especially those who are developing early. Boys tend to be sensitive about being too short.

Try to help your child understand that the important thing is not to “look” a certain way, but rather to be healthy. Kids can’t change the genes that will determine how tall they will be or when puberty starts. But they can make the most of their potential by developing healthy eating habits and being physically active.

Your doctor will take measurements at regular checkups, then plot your child’s results on a standard growth chart to follow over time and compare with other kids the same age and gender.

How can I help my child grow?

Normal growth — supported by good nutrition, enough sleep, and regular exercise — is one of the best overall indicators of a child’s good health. Your child’s growth pattern is largely determined by genetics.

Pushing kids to eat extra food or get higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients will not increase their height and may lead to weight problems. Accepting kids as they are helps them build self-acceptance. Good mental health is important for healthy development, strong relationships and resilience.

How active should my 6- to 12-year-old be?

School-age kids should have many chances to do a variety of activities, sports, and games that fit their personality, ability, age, and interests. Through physical activities, kids learn about sportsmanship, setting goals, meeting challenges, teamwork, and the value of practice.

Physical activity guidelines for school-age kids recommend that they get at least 1 hour of moderate to strong physical activity daily. In addition:

Most of the physical activity should be aerobic, where kids use large muscles and continue for a period of time.
Examples of aerobic activity are running, swimming, and dancing.
School-age kids usually have brief bouts of moderate to strong physical activity alternating with light activity or rest throughout the day. Any moderate to strong activity counts toward the 60-minute goal.
Muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activity should be included at least 3 days a week.
Children naturally build strong muscles and bones when they run, jump and play. Formal weight programs aren’t needed. However, they are safe when properly designed and supervised.

Should my child participate in sports?

Keep in mind your child’s age and developmental level, natural abilities, and interests. Kids 6 to 8 years old are sharpening basic physical skills like jumping, throwing, kicking, and catching. Some enjoy doing this in organized sports teams, but non-competitive leagues are best for younger kids. Kids 9 to 12 years old are refining, improving and coordinating skills. Some become even more committed to a sport while others drop out as competition heats up and level of play improves. Regardless of the age or activity, it is important that you show your support by coaching your child’s team or cheering from the stands on game days.

It’s okay if a child isn’t interested in traditional sports, but it’s important to find alternative ways to be active. Brainstorm with your kids on activities that feel right for them. Encourage a child who doesn’t like soccer, basketball, or other team sports to explore other active options, like karate, fencing, golf, bicycling, skateboarding, and tennis. Most kids won’t mind the physical activity as long as they are having fun.

Fitness at Home

Many parents and kids think of organized sports when they think of fitness. Though there are many advantages to signing a child up for a sports team, practice and games once or twice a week will not be enough to reach activity goals. Also, parents shouldn’t rely on physical education in schools alone to provide children with enough physical activity.

Here are some ways to keep your child moving at home:

Make physical activity part of the daily routine. From household chores to an after-dinner walk, keep your family active every day.
Allow enough time for free play. Kids can burn more calories and have more fun when left to their own devices. Playing tag, riding bikes around the neighborhood, and building snowmen are fun and healthy.
Keep a variety of games and sports equipment on hand. It doesn’t have to be expensive — an assortment of balls, hula-hoops, and jump ropes can keep kids busy for hours.
Be active together. It’ll get you moving, and kids love to play with their parents.
Limit time spent in sedentary activities such as watching TV, using electronic devices, being online and playing video games.

If you run out of possibilities at home, take advantage of local playgrounds and athletic fields. Make family fitness outings part of your regular routine. Let family members choose an activity — go hiking, ice skating, or try out the rock-climbing gym. Anything goes, as long as everyone can participate. And remember: You’ll help show your kids that exercise is important by regularly exercising yourself.

Preventing Sports-Related Injury

Kids who participate in sports are at risk for injuries, so be sure your child wears the proper protective equipment, such as shin-guards and cleats in soccer, or a helmet and protective pads when rollerblading or skateboarding. Kids who specialize in one sport are also at risk of overuse injuries, including stress fractures and joint injuries. If a child is in pain, it is best to rest and let the injury heal before returning to play.

A child with a chronic health condition or disability should not be excluded from these fitness activities in fear of getting a sports-related injury. Some activities may need to be changed or adapted, and some may be too risky depending on the condition. The best thing to do is to talk to your doctor about which activities are safe for your child.

If your child complains of pain during or after physical activity, talk with your doctor.

How long should my 6- to 12-year-old sleep?

School-age kids need 9-12 hours of sleep at night. Bedtime problems can start at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports, after-school activities, screen time, and hectic family schedules all can contribute to kids not getting the sleep they need. Sleep-deprived kids can become hyper or irritable and may have a hard time paying attention in school.

It’s still important to have a consistent bedtime, especially on school nights. Leave enough technology-free time before bed to allow your child to unwind before lights-out. Consider switching off the electronics at least an hour before bed. Avoiding keeping a TV in their bedroom.

Check out our Healthy Sleep Guide for Children for more info.

Puberty — or sexual development — is a time of dramatic change for both boys and girls. The age at which the physical changes of puberty normally begin varies widely.

For both sexes, these hormone-driven changes are accompanied by growth spurts that transform children into physically mature teens as their bodies develop. They may also experience side effects from these hormones like acne and mood changes.

Puberty in Girls

Breast development, usually the first noticeable sign of puberty in girls, may begin anytime between ages 8 and 13. Events in girls as they go through puberty:

Breasts begin to develop, and hips become rounded.
The increase in the rate of growth in height begins.
Pubic hair begins to appear, usually 6–12 months after the start of breast development. About 15% of girls will develop pubic hair before breast development starts.
The uterus and vagina, as well as labia and clitoris, increase in size.
Pubic hair is well established, and breasts grow further. Each breast can grow at different rates, may not be the same sizes.
The rate of growth in height reaches its peak by about 2 years after puberty began. The average age is 12 years.
Menstruation begins about 2 years after breast start to develop and almost always after the peak growth rate in height has been reached. The average age is 12.5 years.
Once girls get their periods, they usually grow about 1 or 2 more inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters), reaching their final adult height by about age 14 or 15 years. Girls can experience this at a younger or older age depending on when puberty began.

Puberty in Boys

Most boys show the first physical changes of puberty between ages 10 and 16 and tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.

Other features of puberty in boys include:

The penis and testicles increase in size. Testicles can grow at different rates, may not be the same sizes.
Pubic hair appears, followed by underarm and facial hair.
The voice deepens and may sometimes crack or break.
The Adam’s apple, or larynx cartilage, gets bigger.
Testicles begin to produce sperm.

Communication Milestones

How does my 6- to 12-year-old child interact with others.

A very important part of growing up is the ability to interact and socialize with others. During the school-age years, parents will see a transition in their child as he or she moves from playing alone to having multiple friends and social groups. While friendships become more important, the child is still fond of his or her parents and likes being part of a family. While every child is unique and will develop different personalities, the following are some of the common behavioral traits that may be present in your child:

Cooperate and share
Can get jealous of others and siblings
Like to copy adults
Like to play alone, but friends are becoming important
Play with friends of the same gender
May have occasional temper tantrums
May be modest about body
Like to play board games
Like competition and games
Start to mix friends and play with children of different gender
Enjoy clubs and groups, such as Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts
May become curious about relationships, but does not admit it
Will value friendship; may have a best friend
May develop romantic interests
Like and respect parents
Enjoy talking to others

How can I help increase my 6- to 12-year-old child’s social ability?

Consider the following as ways to foster your school-aged child’s social abilities:

Set and provide appropriate limits, guidelines and expectations and consistently enforce using appropriate consequences.
Model appropriate behavior.
Offer compliments for your child being cooperative and for any personal achievements.
Help your child choose activities that are appropriate for your child’s abilities.
Encourage your child to talk with you and be open with his or her feelings.
Encourage your child to read and read with your child.
Encourage your child to get involved with hobbies and other activities.
Encourage physical activity.
Encourage self-discipline; expect your child to follow rules that are set.
Teach your child to respect and listen to authority figures.
Teach your child to be aware of consequences of their behavior and empathy for others.
Encourage your child to talk about peer pressure and help set guidelines to deal with peer pressure.
Spend uninterrupted time together – giving full attention to your child. A strong, loving relationship can have a direct positive influence on your child’s mental health.
Encourage time outside.
Limit television, video game and computer time.

