Understanding Childhood Development Through Observational Insights

Understanding Childhood Development Through Observational Insights

Children’s development happens in stages. The incremental development allows parents, healthcare providers, and educators to monitor the process of growth. It is easy to identify any developmental issues that may arise at the various stages. In the video, the child, Nick, does not show clear communication and self-help milestones that are expected for toddlers above one year. Therefore, it is important to include toys and games that evaluate the communication and self-help milestones of the children. This inclusion should provide a clearer and more comprehensive assessment of  Nick’s actual development.

Developmental Checklist

DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLIST – 12 TO 24 MONTHS

Child’s Name: Nick
Date of Observation: 10/10/2021
Name of Observer: Timothy
Milestones	Age	Date Observed
Gross Motor
Walks alone	12-16 mos.	10/10/2021
Pulls toys behind him while walking	13-16 mos.
Carries large toy or several toys while walking	12-15 mos.	10/10/2021
Begins to run stiffly	16-18 mos.
Walks into ball	18-24 mos.
Climbs onto and down from furniture unsupported	16-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Walks up and down stairs holding on to support	18-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Fine Motor
Scribbles spontaneously	14-16 mos.	10/10/2021
Turns over the container to pour out contents	12-18 mos.	10/10/2021
Builds a tower of four blocks or more	20-24 mos.
Completes simple knobbed wooden puzzles of 3 to 4 pieces	21-24 mos.
Cognitive
Finds objects even when hidden under 2 or 3 covers	13-15 mos.	10/10/2021
Will listen to short storybook with pictures	15-20 mos.
Identifies one body part	15-24 mos.
Begins to sort shapes and colors	20-24 mos.
Begins make-believe play	20-24 mos.
Language
Says “no” with meaning	13-15 mos.
Follows simple, one-step instructions	14-18 mos.
Says several single words	15-18 mos.
Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts	18-24 mos.
Points to object or picture when it is named for them	18-24 mos.
Repeats words overheard in conversations	16-18 mos.
Uses two-word sentences	18-24 mos.
Self-Help
Starts to feed self with a spoon, with some spilling	13-18 mos.
Likes to play with food when eating	18-24 mos.
Can put shoes on with help	20-24 mos.
Can open doors by turning knobs	18-24 mos.
Can drink from an open cup, with some spilling	18-24 mos.
Social/Emotional
Imitates the behavior of others, especially adults and older children	18-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Increasingly enthusiastic about the company or other children	20-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Demonstrates increasing independence	18-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Begins to show defiant behavior	18-24 mos.	10/10/2021
Episodes of separation anxiety increase toward midyear, then fade

 DEVELOPMENTAL RED FLAGS (12 TO 24 MONTHS)

• Cannot walk for 18 months
• Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking, or walks exclusively on toes
• Does not speak at least fifteen words by 18 months
• Does not use unique two-word phrases by age 2 (more milk, big dog, mommy help)
• By 15 months, does not seem to know the function of common household objects (brush, telephone, cup, fork, spoon)
• Does not imitate actions or words by 24 mos.
• Does not follow simple one-step instructions by 24 mos.
• Cannot identify self
• Cannot form a two-word phrase
• Cannot hold and use a spoon or cup for eating and drinking
• Does not display a wide array of emotions (anger, fear, happiness, excitement, frustration)

Summary

The video shows several toddlers who are engaged in fun activities. All the toddlers satisfy the milestones within their age brackets. None of the toddlers is lagging in terms of development. Nick will be the focus of this observation exercise. The self-help section is not assessed because Nick is not engaged in the highlighted activities. Regardless, Nick enjoys others’ company and imitates the other children’s behaviors. Some mildly defiant behaviors are also evident as the children play with each other. Furthermore, Nick also demonstrates independence as he plays alone. Nick’s curiosity is displayed as he searches for hidden/lost items and tries to fix the toys. Each child shows interest in a different game, albeit shortly (Toddler Observation Video 3, 2011). The provision of multiple games allows Nick’s interest to remain at a manageable level, thus avoiding tantrums. The activities are also multicolored, capturing Nick’s interest. The different shapes and forms also help to retain the child’s interest.

Summary of Typical Development

Nick’s assessment in this video highlights various aspects that the class setting addresses or fails to address. The main area that is fully addressed includes the social/emotional aspects. The cognitive and motor sections are partially addressed in the video. This lack of a complete assessment clouds judgment regarding whether Nick is making the ideal developments. Various suggestions are provided to ensure that the class activities address additional developmental milestones.

Developmental Concerns

The main area of concern, as shown in the developmental checklist, is the self-help and language milestones. The two sections remain unmarked because Nick was not engaged in activities that evaluate either. It is impossible to determine whether the child has achieved the appropriate milestones in the two sections. Therefore, it is inappropriate to highlight this as a concern. Instead, it can be identified as an unassessed area.

Supportive Practices

For language milestones, there are various supportive practices that are applicable. First, the involved adult should get chatty with Nick. According to research, adults who speak more words with children help to better the kid’s language skills. As teachers model language for the toddlers, the more likely they are to speak. Therefore, the adult should provide descriptions of the items that Nick pays attention to or plays with, demonstrate how different objects can be used, and comment on these objects consistently. The accompanying actions may include pointing toward objects and naming them, mentioning names of familiar objects, and using colors and sizes to describe the various objects. Secondly, it is necessary to utilize Nick’s curiosity positively. This should involve the provision of information about certain objects to the child. Unfamiliar words can be introduced based on Nick’s interest in a certain object (Gardner-Neblett & Gallagher, 2013). In addition, different activities can be verbalized. Such as rolling and bouncing a ball. The inclusion of words in the process helps with the development of Nick’s language skills.

Developmentally Appropriate Activities

To improve Nick’s physical development, one may incorporate games that include imitation and simple instructions. For instance, following the leader or a dance with scarves could encourage a child to not only be physically active but also imitate other individuals through sight. In addition, participation in these activities as an adult is ideal for creating some order and providing direction. Secondly, play that involves the children only is important for social development (Nemours Foundation, 2013). Social development is achieved when the children participate in activities with their colleagues. Therefore, the respective instructor should organize play that includes two or more children together to facilitate interactions.

Support Considerations

Labels for the different objects can be included in the classroom to support further development in the toddlers. As already ascertained. The current setting does not address language milestones (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009). Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the group to words through labels. These should be accompanied by talk and descriptions by the teacher.

Conclusion

The current class setting fails to address the language milestones for Nick. This lack makes it impossible to determine if Nick is performing appropriately in the section. Therefore, it is necessary to include talk and words in the activities that Nick engages in. The addition should improve his language skills and encourage him to talk or verbalize. Besides, social skills require the involvement of the child in groups to enhance his ability to interact with others appropriately.

References

Gardner-Neblett, N., & Gallagher, K. C. (2013). More than Baby Talk: 10 ways to promote the language and communication skills of infants and. Retrieved from http://mtbt.fpg.unc.edu

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.

Nemours Foundation. (2013). Best Practices for Physical Activity.

Toddler Observation Video 3. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nQxWCn_dBg#t=17

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Each and every child is unique and complex. Although children develop at different rates, there are common stages of development that serve as guidelines for what most children can do by a certain age. Observation is typically used as a tool to gain a better understanding of the stages of development.

By observing children’s behavior, you can determine their current stages of development and formulate strategies based on those observations to best support your work. Chapters 5 and 6 of your textbook describe stages of physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development in children 0 – 12 months of age and 1 – 3 years of age. Use the textbook in addition to the video provided with the instructions for this assignment as resources.