Physical activity improves the quantitative development of children during childhood, supporting growth into healthy and strong people, both physically and psychologically. Middle childhood is documented between the ages of six and ten. Lack of physical activity affects children in all areas of development; it is not limited to the realm of physical development. Motor development expectations in middle childhood, the benefits of physical activity, and the consequences of prolonged inactivity are discussed within. Along with how a student's physical development facilitates or constrains development in other areas and how the learning environment can accommodate and support students' physical needs. McDevitt and Ormrod (2009) describe middle childhood, ages six to ten, as a cognitively broad childhood. and emotional development as children transition from early childhood to early adolescence. These years build on the foundation of early childhood, children are greatly influenced by their surroundings as they solidify healthy habits around physical activity and food, providing lifelong lifestyle habits. According to McDevitt and Ormrod (2009) physical development extends from early childhood, children will have learned to run and climb and then integrate them into play through "further refinement and consolidation of gross motor skills evident throughout childhood" (p .167). Children who have progressed through the earlier stages of gross motor development will often find the next stage of development less challenging than those who are just learning those stages. Gross motor development is complex as it relies on all developmental domains that aid physical development from infancy. ..... half of paper ...... taken from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/australian_journal_of_early_childhood/ajec_index_abstracts/outdoor_play_does_avoiding_the_risks_reduce_the_benefits.htmlMarsh, C. (2010). Becoming a Teacher: Knowledge, Skills, and Issues (5th Edition). French Forest: Pearson Australia McDevitt, T., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child development and education (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Plenty Parklands Primary School (2012). Perceptual-motor program. Educational resources. Provided by the class teacher on 29 February 2012. State of Victoria. (1999/2011). Best health channel: sports and children. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Sport_and_children.Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2008). Health and physical education. Retrieved from http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/downloads.html