Reviewed by Dr. Lydia Villa , Clinica CHOC Para Niños, CHOC Primary Care – May 2021

Your child’s health is important at every stage. Visit CHOC Primary Care for pediatric services near you.

What's coming up for your child

Teenager Growth & Development: 13 to 18 Years (Adolescent)

Stress and Anxiety for Your 6-Year-Old

Listen to an audio file of this tool.

Now Is the Right Time!

Children and adults alike experience stress. Stress is typically caused by an external trigger like an angry sibling shouting, “ You can’t have my game !” or a mom insisting a child needs to stop playing and work on a homework assignment they’ve been avoiding. Feelings of stress are naturally built-in mechanisms for human survival and thriving. These feelings are the body’s way of warning you when there is danger and calling your attention to problems that need resolving. As a parent or someone in a parenting role, you can help your child learn to identify and manage their stress — an important skill they will use throughout their lives.

Children ages 5-10 are in the process of learning about their strong feelings, understanding the rules of school, growing friendships, and learning to master new concepts in reading, math, and more. All these new experiences and expectations for their performance can cause stress that is typical for all children.

In addition, most children also face more intense stress like during a sustained global crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic or through family challenges such as caregivers who divorce, have a mental illness, or deal with addiction. Many families have members who face intense stress due to the effects of systemic oppression, income inequality, lack of access to services, prejudices, stigma, or other injustices. Indeed, the support a child receives from trusted caregivers during and after stress can make a powerful difference in how that child copes and integrates that experience over the long term. With intentional guidance and support, parents and those in a parenting role can advance their children’s development to build their inner strength and resilience.

Symptoms of stress may look differently in children than they do in adults. Children can experience both mental and physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, irritability, trouble sleeping at night, and stomach and digestive problems. Some children may act out and create power struggles as they have not yet developed the skills to constructively manage their stress.

Symptoms of stress can be very similar to symptoms of anxiety, which can be difficult for parents and those in a parenting role to tell the difference. Even though signs of stress and anxiety may look the same, they are different and require different approaches to handle each. Understanding the differences between stress and anxiety will help parents properly guide their children through their intense feelings.

is a normal reaction to a situation or experience (an external trigger or stressor);
generally goes away when the stressor goes away;
doesn’t significantly interfere or alter daily functioning and activities; and
responds well to coping strategies like exercise, deep breathing, etc.
includes intense and persistent worry and fear that is difficult to control and out of proportion to the situation, 1
can be long lasting, and
significantly interferes with everyday functioning and activities.

While mild anxiety may respond well to coping strategies used to manage stress, a child experiencing anxiety may require additional help from a mental health professional to determine if they have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are different from feelings of stress or mild anxiety, which are short term.

There are resources listed at the end of this tool to help parents and those in a parenting role address complex issues like adverse childhood experiences; persistent, debilitating anxiety; and depression.

Every child needs to learn to manage stress. The following steps will prepare you to help your child through the kinds of stressors many commonly face. The steps include specific, practical strategies along with effective conversation starters to guide you in helping your child manage stress in ways that develop their resilience and skills for self-management.

Why Stress?

Whether it’s your five-year-old refusing to join in a game with other children because they have never played the game before or your ten-year-old having trouble getting to sleep because they are worried about a test the next day, stress and how to deal with it can become a daily challenge if you don’t create plans and strategies for dealing with it along with input from your child.

Today, in the short term, teaching skills to manage stress can create

greater opportunities for connection, cooperation, and enjoyment;
trust in each other that you have the competence to manage your big feelings; and
added daily peace of mind.

Tomorrow, in the long term, your child

builds skills in self-awareness,
builds skills in self-control and managing feelings, and
develops independence and self-sufficiency.

Five Steps for Managing Stress

This five-step process helps you and your child manage stress. It also builds important skills in your child. The same process can be used to address other parenting issues as well ( learn more about the process ).

These steps are done best when you and your child are not tired or in a rush.

Intentional communication and a healthy parenting relationship support these steps.

Step 1. Get Your Child Thinking by Getting Their Input

In order to ask helpful questions of your child and learn about their stress, parents can benefit from understanding how stress is processed in the body and brain. Understanding how the brain — for both adults and children — operates when feeling stressed is critical in shaping your responses and offering support for your child.

You can get your child thinking about ways to manage daily stress by asking open-ended questions. Open-ended questions help prompt your child’s thinking. You’ll also begin to better understand their thoughts, feelings, and challenges related to stress. In gaining input, your child

develops awareness about how they are thinking and feeling and understands when the cause of their upset is stress related and
can think through and problem solve challenges they may encounter ahead of time.
“When do you feel stressed?”
“When do you feel uncomfortable, frustrated, or angry?” (These feelings can occur to mask underlying stress.)
“What time of day?”
“What people, places, and activities are usually involved?”
Practice actively listening to your child’s thoughts, feelings, and worries. Though you may want to fix your child’s problem quickly, it’s important to simply listen first. Because parents can have a tendency to project their own worries onto their children when they may be concerned with something different altogether, use your best listening skills! The way to find out whether or not your child is stressed is by offering a safe space for them to talk about their worries without fearing judgment.
Child: “I just found out my classmates are in a secret recess club, and I’m not. They don’t like me.”

Explore the mind-body connection. In calmer moments with your child, ask, “How does your body feel now?” See how descriptively they can list their physical signs of wellbeing. Now ask, “How does your body feel when you are feeling stress?” For every person, their physical experience will be different. Find out how your child feels and make the connection between those symptoms and the normal feelings they are having.

Be sure you talk about stress at a calm time when you are not stressed!

Step 2. Teach New Skills by Interactive Modeling

Because stress is such an integral experience in people’s daily lives, you may not realize how it can influence every aspect of your day. Learning about developmental milestones can help you better understand what your child is working hard to learn.

Five-year-olds are working hard to understand how things work, so they appreciate explanations, and they ask lots of questions. They have vivid imaginations, which can create worries that parents or those in a parenting role may not understand. Children in this stage may struggle to see others’ perspectives. They are learning rules and want to help, cooperate, and follow them, but may get upset or disappointed when they do not understand a rule. They may also begin to test rules.
Six-year-olds want to do well in school and at home, which may cause them to feel stress. They may be highly competitive and criticize peers while being sensitive to being criticized themselves. They care about friendships and may have worries related to those relationships. They may be clumsy sometimes and require more time for fine and large motor skill activities.
Seven-year-olds need consistency and may feel stress more when schedules are chaotic, and routines change. They tend to be moody and require reassurance from adults. They take school and homework seriously and may even feel sick from worrying about tests or assignments.
Eight-year-olds’ interest and investment in friendships and peer approval becomes as important as the teacher’s approval. They are more resilient when they make mistakes. They have greater social awareness of local and world issues and may be concerned about the news or events outside of your community.
Nine-year-olds can be highly competitive and critical of themselves and others. They may worry about who is in the “in” and “out” crowds and where they fit in friendship groups. They may exclude others in order to feel included in a group, so it’s a good time to encourage inclusion and kindness toward a diverse range of peers.
Ten-year-olds have an increased social awareness so that they can try to figure out the thoughts and feelings of others. With this awakening comes a newfound stress about what peers are thinking of them (“He’s staring at me. I think he doesn’t like me.”).

Teaching is different than just telling. Teaching builds basic skills, grows problem-solving abilities, and sets your child up for success. Teaching also involves modeling and practicing the positive behaviors you want to see, promoting skills, and preventing problems.

