SEVEN'S heaven for kids - the "golden age'' when children are happiest and most carefree, according to a new study.

Joy, energy and innocence peak between the ages of six and nine, before children start worrying about how they look, what their friends think and how well they do at school.

"It is at this age that children are bestowed with boundless energy and enthusiasm, have retained a sense of awe and wonder with the world and remain uninhibited in their behaviour,'' the Galaxy Research poll of Australian parents found.

Dr Justin Coulson, author of the study of 1014 parents, commissioned by Vaalia probiotic yoghurt as part of a fundraising campaign for the Murdoch Children's Research Institute,

believes age seven is "the perfect blend of childish enthusiasm and innocence''.

"Most children have boundless energy and lust for life - something that deteriorates as we become older and perhaps more jaded,'' he said.

"There's a beautiful period between six and nine when the world's just wonderful for kids.''

Dr Coulson said that by the age of 11 or 12, children started to worry about body image and stress over school and friendships.

The institute's ambassador, model and television producer Sarah Murdoch, said her boys Kalan, 8, and Aidan, 7, were at a "carefree and joyous age''.

"It's a time before they have any worries and every day's a different day,'' she said. "It's probably a good time for parents, too.

"I love that when kids say something they mean it - and they remind you when you're doing something to be in the moment and do it 100 per cent.''

Ms Murdoch recalled her own carefree childhood summers, growing up on Sydney's northern beaches.

"I remember being obsessed with my red and gold BMX bike,'' Ms Murdoch said. "You'd make ramps on the driveway and jump over them with your bike - I did it for hours and hours.

"We knew everyone on our street, so we all rode our bikes together and we'd climb the mulberry tree in the backyard and eat mulberries all day long.''

For Frankie Kogan, a happy seven-year-old, life is no work and all play.

"It's really fun to be a kid because you don't have to work yet,'' he said. "You don't stress, you can just have fun.

"You can play a lot of games. My favourite thing to do is play sports such as rugby, soccer and athletics, and I really like going to the beach and running around.''

The Galaxy survey shows that most parents believe their kids keep them young at heart.

Playing with the kids is the most popular way for parents to "recapture their youth'', followed by listening to music from their childhood or watching the TV shows they loved as a child.

Readers can visit www.vaalialive7.com.au au to nominate the one thing they would bring back from their youth.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF CHILDHOOD WHEN KIDS ARE ….

Least selfconscious (play, dance or sing as if no one was watching or judging) …. 6.6 years

Most energetic … 7.4 years

Most enthusiastic … 7.7 years

Most engaged with life (eg playing with friends) … 7.9 years

Most open to new experiences …. 7.9 years

Most in awe and wonder about the world … 6.7 years

Source: Galaxy Research poll of 1014 parents of Australian teenagers.

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