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  /    /  Developmental Milestones: 11 Years

Developmental Milestones: 11 Years

Puberty is making many changes to this young adult’s body and mind. Thought patterns are adjusting to adulthood and the brain is allowing them to start thinking about intangible ideas such as love, faith and the meaning of life. A positive outlook  on adulthood can help to make this transition an exciting one and less of a scary one.

Brains are becoming quite advanced now and are coping with more abstract thinking.  An 11 year old will be developing an understanding of hypothetical situations and will be showing a more adult way of thinking and expressing themselves.

Secondary school may pose fears and anxiety within your child and they may require additional support or a confidence boost to help with their concerns. Playing lots of sport or having active interests can help to burn off energy and help with the stresses.

Please keep in mind that these milestones are guidelines only, as all children are different and develop at their own pace. Do not be concerned if your child does not perfectly ‘tick all the boxes’ and avoid comparing your child to other children of a similar age. If you are worried that your child’s development is particularly delayed, visit your GP.

  • Children are thinking in a more abstract way and can develop an understanding of hypothetical situations
  • Memory and attention capacity is increasing further but it is important to help develop their concentration and perseverance skills by giving the children the opportunities to dedicate themselves to single, focused activities without distraction
  • Thought patterns are maturing as they reach puberty and many researchers believe there is a physical change in the brain that occurs and enables teens to start thinking more abstractly, carrying out complex reasoning
  • Intangible concepts such as faith, love, trust, receipt, and questions about the meaning of life, the origins of the world, etc can be grappled with using more adult cognitive processes
  • As children approach their teenage years adolescent egocentrism emerges
  • They may become more self aware than they were previously and also conscious of how others perceive them, both as a person and on their appearance. This can also be triggered by physical bodily changes which are all new and alien. A positive attitude towards adulthood and these changes can make this process less daunting and more exciting for them
  • Worries about starting a new secondary school can start to be evident at this age as friends start to discuss the different options between them
  • Friendships will be kept through sharing the same interests and extra curricular activities
  • An 11-12 year old child will be embarking on a period of physical growth and change as he/she starts the first stages of puberty. It is a time of exciting transition but also of rapid and sometimes confusing change for both child and parent. Helping children to understand what is happening and what is going to happen to their bodies is important to help keep them confident and reassured
  • Sport and physical activity can play a great role in this age group. Help them to keep their changing bodies healthy through exercise and sport. Try and get involved with the sports too, this will help to maintain a healthy relationship between the child and primary carer
  • Children’s conversational skills should be developing well and they will be able to cope when adults or peers strike up a conversation.  They may be expressing their personal opinions in conversations too
  • Reading, writing and general conversing will all help them to gain the confidence and dialogue needed to hold longer conversations or debates that they will be starting to face and that will be expected of them when they start secondary education
  • The artistic development will be more focused on the design element. Design and technology will be challenging for them but they will particularly enjoy inventing new products or technology
  • Drawings will be far more detailed, shading more advanced, ideas more interesting and measurements are more accurate and in realistic proportions

At 11 years old, a child’s understanding of the world is being guided by the National Curriculum subjects.

Children love to play and this is a great way to support their development and learning. See below for our independently tested and approved toys and apps to support your 11 year old’s development.

More Child Development Milestones by Age