STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT IN YOUTHS
grade/age	emotional development	social development	mental (cognitive) development	spiritual development
preschool (3-4)	• generally happy • influenced by the reactions of other youths • sensitive to the moods and reactions of adults	• generally play with same sex • prefer short group experiences • use language in dramatic play	• can recall some facts and events • can memorize stories, songs, or finger plays • ask lots of questions • have an attention span of no longer than 10 minutes	• hear and enjoy Bible stories • recognize own church: develop sense of belonging at church • understand that prayer is talking to God; pray simple, spontaneous prayers
preschool (4-6)	• proud of their accomplishments • have their feelings hurt easily • beginning to gain self-confidence	• learning to share and cooperate • can understand and follow rules • enjoy extensive dramatic play • eager to please teachers and parents	• can listen to and create stories • can distinguish between real and pretend • need simple directions ─ understand one step at a time	• understand that God made them • trust that God loves them • beginning to develop sense of conscience
first and second graders (6-8)	• express feelings with physical action • crave individual attention and affirmation • are self-centered; each wants to be first • feeling capable is directly related to self-esteem • want everything to be fair; black-and-white sense of justice	• usually prefer to stick to same-sex friendships • thrive on organized games and group activities • want to please teachers but are beginning to recognize their role in relation to their peers • want to win and always be first; have a strong sense of competition with others	• interested in concrete learning experiences such as dramatizations and rhythms • have a limited concept of time and space; interested in the present but not past and future • yearn for competence in developing skills	• understand God's love and God's world through personal experience • don't comprehend the spiritual nature of God; think of God as a giant/magician/invisible man • don't comprehend the Bible's chronology except that the Old Testament comes before the New • • have a literal and concrete understanding of Bible stories and biblical truths; don't comprehend abstract ideas
third and fourth graders (8-10)	• feelings may be hurt easily • sensitive to praise and criticism from adults • developing ability to empathize with others	• want to be a part of a group • enjoy extended group projects • able to accept limited constructive criticism • naturally avoid interaction with the opposite sex	• most can read well • like to be challenged but don't like to fail • need to feel independent; don't always want help from teachers • understand cause and effect; like to arrange and organize information	• able to accept that there are some things about God we don't understand • ready to relate individual Bible events to the scope of Bible history • recognize the difference between right and wrong; able to make deliberate choices about actions

fifth and sixth graders (10-12)	• get mixed messages about being mature and accepting responsibility for choices/ actions • possible strong fears about losing parent, abandonment, rejection by friends, being a victim of violence, or becoming ill	• spend a lot of time with one best friend • usually prefer to stick to same-sex friendships • thrive on organized games and group activities • strongly influenced by heroes and role models	• well-developed critical-thinking and problem-solving skills • beginning to question authority figures; prefer to reason things through for themselves • interested in how past and present world events affect their lives	• want everything to be fair • want to test what they have been taught about God against their own experiences • able to make choices about finding God's will and following it
junior high (12-14)	• major time of changeability/ transition • great sensitivity/variability due to hormonal shifts at onset of puberty • initial stages of identity formation with emphasis on role-playing/identity experimentation	• major increase in social awareness/need for acceptance • self-centered ─ embarrass easily • growing influence of peer group • increased emphasis on meaningful friendships • growing interest in opposite sex with preoccupation with physical and sexual concerns • often extreme idealism • continued emphasis on the present • new emphasis on the importance of role models	• more open to new ideas • a fact-finding/decision-making period • growing ability to reason sequentially and logically • want to make own decisions (need for autonomy)	• beginning to view religion as a belief system rather than an activity system • the beginning of a period of questioning of previously unquestioned beliefs • a growing need to understand the concepts behind beliefs in order to reaffirm those beliefs • a spiritual fact-finding period • continued emphasis on interpersonal relationships in faith formation and new emphasis on the affective (feeling) aspects of faith
senior high (14-18)	• nearing completion of identity formation (commitment to an identity) sometimes leading to rigidity of identity • growing stability of personality	• continued self-centeredness but a growing awareness of the self in relation to others • growing stability of social relationships but continued struggle with sexuality • relationships become deeper and more important	• development of adult-like cognitive abilities (formal operational thinking) • growing ability to understand theoretical issues • growing ability to deal with ambiguity and relativity	• increased ability to consider ethical/moral issues in abstract ways • questioning of beliefs as those beliefs are either rejected or internalized • adoption of and commitment to a set of ethics/values

Analysis of ages 3-12 adapted from Group Publishing, Inc; "Hands-On Bible Curriculum, Teachers Guide, Fall 1994. Group Publishing, Inc., Box 481, Loveland , CO 80539. Permission granted for reference only. Analysis of ages 12-18 taken from “Junior High Ministry” by Wayne Rice (Youth Specialties, 1987).