Mental Fitness in School Age-Children (6-11 Years)
As your child starts school, their mental, emotional, and social skills develop rapidly. They’re learning to describe their experiences and talk more about their feelings. As their focus shifts to the outside world, friendships become more important. Your child is gaining a sense of responsibility and learning to be independent.
Mental and emotional development for school-age children
The elementary school years are an important time for children to build confidence in all areas of life, including learning, managing emotions, and navigating relationships. Your child wants to be liked and accepted by the people around them, including you. This is the first step toward developing self-esteem.
Sleep and exercise also impact emotional development for school-age children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following sleep and physical activity guidelines for children ages 6–11.
| Sleep needs (per 24 hours) |
Physical activity recommendations |
|
9-12 hours
|
Get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity. This includes:
- Aerobic activity, like bike riding (daily)
- Muscle-strengthening, like climbing (3+ days/week)
Bone-strengthening, like hopping or skipping (3+ days/week)
|
Ways to support mental fitness for children 6–11 years old
You can support your child’s resilience and mental well-being by fostering an open, trusting, and loving environment.
- Give them your time. Time with you is a gift to your child. Demonstrate your affection for them not only with words or hugs, but also with your actions. Show genuine interest in them and really listen to what they have to say. Ask about school, friends, favorite activities, and challenges.
- Have fun together as a family. Consider reading, playing games, and going to school, community, and other events and activities.
- Help your child develop responsibility. Ask them to help with household chores and include them in family decisions, such as what to eat for dinner.
- Let your child know you love them no matter what, even when they make mistakes. Use everyday events, such as losing at sports or earning high grades, to check on how your child feels and build strong bonds with them.
- Recognize your child’s accomplishments and good behavior. Praise them by focusing on their actions rather than things they can’t change. Instead of saying, “You’re smart,” try saying, “You worked hard on this.” Saying, “You must be proud of yourself,” rather than saying, “I’m proud of you,” encourages them to make good choices without external praise.
