Middle Childhood

Children between six and twelve Often called school-age Become more self-sufficient and independent

Physical Development Steady physical growth Environmental factors effect their growth –Proper Nutrition –Health Care Height –Boys are usually taller until girls reach age 10 –Girls growth spurt10, boys 12 Weight –Girls usually weigh slightly less than boys until 12 then they typically weigh about 3 lbs more

Physical Development Large Motor Skills –Gains in height and weight help with coordination –Like to practice and perfect six skills Jumping, Balancing, Throwing, Catching, Running, Sequencing foot movements –Boys can usually run faster and throw harder because of more muscle mass –Girls outperform boy in motor skills like balance, coordination, flexibility and rhythmic movement

Physical Development Fine Motor Skills –Writing improves with wrist movement –Can start to play simple musical instruments

Health Concerns Hearing –Usually well developed –Midrange develops first –High range and then low range develop Vision –By six they can focus on one object with both eyes –Preschoolers may be farsighted –Nearsightedness is common in school age children

Health Concerns Teeth –Begin to lose their baby teeth –All will be replaced by 12 –Children are susceptible to cavities –Poor health and diets high in sugar are the leading cause of cavities –Teachers should be examples of good dental health

Health Concerns Asthma – respiratory disorder that causes labored breathing, gasping, coughing, and wheezing Obesity – characterized by excessive body fat –Encourage healthy food choices

Cognitive Development Begin using logic and symbols Memory improves Rehearsal – repetition of information after it is used Operation – manipulation of ideas based on logic rather than perception Concrete operations – using logic but it is based on what they have experienced or seen

Cognitive Development Conservation - change in position or shape of substances does not change the quantity Seriation – ability to arrange items in an increasing or decreasing order based on weight, volume, or size Classification – ability to group objects by common attributes

Language Vocabulary doubles between 6 and 12 Learn sentence structure, using pronouns, plurals, and tense properly

Social-Emotional Development Self-Concept – view a person has of himself or herself Social Comparison – a process where people define themselves in terms of the qualities, skills, and attributes they see in others Self-Esteem – the belief that you are worthwhile as a person Teachers and Parent play a great role in helping a child develop self-esteem

Social-Emotional Development Understanding others –Empathy – the ability to understand the feelings of others –Compassion – being aware of others distress and wanting to help others Friendships –Friendships take on grater importance to children –Gender often influences the selection of friends –Children with poor relation skills need to be guided and help

Social-Emotional Development Games with Rules –They encourage children to take another person’s perspective –They learn why rules are important Team Sports –Learn teamwork –Learn to get along with their peers –Benefit from the exercise –Activities bring enjoyment –Develops a pattern for a healthy lifestyle –Critics say the focus becomes on winning and becomes work instead of fun

Moral Development Morality – understanding and using accepted rules of conduct when interacting with others Learn morality by interacting with others