Which of the following is an example of a child in the period of early childhood?

• A. A fourteen-year-old who is about to finish middle school
• B. An excitable five-year-old kindergartner
• C. A seven-month-old who is beginning to eat baby food
• D. A ten-year-old whose world view is expanding

Answer: (B)

Early childhood is roughly ages 3 to 5 (sometimes up to 6), a period when children attend preschool or kindergarten and show rapid gains in language, social interaction, and basic self-care. The five-year-old kindergartner fits this stage well—old enough to be in a structured early education setting and still developing core skills and social habits. The seven-month-old is in infancy, focusing on basic feeding and early motor milestones; the fourteen-year-old is in adolescence; the ten-year-old is in middle childhood. So the five-year-old exemplifies early childhood.