As your child enters their early elementary school years, they’re rapidly growing and changing. Parents may be surprised at their child’s newfound abilities to process things around them. However, many parents continue to worry about whether their child is on par with their peers.

Experts agree that there are a handful of common milestones that children will meet during these formative years. Every child is slightly different, but most will develop with the same pattern. If you’ve ever felt concerned about your child’s overall development, you can check some of these common benchmarks.

Social and Emotional

At seven years old, most children will continue to work on building better relationships with their peers. It’s not uncommon to see a rise in conflict during these years as children gain more independence. When frustrated, experts say that children may opt to spend more time independently instead of among peers. They are becoming more adept at handling their own emotions instead of needing parental support.

In general, children can create their games and follow directions during playtime. Your child may exhibit some early forms of compassion toward friends. This is the year where children primarily learn to consider the thoughts and feelings of others. They also become more aware of how others view them, helping them to develop a sense of self-esteem.

Cognitive

Your child is likely refining the skills they learned as a six-year-old instead of continuing to learn new ones. Most children will make huge gains when it comes to reading and basic math skills this year. Their vocabulary is proliferating to include several thousand words. When combined with their longer attention spans, they can read and comprehend more than ever before.

Basic math facts such as simple addition and subtraction are typically mastered at this age. Your child’s abilities to estimate are improving, and they’re learning essential skills like time-telling and grouping similar objects. They are also likely to develop stronger reasoning abilities, which can make it easier to solve simple word problems.

Physical

For the most part, children will continue to refine their gross motor skills this year. They may not learn any more essential skills, but the ones they do have will improve. Parents may want to foster more physical gains by encouraging children to take part in sports or physical activities with their peers.

As their coordination develops, your child may be able to kick a ball while running or dribble while walking. This opens up new doors for them regarding sports. Your child may also develop an interest in gymnastics and enjoy the feeling of somersaults or handstands.

Parents will thoroughly enjoy their child’s early years with these continued gains in development. Understanding what to expect from your child developmentally allows you to encourage them and assist them in areas where they need extra attention. Take time to enjoy and further your child’s progress about these essential seven-year-old milestones.