There's no doubt about it, study after study seems to show that little boys are more likely to squirm, kick and wriggle than little girls, according to Anita Sethi, a psychologist who specializes in early education. Dr.Sethi said individual differences in motor activity begin to appear in infancy, but in general boys and girls hit all the major developmental milestones at around the same time.
Boys are more emotional than we give them credit for; they simply process emotions differently from girls, according to Parenting.com. An infant boy at 6 months old may appear calm in the face of frustration when in reality his heart and breathing rate suggest he is experiencing stress. Girls are more likely to want to talk about their feelings and frustrations with a parent or trusted friend while boys would prefer to vent their feelings in a physical activity like engaging in a sport or wrestling match. Parents and teachers can use these differences to teach children to control their emotions and avoid outbursts. Letting a boy stand, rather than sit, in the classroom to answer a question may actually help him to think about the answer.
According to education expert Abigail James, the average 20-month old girl has twice the vocabulary of a boy the same age. Toddler girls begin to talk sooner and more clearly than boys, so they have had more practice. The boys catch up later, although if nothing is done to help them improve their speaking abilities they may always seem to lag behind. By including them in conversations at home with friends and family members you can help improve language skills. It's important to read books to them before they go to bed at night. Boys and girls have similar verbal intelligence but girls are more likely to read for pleasure unless the boys are encouraged to make it a habit.
Research into child development indicates that boys and girls rely on different parts of the brain when it comes to learning, according to the website Education.com. Girls rely on language, either written or spoken, as their primary source of information. Boys have a sensory approach to learning, which means they understand and process information better when they can manipulate the material or view a demonstration. When a teacher gives verbal instructions to the class, girls are more likely to understand the information than if the teacher began the class with a demonstration. There isn't any right or wrong style of learning, only different. Parents and teachers need to be aware of these differences to give children the best advantage in learning.