Observation
Observation of a 5 ½-year old boy at the school playground Psychology 2103 – Human Growth and Development
Summer 2014
Observational Paper
INTRODUCTION
Wayne is a five and a half year old boy in kindergarten, who will turn six in July.
He is the youngest child in his class; most of his peers already turned six during the school year. He is about average height for his age and thin, with brown hair and eyes.
He has a happy temperament and positive disposition; he demonstrates secure attachment to his mother, alternating between playing with friends and returning to where she is sitting. He is bilingual, speaking with his Brazilian mother in Portuguese and his school friends in English. At times he is quiet, observing and listening to the other children. He also takes his turn at leading the group’s play, running in front as the others follow. He is social and has solid friendships with several other children from his class.
Wayne is at the playground in the yard at his school in Burlingame, California.
The yard is a large fenced area with blacktop for playing sports and running. In the southeast corner, there is an area with playground equipment and the surface is covered with recycled tires. The playground has monkey bars, slides and other platforms. Several students stay to play after school. Today, approximately 50 students from kindergarten to second grade are playing in the yard. Wayne plays with two boys and a girl from his kindergarten class while the moms of the students sit nearby at a picnic table under a sun shade. Several other moms and nannies enjoy the sunny weather and allow their children to run and play before going home for the evening.
STAGE
Observational Paper
A five and a half or six year old child is in the Early Childhood stage of development. Children in this stage are developing their gross and fine motor skills as they play. They can be classified in Freud’s phallic stage of psychosexual
Summer 2014
Observational Paper
INTRODUCTION
Wayne is a five and a half year old boy in kindergarten, who will turn six in July.
He is the youngest child in his class; most of his peers already turned six during the school year. He is about average height for his age and thin, with brown hair and eyes.
He has a happy temperament and positive disposition; he demonstrates secure attachment to his mother, alternating between playing with friends and returning to where she is sitting. He is bilingual, speaking with his Brazilian mother in Portuguese and his school friends in English. At times he is quiet, observing and listening to the other children. He also takes his turn at leading the group’s play, running in front as the others follow. He is social and has solid friendships with several other children from his class.
Wayne is at the playground in the yard at his school in Burlingame, California.
The yard is a large fenced area with blacktop for playing sports and running. In the southeast corner, there is an area with playground equipment and the surface is covered with recycled tires. The playground has monkey bars, slides and other platforms. Several students stay to play after school. Today, approximately 50 students from kindergarten to second grade are playing in the yard. Wayne plays with two boys and a girl from his kindergarten class while the moms of the students sit nearby at a picnic table under a sun shade. Several other moms and nannies enjoy the sunny weather and allow their children to run and play before going home for the evening.
STAGE
Observational Paper
A five and a half or six year old child is in the Early Childhood stage of development. Children in this stage are developing their gross and fine motor skills as they play. They can be classified in Freud’s phallic stage of psychosexual