Scarleteen

I am a sex ed assistant for middle schools located around rural/ urban locations. Right now my research is dropping so I decided to come and ask some questions on here. My topic right now is masturbation starting. My main question is that: Can girls perform masturbating before puberty? Like at 10-11-12? My one top asked article is on the younger ones. Can 10 year old girls masturbate? If so, how would they do it? Since before puberty the vagina doesn't change. If the vaginal area isn't in its period/egg preporation stage. Thanks so much if you can respond. It would be a huge help.

Welcome to the boards!

Masturbation isn't connected to reproduction, so someone doesn't need to have reached puberty or have a body that's capable of reproducing to masturbate. I'm not sure what you mean by the vagina not changing before puberty? A good number of people don't involve the vagina in masturbation at all, and instead stimulate some part/s of the external genitalia.

Per age of starting masturbation, in many ways, that's not quite the right question (although you're right, many people do ask it). Pretty much all babies touch their genitals. As a natural part of growing up, young children will be taught that it's a thing to do in private rather than in front of others. Some people, of course, are told that it's wrong and are punished or shamed for it; most of those people will probably stop masturbating at a fairly young age, and they won't remember either having ever masturbated or stopping.

Have you yet seen these pieces on the site?
How Do You Masturbate?
Is Masturbation Okay? (Yep.)
If you haven't, they should do a great job in getting you started.

Btw, if your employer, or the teacher you are working with are not offering you any mind of training or reference books so you can do your job without having to come elsewhere for very basic information like this, I would say it is vital you go to them and ask for it. It simply sounds like there are basic things you do not know that are a given for doing this kind of work well.

Yes I know. But for a sex ed assistant I only use research to find my information. This did help alot. But hopefully I can pass this article. Thanks.

Right, but this is some very basic information you are asking for that suggests a LOT of gaps. So, just my two cents, sounds like you need some training or educational support for this job you aren't getting, and need to give basic sex ed. So, if your employer isn't offering it, I'd insist. Not knowing, for instance, that the development of genitals doesn't have anything to do with masturbation being okay, and that most people begin masturbating in infancy is a big missing piece of some basic stuff.

You have, btw, some great resources in MN for training and support with this, including some excellent clinics for young people.

Yes. I am in some training right now to bring it up. But this did help alot for some basic information. I will be asking more questions about more basic stuff in the future