Final answer:
Early childhood and middle childhood are periods of slower physical growth and development, with middle childhood being the stage that covers ages six to ten years and involves steady growth in physical and cognitive abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period of a child that consists of slower physical growth and development compared to infancy is known as early childhood, which generally includes toddler years. However, there is an even slower growth period during middle childhood, which ranges from ages six to ten years. During this stage, children are in elementary school, becoming more independent, physically active, and refining their cognitive abilities. Pre-adolescence follows, continuing the trend of slow but steady physical growth. Finally, adolescence marks the onset of more rapid physical changes due to puberty, alongside significant cognitive and psychosocial changes.