Life cycles
All animals, including humans, are born, they get older and bigger and some will go on to have offspring (young). In the end, all animals die. We call this a life cycle.
Animals are small when they start life. Over time they grow bigger and their bodies change.
When they are grown up, they might reproduce and have young animals of their own. These children will get older and may eventually also have children too, and so the life cycle keeps going!
Most life cycles have a similar basic pattern:
- Mating and reproduction
- Embryonic development
- Growth and development
- Maturation and the ability to produce gametes (sex cells) so the cycle can continue