Get exercise and fresh air. Getting active in any way, whether it’s taking a walk or gardening, can help relieve stress.
Remember to breathe. Try and make a daily routine of taking 5-10 deep breaths to help you begin the morning calm and focused. If you run into stressful situations during the day, remember to breathe deeply in the midst of the chaos to help yourself better cope with it.
Create quiet time. Busy schedules with children are inevitable. However, everyone needs quiet, unscheduled time to refuel. Say “No” to social commitments when it’s too much. In addition to guarding your children’s quiet time, be certain to carve out your own.
Set a goal for daily connection. Touch can deepen intimacy in any relationship creating safety, trust, and a sense of wellbeing. It offers health benefits as well. A study found that those who hugged more were more resistant to colds and other stress-induced illnesses. 3
Notice, name, and accept your feelings regularly. You may get in the habit of reassuring family members or friends, “I’m fine, ” even when you are not. Yet, you need to be a model of emotional intelligence if your children are to learn to manage their feelings. Notice what you are honestly feeling and name it. “I’m tired and cranky this afternoon.” Accepting those feelings instead of fighting them can be a relief and allow you to take action toward change.
Ask, “What is my child developmentally ready to try?” Allow for healthy risks . Realize it will not always be done perfectly or in the ways you expect. Trust your child’s ability to solve their own problems with your loving support.
Brainstorm coping strategies. There are numerous coping strategies you and your child can use depending on what feels right. But when you are feeling stress, it can be difficult to recall what will make you feel better. That’s why brainstorming a list, writing it down, and keeping it at the ready can come in handy when your child really needs it. For example, your child could imagine a favorite place, take a walk, get a drink of water, take deep breaths, count to 50, draw, color, or build something. For an easy-to-print illustration, check out Confident Parents, Confident Kids’ Coping Strategies for K-4 .
Design a plan. When you’ve learned about what happens in your brain and body when stress takes over, you know you need a plan so you don’t have to think at that moment. What will you say when really upset? Where will you go?
Work on your child’s feelings vocabulary. Yes, at times, parents and those in a parenting role have to become a feelings detective. If your child shuts down and refuses to tell you what’s going on, you have to dig for clues. Though your child has been speaking for some time now, they take longer to develop their feelings vocabulary. That’s because they hear feelings expressed in daily conversations much less frequently than thoughts or other expressions. Being able to identify feelings is the first step to being able to successfully manage feelings.
Create a calm down space. During a playtime or time without pressures, design a “safe base” or place where your child decides they would like to go to when upset to feel better. Maybe their calm down space is a beanbag chair in their room, a blanket, or special carpet in the family room. Then, think through together what items you might place there to help them calm down.
Is your child uttering the same upsetting story more than once, or repetitively analyzing problems or concerns? Talk to your child about the fact that reviewing the same concerns over and again will not help them resolve the issue. Talking about them might help, calming down might help, and learning more might help. Setting a positive goal for change will help. Practice what you can do when you feel you are thinking through the same upsetting thoughts.
Create a family gratitude ritual. People get plenty of negative messages each day through the news, performance reviews at school or work, and through challenges with family and friends. It can seem easier to complain than to appreciate. Balance out your daily ratio of negative to positive messages by looking for the good in your life and articulating it. Model it and involve your children. This is the best antidote to a sense of entitlement or taking your good life for granted while wanting more and more stuff. Psychologists have done research on gratefulness and found that it increases people’s health, sense of wellbeing, and their ability to get more and better sleep at night. 4

Deep breathing is not just a nice thing to do. It actually decreases the chemical that has flowed over your brain and allows you to regain access to your creativity, language, and logic versus staying stuck in your primal brain. Practicing deep breathing with your child can offer them a powerful tool to use anytime, anywhere when they feel overcome with stress.

Step 3. Practice to Grow Skills, Confidence, and Develop Habits

Your daily conversations can be opportunities for your child to practice vital new skills if you seize those chances. Practice grows vital new brain connections that strengthen (and eventually form habits) each time your child works hard to practice essential stress management skills.

Practice also provides important opportunities to grow self-efficacy — a child’s sense that they can do a task or skill successfully. This leads to confidence. It will also help them understand that mistakes and failures are part of learning.

Use “ Show me …” When a child learns a new ability, they are eager to show it off! Give them that chance. Say, “Show me how you use your safe base to calm down.” This can be used when you observe their stress mounting.
Practice your plan! Be sure and try out your plan for managing stressful situations in smaller scale ways. In other words, could you do a dry run — walk to school and be in the environment to act out your plan before kids arrive for school? This kind of dry run practice can make all of the difference in assisting your child when their toughest times arise.
Recognize effort by using “I notice…” statements like, “I notice how you took some deep breaths when you got frustrated. That’s excellent!”
Include reflection on the day in your bedtime routine. Begin by asking about worries or problems that your child will surely consider after you leave the room. Listen and offer comfort. Demonstrate that you are allowing and accepting the uncertainty of unresolved problems. You could say, “ There’s no amount of worrying that is going to fix things tonight. So how can you talk about accepting what you have and where you are now and working on it tomorrow?” Then, turn to gratitude. Children may not have the chance to reflect on what’s good and abundant in their lives throughout the day, yet grateful thoughts can be a central contributor to happiness and wellbeing. And, grateful thoughts directly wipe out ruminations. So ask, “ What happened today that made you happy? ” or “ What were the best moments in your day? ” 5
Proactively remind. Remind in a gentle, non-public way. You may whisper in your child’s ear, “Remember what we are going to say when we keep playing worries over and again in our mind? What is it?”

Step 4. Support Your Child’s Development and Success

At this point, you’ve taught your child some new strategies for managing stress so that they understand how to take action. You’ve practiced together. Now, you can offer support when it’s needed by reteaching, monitoring, and coaching. Parents naturally offer support as they see their child fumble with a situation in which they need help. This is no different.

Ask key questions to support their skills. For example, “You have a test coming up today. Do you remember what you can do to help yourself if you feel stressed?”
Learn about development. Each new age will present differing challenges and along with them, stress. Becoming informed regularly about what developmental milestones your child is working toward will offer you empathy and patience.
Reflect on outcomes. “Seems like you couldn’t get to sleep last night because you had so much on your mind. Did you have a hard time paying attention in class? What could we do tonight to help?”
Stay engaged. Working together on ideas for trying out new and different coping strategies can help offer additional support and motivation for your child when tough issues arise.

Step 5. Recognize Effort and Quality to Foster Motivation

No matter how old your child is, your praise and encouragement are their sweetest reward.

If your child is working to grow their skills — even in small ways — it will be worth your while to recognize it. Your recognition can go a long way in promoting positive behaviors and helping your child manage their feelings. Your recognition also promotes safe, secure, and nurturing relationships — a foundation for strong communication and a healthy relationship with you as they grow.

Recognize and call out when it is going well. It may seem obvious, but it’s easy not to notice when all is moving along smoothly. When children are using the self-management tools you’ve taught them, a short, specific call out is all that’s needed: “I noticed when you got frustrated with your homework, you moved away and took some deep breaths. Yes! Excellent.”
Recognize small steps along the way. Remember that your recognition can work as a tool to promote more positive behaviors. Find small ways your child is making an effort and let them know you see them.
Build celebrations into your routine. For example, “We’ll get our bedtime routine finished first, and then we can snuggle up to a good book and talk about our reflections from the day.” Include hugs in your repertoire of ways to appreciate one another.

Engaging in these five steps is an investment that builds your skills as an effective parent to use on many other issues and builds important skills that will last a lifetime for your child. Throughout this tool, there are opportunities for children to become more self-aware, to deepen their social awareness, to exercise their self-management skills, to work on their relationship skills, and to demonstrate and practice responsible decision making.

Additional Resources for More Intense Forms of Stress — Adverse Childhood Experiences, Anxiety, and Depression

If there are high emotions in your household most days, most of the time, then it may be time to consider outside intervention. Physical patterns (like anxiety or depression) can set in that require the help of a trained professional. Seeking help from a mental health professional is the same as going to your doctor for a physical ailment. It is very wise to seek outside help. The following are some U.S.-based resources to check out.

Has definitions, answers to frequently asked questions, resources, expert videos, and an online search tool to find a local psychiatrist. http://www.aacap.org
Provides information for parents about emotional wellness, including helping children handle stress, psychiatric medications, grief, and more. http://www.healthychildren.or g
Offers information on managing stress, communicating with kids, making stepfamilies work, controlling anger, finding a psychologist, and more. http://www.apa.org
Provides free online information so that children and adolescents benefit from the most up-to-date information about mental health treatment and can learn about important differences in mental health supports. Parents can search online for local psychologists and psychiatrists for free. http://www.abct.org

[ 1 ] American Psychological Association. (2019, October 28). What’s the difference between stress and anxiety? Knowing the difference can ensure you get the help you need. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/anxiety-difference

[ 2 ] g oleman, d. (1994). emotional intelligence; why it can matter more than iq . ny, ny: bantham books., [ 3 ] colletti, c.j.m., forehand, r., garai, e., rakow, a., mckee, l., fear, j.m., compass, b.e. (2009). parent depression and child anxiety: an overview of the literature with clinical implications . child youth care forum . 38 (3), 151–160., [ 4 ] cohen, s., janicki-deverts, d. turner, r.b., doyle, w.j. (2014). does hugging provide stress-buffering social support a study of susceptibility to upper respiratory infection and illness. psychological science, 26 (2), 135-147., [ 5 ] emmons, m. (2007). t hanks: how the new science of gratitude can make you happier . boston, ma: houghton mifflin harcourt., recommended citation: center for health and safety culture. (2021). stress and anxiety. ages 5-10. retrieved from https://parentingmontana.org..

