10 Years

Milestones

Around 10 years old, many children:

• Social

  • Solve social problems, such as fights with friends or siblings
  • Want to gain approval and live up to expectations of people close to them
  • Continue to develop and test opinions and moral values
  • Show a wider interest in things outside of their everyday life

• Communication

  • Hold long conversations with children and adults outside the family
  • Write well without ruled lines
  • Write in more mature ways
  • Express feelings and emotions with words

• Learning

  • Understand complex written sentences
  • Read longer chapter books in stages, picking up where they left off
  • Enjoy books and magazines on nonfiction topics they're interested in
  • Are comfortable with addition and subtraction
  • Start to practice fractions, multiplication, and division
  • Master concepts of time, weight, and distance

• Physical Development

  • Have more control of hand movements, with better handwriting and more detailed art
  • Enjoy activities such as drawing, painting, sewing, or playing instruments
  • Run, climb, ride a bike, or skate with confidence

• Health

  • Have 5 to 9 ounces of grains daily, including whole grains (1 ounce equals ½ cup oatmeal, ½ cup of rice, 5 whole wheat crackers, 1 slice of whole wheat bread, or ½ cup cooked pasta).
  • Have 2 to 3 ½ cups of vegetables daily (such as ½ cup baby carrots, ½ cup broccoli, ½ avocado, and ½ cup sliced peppers).
  • Have 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruits daily (such as 1 medium apple, 1 banana, and ½ cup berries). Fresh, frozen canned or dried all count.
  • Have 4 to 6 ½ ounces of protein daily (1 ounce equals 1 egg, ¼ cup of beans or lentils, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, or ¼ cup tofu). Protein foods include beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and nut butter, poultry, fish, eggs and meat.
  • Have 3 cups of dairy or suitable substitute daily. This includes whole cow’s milk, whole plain yogurt, or unsweetened fortified soy beverage.
  • Drink water at or between meals for thirst.

Act early by talking to a doctor, teacher, or social worker if your child:

• Act Early

  • Has trouble sitting or standing up straight for long periods
  • Can't follow spoken and written directions in class
  • Often writes sentences with the wrong grammar
  • Has low self-esteem
  • Avoids activities involving movement and physical coordination
  • Doesn't make eye contact with children and adults