NCLEX Growth and Development Practice Exam Questions and Answers

170 Questions and Answers

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A thorough understanding of human growth and development is essential for delivering safe, age-appropriate nursing care—and it’s a key component of the NCLEX-RN exam. This NCLEX Growth and Development Practice Exam Questions and Answers resource is crafted to help you master developmental milestones, age-specific care needs, and patient responses across the lifespan.

The practice test covers critical concepts from infancy through older adulthood, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial development. It features high-yield questions based on established theories such as Erikson’s psychosocial stages, Piaget’s cognitive development, and Freud’s psychosexual model. These questions reinforce how developmental stages influence communication, behavior, health education, and clinical decision-making.

You’ll work through realistic, scenario-based questions that test your ability to assess developmental progress, identify delays or abnormalities, and plan individualized interventions. This includes age-appropriate safety education, nutritional needs, play therapy, anticipatory guidance for parents, and elder care considerations.

The exam also addresses how growth and development intersect with chronic illness, hospitalization, and family dynamics, allowing you to build a more holistic understanding of patient care throughout the lifespan. These are critical skills in pediatric, adult, and geriatric nursing settings, and directly align with the NCLEX’s emphasis on clinical judgment and patient-centered care.

Ideal for nursing students preparing for licensure, this resource also supports international nurses and graduate-level learners refreshing their knowledge. Each question is designed to improve retention, boost confidence, and ensure that you’re fully prepared to handle developmentally appropriate nursing interventions.

By practicing with these exam-aligned questions and reviewing key rationales, you’ll enhance your ability to think critically and respond effectively to patient needs at every life stage—essential for passing the NCLEX and excelling in your nursing career.

Sample Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a typical milestone of a 2-year-old child?

A) Starts to walk
B) Can say 50 to 100 words
C) Can stack six blocks
D) Can speak in full sentences

Answer: B) Can say 50 to 100 words

At what age does a child typically begin to sit up without support?

A) 2 months
B) 4 months
C) 6 months
D) 12 months

Answer: C) 6 months

Which of the following is a primary cognitive skill that develops during the preoperational stage of Piaget’s theory?

A) Logical thinking
B) Conservation of mass
C) Symbolic play
D) Abstract reasoning

Answer: C) Symbolic play

What is the primary developmental task of adolescence according to Erikson?

A) Trust vs. mistrust
B) Integrity vs. despair
C) Identity vs. role confusion
D) Industry vs. inferiority

Answer: C) Identity vs. role confusion

Which of the following is characteristic of the development of a 4-year-old child?

A) Has a vocabulary of 1,000 words
B) Can hop on one foot
C) Can draw a circle with a crayon
D) Has the ability to dress independently

Answer: C) Can draw a circle with a crayon

At what age does a child typically begin to say their first word?

A) 3 months
B) 6 months
C) 9 months
D) 12 months

Answer: D) 12 months

Which of the following is a sign of normal developmental behavior in a 6-month-old?

A) Begins to crawl
B) Reaches for and grasps objects
C) Has stranger anxiety
D) Rolls over from front to back

Answer: B) Reaches for and grasps objects

Which of the following best describes a 3-year-old child’s language development?

A) Speaks in full sentences
B) Has a vocabulary of 1,000 words
C) Can understand abstract concepts
D) Can use pronouns such as “I” and “you”

Answer: D) Can use pronouns such as “I” and “you”

According to Erikson, the primary task of middle adulthood is:

A) Generativity vs. stagnation
B) Intimacy vs. isolation
C) Industry vs. inferiority
D) Integrity vs. despair

Answer: A) Generativity vs. stagnation

Which of the following best characterizes the attachment behavior of an 18-month-old child?

A) Secure attachment to primary caregiver
B) Fear of strangers and separation anxiety
C) Ability to form multiple relationships with peers
D) Ability to regulate emotions independently

Answer: B) Fear of strangers and separation anxiety

At what age do children typically begin to engage in cooperative play with peers?