ParentingMontana.org was supported [in part] by CFDA 93.959 and 93.243 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and by the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Initiative (PDG B-5), Grant Number 90TP0026-01-00, from the Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and by the Montana State General Fund. The views and opinions contained do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, and should not be construed as such.

Connect with a Child Care Resource & Referral Agency in your region

Connect with a montana prevention specialist in your region.

25 Best Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

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It goes without saying that a six-year-old does not need a steady job.

However, a young child does need some tasks for which they need to be accountable.

Jobs around the house offer options that introduce children to the working world without over-burdening them.

25 Jobs for a 6-Year-Old

Starting at around age six, kids spend an increasing portion of their day on screens .

Along with entertainment, most elementary school students use tablets at school and for any homework.

Most estimates show that children spend up to seven hours per day, on average, looking at a screen.

All of this time spent looking at screens means kids get less exercise and less time outside.

Consider making the bulk of your six-year-old’s responsibilities those that take them outside and get them moving. In exchange, you can give them a small allowance.

Many of these jobs can be carried out for neighbors or relatives who might be willing to pay a wage as well.

Spring Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

1. Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning refers to reorganizing and removing items while renewing space.

Your six-year-old can take part in spring cleaning by helping you or by organizing their own room, closet, drawers, book shelves and toy box.

Part of their spring cleaning chores could involve donating items or helping with a garage sale.

2. Spread Fertilizer

A common springtime task is fertilizing and/or reseeding the lawn.

This is usually done with a spreader that is easily pushed across the lawn.

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Your six-year-old can manage this task though you may want to supervise to ensure even coverage.

3. Clean Outdoor Furniture

Your outdoor furniture has either been stored or covered since the previous fall. It will need to be dusted, aired out or sprayed with upholstery refreshener .

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These are great jobs for a six-year-old.

4. Mulch Flower Beds

The beginning of the spring means adding mulch around trees and to the flower beds.

Get your six-year-old a pair of gardening gloves and have them do the mulching for you.

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5. Plant Seeds

Teaching children to grow their own food gives them an appreciation for nature.

It also encourages them to eat vegetables as they will want to try the items they grow themselves.

Get your six-year-old started in the wide world of gardening by having them sow their own seeds. Pick a vegetable that is easy to grow for new gardeners.

Summer Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

6. water plants.

Outdoor plants will be thirsty in the summertime. Make it your six-year-old’s job to ensure all plants get the water they need.

This might involve the use of a garden hose but a watering can is usually sufficient.

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7. Water Lawn

A watering can will not be enough for an entire yard.

The easiest way to water the lawn is to use a sprinkler that attaches to your hose.

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It can be the six-year-old’s job to move the sprinkler around the yard to ensure full coverage.

8. Pick Up Outside Toys

My kids are always playing outside in the yard.

Because I live on the corner in the center of our neighborhood, the neighbor kids are also usually at my house.

They range in age from four to 16, which means our yard is constantly full of various and sundry toys. Can you relate?

If so, a young child’s responsibilities should include picking up these toys at least once a day.

9. Sweep Porches and Decks

Brooms aren’t exactly fun to operate, but they are easy. A six-year-old can sweep the porch, deck, driveway and sidewalks to keep them clean all summer long.

10. Dead-Head Flowers

It may sound strange, but one of my favorite chores as a child was dead-heading the flowers.

This is nothing more than plucking the dead heads from flower bushes so they are encouraged to continue growing.

Make sure your child stays away from poisonous flowers .

Autumn Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

11. rake leaves.

It’s called fall for a reason. The trees around your yard decorate the lawn with their multi-colored leaves.

Your six-year-old’s job can be to rake these leaves once or twice a week depending on how many trees you have.

You will need to help scoop the leaves when they are done.

12. Pick Up Sticks

Sticks fall from trees throughout the year, but it seems like they are especially prevalent in autumn.

Have your child collect the sticks from your yard, and then use them in your fire pit for a fun but controlled fire.

13. Decorate for Holidays

For some, the holiday season starts in earnest at Thanksgiving. In my family, it starts on October 1.

I affectionately refer to the first day of October as the “first day of Halloween.” Your six-year-old will love decorating the exterior and interior of your house for the holiday.

They can then take down those decorations and replace them with the decor of your choice.

Keep rotating items through New Year’s Eve for a home that remains festive and cheery.

14. Make Food

What better time to learn how to make food than when the air starts turning crisp and cold?

A six-year-old should not make anything on their own that involves sharp cutting tools or heat, but they can make lots of different things with help from you.

Have them stuff deviled eggs , make a tossed salad or frost cupcakes.

15. Store Summer Clothes and Toys

The middle of autumn is the right time to start putting away summer toys and clothes. Your six-year-old can be trusted to put up outside toys and swimming supplies.

They should also separate their warm-weather clothing from the items they will continue to wear. You might want to store those clothes for later or you might prefer to donate them.

With the alarming rate children grow, it’s unlikely your six-year-old will still be able to wear those clothes the following summer.

Winter Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

16. clean the fireplace.

I love building fires in my fireplace. I love how it heats up the house and the smokey smell that makes me feel cozy and warm.

What I don’t love is cleaning out the ashes. Let your six-year-old clean out the ashes of your fireplace, and then look at some the interesting uses for wood ash before you toss them out.

17. Carry in Wood

One downside of having a fireplace is the constant need for wood.

You can make it your six-year-old’s job to bring in wood from outside as long as the wood is not stacked in a way that might cause them injury.

18. Salt Sidewalks

Most of the United States is at risk for icy conditions in the winter. Keep safe by being prepared.

Your child can salt your porch, driveway and sidewalks to ensure a speedy melt. They can also offer to do this for your neighbors and friends.

19. Scrape Ice from Car Windows

Many families who have garages use them for storage rather than parking.

If this sounds familiar, you know that windows and door handles get covered in ice in the winter.

Your six-year-old can be in charge of scraping the ice from windows in the morning before you make that drive to school and work.

20. Volunteer for Salvation Army

Salvation Army bell ringers are everywhere in the winter. You can join their cause by volunteering with your child to have a bell-ringing shift.

Not interested in the Salvation Army’s message? No problem! There are plenty of volunteer opportunities in your region.

Pick one of them and teach your child about making a difference.

Year-Round Jobs For a 6-Year-Old

21. laundry sorting.

Unfortunately, laundry is not a seasonal chore. You have to face piles of laundry every day.

Get your six-year-old in on the fun by putting them in charge of laundry sorting. They will learn the importance of not mixing reds and whites.

22. Fill Bird Feeders

It is fun to watch and listen to the birds chirp happily as they are being fed. Keep them happy by having your six-year-old be in charge of keeping those feeders full.

Your child may become interested in the different types of seed and the various birds they attract.

23. Get Mail

Getting the mail is a simple daily task that any six-year-old child can do.

It will become part of their routine to pick the mail and put it in a safe space for you to inspect before recycling most of it.

24. Make Nature Wreaths

Crafting is always fun but there is something special about crafting with things found in nature. The great part of making nature wreaths is they reflect the time of year.

Your child can collect pine cones in the winter, leaves in the fall, seashells in the summer and berries in the spring. All make for lovely wreaths that will be enjoyed throughout the season.

25. Pick Up Litter

Sadly, litter is a year-long problem. There is never a time that litter doesn’t appear in parks, near streams and on the side of the road.

Get your child involved in cleaning up their planet by making litter clean-up a regular chore.

Key Takeaways

A six-year-old can do a great many things to help you around the home. Do you have any ideas for jobs for six-year-olds? Give us your list in the comments!

Have You Read These Yet?

