Middle childhood is the period of life that begins when children enter school and lasts until they reach adolescence.  For the purposes of this text and this chapter, we will define middle childhood as ages 6 through 12. 

Think for a moment about children this age that you may know.  What are their lives like?  What kinds of concerns do they express and with what kinds of activities are their days filled?  If it were possible, would you want to return to this period of life?  Why or why not?  Early childhood and adolescence seem to get much more attention than middle childhood.  Compared to early childhood, children spend much more time in schools, with friends, and in structured activities.  It may be easy for parents to lose track of their children’s development unless they stay directly involved in these worlds.  Yet, children enter middle childhood still looking very young, and end the stage on the cusp of adolescence. Most children have gone through a growth spurt that makes them look more grown-up. The obvious physical changes are accompanied by changes in the brain.

While we don’t see the actual brain changing, we can see the effects of the brain changes in the way that children in middle childhood play sports, write, and play games. It is important to stop and give full attention to middle childhood to stay in touch and to take notice of the varied influences on their lives in a larger world.