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 Age characteristics
of children

In order to teach effectively, one should be aware of the uniqueness of each child—the combination of temperament, upbringing, strengths and weaknesses.

When teaching a group of children, however, it is not practical to cater for the complete spectrum of differences in personality and learning style. Yet, children of a particular age group share common characteristics, and it is important to be aware of these for the following reasons:

  • Knowing the abilities and limitations of a certain age group helps to structure the content of a lesson for maximum effectiveness.

  • The responsiveness of children is dependent on the presentation style. Teaching methods and media should therefore be geared to suit a particular age group.

  • The personal characteristics of children develop rapidly as they grow up. These changes need to be acknowledged and catered for by teaching truths in way that keeps them relevant to the child.

Here is a downloadable chart of age-level characteristics from 4–14 years old:

A chart of the physical, mental/emotional, social and spiritual development of children aged 4-14 years old. Includes teaching tips per age group.

General characteristics of children

Children

  • are sinners by nature but want to be good

  • love stories and have a rich imagination

  • want good to triumph over evil

  • enjoy singing, acting and being creative

  • are emotionally sensitive and thus vulnerable

  • are generally carefree

  • forgive easily and forget quickly

  • can easily become discouraged

  • are good at memorizing

  • are eager to learn and acquire skills

  • are trusting and believe what adults tell them

Additional characteristics of children brought up in a godly environment:

They

  • believe in God and see Jesus as a friend

  • find it easy to pray

  • have faith in God’s ability to answer prayer

  • accept everything in the Bible as being true