Best Jobs For a 7-Year-Old
Best Jobs For a 9-Year-Old
Should My Kid Get a Job?
Best Jobs For a 12-Year-Old
Best Jobs For a 15-Year-Old

About the Author

ParentsPlusKids.com is the go-to resource for new moms and dads who are trying to survive motherhood and fatherhood.

Preschool Worksheets PDF FREE Printable

Here is a list of free preschool worksheets pdf you can download and print from Planes & Balloons. You’ll find activities and worksheets that strengthen fine motor skills, early literacy and math skills, thinking and reasoning skills, focus and attention, and so much more.

Coloring pages

Language arts

Preschool math

Cut and paste

Same or different

free preschool worksheets age 3-4 pdf

Pre-K to Kindergarten Summer packet pages

Pre-K to Kindergarten Review

Grab this book full of engaging activities to prepare your little one for kindergarten!

Or use them in your nursery or preschool lesson plans throughout the year.

Preschool Number worksheets

You can easily turn a bunch of these worksheets into a cute preschool workbook for teaching numbers!

Tracing the numbers 1-20

Four flashcards on one page to print - numbers 1 to 4

Number flashcards 1-20

Halloween counting worksheet numbers 1-10

Halloween counting 1-20

Butterfly and bee color by number worksheet

Spring color by number

Christmas number matching preschool worksheet

Christmas count and match

Preschool alphabet worksheets.

Check out these fun and educational alphabet activities for your preschoolers!

Spot and dot uppercase alphabet

Alphabet tracing worksheets printable

letter a tracing worksheet with a picture of ant to color

Tracing lowercase letters

Hot chocolate letter matching

Alphabet coloring book

Preschool shapes worksheets.

Free printable preschool learning materials free download pdf for your 3-4 year olds and 4-5 year old preschoolers!

Triangle shape do a dot printable worksheet

Do a dot shapes worksheets

Frog shapes cut and paste

My shape book front page with various shapes

My shape book free printablE

Free Printable Shapes Worksheets

Tracing shapes worksheets

Nursery worksheets pdf.

Let your preschoolers practice visual discrimination with these fun same and different worksheets in your home or daycare!

Spring spot the difference worksheet - pictures of spring insect, flowers, and other clipart

Spring same and different

Same and different worksheets for preschool

Visual discrimination practice

Ocean same and different

cactus theme same or different worksheets

CActus same and different

Preschool tracing worksheets pdf.

Tracing is a great preschool pre-writing activity , especially when you need one quickly and without much prep work. There are many tracing activities for preschoolers here, including tracing shapes, horizontal and vertical lines, and tracing pictures.

tracing irregular lines worksheet - spring theme with bees, butterflies, and flowers

Tracing lines spring worksheets

fall pre writing tracing worksheets with pumkin, leaves and more

Tracing fall pictures for preschool

Valentine’s Day number tracing

Alphabet tracing worksheets.

Transportation tracing pages

Preschool cut and paste worksheets.

Preschool cut and paste worksheets to practice scissor skills and fine motor skills.

Cut and paste apple numbers 1-12 worksheet for preschool free printable

Cut and paste Apple Worksheets

Cut and paste Easter eggs

Cut and paste For preschool

Cut and paste hearts

HALLOWEEN CUT AND PASTE

Preschool mazes printable.

These printable mazes will be a fun addition to your preschool playgroup activities.

Christmas mazes

Backpack back to school maze for kids worksheet

Back to school mazes

Easter mazes

Mazes for preschoolers

Number mazes

Coloring is popular with little ones, especially if the coloring pages are in sync with their favorite topics such as bugs, cars, fall, Christmas, and more.

Preschool worksheet packet PDF

If you need a little bit of everything all in one printable, then these preschool packets pdf will help you out.

Farm animals worksheets for preschoolers
4th of July worksheets for preschool
Free printable days of the week bundle
Halloween monster worksheets for preschoolers
Circle time calendar template
Berry picking learning pack
Silly socks preschool learning pack
Free printable Christmas worksheets for preschoolers
Summer worksheets for pre-k and kindergarten
Fall preschool worksheets packet
Dental health preschool worksheets packet
Preschool space activities learning binder
Spring preschool worksheets printable pack
Valentine’s Day preschool worksheets bundle
Thanksgiving worksheets for preschoolers

Grades 6-12
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37 of Our Favorite Easy Art Projects for Kids

Get their creative juices flowing.

East art projects for kids, including dictionary drawing of the word ignorant and a woven paper rainbow fish.

The stress of tests and social dynamics can prove challenging for students, and for this reason, they need an opportunity to express themselves freely. Art provides a powerful outlet for creative expression while also proving therapeutic. Plus, a good art project can be particularly effective at getting kids to unplug from their devices. A simple art project can even fill some of downtime during the day for early finishers. Regardless of whether you teach preschool or high school, there is an art project for everyone. So gather some art supplies and try one of these easy art projects for kids!

Easy Art Projects for Pre-K Students

1. paper bag jelly fish.

Text at the top says Paper Bag Jellyfish. Four paper bags have been painted with googly eyes glued on them. The bottom of the bags have been shredded with scissors.

As far as easy art projects for kids go, this one is perfect for preschoolers since it works on their hand-eye coordination and their cutting skills in particular. In addition to paper bags and scissors or pinking shears, you will need some paints, paintbrushes, googly eyes, and glue. If you’re really feeling ambitious, you can grab some sparkles too!

Learn more: Paper Bag Jelly Fish at No Time for Flash Cards

2. Tissue Paper Apple

A piece of paper has two apples on it that are created from little squares of red and green tissue paper that have been glued onto the apple outlines.

Since everyone associates apples with fall and the start of school, this will be the perfect craft to start the school year off on the right foot. Simply draw an apple outline on a piece of paper and have small red and green tissue paper squares ready to be crumpled and glued by tiny hands.

Learn more: Tissue Paper Apple at Burlap + Blue

3. Fork Print Tulips

Several pieces of paper have tulips that are made from different colored paints dipped in the top part of forks to make the flower head. green stems and leaves are painted underneath.

This project is both cute and simple, requiring only a fork, some heavyweight paper, and some paints. This project would be especially perfect for a Mother’s Day gift.

Learn more: Fork Tulip at Toddler at Play

4. Paper Bag Monster

Three paper bags are transformed into brightly colored monsters.

First, paint the bag any color you want. Once dry, cut out shapes from card stock and assemble your monster!

Learn more: Paper Bag Monster Puppets at I Heart Crafty Things

5. Paper Plate Lion

This easy art project for kids shows a paper plate that is painted orange with simple eyes, mouth, and nose painted on in black. The edges of the plate have been cut with slits to look like a mane.

All you need to re-create this adorable lion is orange and black paint, paintbrushes, paper plates, and scissors. Grab some Popsicle sticks to glue to the back and you’ll have a ferocious puppet show on your hands in no time!

Learn more: Paper Plate Lion at My Bored Toddler

6. Popsicle Stick Rainbow

This easy art project for kids shows white circles glued to a piece of light blue construction paper as clouds. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple popsicle sticks are coming out of the clouds as a rainbow.

Grab some blue card stock, cotton circles, and Popsicle sticks and have your students work on their gluing skills. This craft will prove effective at teaching little ones their colors. Choose either colored Popsicle sticks or have kids color them themselves.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Rainbow at My Bored Toddler

7. Paper Plate Octopus

An orange and a blue octopus are made from paper plates painted with faces on them and the octopus legs are made from strips of construction paper.

Kids love octopuses, especially adorable ones like these! This craft would be perfect for little ones still learning to count since they have a whopping eight legs to make.

Learn more: Paper Plate Octopus at Simple Every Day Mom

8. Macaroni Necklace

This image of an easy art project for kids shows 5 multi-colored macaroni necklaces made from painted macaroni, string, and some beads.

A staple of many of our childhoods, macaroni necklaces work on the dexterity of little fingers while also making perfect gifts. Add in some large beads as well for variety.

Learn more: DIY Macaroni Necklaces at Made To Be a Mama

Easy Art Projects for Elementary School Students

9. paper plate snake.

A paper plate is cut into a spiral and painted with watercolor paints. Googly eyes havebeen glued on.

Have your students paint a paper plate with watercolors and then once dry, help them cut it in a swirl shape. Finally, add some googly eyes.

