BackgroundInformation

Childsage:34yearsoldand45yearsold
Fictitiousname:LukeandSophie
Location:ChildCareonRedwood
BriefDescription:Thereweretwomainadultsandtenchildren.Childrenwereplayingina
daycareclassroom.
PhysicalDevelopment
OntheinfographictitledDevelopingMotorSkillsarefoundsomeofthemotorskillsfor
childrenfromagestwotosixyearsold(Berger,2014,p.171).Basedonthisinfographic,Lukes
developingmotorskillsareontherighttrackfora34yearoldchild.Someofthegrossmotor
skills,whicharedefinedasphysicalabilitiesinvolvinglargebodymovements,observedwere
dancing,jumpingwithbothfeet,andthrowingatoyegg(Berger,2014,p.103).AsLukewere
playing,hefoundadinosaureggwhichinspiredhimtohaveahappydance.Hisdancemoves
consistedofjumpingwithbothfeetandmovinghisarmsupanddownasheheldand
occasionallythrewtheeggupintheairandwouldtrytocatchitwithnosuccess.Probablyina
coupleofmonths,Lukewillcatchthateggwhenhisgrossmotorskillswillbebetterdeveloped.
UsingtheinfographicabovebutnowfocusingonSophiesfinemotorskills,whicharedescribed
asthephysicalabilitiesinvolvingsmallbodymovements,especiallyofthehandsandfingers
(Berger,2014,p.104).Sophiesfinemotorskillsaredevelopingwellfora45yearold.Sophie
didnotdemonstrateanydifficultyassheheldthescissorsinonehandandintheotherusedher
thumb,indexandmiddlefingerstomanagethepapertobecut.Sophiewasnotonlyabletocut
perfectstripes,butalsocircleswithouthelp.Asknown,herdevelopmentdependsonherculture,
practiceandmaturation(Berger,2014,p.171).Thus,hersuccessusingscissorssowellmightnot
onlyberelatedtohermaturation,butthetimespentinanenvironmentwhereisofferedmany
opportunitiestopracticeusingscissorsandwheresheseesmanyofherdaycarefriendsdoingthe
same.
CognitiveDevelopment
Normalforhisage,Lukehasdifficultiesleavingoneactivityheisengagedinandmovingonto
thenextthing.Thetendencytopreservein,orstickto,onethoughtoractionforalongtimeis
calledperseveration(Berger,2014,p.179).Lukefoundthislargegreendinosaureggandputit
underhisshirt.Then,heranaroundyelling,Ihaveababy.Theeggwouldfalloutofhisshirt,
hewouldgrabbeditandthenputitbackunderhisshirtandthegamewouldstartalloveragain.
Lukegotveryupsetwhenhisteachertoldhimthatitwastimetoplayanewgamewiththerest
oftheclass.Heresistedputtingtheeggawayanddemonstratedhisunhappinesstowardsthe
teacher.Lukesperseverationisamanifestationofaprefrontalcortexthatistooimmatureto
checkinhibition(Berger,2014,p.179).
Myelinationisdefinedas"theprocessofspeedofthoughtasachildtriestoexpressanideaor
tellastory"(Berger,2014,p.178).Duringstorytime,Sophielistenedcarefullytoherteacheras
shereadastory.Whentheteacheraskedaboutthestory,Sophiesummarizeditwellinaboutone
minute.Shewasabletogivesomegooddetailsliketheygottogetheranddecidedtobuilda

newhomebecausethebearlosthishouse.Moreover,shewasabletounderstandandexpress
themoralofthestorywhichwaswhenpeopleneedhelp,weneedtohelpthem.Eventhough
shetookafewpausesassheexpressedherthoughts,shewascapableoftellingthestoryin
detailsandinacomprehensibleaway.Sophiescognitivedevelopmentisontherighttrack.
Social/EmotionalDevelopment
Parallelplayisdefinedaswhenchildrenplaywithsimilarobjectsinsimilarways,butnot
together(Berger,2014,p.213).AsLukeplayedwithhisegganddancedaroundtheroom,he
calledtheattentionofoneboy.AstheboyobservesLukeplaying,hesearchedforaneggand
bothboysstartedplayinginsimilarways,butnottogether.Bothboyshadanegg,puttheeggs
undertheirshirts,andranaroundtheroom.However,theyneversharedorexchangedtheireggs
oreventalkedtoeachother.Theyplayedatthesamephysicallocationdoingalmostthesame
things,buttherewasnotinteractionbetweentheboys.Lukessocialinteractionbehaviorisone
ofthePartenStagesofPlaywhichfitsperfectlyinhisage(Berger,2014,p.213).
InSophiesclass,childrenwereplayingroughandtumbleplaywhichisexplainedasplaythat
mimicsaggressionthroughwrestling,chasing,orhitting,butinwhichthereisnointenttoharm
(Berger,2014,p.214).Sophie,whichisaskinnyandtallgirl,waskickingandwrestlingthis
prettytoughboy.Theyroughandtumbleplayedforagoodamountoftimeandhadgood
laughs.Bothtumbledovereachothermorethananythingelse,whichisverycommoninthis
game/stage.Moreover,asSophiejumpedonherclassmate,shewouldmimicfightsnoisesand
movessuchaskarate.Shedidnotseemtobeafraidofhurtinghimorgettinghurtbyhim.This
mightbebecauseshetrulydidnothavetheintenttohurt,butjustplay.Sophiesprefrontal
cortexisdevelopingassheengagesinroughandtumbleplay.AccordingtoBerger,assheplays
inthisway,shelearnstoregulateemotionsandpracticesocialskills(2014,p.214).

ReferenceList
Berger,K.S.(2014).Invitationtothelifespan(2nded.).NewYork,NY:WorthPublishers.