Secondary research
What is creative play?
Creative play takes place when children use different materials to make something from their own ideas and imagination. It allows them to explore and experiment, and to use their senses. The product may not be familiar but they may still like it.
(Child development by Brennand hall)
There are many aspects of creative play that help learning and development in children. It is important for children to express themselves in many different ways. Creative play is an important part of this. Giving a child the freedom to draw or create something by themselves will make them confident.
What the role of creative play is?
Psychologists are experts who study the behaviour of children. They believe that creative Play is important for self-control, for learning, for the growth, development and social awareness within children. Creative play is a type of play which makes a child able to express their inner self and be able to become independent.
What gender and age children like creative play?
Children of all ages like creative play, but each child has their own way, because of their stage of development and their ability.
Infants
Infants (birth to 18 months) learn to grasp, sit-up, crawl, and walk. Activities for this stage of development should encourage creativity. You can give them creative toys such as: Hang a colourful mobile over the crib.
Toddlers
Toddlers (18 months to 4 years) have growing hand control and coordination. They should be given opportunities to draw with paint, crayons, and chalk. Toddlers will need to be supervised in these activities to understand the right place for drawing.
Preschoolers
Preschoolers have greater muscle control than toddlers. They enjoy the same creative materials but are able to use them in more complex ways. Most preschoolers know the correct place for drawing and are able to use paints and colouring pencils in a sensible way.
Primary school
Early school-age children (6 to 9 years) usually draw recognizable pictures. However they still leave out details. For example, people in their pictures may have hands, but no arms.
Types of development (milestones) involved in creative play
There are four major types of development which are involved in creative play, they are:
Physical development
Painting, colouring, drawing and sticking all help a child develop their fine motor skills which enable them to write. Fine motor skills are the use of small actions, such as picking things up. Painting on an easel or table can develop gross motor skills. Creative play helps to develop sensory skills, especially sight and touch.
Emotional development
Creative activities help a child develop and express their emotions, through what they have made or are making. Emotions such as excitement, happiness or frustration, are expressed. Creative play also prevents boredom and gets rid of tension.
Social development
As children get older, creative play will be a safe and positive way of playing. Children can socialize by being creative with other children, like making thing with them. Children will learn to share, and cooperate.
Intellectual development
Creative play develops the child intellectually/ mentally. It helps children learn, numbers, shape, sizing and how to concentrate. It will also develop imagination, memory and concentration. Creative play helps to develop understanding of different concepts.
What types of activities are involved in creative play?
Sand and water- This will develop gross motor skills, and physical development.
Painting and colouring- This will help a child intellectually as they will be able to learn their colours, it will also develop their fine motor skills and physical development.
Making junk models- This will develops a child’s imagination and their emotional development, because their end product may not recognizable, but this shows that they are using their imagination to create something.
Using an easel –This will develop a Childs gross motor skill, as they will be standing up or sitting down while painting or drawing.
Stationary- The use of pens and pencils can help a child develop writing and drawing skills, it can also help a child hold a pen. This can help a child’s fine motor skills, which will be used in school.
What types of activities are involved in creative play?
Development for a child between the ages of 1 and 2 (Aroush’s age during my visit)
Health and safety on creative play
There are many health and safety issues that are needed to be aware of in creative play, especially as it evolves children.
- The location of where the child is playing should be safe and the surface should be soft.
- There should be plenty of space around the child.
- The toys that the child is playing with should not be broken and should be suitable for their age.
- The child should be supervised at all times
- The toys shouldn’t have any sharp edges or small pieces (depending on Childs age)
- A parent or guardian should set the game or activity up for the child.
- The parent or guardian should tell the child the rules and what is right and wrong before they start the game or activity
- If playing with messy equipment the child should always wear an apron or use a mat.
Evaluation of research
After producing a shop survey I am have found out that most toys involve using fine motor skills such as drawing, making things and painting. All these toys involve the use of hands; this develops the child’s ability. The toys also use different types of development. For example play dough, uses physical development because the child is using their hand to create something, it also uses intellectual development because the child is learning at the same time. More over there is a variety of different shops in the market which sell creative toys for children. From my shop survey I also noticed that most creative toys are colourful and bright, and they vary in price: from around 2 pounds to about 15 pounds. This price is average and most parents will be able to afford it .The playing age for most of the toys are above the age of three. This is because most creative toys contain small parts, and due to health and safety this is the age limit. This will help me when choosing what type of creative activity to do in my visits.
The interview was also part of my primary research. It was with a mother who has a daughter aged 5 and a son who is aged 8. I found out that her daughter likes creative play and her mother believes that creative play is a good type of play as it is safe and fun.
