Discuss motor development during the middle childhood years. Are there sex differences that should be mentioned? If so, what might account for these differences?

What will be an ideal response?

During middle childhood, children experience significant growth in the strength of their
muscles and in their ability to engage in tasks that require balance and coordination.
The pathways that connect the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex become increasingly
myelinated, which increases the speed and efficiency with which neural impulses are
conducted. Although there are sex differences, it is difficult to explain these
differences based upon biology. It seems most likely that these differences are due to
differential socialization (family, peer, and media pressures) rather than genetics. The
only consistent difference apparent during preschool and continuing into middle
childhood is a difference in the ability to throw a ball. Boys consistently outperform
girls on this task, and this is attributed to boys having greater forearm strength. Girls
tend to outperform boys on tasks requiring fine motor skills and overall flexibility.