Concept Exposure
A comprehensive timeline for childhood development across all domains. This guide outlines concept exposure only, not mastery, to ensure your child enters adulthood equipped to meaningfully engage in diverse situations.
Parenting is tough. Creating an environment that a child thrives in requires balancing structure and freedom, fostering independence and encouraging mistakes, and knowing when to protect them and when to let them fail. You have to nurture their sense of confidence, and that confidence arises both from their identity as a person of intrinsic value and from their sense of capability when engaging with the world.
This is a rubric for providing a child some basic familiarity with a diverse range of essential concepts. This chart outlines concept exposure only, not concept mastery, skill development, or depth of engagement. Many of these concepts certainly should become regular elements of a child's life. Some may only require cursory exposure. Others, the child may take a great interest in and want to explore deeply. The primary goal of this chart is to ensure that when the child enters adulthood, they are equipped to meaningfully engage in a diverse array of situations.
The ages and topics are suggestions, and every child is different. Provide a range of experiences, make room for mistakes, and help them grow into an adult with confidence.
Understanding "Exposure" vs. "Endorsement"
Some concepts on this timeline may raise questions. Why expose a child to poker, for example, or to understanding how scams work? The key distinction is between exposure and endorsement.
Exposure means your child understands these concepts exist in the world and has basic familiarity with how they work. This knowledge helps them navigate complex situations as adults. Endorsement would mean encouraging them to participate in these activities.
Think of it like teaching a child about fire safety: you explain how fire works and what makes it dangerous, not because you want them to play with matches, but because understanding fire helps them stay safe and make informed decisions.
Your Role as Parent
This timeline provides initial exposure only. What happens next is entirely up to you and your child:
- Repeat exposure - You decide if and when to revisit concepts
- Practice - Your child's interest and your values guide deeper exploration
- Mastery - Some concepts may become lifelong passions, others remain basic familiarity
You are the ultimate guide. Use this timeline as a starting point, then follow your child's interests and your family's values to determine the depth and direction of their learning journey.
age groups covered
development domains
concepts introduced
"Our job as parents is not to make a particular kind of child. Instead, our job is to provide a protected space of love, safety, and stability in which children of many unpredictable kinds can flourish. Our job is not to shape our children's minds; it's to let those minds explore all the possibilities that the world allows."
Alison Gopnik, The Gardener and the Carpenter
Development Timeline by Age
Filter by domain to see concepts across all ages
Age 0
Building foundational connections through sensory experiences
🏃 Physical Activities
- crawling
- grabbing
🎨 Self-Expression
- babbling
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- storytime
- music listening
👥 Social Awareness
- mirroring
Age 1
Exploring movement, communication, and basic social interactions
🏃 Physical Activities
- walking
- climbing
- dancing
🎨 Self-Expression
- coloring
- speaking
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- zoo & aquarium
👥 Social Awareness
- sharing
⚽ Sport & Competition
- throwing & kicking
🏠 Domestic Skills
- tidying
🔬 Science
- cause & effect
🤝 Community Engagement
- library visits
🛡️ Survival
- water safety
Age 2
Developing creativity, social skills, and basic problem-solving
🏃 Physical Activities
- running
- swimming
🎨 Self-Expression
- drawing & painting
- singing
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- museums & landmarks
👥 Social Awareness
- basic etiquette
🔬 Science
- basic experiments
🧘 Mindfulness
- naming emotions
- faith & tradition
Age 3
Expanding communication, nature connection, and community involvement
🎨 Self-Expression
- storytelling
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- reading
- hiking & nature
⚽ Sport & Competition
- soccer
- yard games
🏠 Domestic Skills
- gardening
- cooking
🤝 Community Engagement
- community events
