Early Childhood Play Observation Paper

Child psychology is the scientific study of the behavior of the human child. According to Goldenson (1970), child psychology is the study of the sequence of development from conception to maturity including the roles of maturation and learning, heredity and environment in motor, emotional, sexual, social, intellectual and character development.

This paper contains observations of a preschool classroom in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The observation was conducted in a Pre-K classroom with approximately ten students present. Observations are presented with regard to dramatic play, the presence of gender roles, and themes that emerge during preschool play. Peer relationships and levels of friendship between students will also be discussed. Relationships with adults in the classroom with in terms of attachment styles and general interactions involving teachers and parents will be reviewed. Observations are also described in relation to self-control, self-regulation, aggression,

Personally directed play is where children will choose how they want to do what they have chosen to play.

Based on her reaction it appears she has developed deferred imitation. According to Piaget, deferred imitation is defined as ¨a sequence in which and infant first perceives something that someone else does and then performs the same action a few hours or even days later¨ (Piaget 166). According to table 6.1, stage six intellectual accomplishment, involving both thinking and memory appears at around 18-24 months. Based on this information, Isabella, at 20 months of age, would be within the age range for development and therefore within the norm for her age (Piaget 162).

During my observation at the preschool here at Harper, I looked around and realized a lot of similarities and differences it has; compared to other daycare and preschool centers. The age of children in the room I observed was ages 3-5 with one lead teacher, and depending on the ratio of how many kids showed up on that day, about three or four helping teachers. The program was set up to a very open, happy and overwhelming setting. Every furniture and object in the room had a sign saying what it was, and then underneath the typed out word was the children’s way of writing what the object was. For example, a book shelf was in the corner of the room; on the book shelf was the word printed out “Book

On Friday I spent the morning with Jacob who is six years one month old at College America. The morning began with a physical assessment and an interview of Jacob, and the afternoon I was able to observe him at play. Jacob is in first grade and he is the oldest child in his family with a younger brother and a younger sister. After doing a physical assessment and an interview with Jacob he appears to be an overall healthy and happy child with no obvious physical or emotional problems. According to Erikson’s developmental stages Jacob is in stage three where Jacob should be developing purpose in his life.

Enjoys playing with other children for a few minutes or have a couple of close friends they play with

The date of my observation was April 27th, 2010. It was about 9:30 in the morning when I began my study. I went to Grossmont College’s Child Development Center. The first thing I began looking for was if the child-teacher ratio was correct. The child ratio was 2 teachers to about every 8 children. The ratio was good. As I entered there was one large room that almost looked as if it could be two rooms they way it was set up. One half consisted of a large bookshelf with numerous books on it with a couch in the front of it. The other half of the room was almost like a little kitchen. It had a table with chairs around it with a sink and cabinets behind it. There were “age appropriate” toys as well as books all over the

Throughout the course of the day, the kids were either playing one on one with each other, playing in a group, or playing with a staff member; very rarely did they play by themselves. The dynamic with which they played, however, changed throughout the day, depending on the activity. I found that during morning free play was the time the kids were more likely to play by themselves, or with a staff member. During this time there were also fairly large groups (5 or 6 kids) that

The boy are around the table. Two boys start to spin their bayblaind , then the one who is sitting in the middle who is wearing a sweater (Adam) say “check this out”and the boy are watching the two bayblaid that are spinning, and teeum ask Adam if he is a skeleton .the boys were showing friendship by participating in the group and they were playing with the same sex where they were playing with a specific gender toy ,where they were all watching and interacting with each other by playing with the bayblaids

Playmates Cooperative Nursery School is a preschool that is located in San Francisco, California. They offer four programs including AM and PM preschool- for children 2.5 to 5 years old, young 5- a transitional kindergarten program, extended care- available from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, and summer camp- four 2-week sessions starting in June. Playmates Cooperative Nursery School is a safe, nurturing, diverse community of families and staff.

The purpose of this paper is to examine preschooler children in three areas: cognitive development, play section, and motor skills. I conducted this observation in a classroom in the Dillon Center during play time. The children’s age ranges from 3 to 4 years old. In addition, I hope that with this observation I get a clear understanding of the three areas I'm examining in preschool ages.

Play is the business of childhood, allowing your child free rein to experiment with the world around him and the emotional world inside him, says Linda Acredolo, professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and co-author of Baby Signs: How to Talk With Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk and Baby Minds: Brain-Building Games Your Baby Will Love. While it may look like mere child's play to you, there's a lot of work — problem solving, skill building, overcoming physical and mental challenges — going on behind the scenes. Here are some of the things your child is experiencing and learning, along with ideas on how you can help boost the benefits of his play. Play builds the

Play is the foundation stone of children’s healthy and productive lives (Oliver & Klugman, 2002) and is also a significant means of child’s learning and development (Zigler, Singer & Bishop-

What is play? Play is “a recreational activity; especially the spontaneous activity of children.” (Webster, 2010) Play is such a basic function and daily routine in a child’s life. Although the roles of play and the types of play change though age, it all incorporates in the growth and development of a child.