People go through stages of life: baby, child, teenager, and adult. At each stage, your body and abilities change. Everyone goes through these stages, but at their own pace.
Show photos of people at different life stages and discuss what is different at each one. Create a timeline of life stages and have children place pictures or drawings. Interview a grandparent or older adult about what has changed since they were a child.
Children sometimes think becoming a teenager or adult happens on a specific birthday, like flipping a switch. They do not realize the changes are gradual. Some children think adults stop changing, when in fact bodies continue to change throughout life.
Every person who has ever lived has gone through the same basic stages of life. First, you are a baby. Babies cannot walk, talk, or feed themselves — they depend on adults for everything. Then you become a child, like you are now. Children can walk, talk, learn to read, play sports, make friends, and do more and more things on their own every year.
After being a child for several years, you become a teenager. This is when your body goes through some big changes — you grow taller quickly, your body starts to change shape, and your voice might change. These changes are all part of growing up, and they happen to everyone, though not all at the same time or in the same way. After the teenage years, you become an adult. Adults are fully grown in height, and their bodies are mature enough to take care of themselves and others.
But here is something important: just because you can name the stages does not mean there is a sharp line between them. You do not wake up one morning and suddenly become a teenager. The changes happen gradually, over years. And people go through these stages at slightly different speeds — some kids grow fast early on, some grow fast later, and both are perfectly normal. Even after becoming an adult, change never stops. Adults keep learning, and their bodies keep changing as they get older. Life is not a destination; it is a long journey through many stages.
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