A nurse is teaching a newly hired nurse about motor skill development of school-age clients who are 6 to 12 years old. Which of the following statements by the newly hired nurse demonstrates effective teaching?

School-age development involves the refinement of gross and fine motor skills and the achievement of specific cognitive milestones. Understanding the chronological progression of balance, coordination, and self-care abilities is required to assess whether a child is meeting expected developmental benchmarks. Choice A rationale Counting backward from 20 to 1 is a cognitive milestone rather than a motor skill development. While this skill is usually achieved by age 7, the question specifically focuses on the physical motor development of the school-aged child. Choice B rationale Most children develop the fine motor coordination required to dress and groom themselves, including managing buttons and zippers, by age 5. By age 6, this skill is typically well-established rather than just beginning to emerge. Choice C rationale The safe and effective use of complex tools like screwdrivers or hammers requires advanced hand-eye coordination and muscle strength usually developed later in the school-age years, typically between ages 9 and 12, rather than at age 6. Choice D rationale By age 6, children have improved gross motor coordination and equilibrium. Activities such as jumping rope, hopping on one foot, and riding a bicycle require the specific balance and rhythmic coordination characteristic of this developmental stage.