7 Years: Learning Self-Control

At this stage, your child is trusting, independent and full of initiative. They have an increased interest in peers, are beginning to set standards for their behavior and are learning greater self-control. Playtime continues to have a crucial role, as learning takes place most effectively through concrete play experiences.

At This Stage, Your Child May Be

• Becoming sensitive to what others think
• Learning to participate in group activities but not yet have a developed sense of group loyalty
• Learning to make decisions with others
• Gaining a sense of competence
• Experiencing that writing is an exciting way to use newly learned words and phrases to express ideas
• Building expertise in math by solving addition and subtraction word problems
• Determining the lesson or moral of stories, fables and folktales
• Paying close attention to details, including illustrations and graphics, in stories and books to answer questions of who, what, where, when, why and how
• Acquiring a sense of humor (though they may not understand sarcasm)
• Retelling key information or ideas from books read aloud
• Imitating adults

Help Your Child Make Healthy Choices

It’s never too early to get your child on the path to a healthy lifestyle. Here are some suggestions to develop healthy habits:

• Encourage physical activity and set up family activities such as bike rides, hikes and active games.
• Limit time for watching television, playing video games and playing on the computer to one to two hours per day. That will lead to more active play.
• Teach your child about nutrition, and involve them in food shopping, as well as the planning and preparing of meals.
• Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV.
• Don’t eliminate treats, but let children know that sweets and high-fat treats are not everyday food items.
• As part of a regular diet, plan healthy snacks such as apple wedges and whole- grain crackers. 

Things You Can Do Every Day to Help Your Child Develop

At home, you can play an important role in setting expectations and helping your child meet them. Here are some activities and suggestions to help your child maintain a strong and steady development:

• Help your child develop a sense of responsibility by assigning them household tasks such as setting the table.
• Make clear rules, such as how long they can watch TV or when they have to go to bed, and stick to them.
• Have your second-grader read at home every day and assist them by reading every other paragraph.
• Encourage your second-grader to read to younger siblings or other children you know.
• Have them write a thank-you note or letter to family members or friends.
• After they have read a book, ask them to explain what they just read.
• Use discipline to guide and protect your child, rather than punishment, which will make them feel bad about themselves.
• Look for math word problems in real life to challenge your child. Example: When measuring your child, ask them how many inches they have grown since their very first measurement.
• Play “Draw the Shape” with your second-grader. For example, ask them to shade in a quarter of a rectangle.
• Do fun things together as a family like playing games and going to events in your community.
• Support your child in taking on new challenges, and encourage them to solve problems on their own.

School Success

To see what to expect in second grade and to learn how you can support your child’s school success, visit PTA.org.