Observation Paper # 3

Class/section: FHS 1500-001

Your Name: Maria Antonia Henrie (Toni)
Assignment: Observation 3

Background Information
Child’s age: Toddler 7 year old
Fictitious name: “Tyson”
Location: Neighborhood
Brief I observing Tylor playing outside
Description:

BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Our teacher discussed in class that this is the age when children’s perception is large in

everything they do. This is a happy time when with the help of teachers and parents children can

learn (Berger, 2016, p. 239). At this age they are like sponges with more cerebral thinking.

Tyson is a child who I have known since he was one year old. Now he is seven. I have seen his

transformation from going outside with his mother in a stroller to riding his bike, showing that he

has achieved balance and coordination. He enjoys biking outside with his parents and little

bother. Tyson is capable of putting his helmet on and securing it on his head. He is also able to

tie his shoes and put on his jacked. His gross motor skills and fine skill are visible now. He

loves to do everything by himself and I admire that his parents allow him to be independent.

These parents don’t spoil the fun necessary to encourage motor skills development. (Berger,

2016, p. 282).

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

The scene described above demonstrates that Tyson’s cognitive development is in

progress and that he is almost at the end of his preoperational thinking. Children at this age are
ready to learn almost anything that they want. (Berger, 2016, p. 246). Tyson, mastering his bike,

probes this principle. Tyson is now more concrete in his thinking. He follows his father’s

instructions related to biking trough deep concentration, in other words, he is applying selective

attention. He ignores everything around him and just concentrates on his father’s directions on

how to do his best. (Berger, 2016, p. 240). This is an exciting time for Tyson, because he is no

longer focusing on himself, his world is now bigger and more interesting. He shows affection to

his mother, father and brother. One day he told an acquaintance that I’m his friend.

PHYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Children at this age experiment with strong social and emotional change. Although genes

affect personality as well as ability (Berger, 2016, p. 288), children like to be accepted by other

children in the neighborhood and at school by their peers and Tyson is no exception. I have

observed that he interacts very well with other children playing and enjoying inside and outside

activities. Coming from a nuclear family (Berger, 2016, p.291), their parents provide

opportunities for him to develop a healthy social life. If you ask Tyson if he has friends he

would answer yes and my best friend is Harold. Tyson values friends and imitates them in their

play. Without a question, they have influence in his new stage of independence. After all, he

denotes gradual emotional maturity, I’m confident that Tyson will be the type of child who will

raise above failure.

Reference List

Berger, K. S. (2016). Invitation to the life span (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.