Periods of Development- Middle Childhood

Physical Development Milestones: Physical development during middle childhood is highly

individualized. Some children experience rapid growth spurts while others grow more slowly.
School, sports and other activities provide opportunities to develop both gross and fine motor
skills. According to the National Institutes of Health, such physical abilities as endurance,
balance and coordination vary widely between children. Many children experience the onset of
puberty during this time (Fritscher, 2015).
Language Development Milestones:
As children in the middle childhood milestone
grows older, so does their word count. The older
children get, the more they learn and the better their
vocabulary understanding and count becomes. A
first grader may know the meaning of 8,000 to
14,000 words, but a high-schooler knows 80,000
words (Zember, 2010). Parents, caregivers, and
instructors should be able to notice an increase in
words and understanding new meanings.
Cognitive Development Milestones:
Middle childhood can be a very confusing age as children grow and start to gain their own
serious understanding and independence of the world. Children in this age group might face
more academic challenges at school, become more independent from the family, being to see the
point of view of others more clearly, and have an increased attention span (CDC, 2015). It is
important for parents to respect their children and understand what uncomfortable stage they
may be undergoing and encourage them to do the best that they can.
Signs of Atypical Behavior:
As children get older, it becomes easier to spot out potential atypical behavior. Parents, teachers,
and guardians should watch out for other possible problems such as limited vocabulary and
disinterest in physical movement. Where every child is not the worlds next football star, what
physical behavior they do participate in should be advanced and coordinated. Incoordination and
complete disinterest are potential signs of a larger problem.
Influencing Learning:
It can become more difficult for caregivers to
influence learning as children get older and have
a stronger need for independence. At this age,
parents can encourage learning by setting
examples and encouraging children to
participate in actives that they feel they may be

weak in to help them stay up to par with milestones and not fall behind.

ReferencesCDC. (2015). Child Development. Middle Childhood (9-11 years of age). Retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html
Fristcher, L. (2015). Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood. Retrieved
From: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/physical-cognitive-development-middlechildhood-3774.html
Zember, M. (2010). Language Development in Middle Childhood. Retrieved from:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/language-development-middle-childhood/