For my secondary research I looked at books and the internet to find out as much as I could on creative play. I found out; what creative play is?, the role of creative play, the milestones involved in creative play and health and safety of creative activities. This research will help me with the evaluation of my visits as I will be able to see weather my child is at the right stage of her development. I will able to look and compare her milestone with my research and the information on health and safety will help me when deciding what activity I should do ; as I should choose an activity that is suitable for my child.
Visit 1
Date of visit- 29 October 2010
Age of child- 14 months
Place of visit- Aroush’s home
Length of visit- an hour
People present- Aroush’s mum, Aroush’s brother, and Aroush’s sister
At 14 months children will discover how to stand alone, they will probably also be able to roll a ball back and fourth with an adult. About half the toddlers this age are drinking from a cup, and some are beginning to be interested in helping around the house. A child of 14 months is also expected to make a mess while eating, as this is the stage they are gaining experience.
Aim
My aim is to investigate creative play. I will do and plan activities for Aroush and I will find out about what activities she enjoys. I will study the milestones that are related to creative play, and are of her age. As this is the first time I will do a activity with her, I am not really sure what activities she likes, and so I will start off with a simple but enjoyable activity.
Planned activities
The activities I have chosen for this visit, to do with Aroush, is colouring in and drawing. I have chosen to start of with a basic activity for my first visit, because I would like to see what she enjoys in creative play. This type of play is also linked with my research. I will have to consider health and safety before letting aroush colour and draw:
- There should be enough space for her
- A supervisor should accompany her
- A mat should be laid out
- No equipment should be broken
- The activity should be suitable for her age
Hypothesis
From this activity I expect to see her enjoying drawing and colouring. I also expect to see that she is able to hold a pen or pencil in palmer grasp, as this is a milestone expected from a child of the of 14 months, according to a compressive textbook for gcse by brennand hall.
I also expect her to show emotions while doing this activity, such as showing happiness and sadness.
Visit
When I went to Aroush’s house, her mum opened the door holding aroush. At first I didn’t think aroush recognised me, however when I sat in living room she brought a book and a dolly, and wanted me to play with her. I noticed that she was able to walk but her balance wasn’t yet stable.
I played with aroush for a bit, and I think she felt comfortable and started to recognise who I was. I then took out a colouring book and some colouring pencils, to give to aroush. I saw that she looked really excited and happy. This told me that she must enjoy colouring and drawing. Aroush’s mum put down a play mat on the carpet, for aroush to sit a colour. This is one of the health and safety requirements of creative play. When aroush was colouring I noticed that she was able to hold a pencil in a palmer grasp, and this proved my prediction.
Before going home, I went in to Aroush’s room because she wanted me to follow her. Aroush tried to get on to her bed, and eventually she did. This was quite an achievement for her, because she seemed to be struggling when I came to her house for my introductory visit.
When it was time for me to go home, I noticed aroush came out to the door, to say bye, with her mum and her sister.
Physical development
Aroush has developed some of gross motor skills, as she is able to walk independently and without support, however her balance isn’t as stable yet, and she still sometimes crawls if she needs to get somewhere quickly. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by brennand hall a child of 14 months should be able to walk independently, using their arms to balance. This means that aroush is at the right stage of development.
Aroush can also sit down on a chair or on the floor with support; however she sometimes needs help when getting up. She also loves clapping her hands this tells me that she is able to use her fine motor skills.
During the activity aroush was able to hold a pen or pencil in palmer grasp, as this is a milestone expected from a child of 14 months, according to a compressive textbook for gcse by brennand hall. Aroush is also able to hold a beaker on her own using both hands, and she also tries to eat on her own, but usually spills or drops it in the end. This shows that she is developing her use of fine motor skills. According to a website this is what is expected from her, and is right at this age. http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=318)
Intellectual development
Aroush’s intellectual language is quite good for a child of 14 months, even though this is the stage at where she should be beginning to learn language. She understands and can name a few objects like her eyes and nose. She pointed them out on her face when I went to her house. This is advanced for Aroush’s age because according to a compressive textbook for gcse by brennand hall, this is expected from a child who is of 15 months, not 14.
Sometimes Aroush also repeats small words and phrases. She especially copies her mum. When I went to Aroush’s house, her mum called Ira (Aroush’s older sister) to come and eat. Aroush copied and also tried to call her sister, by her name. This is good for a child of 14 months, because at the age of 15 months they pick up and learn words, from around them. In a compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 15 months begins to learn words and communicates.
