Your 10-year-old daughter is in the period of transition. This period presents exciting changes as well as huge challenges as children start to approach adolescence.
At age 10, children are in their preteens where their brains are absorbing information at a rapid pace and can expand their reasoning abilities. They also have much more control over their bodies, strength is rapidly increasing, and sports and active play are becoming easier and less tiring. Friendships are also becoming a larger part of your daughter’s life, and can start to influence her thinking and decisions.
Developmental milestones for a 10-year-old girl
Milestones usually are grouped into a few major areas: physical growth, sensory and motor development, emotional and social development, and cognitive (thinking and reasoning) development.
Physical and motor development
- Girls at this age are usually taller and weigh more than boys.
- Your daughter may start showing signs of puberty, such as growing breasts, voice changes, and increased body odor.
- Coordination and balance may improve, giving her the ability to dance, play sports, and develop talent in specific activities.
- Hand and eye coordination is far more developed and so is finger control. Activities that require small, delicate movements, such as sewing or playing a musical instrument, are now possible.
Emotional and social development
- Attention to detail begins to improve.
- Group and team activities are particularly enjoyable at this age and spending time with friends is important.
- Your daughter is building strong relationships and friendships are becoming a big part of their lives.
- She may start developing and testing values and beliefs that will guide both current and future behaviors.
- Your daughter may start to take pride in her accomplishments and develop an objective view of quality.
- Her self-esteem may in part be influenced by how well she does in school.
Intellectual and cognitive development
- Early adolescents have an increased ability to learn and apply skills. They will be using logic to explain reactions and using their findings to make further predictions.
- This age marks the beginning of abstract thinking, but 10-year-olds may revert to concrete thinking under stress.
- Preteens are still developing abstract reasoning and are not able to make all intellectual leaps, such as inferring motives or reasoning hypothetically.
- They learn to extend their way of thinking beyond their personal experiences and knowledge and start to view the world outside of an absolute, black-and-white or right-and-wrong perspective.
- You can help your daughter think about things outside of her immediate circumstances, which will help her develop more sophisticated cognitive skills.
- Interpretative ability develops, as well as the ability to recognize cause and effect sequences.
SLIDESHOW
Parenting Guide: Healthy Eating for Kids See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Medically Reviewed on 7/2/2021
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Middle Childhood (9-11 years of age). https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html
WebMD. Your Daughter at 10: Milestones. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/daughter-10-milestones
WebMD. Your Daughter at 10: Milestones. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/daughter-10-milestones
Complete List
Top What Should I Expect From My 10-Year-Old Daughter Related Articles
Children's Health
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health, and community health.
How Do I Deal With My 14-Year-Old Daughter?
Fourteen-year-olds struggle in developing a sense of who they are. They begin to realize that they play different roles with different people, such as daughter, friend, teammate, student, and worker. Some may have questions about their sexuality.
How Do I Deal With My 16-Year-Old Daughter?
Your 16-year-old daughter is becoming more independent. Deal with your 16-year-old daughter by giving her more independence, connecting with her, being emotionally available and using other supportive strategies.
How Do I Deal With My 17-Year-Old Daughter?
Your 17-year-old daughter is on the cusp of adulthood. Deal with your 17-year-old daughter by creating a relationship with her, giving her space, set healthy boundaries, encourage her to express her individuality and using many other strategies.
How Do You Identify Developmental Delays in Children?
According to the CDC, about one in six children in the United States has one or another kind of developmental delay or developmental disability. Possible signs of developmental delay include a baby not being able to hold their head up by 4 months of age, can't sit well by 10 months of age, doesn't move their arms or legs, having an unusual cry, doesn't want to stand up, and other signs.
What Are the Milestones for a 4- to 5-Year-Old Child?
Children who are four to five years of age may discover independence, creativity, self-confidence and self-control. Milestones for a 4- to 5-year-old child include milestones in fine and gross motor skills and cognitive, emotional, social, communication and language and creative development.
New Parents Mistakes
Parenting a child isn't easy. Explore the top 10 mistakes that new parents make. Discover newborn parenting tips for breastfeeding, learn to deal with crying babies, child's fevers, and more.
Puberty in Girls Quiz
Take the Puberty In Girls Quiz to learn the myths and facts about normal adolescent growth and development for teens and tweens.
Stages of Puberty: In Boys and Girls
Puberty is the time in a child’s life when sexual maturation occurs. There are several stages of puberty. A child goes through many physical and internal changes during the various stages of puberty, beginning around the age of 8 years in girls and 10 years in boys, till the age of 18 years when they attain complete maturation.
Brain Foods for Kids: Healthy Food for Kids’ Brains
Use this brain foods list to make your child smarter and healthier with these brain-boosting meals! Developing brains needs the right foods to boost learning and improve concentration.
Food-Smart Kids Slides
Healthy kids' snacks and meals help your child develop a positive relationship with nutritious food. Teach your kids how to eat right for better nutrition.
What Chores Should Kids Have?
For kids of all ages, performing chores is vital to building self-confidence, teaching them important life skills and helping them feel that they belong. You should give your child chores that are age appropriate and that will help them build confidence and self esteem.
What Should I Expect From My 11-Year-Old Daughter?
Your little girl is growing up and facing huge changes in her life. Here’s what to expect while parenting an 11-year-old girl and how you can help her.