Once children enter school, their environment and their social relations grow and change drastically. While each child is unique and it is not a good idea to compare him/her with other children, these encountered changes can lead to some common characteristics among them. Some of the general characteristics of this group are as follows:

School age children experience a wide range of emotions and it is crucial that they develop a feeling of self worth as soon as possible. This will definitely play an important role in the following characteristic.

Identifying and classifying are important skills for kindergarteners. In general the main goal for the kindergarten year should be for your child to become comfortable in school.

School age children give a higher priority to peer relations than family.

A common characteristic for six year-olds is the need to feel as if they are the center of attention. However, by the age of seven, this need diminishes considerably.

Seven year-olds are beginning to develop a sense of responsibility and start of worry about peer relations.

By eight years of age, this sense of responsibility gives the child a feeling of independence, which might lead to a “know-it-all” attitude. Because they feel that they can do anything, it is hard for them to set their own limits. They are extremely self-critical and just like setting their own limits are difficult, the self-critical nature makes it more difficult for them to set reasonable goals and expectations for themselves.

Nine year olds can think independently, but have a tendency to be tied to peer standards. They tend not to be very self-confidant and in general they look the group relations as fill this void. Being a part of a group and relating to it might lead some nine year olds to rebel against authority.