🛡️ Survival
- camping
Age 4
Building coordination, strategic thinking, and cultural awareness
🏃 Physical Activities
- biking
- skating
🎨 Self-Expression
- acting & improv
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- riddles & puzzles
- tabletop games
👥 Social Awareness
- stranger danger
⚽ Sport & Competition
- chess
- baseball
- basketball
🏠 Domestic Skills
- foreign language
🧘 Mindfulness
- boundaries & self-care
Age 5
Developing musical skills, cultural understanding, and competitive play
🎨 Self-Expression
- musical instrument
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- mini golf & arcade
👥 Social Awareness
- cultural differences
⚽ Sport & Competition
- frisbee
- bowling
🔬 Science
- geography & weather
🧘 Mindfulness
- theology & liturgy
Age 6
Building physical confidence, creative expression, and cultural appreciation
🏃 Physical Activities
- parkour
- horseback riding
🎨 Self-Expression
- writing
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- theme parks
- theatre & concerts
⚽ Sport & Competition
- fishing
- tennis
🧘 Mindfulness
- meditation
Age 7
Developing public speaking, scientific thinking, and safety awareness
🏃 Physical Activities
- rock climbing
- rowing
🎨 Self-Expression
- public speaking
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- laser tag & go karts
⚽ Sport & Competition
- flag football
- volleyball
🔬 Science
- botany & ecology
👥 Social Awareness
- online safety
🛡️ Survival
- self-defense
Age 8
Building critical thinking, community service, and survival skills
🏃 Physical Activities
- boating & watersports
🎨 Self-Expression
- photography
🎭 Culture & Recreation
- geocaching
👥 Social Awareness
- trust & skepticism
- fallacies & biases
⚽ Sport & Competition
- distance running
- golf
🏠 Domestic Skills
- sewing
- computer hardware & software
🔬 Science
- astronomy
🤝 Community Engagement
- volunteering & mutual aid
🛡️ Survival
- knot typing
- navigation & signaling
🧘 Mindfulness
- journaling
Age 9
Developing debate skills, logical thinking, and community understanding
🎨 Self-Expression
- debate & argument
👥 Social Awareness
- conflict resolution
⚽ Sport & Competition
- billiards
- archery
🏠 Domestic Skills
- meal planning & nutrition
🔬 Science
- logic & systems
- circuitry
🤝 Community Engagement
- local government & community structure
🛡️ Survival
- firemaking
- water purification
🧘 Mindfulness
- contemplation
Age 10
Building media literacy, advanced science, and survival preparedness
🎨 Self-Expression
- filmmaking & editing
👥 Social Awareness
- unsafe social environments
- scams & fraud
⚽ Sport & Competition
- poker
🏠 Domestic Skills
- repair & construction
- household systems
🔬 Science
- computer programming
- chemistry & biology
🤝 Community Engagement
- empire & world politics
🛡️ Survival
- shelter building
- first aid & cpr
🧘 Mindfulness
- critical analysis
Age 11
Understanding social systems, financial literacy, and personal ethics
👥 Social Awareness
- privileges & inequality
- capitalism/banking/supply chain
🏠 Domestic Skills
- financial literacy & budgeting
🔬 Science
- physics & engineering
🧘 Mindfulness
- self-interrogation
- personal ethics
Age 12
Building authority awareness, emergency preparedness, and statistical thinking
👥 Social Awareness
- law enforcement & authority
🛡️ Survival
- emergency preparedness
🔬 Science
- statistics & probability
Age 13
Understanding human systems, financial markets, and civic engagement
🔬 Science
- anthropology & human history
🏠 Domestic Skills
- investing & markets
🔬 Science
- psychology
🤝 Community Engagement
- civic engagement & advocacy
🛡️ Survival
- vehicle handling
Age 14+
Preparing for adulthood with business skills, networking, and media literacy
👥 Social Awareness
- business & contracts
- networking & rapport
- engagement/outrage/tech ethics
- propaganda & disinformation
How to Use This Timeline
Exposure, Not Mastery
Focus on introducing concepts, not achieving proficiency. Let your child's interests guide deeper exploration.
Flexible Timing
Ages are suggestions. Every child develops at their own pace. Adapt to your child's readiness and interests.
Diverse Experiences
Provide a wide range of experiences to build confidence and adaptability for future challenges.
Make Room for Mistakes
Learning happens through trial and error. Create a safe environment for exploration and growth.
Ready to Begin?
Start with your child's current age and focus on 2-3 categories that align with their interests. Remember, the goal is exposure and exploration, not perfection.