What is a significant moral development task during late childhood?

During late childhood, a key moral development task is developing morality and ethical behavior. This stage is critical as children begin to understand complex moral concepts beyond the simple distinction of right and wrong. They start to grasp the importance of intentions behind actions, social norms, empathy, and the considerations of fairness and justice. During this phase, children often engage in discussions regarding moral scenarios and begin to establish their personal values.

While learning to play well with others, understanding financial responsibilities, and becoming independent from family are also important developmental milestones, they do not specifically address the aspect of moral development. Playing well with others mainly pertains to social skills and cooperation rather than moral reasoning. Understanding financial responsibilities typically comes later in adolescence and adulthood and does not directly relate to moral skills. Independence from family is related to personal growth and autonomy but does not inherently involve moral considerations. Thus, the task of developing morality and ethical behavior is particularly significant in late childhood as it lays the foundation for more advanced moral reasoning in later years.