Year 5 science · Key Stage 2 · Animals, including humans
Year 5 human growth and puberty: from baby to old age
In Year 5 science, children describe how humans develop through the stages of life, from a baby growing before birth, through childhood and adolescence, to adulthood and old age. The topic includes the changes of puberty, which many children first meet in Year 5, so it is worth knowing what the school will teach and how you can talk about it at home.
Human growth and puberty, explained
The statutory requirement is short: children should describe the changes as humans develop to old age. Schools usually build a timeline of the main stages. A baby grows inside its mother for about nine months, known as the gestation period (about 40 weeks). A baby grows quickly and learns to move, babble and then talk, and walks as a toddler, often around the first birthday, although children vary a lot. In childhood, children grow steadily, lose their baby teeth and gain new skills. Adolescence is the stage between childhood and adulthood, when puberty happens. Adults are fully grown, and in later life people’s bodies slowly change again.
Puberty is the set of changes that turn a child’s body into an adult’s body, so that, later on, they could have a child of their own. It usually starts somewhere between about 8 and 14 years old, so some children in Year 5 have started and many have not, and it is normal to start earlier or later than friends. Changes include a growth spurt, more body hair, sweating more and needing to wash more often, and oilier skin. Boys’ voices deepen, their penis and testicles grow, and their bodies become more muscular. Girls’ bodies develop breasts and hips, and periods begin. Emotions can also feel stronger or change faster. Teachers describe these changes in plain, factual terms and explain that everyone goes through them at their own pace.
Children also investigate growth using data. They might record the length and mass of a baby as it grows, chart their own heights over the years, or research how long other animals spend growing before they are born, comparing a human with, for example, a mouse or an elephant. These activities support working scientifically: gathering measurements, using tables and graphs, and spotting patterns.
At the other end of life, children learn that older people’s bodies change too. Skin becomes more wrinkled, hair turns grey, movement can become slower, and eyesight and hearing may fade. Many older people stay fit and active for many years, and children are encouraged to avoid stereotypes. Schools handle puberty with care, and many tell parents in advance. If you are not sure what your child’s school will cover, ask to see the materials and when the lessons take place.
Words your child will hear
- Gestation
- The time a baby grows inside its mother before it is born. For humans it is about nine months.
- Adolescence
- The stage between childhood and adulthood, usually the teenage years.
- Puberty
- The changes during adolescence that make a child’s body into an adult body.
- Growth spurt
- A period when someone grows much faster than usual.
- Hormones
- Chemical messengers in the body that trigger changes, such as those at puberty.
- Period
- The monthly bleed that starts in puberty for girls and women, also called menstruation.
- Toddler
- A young child who is learning to walk and talk, usually aged about 1 to 3.
What the National Curriculum says
In Year 5, pupils should be taught to:
- Describe the changes as humans develop to old age
Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Try it: drawing a timeline of human life
Draw a timeline of the main stages in a human life and describe one change at each stage.
- Draw a long line and choose stages. A typical list is: baby, toddler, child, adolescent (teenager), adult and older adult. Add rough ages. The stages overlap and there are no exact dividing lines, so use words such as “about”.
- Baby (birth to about 1 year). A newborn baby weighs around 3 to 4 kilograms. Within a year, babies learn to roll over, sit up, crawl and often take their first steps.
- Toddler and child (about 1 to 10 years). Children grow steadily, learn to talk, read and run, and lose their baby teeth to make way for adult teeth.
- Adolescent (roughly 10 to 18, though puberty can start a little earlier). Puberty brings a growth spurt, body hair, a deeper voice in boys and periods in girls, and stronger emotions. Everyone changes at their own pace.
- Adult (about 18 to 65). The body is fully grown. Adults can have children of their own. Then older adult: hair may turn grey, skin wrinkles, and movement may become slower, but many people stay healthy and active.
A labelled timeline: baby, toddler, child, adolescent, adult and older adult, each with a rough age range and one change. Puberty belongs in the adolescent stage and happens at different ages for different people.
Common mistakes and how to help
Thinking everyone starts puberty at the same age
Classes are grouped by age, so children expect their bodies to change at about the same time. A child who starts early or late can feel different or worried.
What helps: Say clearly that starting puberty anywhere between about 8 and 14 is normal. Reassure children that the order and timing vary and that nothing is wrong.
Thinking growing up is just getting taller
Height is the easiest change to see and measure, so it often becomes the whole picture. Puberty also changes how the body works, and brains and emotions develop too.
What helps: Make a list of changes beyond height. Skills, strength, teeth, voice, skin, feelings and friendships all change as a child grows.
Believing old age means being ill, weak or unable to learn
Children often meet older people through stories and images that show them as frail. Their own grandparents may be a different picture.
What helps: Talk about the older people your child knows, including what they like to do. Ask them what stays the same as people age as well as what changes.
Assuming all animals take the same time to develop before birth
Children expect a baby animal to take about as long as a human baby. In fact, gestation can be a few weeks or almost two years.
What helps: Compare numbers: a human is about nine months, a mouse about three weeks and an elephant around 22 months. Ask your child whether bigger mammals usually take longer, then look up a few more to check.
How to help at home
- Make a family timeline. Using photos of your child as a baby, toddler and now, and of grandparents or older relatives, make a timeline of human life. Talk about what changed at each stage and what stayed the same.
- Chart growth. Find out your child’s birth length and weight if you have it, and measure their height today. Display the numbers in a simple table or graph, and measure again in a few months to see how much they have grown.
- Open the conversation about puberty. Ask what your child already knows and listen before explaining. Use correct words, keep answers short and honest, and let them know they can ask you anything. A relaxed setting, such as a walk or car journey, often makes this easier.
- Ask an older relative. Invite a grandparent or neighbour to talk about what life was like at your child’s age and what has changed for them. Let your child ask the questions and write down the answers.
Related topics
Builds on
- Year 4: Digestion, teeth and food chains
Leads on to
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