Through the Years Child Development Guide Child Development Guide Overview Toddlers 1-Year-Old 2-Year-Old Discipline Advice Parenting Tips Preschoolers 3-Year-Old 4-Year-Old 5-Year-Old Discipline Advice Parenting Tips School-Age Kids 6-Year-Old 7-Year-Old 8-Year-Old 9-Year-Old Discipline Advice Parenting Tips Tweens 10-Year-Old 11-Year-Old 12-Year-Old Discipline Advice Parenting Tips Teens 13-Year-Old 14-Year-Old 15-Year-Old 16-Year-Old 17-Year-Old 18-Year-Old Discipline Advice Parenting Tips 12-Year-Old Child Development Milestones Your child's growth and development at age 12 By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, international bestselling author and host of the Mentally Strong People podcast. Learn about our editorial process Amy Morin, LCSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Joel Forman, MD on August 28, 2018 Joel Forman, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine, and public health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Joel Forman, MD Updated on September 09, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Physical Development Emotional Development Social Development Cognitive Development Other Milestones When to Be Concerned Next in Child Development Guide How to Discipline and Handle Challenges With Tweens During the tween years, your child inches closer every day to being a full-fledged teenager. Fortunately, all of the changes that go along with the teen years—physical, social, emotional, and cognitive—happen slowly over a period of a time giving you time to prepare. Typically, 12-year-olds have moments of both acting like the child you have always known and suddenly turning into a little adult right in front of you. Discover how to be prepared for the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development that happens at this time. Illustration by Emily Roberts, Verywell Physical Development Age 12 is smack-dab in the middle of the years in which girls begin puberty. It's also right at the beginning of the typical age that a boy starts going through the process as well. In girls, you will notice breast development, hair growth, and, last, menstruation. In boys, puberty begins with the penis and testicles getting bigger, then hair growth in the pubic area and underarms, and then facial hair growth, muscle growth, and the deepening of his voice. Key Milestones Begins to show signs of puberty, including menstruation in girls and muscular development in boysBecomes increasingly skilled in sportsGoes through a growth spurt Parenting Tip This isn’t the time to turn a blind eye to your tween’s growing sexuality even though it’s a hard road to journey down. So if you need help starting the conversation, talk to your child's doctor on how to broach the topic with your child. When Should Puberty Start in Girls and Boys? Emotional Development Teenage emotions are no joke, and you probably will get a taste of the wild ride over the next year. They love their parents but want nothing to do with them. They feel victorious and then feel as though they have failed everything. There will be moments of happiness, bumps of sadness, and then it will repeat all over again. During this time, kids start to find their leadership skills and begin to understand the idea of giving back to the community. Encourage these skills by letting them take part in decision-making processes in the home and supporting involvement in community or school activities. Key Milestones Starts to show a rebellious streakCements their independence from parents, but often wants adult approvalBegins to question family values and develop personal morals Parenting Tip Balance independence and leadership with maintaining house rules and keeping your tween safe. Talk frequently about the things your 12-year-old would like to be able to do on their own and continually make compromises when it feels appropriate. Social Development Friends are becoming more important than ever, but the opposite sex is climbing in importance, too. Your 12-year-old thinks it’s important to belong, which often means finding independence from parents and other family members, but with that comes the risk of peer pressure. Key Milestones Shows concerns about being liked and acceptedDemonstrates interest in activities involving those of the other genderUnderstands other people’s points of view Parenting Tip Keep communication channels open and available to your 12-year-old. Your child might start experiencing situations that they're not ready for or don't know how to deal with, including all that goes along with peer pressure and growing up. Even though your tween is establishing their independence, they still need to know that their parents are available for support. Cognitive Development A 12-year-old’s brain has stopped growing in size, but it’s nowhere near done developing. Abstract thinking, problem-solving, and logic are all becoming easier, but the prefrontal cortex, which plays a role in impulse control and organizational skills, is still immature. Speech & Language By 12, most children have a strong command of language and communication skills. They are able to think beyond literal interpretations, and proverbs and idioms won’t fly over their heads anymore. You will probably get your first taste of sarcasm, and they will understand tone, as well as the actual language, in a conversation. Play Twelve-year-olds are starting to spend their free time on activities such as organized sports, video games, and social activities with friends. Continue to keep an eye on the amount of screen time your tween is getting and encourage them to stay active, even if they’re not into organized sports. Key Milestones Understands and applies logic to situations and problemsBecomes aware of the concepts of justice and equalityStarts to understand cause-and-effect sequences Parenting Tip Stay in contact with your child’s teachers—without becoming a nuisance—and remain active in their academic life. Don’t wait until the report card comes home with a bad grade to ensure that your pre-teen is performing academically to their best ability. If there are academic issues, find the root cause rather than get upset, as it could be anything from an eye problem to a learning disability. Other Milestones Many 12-year-olds begin exploring the morals of their peer group. So, don't be surprised if your 12-year-old announces they want to adopt a new lifestyle so they can live like their friend's family or that they want to explore a new religion. Exploring morality is a normal part of the development process. So while it's important to explain your morals and establish rules that promote morality in your household, don't worry too much when your child says they don't agree with your beliefs. When to Be Concerned Physical and emotional development don’t always go hand-in-hand when a child is evolving into a teenager. Don’t be concerned if your child doesn’t seem emotionally ready for activities that others their age are doing, or vice versa. Stay connected with your tween’s emotional state of mind to be aware of mental health issues, such as depression, that can pop up at this time. While some moodiness is normal, concerns about a 12-year-old’s health and mental well-being should be discussed with a pediatrician or mental health provider. If you have concerns about a tween’s academic life, such as their inability to keep up in class, schedule an appointment with the teacher. They often have resources to help you and may be able to offer insight that you might not have considered. A Word From Verywell It’s time to make sure your child has the skills they're going to need to thrive during their teenage years. If they lack social skills, their struggles may become especially problematic when they enter high school. Proactively look for areas where your child may need some help sharpening their skills. Provide extra support by teaching, guiding, and practicing together. If your support isn’t having an impact, consider seeking professional help. Parent's Guide to Navigating the Tween Years Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Academy of Pediatrics. Early adolescence (ages 10 to 13). Updated March 28, 2019. Michigan State University Extension. 12- to 14-year-olds: ages and stages of youth development. Christie D, Viner R. Adolescent development. BMJ. 2005;330(7486):301-4. doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7486.301 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Young teens (12-14 years of age). Updated March 6, 2020.