Middle Childhood

6-11 years

Physical Development
o Loose baby fat
o Gain muscle making them ready to play sports

Language Development
o Growth in the understanding of grammar
o Able to tell stories

Cognitive Development
o Capable of symbolic thought
o Think logically about concrete concepts

Social-Emotional Development
o Children learn to work with others on a team
o Develop feelings of inferiority

Moral Reasoning/Self-Regulation
o See rules as flexible and can be
changed upon social agreement
o Learn to resolve conflicts in ways that
benefit both parties

Sign of atypical development

Ø Difficulty paying attention in school
could be a sign of a learning
disability
Ø If a child is still not pronouncing
words properly by seven it is a sign
of delay in speech development

What social factor(s) influence development?

⇒ Child is very sensitive to peers’ acceptance. Peers have a greater
influence in their life.

How does culture influence development?

♦ In cultures where fathers spend more time with children, their
development is enhanced

What can families do to influence their child’s development?

Reading together will help enhance cognitive and language
development
Going on walks/hikes as a family will encourage physical exercise