The Differences Between Preschoolers & Adolescents

Moving Toward Independence

• The primary developmental task of all preschoolers and adolescents is to become independent. Each group has its own developmental tasks, which include cognitive, social, emotional and physical developmental stages. A 3-year-old must learn to share, and to develop friendships so that he can gain the social skills necessary to enter school. Although a 15-year-old is tightly bound to her peer group and follows group fads, by the time she reaches 18, the peer group influence should wane, as she begins to make her own decisions. A 4-year-old will often cling to her parents because she feels ambivalent about being on her own. A 12-year-old expresses that same ambivalence by challenging parental authority. Conflict with parents is the norm for a 15-year-old, but it is how she establishes the personal values that will guide her as an adult.

Physical Differences

• Between the age of 2 and 18, a child changes dramatically in terms of physical appearance and capabilities. For example, physical coordination is an obvious difference. While a 3-year-old can ride a tricycle, a 17-year-old has progressed to a level of physical skill and coordination that enables him to handle a motorcycle. A 4-year-old girl can throw a ball, but a 15-year-old girl can pitch a softball with the precision and accuracy necessary to strike out a batter. A 5-year-old should be able to hop, jump and walk a straight line. An 18-year-old football player can zig-zag, and throw or catch a pass while running. All children are individuals, but a missed developmental milestone may be cause for concern. For example, a 5-year-old should be able to climb stairs by alternating his feet or by jumping with both feet, while a 17-year-old is nearly an adult, physically and legally.

Verbal and Language Skills

• Other differences are also relatively easy to discern. A 4-year-old, for example, can usually recall part of a story you have read to him, and will repeat it in sentences of four or five words. The 17-year-old will not only recall the entire story, he may be able to write one of his own. By the time a child is 5, his speech should be completely intelligible, although he may still have trouble enunciating letter sounds such as ̶0;s̶1; or ̶0;th.̶1; Sixteen-year-olds have long since mastered language skills such as pronouncing letters, and have reached what Piaget called the formal operations stage. At this stage, a teen can use his verbal skills to assess a problem, develop theories and consider possible outcomes when different solutions are applied.

Cognitive Differences

• By the time a child is 3, she understands that ̶0;1̶1; and ̶0;2̶1; are different numbers and that ̶0;2̶1; is after ̶0;1.̶1; A 4-year-old, however, can count several objects, while a 15-year-old can solve an algebra problem. Preschoolers see the world in concrete, black-and-white terms. By the time a child is 11, her thinking is still very concrete -- she lives in the here and now. Although a 15-year-old is beginning to develop the capability for abstract thought, she will revert to concrete thinking when under stress, according to the Oregon Health Authority. By age 18, a teen is fully capable of abstract thinking and can engage in philosophical discussions, test a hypothesis or evaluate a theoretical proposition that might have no comparison in the real world.

Social Connections

• Although a 3-year-old can socialize with others, she still believes that she is the center of the world. By the time she reaches 4, she can leave her parents easily to go to a friend̵7;s house or to preschool. Between the ages of 10 and 14, a child begins to reject ̶0;baby toys̶1; such as dolls, which is a sign that she feels her new stage of maturity requires that she put away her old, childish belongings. She will also develop intense friendships with peers of the same gender. Teens of 15 to 17 often argue constantly with their parents, which is a normal part of developing their own values. As their ties to parents loosen, attachments to the peer group grow stronger. Typically, an 18-year-old has developed her own lifestyle, which may be quite different from that of her parents, with her own friends and interests. She may also be working or going off to college, which are additional signs of independence.