Child Cognitive Development Observation Study

Child’s Name: Allira

Date: 17/03/2015

Child’s age: 3 years 11 months

Time: various

Setting: outdoor setting

Name of observer: Thi Pham (Sammi)

Learning story:

This morning Allira showed her interest in exploring a sand volcano- a natural phenomenon and feeling the rain during a physical activity.

At 10 o’clock, the weather was a little bit cloudy with gust of wind. Allira was still excited to engage in physical activity with her friends, they took turn to play the slide together. She held the ladder properly by her two hands. Then she put her right feet on the first stair, pushed her body forward then put her left feet on the next stair and climbed up to the slide. When Allira was on the top and ready to slide down, she stretched her wide arms, smiled happily and said “Look! I’m ready! yeah”

Then she ran quickly to the end of the line to wait for her turn. Suddenly, a strong wind blew her hair and it started to rain lightly. “It’s going to rain” Allira said. Then she opened her palms to feel drops of rain touching her two little hands and her face.

Together with other children, Allira was trying herself to put the raincoat on; she finished by doing a zipper skillfully.

After that, she took a sand of bucket, ran to the sandpit to join the activity with others. One by one took turn to build a mound in the sand by shovels when it became bigger and higher. “Look, it’s a volcano” Allira said aloud. She looked like a scientist in a blue raincoat. They made a hole in the top and filled with water. All children were excited to see the water overflowing the hole. Allira pretended to be very scared, she opened her big eyes and yelled loudly “Bum Bum Bum”. “Bum Bum Bum” other children followed each other.

Analysis:

There is clear evidence in Allira’s cognitive development when she showed her perceptual abilities via sensory experiences to explore the world. She felt and heard the sound of strong windy, touched the drops of rain and she know “It’s going to rain”. She acknowledged cause and effect; the sound of volcano “Bum Bum Bum” during make-believe play. She get the information received from the environment to alter the way she interact and explore in the pretend play (Berk, 2013)

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There is a big process in Allira’s physical development which has been seen clearly through this experience. Allira is able to keep balance to climb up the stairs with increasing agility and independently. Her fine – gross motor skills have developed as she is able to use zipper herself; run confidently at speed to the sandpit with a heavy sand bucket without falling and build a volcano with a shovel. Her eye-body coordination was also addressed when she could coordinate her vision and body movement. Therefore, she has “a strong sense of wellbeing – Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing” (outcome 3, DEEWR, 2009, p.32)

Allira has great sense of confidence in her physical ability; demonstrated a good social relationship when she was energetic to enjoy, take turn to play independently with others, (DEEWR, 2009, p.21).

Future learning opportunities

• To develop Allira’s gross- fine motor skills and mental health by engaging her in dancing, pushing cart, obstacle course, threading beads, tracing her name.

• To support her cognitive development and enlarge her knowledge about natural phenomenon by exploring a “real” volcano experience in sensory play

• To build positive social-emotional development with her friends and educators by creating a warm and trusting relationship by engaging in activity which she needs to take turn, share and contribute to help each other (outcome 1, DEEWR, 2009).

Provision:

• Physical environment: safe outdoor playing area such as set up a challenging and fun physical activity: pushing cart, climbing or jumping
• Access intensive teaching and learning opportunities as well as equipment that facilitates social-emotional interaction.
• Sustainable materials/equipment: sand, flour, cooking oil, liquid detergent, baking soda and vinegar, water, wheelbarrow, cart, dough play, beads or play door equipment
• Responding to Allira’s cues by asking her questions to express her ideas and give her opinion.