5 and 6-Year Old: Milestones, Activities, Gear, Dad Tips, & More
The school years are upon you. Along with it comes more activities, friends, homework, and all of the logistics and issues that come with them.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to 5 and 6-year-old milestones, self-care skills, activities to do with your child, toys and gear, and ways to master being a dad.
5 and 6-Year-Old Milestones
5 Years Old
Does somersaults
May be able to skip
Climbs and swings
Uses the future tense (“I will go to the party”)
Abides by some social norms and wants to be liked by others
Differentiates real-world vs. make-believe
Draws a person with 6 or more body parts
Understands the concept of time
Begins to print letters and numbers
6 Years Old
May lose a first baby tooth
Follows 3-step commands
Can jump rope
Can draw a person with at least 8 body parts
Can write most letters and numbers
Can write their name
Self Care Skills
5 Year Old
Tie their own shoes
Gets dressed independently
Opens lunch box, food packages, zip lock bags
Packing a bag for school and outings (with help)
Completes their toileting routine independently
6 Year Old
Gets self ready to sleep
Independently showers
Packs a bag for school and outings (with prompting and some help)
Tells time
Makes basic meals
Activities To Help Your Child Thrive
Map making. Teach kids about topographical orientation, planning, perspective, and problem-solving by making a map to a nearby destination.
Shows: magic shows, puppet shows, or a show for any hobby of their choice. Plan it at least a few days out and work together on the planning, preparation, practice, and execution. Invite neighbors, friends, and family and let them relish in the excitement.
Visit a local farm. Go on a trip to a nearby farm. Learn about farming practices, where food comes from, and all of the behind-the-scenes logistics that we take for granted. While you’re at it, establish a relationship to help support the farm.
Red Flags
It’s important to note that children develop at different paces. If you’re not seeing these 5 and 6-year-old milestones then talk to your pediatrician.
Stuff
Toys (with a purpose)
Here are some toys recommended by an occupational therapist to help your 5-7 year old’s development.
A knife set. Around 5 years old you’d child can spread with a knife and toward 7 years old she can cut with one. Foster this learning by using a kid-safe version to help them cut simple things like cucumbers and mushrooms to start and then progress from there. Make sure they have a stable base and consider a kitchen tower mentioned in the article on 18-month-old milestones.
6-in-1 Indoor Swing (plus rings, trapeze, ladder, rope swing, and pullup bar)
A magazine subscription. Yes, these still exist and yes, the kids will love them. It’s an inexpensive and educational present that shows up at the door every month. Here is a list of magazines for a variety of ages.
2-wheel scooter. Around 6 years old, your child has developed the balance to transition from the 3-wheel scooter (a.k.a. a kickboard) to a 2-wheeler.
A bike. Look for a bike with 20” wheels if your child is in the 4’0”-4’5” height range.
RoyalBaby Kids Mountain Bike (16”, 20”, 24”)
A helmet: What to look for in a helmet:
Size. Measure your kid’s head circumference to determine the best size.
Weight. Lighter is better for kids.
Safety. Rest assured that all bike helmets sold in the U.S. have a CPSC safety certification. There is a new technology called MIPS (multi-directional impact protection) that many helmets now incorporate. It is a thin liner inside the helmet which allows 10-15mm of sliding rotation of the head in all directions to decrease the transfer of the motion to your brain. There's debate over how much, or even if, this added layer of safety works but with the number of brain injuries I've seen as an OT, the extra cost is worth it.
Giro Scamp MIPS Youth Recreational Cycling Helmet (circumference: 45-49cm and 49-53cm)
Giro Hale MIPS Youth Cycling Helmet (50-57cm)
Bike fitting: Your kid is growing fast so make sure you know when and how to adjust their seat (a.k.a. saddle) height. This is a great quick guide from Prevelo and here is a more advanced guide from Two Wheeling Tots.
Gear (that you actually need)
First aid kit. It’s a matter of time before kids get hurt so there’s no point in waiting to run to the pharmacy once they do. Keep a first aid kit in the car and the house for when it happens.
First aid manual. There will probably be times when Dr. Dad needs more than bandaids but has no idea what else to do. When that happens (and you don’t have service on your phone), refer to a compact manual to flip through to use as a guide.
Camping gear. If you’re going to go camping with your kid, you’ve got to gear up. Start with the essentials like a 2-3 person waterproof tent, sleeping bags (one for adults, one for kids), a lantern, headlamps, and a cooler.
Dads
“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”
–Umberto Eco
Dad Focus
Your health. If you're like the average US adult, you don't see your doctor as much as you should. And now, more than ever, it's critical to schedule that appointment to make sure everything's in working order since you've got a little one depending on you. While you may feel and look great, often time some of the biggest concerns don't present with symptoms until it's too late (e.g. hypertension, cardiac issues).
Below are some of the most important things to get screened for by age and here is a list of CDC-recommended immunizations by age.
20's: blood pressure and testicular cancer screening. Also, annual vision and dentist appointments at least once a year.
30's: all of the above and... blood tests for thyroid disease, liver issues, cholesterol, anemia, and diabetes.
40's: All of the above and...Annual prostate cancer screening. Cardiovascular risk assessment every 5 years.
50's: All of the above and....annual colon cancer screenings
Fortunately, most issues are manageable as long as they're caught early enough so don't wait for your friend or family member to get a diagnosis before you schedule that appointment.
Read more with 5 Science-Backed Strategies to Increase Your Testosterone Naturally and 10 Takeaways from Outlive by Peter Attia: How To Improve Healthspan & Lifespan.
Dad Tips
Hit 1,000 hours outside. The website 1000 Hours Outside is a great site whose purpose “is to attempt to match nature time with screen time. If kids can consume media through screens 1200 hours a year on average then the time is there and at least some of it can and should be shifted towards a more productive and healthy outcome!” Head to this page to get a free tracker of the 10,000 hours or download the app.
Resources
Article:
The Stanford professor who pioneered praising kids for effort says we’ve totally missed the point (Quartz)
The Gift of Failure (New York Times)
Podcast Episode:
Book:
The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years by Emily Oster
Live up the time with your kid. Celebrate the 5 and 6-year-old milestones milestones and remember that you’ve got it good.
Got any suggestions that worked for you and your child at this age? Leave them in the comment section.
