Waves, Light & Sound

How light and sound travel, bounce and behave — 25 skills across 7 years. Every skill below shows what it builds on and how to tell your child has it.

Science25 skillsages 6–13

Grouped by the age children typically start each skill. Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace.

Around age 6

Communication with Light & Soundages 6–7AC ✓ Light & Seeing in the Darkages 6–8 Light & Sound Vocabularyages 6–8AC ✓ Transparent, Translucent & Opaqueages 6–7 Vibrations & Soundages 6–9AC ✓

Around age 7

How Shadows Formages 7–8 Protecting Eyes from Sunlightages 7–8 Reflecting Lightages 7–8

Around age 8

Pitch of Soundsages 8–9AC ✓ Sound Fading with Distanceages 8–9AC ✓ Sound Travels Through Materialsages 8–9AC ✓ Volume & Vibrationsages 8–9AC ✓

Around age 9

How We See Objectsages 9–11 Patterns & Codes for Informationages 9–10 Wave Behaviour Vocabularyages 9–11 Waves & How They Moveages 9–10

Around age 10

Light Travels in Straight Linesages 10–11

Around age 11

How Sound Waves Travelages 11–12 Reflection & Refractionages 11–12 Wave Properties & Typesages 11–12 White Light & Colourages 11–12

Around age 12

Drawing Ray Diagramsages 12–13 Ray Diagrams & Imagesages 12–13 The Electromagnetic Spectrumages 12–13 Waves & Different Materialsages 12–13

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