Growing and Changing: From Baby to Child

Active learning helps Year 1 students grasp concrete, sequential changes in human growth by moving beyond abstract talk into hands-on comparisons. When students arrange photos, act out stages, and chart their own progress, they anchor abstract ideas like ‘crawling to walking’ in visible, memorable ways.

• Year 1
• Science
• 4 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the physical changes a human experiences from infancy to childhood.
2. Compare the motor skills and communication abilities of a toddler to those of a Year 1 student.
3. Construct a simple timeline illustrating at least three distinct stages of human growth.
4. Identify key physical characteristics associated with different stages of human development, such as crawling, walking, and running.

Timeline Challenge

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Growth Timeline Wall

Collect baby photos from families (with permission) and student self-portraits. As a class, sequence them on a large timeline poster, labeling stages like newborn, crawler, walker, runner. Discuss one change per stage, such as teeth growing or height increasing.

Prepare & details

Explain how a baby changes as it grows into a child.

Facilitation Tip: During the Growth Timeline Wall, circulate with guiding questions like, ‘What helped you move from crawling to walking?’ to push students to articulate causes and effects.

Setup: Long wall or floor space for timeline construction

Materials: Event cards with dates and descriptions, Timeline base (tape or long paper), Connection arrows/string, Debate prompt cards

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Timeline Challenge

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Ability Comparison Cards

Prepare cards showing babies, toddlers, and children doing actions like reaching or jumping. Groups sort cards into stages, then match to descriptions of skills. Share findings with the class, noting physical improvements.

Prepare & details

Compare the abilities of a toddler to a Year 1 student.

Facilitation Tip: While students use Ability Comparison Cards, prompt them with, ‘What do you notice about how hands change from baby to Year 1 child?’ to focus attention on observable differences.

Setup: Long wall or floor space for timeline construction

Materials: Event cards with dates and descriptions, Timeline base (tape or long paper), Connection arrows/string, Debate prompt cards

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Timeline Challenge

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Pairs: Role-Play Stages

Pairs act out one growth stage each: newborn cry, baby roll, toddler walk, child skip. Switch roles and record videos on tablets. Watch clips together to discuss changes in movement and strength.

Prepare & details

Construct a timeline showing the growth stages of a human.

Facilitation Tip: In Role-Play Stages, model the first scenario yourself so students understand the expectations before they begin.

Setup: Long wall or floor space for timeline construction

Materials: Event cards with dates and descriptions, Timeline base (tape or long paper), Connection arrows/string, Debate prompt cards

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Timeline Challenge

⏱ 20 min·Individual

Individual: My Growth Chart

Each student draws themselves now and as a baby, then pastes on a personal growth chart. Measure and mark height monthly. At unit end, reflect on changes in a journal entry.

Prepare & details

Explain how a baby changes as it grows into a child.

Facilitation Tip: For My Growth Chart, provide a simple ruler or measuring tape at their eye level to make height tracking accurate and engaging.

Setup: Long wall or floor space for timeline construction

Materials: Event cards with dates and descriptions, Timeline base (tape or long paper), Connection arrows/string, Debate prompt cards

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by blending storytelling with direct observation. Start with whole-class timelines to ground the sequence, then use small-group comparisons to normalize variations. Avoid rushing through stages; give students time to notice differences in their own families or photos. Research shows that connecting personal experience to new knowledge strengthens retention in early childhood.

What to Expect

Students will connect physical changes to abilities by sequencing stages, comparing peer variations, and reflecting on personal growth. You’ll see evidence in their timelines, role-play scripts, and growth charts that show they recognize gradual development and individual differences.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Growth Timeline Wall, watch for students who group baby and Year 1 child photos too closely together.

What to Teach Instead

Have students place photos with at least one blank space between each stage to visually emphasize the passage of time and gradual change.

Common Misconception

During Ability Comparison Cards, watch for students who assume all babies and toddlers develop the same abilities at the same time.

What to Teach Instead

Ask groups to sort cards first by stage, then discuss why some abilities appear in different orders or ages, using the prompt ‘Why might some babies crawl before others walk?’

Common Misconception

During My Growth Chart, watch for students who think growth stops after they enter Year 1.

What to Teach Instead

After students complete their charts, ask them to predict their height at the end of Year 1 and mark it with a dashed line to show ongoing growth.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Growth Timeline Wall is complete, show pictures of babies, toddlers, and Year 1 children. Ask students to point to the baby and explain one need a baby has that a Year 1 child can do for themselves, repeating for each stage.

Discussion Prompt

After Role-Play Stages, ask students: ‘Think about when you were a baby. What is one thing you could not do then that you can do now?’ Encourage them to share examples of physical changes and new abilities during a class circle time.

Exit Ticket

During My Growth Chart, provide students with three blank boxes on a slip of paper. Ask them to draw one picture representing a baby, one representing a toddler, and one representing a Year 1 child, labeling each with the stage of growth.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to add a fourth stage, such as ‘School-age child,’ using magazine cutouts or drawings to show new abilities.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters like ‘I was able to ___ when I was a baby, but now I can ___’ to support students who struggle to articulate changes.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to interview an adult family member about their own childhood growth and bring back one surprising fact to share with the class.

Key Vocabulary

infant	A very young baby, typically from birth to one year old. Infants rely on caregivers for all their needs.
toddler	A young child who has just learned to walk, typically between the ages of one and three. Toddlers begin to explore their environment independently.
childhood	The stage of human development that follows infancy and toddlerhood, generally from age three up to puberty. Children in this stage develop more complex physical and social skills.
development	The process of growing and changing over time. This includes physical changes like getting taller and developing new abilities.