When children enter school, they leave the security of home and family to become players on the larger stage of school and friends. Here, they rehearse some of the lessons—including how to make friends, abide by rules, and overcome obstacles—that they will need to be successful in the adult world.

In many ways, these years are focused on learning social skills. The playground and neighborhood become social laboratories where children try out different behaviors on their peers.

How children believe they perform in these arenas strongly influences their self-image. In fact, most children wrestle with self-esteem, which tends to seesaw, depending upon their sense of accomplishment at home, school, and elsewhere. Dealing with feelings about themselves and working on ways to strengthen self-esteem are healthy challenges.

From ages 6 to 10, a child's rapidly increasing intelligence supports the tremendous amount of learning that the elementary grades demand. A more mature and logical way of thinking, in which the child has to consider several variables before interpreting them, gradually replaces the simplistic thinking of a preschooler. Even though thinking becomes more complex, it remains undeveloped in many ways. Lack of experience and knowledge of the world compounds those immaturities.

Children in this age group still think in concrete terms; they do not yet have the analytical skills to interpret symbols and similar concepts. They have difficulty fully understanding how things interrelate and instead perceive them as isolated events or separate issues. Also, they evaluate themselves on an event-by-event basis, rather than in a larger framework. Because of this rapidly developing yet still immature intellect, at times children this age seem like little adults as they march off to school with backpacks full of responsibilities. But at other times, they can be as unreasonable as toddlers.

Physical Changes

Strength and muscle coordination improve in these years, and most children gain physical skills rapidly. Children who regularly participate in physical activities may make great strides in throwing, hitting a baseball, or kicking a soccer ball. They may even achieve a high level of physical skill in complex sports and activities, such as dancing or playing a musical instrument. Success in sports and other physical activities can be an important component of self-esteem for children in this age group.

How to manage this active time ?

These usually are busy years in a child's life, and parents often struggle to meet their children's needs while managing the family calendar and multiple activities. Effective parents walk a fine line of giving their children enough independence to learn from their successes and failures while providing consistent direction and unconditional support.

Parents often overestimate their children's decision-making abilities. Children this age need firm and consistent rules that are explained clearly and with compassion.