Child Development Observation

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Child Development Observations and Comparisons The purpose of this paper is to outline my observations and comparisons in relation to my experiences at a licensed day care facility. On February 25, 2016, I had the pleasure of observing the several different development levels at the High Achievers Learning Center, located at 10001 Spencer Highway, in La Porte Texas. The facility director and owner is Gail Johnson. The ages of the children observed ranged from 12 months to 5 years. Throughout this paper I will discuss my observations and comparisons including child and parent interactions, different interactions between children, interactions between children and adults, words or behaviors that increased or decreased self-esteem, methods of …show more content…
Non-directive Play
Directive play was observed during story time. Structured play activities such as reading a story which provokes different thoughts or emotions. Therapists who uses directive approach may engage in play themselves with the child and introduce new topics to keep the play moving. Non-directive play was observed in
Favorite Play and Untouched Play Items
The most frequently used play items were IPads, tablets, play cell phones, crayons, markers, drawing paper, Legos and a kitchen set that the preschool children enjoyed. Recess and outdoor play on the outdoor play equipment, still remains popular. Unfortunately, the books were the least used items and were only of interest if it was during story time, even then there were usually one or two children, who appeared bored or not interested.
Comparison of Children Observed with Developmental Theorists
I will explore this topic with my observations in relation to the different developmental theorists.
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It highlighted the importance of limit setting which is important for children of all ages. I was able to observe the many different types of interactions between children, their parents, teachers, and their peers. Several different types of play were observed, as well as closer look into directive and non-directive play therapies. I was able to make direct behavioral observations and apply those observations with the developmental theories of Erikson, Piaget, Freud, and Kohlberg. This experience was also an invaluable opportunity to observe the interactions of the children and helped to provide new insight into the thought process and development of the pediatric