Early Childhood (2-5)
In many ways, the development of sexuality during the years 2 to 5 is a continuation of the key developmental processes that began in infancy. For example, by around age 3, children should have a clear sense of whether they are a boy or a girl and have sense of autonomy and confidence in themselves rather than overriding sense of guilt and shame. With respect to gender, most children by the age 3 can identify people in photographs or on television and dolls as male or female and can tell an adult whether they are a boy or a girl.
By age 2, children will have become quite familiar with their own bodies. Now, as part of the learning process, children will start to become very interested and curious about the bodies of others, both adults and children. Recognition that opposite sex children, older children, and adults have bodies different from their own feeds this curiousity. Because the genital areas are usually covered by clothing, interest in these areas may be heightened. For example, a child will likely be curious about a mother's breasts and a father's penis and why adults have pubic hair but children don't. Children will engage in "peeking" games during visits to the toilet. These can be opportunities for parents to continue teaching accurate names for the genitals as many children at this age will have developed euphemisms for the genitals. These interactions with parents can also provide an opportunity introduce the concept of privacy. Before age 5, children need to learn that nudity and sexuality are not engaged in publicly.
Curious kid
