Age-Appropriate Stages of Sex Play

Age-Appropriate Stages of Sex Play 

Source: Committee for Children 

The following are some common behaviors seen in children and the ages at which such behaviors is considered appropriate. 

2 1/2 Years: Child shows interest in different postures of boys and girls while urinating and is interested in physical differences between the sexes. 

3 Years: Verbally expresses interest in physical differences between the sexes and differences urinating postures. Girls may attempt to urinate standing up. 

4 Years: Extremely conscious of the navel. Under social stress my grab genital and need to urinate. May play the game of “show.” Also verbally expressive about elimination. Interested in other people’s bathrooms. May demand privacy for self when using washroom but be extremely interested in the bathroom activity of others. 

5 Years: Familiar with, but not too interested in, physical differences between sexes. Less sex play and game of “show.” More modest, less exposing of self. Less bathroom play and less interested in unfamiliar bathrooms. 

6 Years: Marked awareness of and interest in the differences between sexes in body structure. Questioning. Mutual investigation by both sexes reveals practical answers about sex differences. Mild sex play or exhibitionism in play or in school washrooms. Game of “show.” May play hospital . Giggling, calling names or remarking involving words dealing with elimination functions. Some children are subjected to sex play by older children: the age and power differences between the children are critical in defining this as normal sex play or exploitation. 

7 Years: Less interest in sex. Some mutual exploration, experiments, and sex play, but less than earlier.

8 Years: Interest in sex rather high, though sex exploration and play is less common than at sex. Interest in

peeping, smutty jokes, pro vacating giggling. Children whisper, write, or spell elimination or sex words. 

9 Years: May talk about sex information with friends of the same sex. Interest in details of own organs and functions. Seeks out pictures in books. Sex swearing, sex poems begin. 

10 Years: Considerable interest in “smutty” jokes.