A) 2 years
B) 3 years
C) 4 years
D) 5 years

Answer: B) 3 years

During which stage of Piaget’s cognitive development do children begin to understand the concept of conservation?

A) Sensorimotor
B) Preoperational
C) Concrete operational
D) Formal operational

Answer: C) Concrete operational

Which of the following is a typical characteristic of a newborn infant?

A) Able to sit without support
B) Begins to smile in response to stimuli
C) Can lift their head when placed on their stomach
D) Begins to walk

Answer: B) Begins to smile in response to stimuli

What is the typical developmental milestone for a 12-month-old child?

A) Can walk with assistance
B) Can speak in simple sentences
C) Can feed themselves with a spoon
D) Can jump with both feet off the ground

Answer: A) Can walk with assistance

Which of the following is an example of a gross motor skill typically seen in a 2-year-old?

A) Rides a tricycle
B) Kicks a ball
C) Cuts with scissors
D) Draws a person with two or more body parts

Answer: B) Kicks a ball

At what age do children typically begin to experience a sense of self-identity?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Late childhood
D) Adolescence

Answer: D) Adolescence

Which of the following best describes the cognitive development of a 4-year-old child?

A) Understands the concept of time
B) Can perform simple addition and subtraction
C) Can recognize letters and numbers
D) Begins to understand abstract ideas

Answer: C) Can recognize letters and numbers

During which stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development is the challenge of “trust vs. mistrust” faced?

A) Infancy
B) Toddlerhood
C) Preschool
D) Adolescence

Answer: A) Infancy

Which of the following behaviors is typical for a 5-year-old child?

A) Can ride a bicycle without training wheels
B) Can count to 100
C) Can tie their own shoes
D) Can recognize emotions in others

Answer: C) Can tie their own shoes

At what age do most children exhibit parallel play, where they play alongside other children but not with them?

A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 3 years
D) 4 years

Answer: B) 2 years

At what age does a child typically begin to recognize their own name?

A) 3 months
B) 6 months
C) 9 months
D) 12 months

Answer: B) 6 months

Which of the following is a typical milestone for a 7-year-old child?

A) Developing the ability to read fluently
B) Developing a sense of morality
C) Beginning to engage in abstract thinking
D) Understanding the concept of fairness

Answer: A) Developing the ability to read fluently

Which of the following best describes the cognitive development of a 3-year-old?

A) Can engage in symbolic play
B) Has developed the ability to understand conservation
C) Begins to think abstractly
D) Can understand time and space concepts

Answer: A) Can engage in symbolic play

According to Kohlberg, which stage of moral development involves following rules to avoid punishment?

A) Pre-conventional
B) Conventional
C) Post-conventional
D) Universal ethical principles

Answer: A) Pre-conventional

Which of the following is typical behavior for a 6-year-old child?

A) Begins to understand the concept of money
B) Can solve simple math problems
C) Develops a sense of empathy
D) Begins to form close friendships with peers

Answer: B) Can solve simple math problems

Which of the following is a developmental task of middle adulthood according to Erikson?

A) Integrity vs. despair
B) Generativity vs. stagnation
C) Identity vs. role confusion
D) Industry vs. inferiority

Answer: B) Generativity vs. stagnation

Which of the following is a sign that a 2-year-old child is reaching an appropriate stage of language development?

A) Can speak in full sentences
B) Has a vocabulary of 500 words
C) Can follow simple commands
D) Uses two-word phrases to express needs

Answer: D) Uses two-word phrases to express needs

Which of the following is a common developmental milestone for a 3-year-old?

A) Starts to lose baby teeth
B) Can recite their full name and address
C) Can dress independently
D) Begins to understand the concept of time

Answer: B) Can recite their full name and address

According to Erikson, the main challenge during the toddler years (1-3 years) is:

A) Integrity vs. despair
B) Initiative vs. guilt
C) Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
D) Industry vs. inferiority

Answer: C) Autonomy vs. shame and doubt

At what age do children typically show an interest in gender roles and identify with their own gender?

A) 1-2 years
B) 3-4 years
C) 5-6 years
D) 7-8 years

Answer: B) 3-4 years

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