What changes will children experience during puberty?
Children experience physical, emotional and social changes throughout puberty.
Some of the prevalent physical changes are listed below.
Boys and Girls
Acne development
Increased perspiration, which may cause body odour
Growth of Body and Pubic Hair
Get Taller (Growth Spurt)
Voice changes and get deeper (Larynx grows)
Wet dreams can occur
Girls Only
Hips broaden
Breasts develop
Menstruation begins
Wet dreams can occur
Boys Only
Shoulders and chest broaden
Testes and scrotal sac develop
Voice changes and gets deeper
Facial hair grows
Penis grows
Changes while Growing Up
What to Expect from Birth to Age 2:
Learn about love and trust through loving relationships with parents and their caregivers
Explore their bodies including their genitals
May have erections or lubricate vaginally
Experience genital pleasure
Begin to learn, and demonstrate, expected behaviours
Begin to notice differences between the bodies of boys and girls, children and adults
What to Expect from Age 3 to Age 5:
Become very curious about bodies, and the differences between boys and girls
May play “house”, “doctor”, forms of body exploration or "sex play" with friends
Learn they are either male or female
Learn about female/male roles by observing others
Enjoy learning about, and talking about, body parts and functions
Find adult bathroom activities interesting
Ask questions about birth or pregnancy such as, “Where do babies com
from?”
May learn words related to sex and try using them
May mimic adult sexual behaviour
May begin to masturbate
What to Expect from Age 6 to Age 8:
Begin to have strong friendships with children of the same sex
Be affected by stories they hear in the media regarding sexual issues, such as abuse
Have definite ideas about male and female roles
Have a basic sexual orientation and identity
Want to be like their peers; for example, boys may feel pressured to choose the type of toys and activities that other boys choose
May engage in name-calling and teasing
May continue with sex play
May begin to masturbate
What to Expect from Age 9 to Age 12:
May begin the changes of puberty
Become more modest and want privacy
Continue to value same-sex friendships
May experience increased sexual feelings and fantasies
Develop crushes on friends, older teens, teachers and rock stars among others
Romantic feelings may be directed towards people of the opposite sex
Romantic feelings may be directed towards people of the same sex
May take part in sexual exploration with peers
May masturbate to orgasm
May have to face decisions about sex and drugs
What to Expect from Age 13 to Age 18:
Complete the changes of puberty
Place great value on independence
Experience increased sexual feelings
Desire physical closeness with a partner
May face peer pressure to be sexually active whether or not s/he feels ready
May change close friendships in favour of romantic relationships
May make choices which lead to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases
May have to face violence in relationships (sexual harassment, date rape)
