It is important to understand healthy childhood sexual development in children,

as it plays a key role in sexual abuse prevention. Adults are not typically taught what to expect as children develop sexually, which can make it extremely challenging to tell the difference between healthy and concerning behaviors.

Sexuality is a normal part of life, even for babies and young children. Like other aspects of development, like motor skills or emotional intelligence, sexual behavior is healthy, expected, and tends to follow a typical trajectory in childhood. (McClure, 2022)

Sexual development begins the day a child is born. Children reach physical and emotional milestones as they grow — such as learning to crawl, walk, and talk. They also reach important milestones in how they feel and learn about their bodies, how they experience relationships with family members and friends, and how they become aware of who they are as a person.

As caregivers, it’s important to learn about typical sexual development in children. This provides an opportunity to understand what normal development is and what may be cause for concern. It’s important for caregivers to develop positive and open communication around topics of sexuality. This creates an environment where children know they can come to you for accurate, health-based information and guidance. Talking with young children about their bodies and sexuality paves the way for open communication as they get older. These conversations will positively influence children’s comfort with their bodies and the likelihood they will come to their caregivers later with questions.