Learn more: Colorful Paper Plate Snakes at Pink Stripey Socks

10. Paper Roll Koala

This easy art project for kids shows a cute koala made from a paper roll, construction paper, and pom-poms.

This super-cute koala would make an adorable desk buddy since it stands up on its own. Kids will enjoy personalizing their koala’s face!

Learn more: Paper Roll Koala at Arty Crafty Kids

11. Leaf Pattern Drawing

The outline of a leaf is divided into different sections in this easy art project for kids. Each section is brightly colored with a different pattern in it.

We just love art projects that fill the entire page, and this one certainly fits the bill. The combination of crayon and watercolor paint create this multi-dimensional leaf print.

Learn more: Leaf Pattern at Art Projects for Kids

12. Woven Rainbow Fish

An image on the top shows a white cutout of a fish with a stack of strips of brightly colored paper. The bottom image shows the final product with the strips woven inside the fish.

This project is perfect for working on students’ hand-eye coordination while being a cursory introduction to sewing. It’s challenging enough for even upper elementary school students while still being relatively simple.

Learn more: Rainbow Fish at Crafty Morning

13. Thumbprint Bugs

This easy art project for kids shows three steps to making green thumbprints turn into a caterpillar.

These thumbprint doodles are just so sweet and would perfectly complement a science lesson all about bugs. After having students try their hand at some of the thumbprint examples, let them use their imagination to see what other ideas they can cook up. You can even have them create bug jars out of card stock to put their new friends in!

Learn more: Thumbprint Bugs via Toot’s Mom Is Tired

14. Umbrella With Rain

A rainbow umbrella is constructed from a half of a paper plate.

Another fun art project that is really affordable to create since you only need paper plates, some paints, a roll of string, and some blue beads. We just love this clever approach to creating raindrops!

Learn more: Umbrella With Rain at Easy Peasy and Fun

15. Popsicle Stick Pencil

A pencil is made from construction paper and yellow popsicle sticks.

Nothing says back to school more than a cute pencil-themed craft. Have students add their names to them and then use them to decorate a September bulletin board in your classroom.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Pencil at Crafty Morning

16. Craft Stick Airplane

Two small airplanes are shown made from a clothespin, different size popsicle sticks, and a wooden bead. They are painted.

Kids will unquestionably go crazy over these clothespin-and-Popsicle-stick airplanes. Regardless of whether they choose paint or permanent markers, students will enjoy personalizing their tiny flying machines.

Learn more: Craft Stick Airplane at Making Life Blissful

17. Pom-Pom Caterpillars

Two caterpillars are made from pom poms and sit on construction paper leaves.

Since kids love pom-poms and caterpillars, this will be the perfect craft to grab their attention. Make sure to supply them with a fun variety of pom-poms and googly eyes.

Learn more: Pom-Pom Caterpillar at Easy Peasy and Fun

Easy Art Projects for Middle School Students

18. chalk christmas lights.

A string of Christmas lights is shown on a black backdrop. The lights are created from chalk smudges in blue, yellow, pink, green, and purple.

This is the perfect easy art project to do around the holiday season. You’ll need to create a stencil from card stock so you can create your light shapes. Once that is done, you can begin creating “light” with some chalk pastels. A silver Sharpie can be used to create your light string since it will show up nicely against the black paper.

Learn more: Christmas Light Chalk Stencil Art at Buggy and Buddy

19. Gratitude Journal

The front of a journal is shown with an abstract painting on the cover of this easy art project for kids.

This project doubles as an art and writing activity since students can use their finished journals for writing prompts. These personalized journals beat store-bought ones any day!

Learn more: Handmade Gratitude Journal at Kids Activities Blog

20. Textured Hot-Air Balloon

Two hot air balloons are constructed from a variety of different materials.

This project is the perfect excuse to use up all your crafty odds and ends like feathers, glitter, and sequins. We love how unique each creation will be once they’re done.

Learn more: Textured Hot-Air Balloon at Artsy Momma

21. Layer Cakes

Four multi layer cakes are shown cut into. They are drawn using oil pastels.

Regardless of students’ experience with oil pastels, this project will be a good introduction to the medium. Have students follow a step-by-step tutorial for drawing the outline of the layer cake, then let them use the pastels to bring their drawings to life.

Learn more: Cakes at Little Yeti

22. Chalk Planets

Four different planets are shown drawn on black backgrounds in this easy art project for kids.

This is an inexpensive way to enhance a science unit on space while still getting creative. It’s inexpensive too since all you will need is some black paper and chalk.

Learn more: 18 Awesome Art Projects for Your Classroom at Teach Junkie

23. Back-to-School Rocks

Eight rocks are painted as various back-to-school items including a purple crayon, a pink eraser, and a pencil.

Kids love painting rocks so why not make it school-themed? Show students some of these examples to copy or let them come up with some of their own, then spread them around the school’s grounds.

Learn more: Painted Rock Ideas at Color Made Happy

24. Dictionary Page Drawing

A dictionary page is the backdrop to a drawing of the word Ignorant. A strange looking cartoon man is shown.

Easy art projects for kids that also double as vocabulary lessons? Yes, please! This project will prove especially educational as students are tasked with illustrating a word on an old dictionary page.

25. Paper Collage Painting

A green coffee mug with steam coming out of it is sitting on a pink surface with a yellow background. This easy art project for kids is made from pieces of different colored paper.

Students will enjoy creating their collages from a variety of materials. Even better—this project is a great way to encourage recycling since old cereal boxes and other food labels can be ripped into strips and repurposed.

Learn more: Painting With Paper at Megan Coyle Artist & Illustrator

26. Crayon Resist Art

This easy art project for kids shows multiple pieces of paper with different doodles and words in white crayon with paint surrounding it. An actual white crayon and watercolor paints are on top of the paintings.

This simple project can be done without a lot of instruction and will work for students of any age. This project runs on the same idea as some Easter egg–decorating kits in that the paint or dye sticks to the areas not covered in wax, or in this case, crayon.

Learn more: Fun Watercolor Resist Art at Kids Activities Blog

27. Number Art

An image shows several number stencils layered upon one another and the sections are colored in many different colors in this easy art project for kids.

If you have some math whizzes in your class, they will likely enjoy this number-themed art project. Grab some large number stencils and paints and you’ll be ready for this low-setup project.

Learn more: 5th Grade Number Project at Art Room Blog

28. Woven Baby Turtle

Several turtles are made from popsicle sticks with brightly colored yarn wrapped around them. Faces are drawn on them with sharpie.

Select three mini Popsicle sticks, paint them, and then glue them together to form your turtle’s body. Finally, select your yarn and weave it around your turtle. Be sure to have a lot of fun colors to choose from!

Learn more: Weaving Cute Baby Turtles at Pink Stripey Socks

Easy Art Projects for High School Students

29. yarn-wrapped letter.

A letter M made of cardboard is wrapped with different colored yarn. Several rows of yarn are in the background.

All you will need to create this craft is some leftover cardboard, a bunch of different yarns, and some scissors. Teens especially will enjoy this project as the end result can be used as decoration in their bedrooms and eventually their dorm rooms!

Learn more: 14 Crafts for Teens and Tweens at Art Bar Blog

30. Elevated Macaroni Necklace

Two macaroni necklaces are shown. One is teal and the other is pink and both are on actual chains.

Some easy art projects for kids and teens can even double as fashion! Despite their association with preschool, these are definitely not your little brother’s or sister’s macaroni necklaces. Swapping out twine with an actual chain makes these necklaces look surprisingly high-end.

Learn more: 12 Pasta Necklaces We Need Right Now at Mum’s Grapevine

31. Neuro Doodle Design

Black squiggles on a white paper form different size shapes, some of which are colored in purple and green in this easy art project for kids.

This is a simple and mindful art project that can be enjoyed by students regardless of their art experience. This art process was invented by Russian psychologist and architect Pavel Piskarev in 2014.

Learn more: Simple Mindful Art Project at Inside Out Art Teacher

32. Crepe Paper Flowers

A glass plate has a variety of flowers on it which are made from crepe paper.

This is the perfect project for early finishers to do since each flower only takes 5 minutes to create. In addition to being a fun project, these flowers would also make for beautiful classroom decor.

