Children need about 10 hours of sleep each night. Muscle coordination and control are uneven and incomplete in the early stages, but children become almost as coordinated as adults by the end of middle childhood. Small muscles develop quickly, making more difficult activities more enjoyable now. Baby teeth with come out and permanent ones will come in. Overcrowded teeth are common.
Eyes reach full growth in middle childhood and eye exams are needed.
Practical Advice for Parents to Promote Healthy Physical Development Let both boys and girls choose from a variety of activities, not just the ones that are usually boy or girl activities. Help children to balance busy and quiet activity time. Regular dental and eye check-ups are important at this stage. Mental Development Children can begin to think about their own behavior and see what may happen because of their actions. Children begin to read and write early in middle childhood and can do it well by the later stages.