Normal Development of Initiative, Engagement and Persistence

Age 1

• Indicates preferences non-verbally or with simple language (e.g., points to an apple and pushes banana away).
• Focuses attention on interesting sights or sounds, often in shared experiences with adults (e.g., sits on father’s lap looking at a picture book).
• Shows pleasure in completing simple tasks (e.g., drops clothespins into a bucket and smiles and claps when all are inside).
• Increasingly tries to help with self-care activities (e.g., feeding, undressing, grooming). When reading with adults, may want to hold the book or try to turn the pages.
• Collects information about the world using the senses.

Age 2

• Becomes more systematic in using language and physical approaches to solve problems but may become stuck on one solution (e.g., tries numerous strategies for nesting a set of cups of graduated sizes, but may keep pushing harder to get a large cup to fit into a smaller one).
• Continues to expand use of language to get help but may refuse assistance even when needed (e.g., may say, “I need help!” when trying to get a little car into the garage, but then says, “Do it myself!” when help arrives).
• Grows in abilities to recognize and solve problems through active exploration, including trial and error (e.g., tries to get a large pillow into a small container by turning it this way and that; eventually folds up pillow so it fits).

Ages 3–4

• Continues to become more flexible in problem-solving and thinking through alternatives (e.g., when trying to put on shoes, talks to self about what to do first; if the shoe won’t easily go on one foot, tries the other foot).
• Increasingly able to ask for help on challenging tasks (e.g., says, “Can you put Teddy’s pants on?”).
• Thinks more systematically. Benefits from conversations with adults and peers, as well as physical investigation.

Ages 5–6

• More flexible and able to draw on varied resources in solving problems. (E.g., A child tries to build a large structure with blocks, but the building keeps falling down. After several failed attempts, she tries making a larger base. She may also look at how other children have made their buildings.)
• Seeks help from both adults and peers and has a greater understanding of the kind of help that may be needed (e.g., says, “Can you hold this end of the string for me so I can tie this?”).
• Grows in ability to understand abstract concepts, especially when thinking is supported by physical interaction with materials (e.g., systematically pours sand into measuring cups, then looks at and comments on amounts).
• Is increasingly able to think of possible solutions to problems.
• Can use varied and flexible approaches to solve longer-term or more abstract challenges (e.g., when planning to have friends over on a rainy day, thinks about how to deal with a limited space to play).

Ages 6–7

• Analyzes complex problems more accurately to identify the type of help needed (e.g., says, “I think I know how to play this game, but I think you’ll have to help me get started; then I can do the rest”).
• Continues to benefit from hands-on experiences to support more abstract thinking skills (e.g., makes a book about last summer’s vacation trip, complete with sections for each place visited, drawings for illustrations, and labels written with adult help).

Ages 7–8

• Enjoys predictability of activities, but is able to cope when things do not turn out as planned (e.g., says, “I wanted to wear my green shirt today, but it is in the wash; I’ll wear this striped one instead”).
• Continues to seek frequent help from adults or older peers. May try to solve a problem independently before asking for help (e.g., “Should I try to do it this way? Do you think this will work?”).
• Continues to develop abstract thinking skills. Benefits from having the opportunity to ask questions and explain things back to adults (e.g., says, “So when I add these up, I am carrying the “one” and that is like a “ten” over here in this column”).

Ages 8–9

• Understands that unforeseen factors may interfere with plans (e.g. says, “He got in trouble so his mom won’t let him come with us. Can we go next Saturday?”).
• Begins to use own resources before seeking adult guidance (e.g., says, “The spinner broke off our game. I tried to fix it with a paper clip, but it didn’t work.”).
• Mentally manipulates information on a regular basis (e.g., says, “I know this one. I just add the ‘12’ in my head.”).

As cited in:

Richard, G.J., Fahy, J.K., (2005). The source for Development of Executive Functions. East Moline, IL: Linguisystems