Learn more: Easy Crepe Paper Flowers at DIY Candy

33. CD Fish

Two fish are made from CDs with eyes and tissue paper fins added.

Easy art projects for kids that utilize outdated technology? Why not? Although this project could work for any age group, older kids will be able to personalize their fish using a variety of add-on materials. Be prepared to explain to your students what CDs are since they were born long after their demise!

Learn more: Make Your Own Fish Aquarium at Super Simple

34. Pencil Sculpture

A sculpture is made from 72 pencils that have been arranged in a dome shape.

While this project can get complicated, simpler structures can be completed using fewer pencils. The preparation is minimal, requiring just a bunch of pencils and elastics, but the reward will be big when you see what your students create!

Learn more: Geometric Sculpture From 72 Pencils at Instructables

35. Ribbon Garland

A garland is made from pastel ribbon pieces tied together.

This project is another good time-filler since it can be worked on and then picked up again later and continued. It’s also a good lesson in recycling since you can ask students to bring in any fabric or ribbons that may be sitting around their houses unused.

Learn more: Easy DIY Fabric Garland at Project Nursery

36. Origami

Hands are shown holding an orange origami fish and a neon yellow origami fish in this easy art project for kids.

Origami paper is inexpensive and can be bought in bulk, making this an affordable and low-preparation art project. Additionally, it is perfect for high school students who are better equipped to follow along with an instructional video.

Learn more: 12 Origami Projects for Kids at Mom Loves Best

37. Layered Landscape

A landscape is created by layering different scraps of brightly colored paper.

Keep those cereal boxes and old magazines since they’re perfect for ripping up to create layered art! We especially love how much room there is in this project for individual creativity.

Learn more: Layered Landscape at Art Camp Studio

What are your favorite easy art projects to do in the classroom? Come and share your ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, get ideas for great auction art projects .

Art provides a creative outlet for kids while also reducing stress. Try incorporating one of these easy art projects for kids into your day!

Examples of kindergarten art projects, including a rainbow finger painted heart in a plastic bag and snails made from rolled up paper.

78 Kindergarten Art Projects To Spark Early Creativity

Don't limit yourself to finger paints! Continue Reading

The Colorado Sun

Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state.

Colorado Springs-area woman, known as “J6 Praying Grandma,” found guilty of breaching U.S. Capitol during Jan. 6 riot

The Trust Project

A federal jury found a Falcon woman guilty of breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6., 2021, during the riot to disrupt the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Rebecca Lavrenz, known on social media as “ J6 Praying Grandma ,” was convicted on charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct inside a restricted building, disorderly conduct in the Capitol and parading or picketing in the Capitol, federal court records show. All four counts against her were misdemeanors.

The trial began March 25 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. A 12-person jury deliberated for three days before returning the verdict.

Lavrenz, a 71-year-old great-grandmother and owner of a bed-and-breakfast northeast of Colorado Springs, told The Gazette that she had no regrets about storming the Capitol and that she was on a God-driven mission.

“I felt I was there on assignment from God,” she told the Colorado Springs newspaper during a phone interview before her trial began.

Lavrenz plans to appeal the jury’s verdict, her lawyer, Roger Roots, told The Colorado Sun.

“Unfortunately the Court instructed the jury that the First Amendment provided no defense whatsoever for Rebecca at the U.S. Capitol,” Roots said. “We believe the instructions were improper and we intend to appeal her convictions.”

“We are very disappointed in the verdict.”

Lavrenz was arrested Dec. 19, 2022, in Denver after tipsters alerted the FBI she was part of the crowd that breached the Capitol. In an interview with federal authorities, Lavrenz said she spent 10 minutes inside the Capitol, according to court documents.

Investigators confirmed her account by reviewing surveillance footage that shows Lavrenz in a red scarf and a white hat among the crowd of hundreds of rioters illegally entering and picketing inside the building.

Her sentencing date was not immediately available in federal court records.

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Republican state representative left a loaded handgun in colorado capitol bathroom, lawsuit alleges trisha calvarese, democratic nominee for 4th congressional district special election, is ineligible, yes, you’ll have to pay twice, and other passenger train news for colorado , type of story: news.

Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Olivia Prentzel General Assignment Reporter

Olivia Prentzel covers breaking news and a wide range of other important issues impacting Coloradans for The Colorado Sun, where she has been a staff writer since 2021. At The Sun, she has covered wildfires, criminal justice, the environment,... More by Olivia Prentzel

Longtime CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist calls it a career at the 2024 Masters

Editor's note: Follow live coverage of the Masters, leaderboard, highlights and more.

Verne Lundquist's final broadcasting assignment will be at the 2024 Masters for CBS.

To that we are compelled, in the words of "Uncle Verne," to say:

From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.

"Yes, sir."

Since 1983, Lundquist has been on the call from Augusta National. This year will mark his 40th tournament on the microphone at The Masters.

Lundquist has been the lead announcer for the par 3 16th hole and the 17th hole. From his perch, Lundquist has become part of the soundtrack at The Masters year for multiple generations of golf fans.

“It will be emotional,” Lundquist said of his final call this weekend.

Who is Verne Lundquist?

Lundquist was born in 1940 in Minnesota. His broadcasting career began at WFAA in Dallas, Texas, where he was the radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys from 1967-1984.

He broke through nationally with ABC Sports (1974-1981). Since 1982, he's worked at CBS, except for a two-year stint (1995-1997) with TNT.

Lundquist became famous for calling college football, men's college basketball and, obviously, golf. He also contributed to CBS' Olympics coverage in 1992, 1994 and 1998. He played himself as a golf announcer in the 1996 movie "Happy Gilmore."

Verne Lundquist's top Masters calls include 2 Tiger Woods moments

Lundquist's calm demeanor and ability to dial up excitement within a moment made him the quintessential golf announcer.

His call at the 16th during Jack Nicklaus' 1986 Masters win is considered one of the all-time golf highlights. And in 2005, he famously served as the soundtrack of Tiger Woods' remarkable chip-in:

"Oh my goodness ... oh wow! In your life have you seen anything like that?"

Fourteen years later, Lundquist uttered "I am compelled to say ... Oh my goodness," as Woods birdied the 16th to give him a two-shot lead in the most dramatic Masters victory in recent memory.

"He has just an amazing ability to bring in the audience and describe a situation and just be able to narrate it in a way that is poetic but it's also – he describes it with emotionality," Woods said this week. "He just draws the audience in.

"That's what I grew up watching. I grew up listening to Verne. And he made a nice call there at 16, and it's one that I've been lucky enough to – I will have that memory with Verne for the rest of my life."

When did Verne Lundquist call the SEC on CBS?

From 2000 to 2016, Lundquist was the lead play-by-play announcer for the "SEC on CBS." He first worked with Todd Blackledge and then Gary Danielson in the booth. Lundquist was behind the mic for many memorable college football moments, notably the "Kick Six" during the 2013 Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn.

Lundquist's last college football game was the Army-Navy contest in 2016.

Is Verne Lundquist retiring?

After he stopped calling college football, Lundquist remained on CBS' college basketball for the next two seasons. He retired from that role prior to the 2018 men's tournament due to back surgery.

What Jim Nantz said about Verne Lundquist

Jim Nantz is the lead host for The Masters on CBS and has been Lundquist's partner for 37 years.

“His calls are truly legendary,” Nantz told reporters this week.

How old is Verne Lundquist?

Lundquist is 83.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Longtime CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist calls it a career at the 2024 Masters

CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist autographs a Masters flag for a fan at Augusta National GC.

Former science teacher reunites with students for solar eclipse after 46 years

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHAM) - A former science teacher played host to more than 100 people during Monday’s solar eclipse 46 years after he promised his students they would reunite for the event.

Patrick Moriarty was a 22-year-old teacher in 1978 when he first promised his students they would reunite for the 2024 total solar eclipse. For the next 16 years, he invited every earth science class he taught in New York’s Webster Central School District.

“I said to the kids, ‘Hey, why don’t you just go ahead and circle that eclipse? And we’ll get together,’” Moriarty said.

More than 100 people showed up to Moriarty’s eclipse gathering Monday. The former teacher, now 68, says he created a Facebook page to spread the word, but a lot of students remembered his promise from class.

“It’s not about the eclipse. It’s about you guys being here to share this time with my family, me and each other,” Moriarty said.

