The early childhood years (here defined as ages three to seven) witness a marked intensification of the sexual interest (Group, 1965, p. 137), and capacity for erotic response. Kinsey reports (Kinsey, 1948, p. 176) an increase in the percentage of individuals able to reach a sexual climax from 32 percent of boys two to twelve months of age, and 57 percent of those two to five years of age, to nearly 80 percent of preadolescent boys ten to thirteen years of age.
The genitals supersede other organs as a main source of bodily pleasure. The
Child Study Association of America in its publication "When Children
Ask About Sex" (1969) treats sex play so integral to childhood as to
say that "Masturbation is a necessary phase of sex maturing. It will
help parents to think of masturbation as part of the growing up process
instead of as a dangerous habit."
In interviewing three and four year olds and their parents, Kinsey
found that at three they were showing awareness of genital differences
between male and female. Handling of their own genitals, cuddling,
kissing mother and father, and touching and kissing others were common.
Three year olds enjoyed a great deal of kissing. Among four year
olds there was kissing, some homosexual and heterosexual play, mild
masturbation, cuddling with family members, touching, and tickling.
According to Bell (1902) relationships between the sexes or the "emotion
of sex-love" may appear in the life of the child as early as the middle
of the third year. The presence of the emotion in children between
three and eight years of age is characterized by "hugging, kissing,
lifting each other, scuffling, sitting close to each other; confessions
to each other and to others, talking about each other when apart;
seeking each other and excluding others, grief at being separated; giving
of gifts, extending courtesies to each other that are withheld from
others, making sacrifices such as giving up desired things or foregoing
pleasures; jealousies, etc." Bell characterized the love demonstration
of children at this age as spontaneous, profuse, and unrestrained
and to include ideas of marriage.
From three and on children retain some memories of sexual experiences,
including autoerotic experiences, and are able to recall them
later.
The first time I can recall having a sexually
pleasing sensation was when I was around three
or four. I remember feeling very proud of what I
had learned (how to masturbate) and the strange
sensation it aroused.
I can remember there was physical pleasure to be
derived from fondling my genitals. Such fondling
had no heterosexual overtones; the mere
physical satisfaction was enough to develop this
practice into a habit.
The mother of a five year old told Kinsey that her son had become
quite discriminating in his kissing. He was aroused frequently in heterosexual
play, and she had seen him in fondling and caressing activity
with a girl friend. (Kinsey, unpublished).
Besides displays of affectional and sexual behavior, children ask
questions and verbalize or act out aspects of sexual generalizations
that they have acquired. The child of age three expresses interest in
the different postures for urinating. Girls attempt to urinate standing
up.