As children move from the preschool years into elementary school, their physical, thinking, language, social and emotional skills become more sophisticated. School-age children have a longer attention span and vocabulary, and their reading and writing skills improve dramatically as they begin to recognize words and read books aloud. School-age children enjoy being with friends and imitating the actions of friends. Their motor skills become more refined, and their reaction time becomes quicker. As children develop these new skills, child care providers in out-of-school child care programs need to continue providing materials and activities that support their developing skills in all domains. The following articles provide general information about the development of 6- to 8-year-olds.