Kevin Thompson and Chuck O’Brien were in Moriarty’s class together back in 1982. They say they are grateful their former teacher kept his promise to reunite.

“Definitely the longest homework assignment in the history of any teacher,” Thompson said.

“He wasn’t just a great teacher. He was an inspirational teacher,” O’Brien said.

Another 1982 student, Nick Stathis, drove five hours to attend the gathering. He says Moriarty inspired him to become an earth science teacher.

“It’s a tribute to both the eclipse but also the power of teaching. Both Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty affected a lot of people,” Stathis said.

While clouds covered the view of the eclipse in Rochester, the group took joy in being together again for the once-in-a-lifetime event.

“Everybody got so quiet and just let the environment around them take over, and it just seemed very magical,” Moriarty said. “It’s not about the eclipse anymore to me. It’s all about the reunions.”

Now, Moriarty is joking that maybe he’ll plan another reunion for the 2044 eclipse in Wisconsin. He will be 88 years old by the time it rolls around.

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Free Worksheets for 6-Year-Olds
Explore a variety of engaging worksheets for 6-year-olds! Boost learning in math, reading, and more with our printable activities. Perfect for fun and education. Toggle navigation Go Ad-Free Worksheets. Grades ... 1.6 1.6a Time, Continuity, and Change 1.7 1.7d 1.8 1.8a Economic Systems ...
Free Worksheets for Kids
K5 Learning offers free worksheets, flashcards and inexpensive workbooks for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member to access additional content and skip ads. Free worksheets for kindergarten to grade 5 kids. Over 10,000 math, reading, grammar and writing, vocabulary, spelling and cursive writing worksheets.
Common Topics in Math for 6-Year-Olds to Learn
Counting. Counting is among the basic math skills 6-year-olds should master, as it paves the way for other math topics on this list. Six-year-olds can count to a great extent, often up to 200, which reveals the vastness of numbers to kids. Counting as a math concept forms the foundation for a more complex mathematics for 6 year old that the ...
At-Home Reading Activities for 6-Year-Olds
Six-year-old kids are sponges, absorbing tons of information every day. Here's how you can help your 6-year-old child grow into an expert reader with fun, at-home reading activities. Of course, it goes without saying that you'll want to keep on reading to your child every day — it's critical in their literacy development!
Development Milestones for Your 6-Year-Old Child
6-Year-Old Movement, Hand, and Finger Milestones. Six-year-olds are active little beings, always moving and exploring their new physical skills. At this age, your child should be able to do more with their body than ever before, and should also be able to control and coordinate their movements better. "Six-year-olds are building on the skills ...
6 Year Old Child Developmental Milestones
A 6-year-old child, typically in first grade, normally will: ... Participate in homework assignments. If you think your 6 year old is falling behind, stay calm but be on the lookout for:
Age 4-6 Math Worksheets
For them to have a starting foundation in Geometry, they are to explore basic shapes and solid shapes using their defining and non-defining attributes. Age 4-6 Math Worksheets. We add hundreds of new 4-6 years of age specific resources and topics every month. Click for the latest worksheets.
My Child Refuses To Do Homework
Instead, your child can read a book or a magazine in their room or work on longer-term assignments. Consistently adhering to the homework time structure is important to instill the homework habit. ... My 6 year old grandson has just taken 2 hours to write a list and write 3 sentences. He thinks if the words were shorter it wouldn't take so long.
Top 20 engaging indoor activities for 6 year olds
4. Jump the river. 6 year olds are able to jump approximately 24 inches forward. Have them use their hopping skills to avoid the crocodiles and get across the river safely! Lay out two skipping ropes on the floor. The space between the ropes is the river. Have your child run and jump across the river.
Your 6-year-old: Milestones and development
The average 6-year-old is about 45 inches tall and weighs approximately 45 pounds. Your child will double that weight by the time he reaches adolescence and grow to five feet tall or more! Your child's doctor tracks this growth, of course, but you can help your child develop in a healthy way by serving nutritious food and making sure he gets ...
Middle Childhood (6-8 years old)
Practice healthy eating habits and physical activity early. Encourage active play, and be a role model by eating healthy at family mealtimes and having an active lifestyle. Make sure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep each night: For school-age children 6-12 years, 9-12 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Coding For Six Year Olds: Get Started Guide
Top intro coding programs and websites for 6 year olds. There are a number of fantastic resources available online to help teach your child how to code using ScratchJr and other platforms. 1. Create & Learn's Scratch Junior Introduction. In this wonderful class by Create & Learn, students are guided through a hands-on project by an expert ...
How to Teach a 6 Year Old How to Code
The first step in training children to think like computer programmers is to first lay the foundation of coding. You can help your 6-year-old learn the basics and ideas of coding by explaining what it is and what it is used for. Communication with computers is accomplished through the practice of coding and s the language that tells smartphones ...
Growth & Development: 6 to 12 Years (School Age)
For 6- to 12-year-olds, there continues to be a wide range of "normal" regarding height, weight and shape. Kids tend to get taller at a steady pace, growing about 2-2.5 inches (6 to 7 centimeters) each year. When it comes to weight, kids gain about 4-7 lbs. (2-3 kg) per year until puberty starts.
Therapy Worksheets for Children
My Safe Spaces. worksheet. A safe space is a person, place, or activity that helps you feel calm, comfortable, and supported, and lets you be yourself. Your safe space is there for you no matter how you feel—happy or sad, talkative or quiet, brave or scared. A safe space is free of judgment and is full of acceptance.
Stress and Anxiety for Your 6-Year-Old
Remember to breathe. Try and make a daily routine of taking 5-10 deep breaths to help you begin the morning calm and focused. If you run into stressful situations during the day, remember to breathe deeply in the midst of the chaos to help yourself better cope with it. Create quiet time.
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Carry in Wood. One downside of having a fireplace is the constant need for wood. You can make it your six-year-old's job to bring in wood from outside as long as the wood is not stacked in a way that might cause them injury. 18. Salt Sidewalks. Most of the United States is at risk for icy conditions in the winter.
How to Discipline a 6 Year Old
Resources Activities Assignments Assessments Bulletin Boards Clip Art Computation Cooperative Learning Crafts ... for a 6-year-old, it's rarely a successful strategy. Discussing why they shouldn't lie can help them realize that this behavior will only hurt them in the end.
Free Preschool Worksheets PDF
Or use them in your nursery or preschool lesson plans throughout the year. Yes, I want this! Preschool Number worksheets. ... Free printable preschool learning materials free download pdf for your 3-4 year olds and 4-5 year old preschoolers! Do a dot shapes worksheets. Frog shapes cut and paste. My shape book free printablE. Free Printable ...
37 Easy Art Projects for Kids of All Ages
Easy Art Projects for Elementary School Students. 9. Paper Plate Snake. Pink Stripey Socks/Easy and Colorful Paper Plate Snakes via pinkstripeysocks.com. Have your students paint a paper plate with watercolors and then once dry, help them cut it in a swirl shape. Finally, add some googly eyes.
Child Observation: Development Paper Examples and Free ...
Child Observation. For this assignment, I observed my six year old niece, Faustine Bui who was born on August 16, 2007, at the park where I was babysitting her with her mom for approximately thirty minutes. The park I observed her at is packed with children and dogs are allowed. There is a large play area with jungle-jims and slide and it ...
Psychiatric/Mental Health Assignment Exam Flashcards
The client is expressing distress. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like A 6 year old girl with severe birth defects who is mentally disabled is brought to the emergency room because of a broken arm. The caregiver reports that the girl sustained the injury when she fell from her wheelchair.
Falcon woman known as "J6 Praying Grandma" found guilty in Jan. 6 trial
A federal jury found a Falcon woman guilty of breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6., 2021, during the riot to disrupt the results of the 2020 presidential election. Rebecca Lavrenz, known on social media as " J6 Praying Grandma ," was convicted on charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct ...
Longtime CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist calls it a career at the ...
Since 1982, he's worked at CBS, except for a two-year stint (1995-1997) with TNT. Lundquist became famous for calling college football, men's college basketball and, obviously, golf.
Former science teacher reunites with students for solar eclipse ...
Patrick Moriarty was a 22-year-old teacher in 1978 when he first promised his students they would reunite for the 2024 total solar eclipse. ... "Definitely the longest homework assignment in the ...