Gross and fine motor development.

Physical Activity in Middle Childhood

• A common physical activity enjoyed by children in middle childhood is playing games.
• In Australia, the most popular activity among boys in middle childhood is playing soccer.
• Over 85,000 children in New Zealand play Small Blacks rugby.
• 70% of Australian children aged 5-14 participate in at least one organised sport.
• In 2005, only 28% of American children were involved in daily 'physical education' programs during middle childhood.
• The recommended amount of physical activity per day for children is 60 minutes.
• However, only 12% of Australian children aged 5-17 meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity for 5 out of 7 days.

Motor Development in Middle Childhood

• Most children can tie their shoelaces successfully at the age of 6.
• Most children can write the letters of the alphabet, their own name, and numbers from 1 to 10 at the age of 6.
• The main factor that accelerates reaction time in middle childhood for both gross motor and fine motor tasks is myelination.
• Myelination of the corpus callosum in middle childhood enables faster transmission of nerve impulses.

Test your knowledge on gross motor development and physical activity with this quiz! Learn about the importance of physical activity for children's development and how it impacts gross motor skills. Challenge yourself and see how much you know!