Boys' verbal skills tend to lag behind girls their age. However, kindergarten boys generally can analyze situations and find the correct answer more often than girls. Boys tend to struggle with reading orally but are equal to girls on tests of ability that do not require writing. Boys are more likely to have problems with stuttering and handwriting. Boys tend to excel in spatial skills and wanting to demonstrate a concept in a physical way. Boys also tend to have better visualization skills than girls and can excel at computer related learning.
Girls have advanced vocabulary, generally twice the size by age 20 months, although boys are starting to catch up by kindergarten. Girls are more likely to over-analyze a situation and second-guess correct answers than boys. Kindergarten girls have better reading, writing and handwriting skills at this age as well. Girls are less likely to use spatial skills and would rather talk about a situation than use a physical demonstration. Girls are also better at matching and proofreading.
Kindergarten boys tend to engage in more physical and energetic type behaviors than girls their age. Boys are less empathetic towards peers and keep their egocentricity much longer than girls do. Boys tend to develop their independence much faster than girls and tend to problem-solve much sooner than their female peers. Boys are action-oriented and tend to participate and channel their energy into sports activities.
Girls this age tend to engage in quieter, more imaginative play. Kindergarten girls are more sensitive and empathetic, as indicated by their games of house and mommy. Parents tend to shelter girls, leading to uncertainty in social situations and a need for reassurance that boys might not need. Girls tend to mimic the activities of adults and engage in more mature play, such as reading and art.