ABSTRACT
When should a child be exposed to learning a new skill? Is there an optimum age? Will the optimum age vary from skill to skill? Is there a danger of initiating learning too early? Will ultimate proficiency be compromised if learning is initiated too late? These questions stem from a deep-rooted conviction that experiences can have a greater influence at some times during life than at others and that such times must be exploited for optimum skill development. Although these questions appear centrally relevant to skill acquisition theorists and practitioners, they have been the subject of surprisingly little research. Far more attention has been devoted to the host of variables known to influence skill acquisition once the learning process has been initiated. However, motor skill learning must ultimately be considered within a developmental context if it is to be fully understood.
