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Children during 6-12 years improve in fine motor skills as well as gross motor skills. During late childhood due to physiological maturation and cognitive advances, motor skills become more detailed and complex. (Smith, 1998).
Heredity plays an important role in determining motor abilities in children and environment determines to what extent any individual will achieve his or her genetic possibilities. Maturation must precede learning. Before skilled movements can be learnt, the muscular mechanism must be sufficiently matured.
Relative competence in the performance of these skills is one part of the child’s developing self concept. On the whole the period of 6-12 years is a period of skill learning, where as children of 6 or 7 years are still perfecting fundamental motor skills – simple and less organized act; by about 12 years, children develop 90% of their potential mobility and speed of reaction (Corbin, 1980). Balance, speed, strength and coordination improve with time, minimal practice and physical activity.
Sex differences exist in play skills and level of perfection. Girls surpass boys in skills involving fine muscles like painting, sewing, weaving. Boys are superior to girls in skills involving the gross muscles – basket ball throw, running and long jump. Many of theses differences are the product of gender specific social adjustments.
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