In the years of middle childhood, the brain establishes many connections and pathways. These are considered the sensitive years because of the significant role that experience plays in brain development (Mah & Ford-Jones, 2012). Repeated actions or experiences imprint pathways in the brain. When these pathways have strengthened they become permanent. From age ten until the later years of adolescence, the brain begins to 'prune' [or remove] the connections which are either not sufficiently strong or not used regularly.
The following video shows how experiences influence the 'architecture' of the brain.
1. Experiences Build Brain Architecture