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Children and Farm Safety
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Child Development and Age Appropriate Tasks
Childrens' physical and mental development follow a reasonably
predictable pattern. However, each child is unique, and may or may not develop at the same
rate as others of their age. The following synopsis of child development characteristics and age appropriate tasks
was derived from the work of Dr. Richard Clark of Ohio State University. He urges parents
to monitor their own childrens' development, and carefully judge individual capabilities.
(Parental expectations often exceed a child's developmental capabilities!) Preschool years
Very rapid
growth, beginning of motor skill development. Balance problems, clumsiness, slow reaction time. Can't differentiate speed, weight, force, acceleration, distance, or location
accurately. Can't memorize rules -- attention span less than 10 minutes. Strong-willed -- don't stop and think before acting. Curiosity high -- fear lacking. Age appropriate tasks for preschoolers
Tasks musn't require balance, rapid motion, or machines. Tasks should take less than 10 minutes to complete, and must not require accuracy. Instructions must be demonstrated and repeated each time. Appropriate jobs might include "helping" with household cleanup, watering
plants, feeding small animals. Maximum adult supervision is essential at all times, due to child's poor co-ordination,
high energy, impulsiveness, and lack of fear. Ages 6 to 11
Child learns to use small and large muscles during this slow, steady growth stage. Poor eye-hand co-ordination slowly develops with age and practice. Exhibits boundless energy, followed quickly by fatigue. Children begin trying to master more complex tasks. Memory and ability to deal with issues like location, distance, weight, force, speed,
and acceleration slowly develops. Children think they have greater physical and cognitive skill than they demonstrate.
Attention span is 12 to 14 minutes. Must operate with concrete facts -- not yet capable of thinking about abstract ideas.
Oral instructions still must be backed up with demonstrations of how to perform each task. Ability to sort items by similar characteristics is developing. Want to accompany adults, test skills, and try new tasks. Don't take responsibility -- follow-through to task completion is rare. Age appropriate tasks for ages 6 to 11
Tasks should be of short duration, and should not require good eye-hand co-ordination.
Supervision still necessary -- instructions should be demonstrated. Tasks should not require accuracy, high quality, or total completion. Hand tools are appropriate -- not power tools. At this stage, children enjoy tasks that involve sorting of materials. Appropriate jobs
might include feeding of animals (under supervision); cleanup; yard and garden work such
as weeding, watering, and picking; lawn mowing with a push mower on a flat surface (after
age 10, and under supervision): hand raking; and digging.
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Ages 12 to 14
Clumsiness and co-ordination problems often accompany rapid growth. Children master concepts of motion and direction. Abstract thinking develops -- they can understand instructions without seeing the task, and can begin to apply previous work experiences to new jobs. Children experience feelings of immortality -- a belief that accidents happen to the "other person". Begin to test the limits of their physical abilities. Don't understand that physical size isn't a substitute for experience and judgement. Self-preoccupation can spell danger for others working with children of this age. Aggression, risk-taking, rebelliousness toward parents. Other interests may create haste to complete a job. Age appropriate tasks for ages 12 to 14 Don't mistake size for ability! Potentially the most dangerous age, due to high risk-taking, ease of distraction, clumsiness, and feelings of immortality. Limited power tool use, under supervision -- hand tools still best. Begin to incorporate tasks with higher physical requirements. Starting with low risk tasks, begin giving more responsibility for follow-through with less supervision. Ages 15 to 18
Most awkwardness overcome -- mastery of small and large muscles basically complete. Skills are honed through practice and experience. Abstract thinking allows for oral instruction, generalization of skills from one task to another, and thinking and projecting into the future. Feelings of immortality persist. Teens feel size and age can substitule for ability and experience. Rebelliousness, risk-taking, aggression are typical. Undue haste -- due to competing interests -- can result in accidents. May act like an adult one day, and like a child the next. Age appropriate tasks for ages 15 to 18 
Can start to take on adult jobs. Still need to gain experience under adult supervision (e.g. equipment operation and
maintenance). Gradually increase tasks as experience is gained. Don't delegate "oId" equipment to teen, and "new" machines to
parents. Older equipment may have more operating problems and fewer safety features. Risk-taking and immortality feelings lead to pushing equipment beyond safety limits.
Plan Your Own Child Safety Strategy
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