Emotional development
Aroush is a child who likes holding hands and always being with someone especially with her mum. She also shows lot affection for her brother and sister, and she also feels loved and secure by her family. When I went to Aroush’s house her mum was holding her. This is normal for a child of 14 months according to a compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall. It is ordinary for a child to show love and care towards others. She was also really friendly to me and kept on giving me her toys to play with, and throughout the whole visit she had a smile on her face.
Social development
Aroush likes sitting and playing with friends and family, she enjoys other peoples company after she knows them and sees them often.
As this was the second time I saw Aroush, I think that she recognised me after a while. She also wanted me to play with her. This tells me that she enjoys the company of others and she likes playing and socialising with others. In the compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it tells us that it is expected for a child to enjoy other peoples company. She also waved goodbye to me went it was time for me to go home. For a child of 14 months this is expected of her according to .
Aroush also understands when she needs to use the toilet, she makes her mum realise by pointing or crying. Aroush wears a pull up because her mum thinks she is at the stage of toilet training. According to a compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall this is advanced for aroush because a child usually starts toilet training around the age of 15-16 months.
Possible activities for next visit
For my next visit I might decide to do painting. I might use a table or paint on the floor as I would like to see her use of her gross motor skills. I also found out that aroush has an easel, and so I might ask weather she would like to paint using her easel. Painting is also an advanced activity compared to the colouring which was the activity which I did for my first visit. I also think that aroush may enjoy painting because she enjoyed colouring.
Visit 2
Date of visit- 1st December 2010
Age of child- 15months
Place of visit- Aroush’s house
Length of visit- 3 hours
People present- Aroush, Aroush’s mum, Aroush’s sister and brother, my sister, my mum
By 15 months children are much more mobile and walk along unaided although they may still bump in to furniture. Fine motor skills are developing well and they may still enjoy simple drawing activities. They are still very egocentric and learn through trial and error. (A comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall)
Aim
At my third visit, my aim is to see something different than last time. My aim is to visit Aroush at dinner time and bed time; this is in the evening. I would like to see how she eats, and her bed time routine; how she gets ready for bed, what she eats and how she eats. However before this I would like to do an activity with her which I will plan.
Planned activities
For this visit I have decided to do painting with Aroush, because it is more advanced than colouring (activity done at first visit). I would like to see the milestones she has developed; from the last time I met her. Last time she was at the stage of developing her fine motor skills. e.g.: she picked up a pen with a palmer grasp. I would now like to see whether she has advanced.
I have found out that Aroush has an easel, which she likes to use, so I might paint with aroush using the easel. From this activity I will be able to look at Aroush’s gross and fine motor skills. Before letting Aroush paint, I will need to think about health and safety:
- Aroush will need to wear an apron
- There should be enough space for her
- The paints and equipment should be suitable for her
- The easel should not be broken
- She should have enough space around her
- A mat or sheet should be laid out just in case if anything spills
Hypothesis
From this activity I expect to see her being creative and enjoying this activity, however I don’t really expect her to paint a recognisable picture because according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall a child of 15 months using their imagination and so sometimes their pictures are not clear, but they are important to the child, because they drew the pictures themselves.
I also expect Aroush to be able to stand up when painting on an easel, because last time I saw her she was able to stand up, but she wasn’t yet stable and didn’t have balance. Also according to a child of 15 months should be able to walk without help, and this is what I plan to see when visiting Aroush.
Visit
When I went to Aroush’s house, she knew that I was coming so she was at the window, with her sister waiting. I went to her house with my mum and my sister because we were invited to dinner. This enabled me to study aroush at dinner time, and at bed time.
Before dinner aroush wanted me to play outside with her as it was snowing and her sister and brother were also outside. After playing outside Aroush’s Mum told us to come inside because it was time to eat. When we were all sitting around the table, aroush was also sitting on her high chair with us. Aroush’s high chair looked right for Aroush’s age and it also looked safe and stable. The high chair isn’t attached to the table and has a tray with back support. The high chair is from mother care and the company is fisher price. According to this type of high chair is suitable for a child of 15 months.
Aroush ate the same food as everyone else did, however the food was of a much less quantity and it was broken up in to pieces.
After dinner I did the activity I planned, with aroush. We painted on the floor and on her easel. This enabled me to see her fine and gross motor skills. I noticed that aroush enjoyed this activity.
Nine o clock was aroush’s bedtime, and so her mum gave her a bath at half past eight, and she gave me permission to be in the bathroom, while aroush was in the bath. In the bath I saw aroush had many bath toys which she played with, she also wanted me to come and sit beside her and play with her.
After Aroush’s bath, her mum gave her a milk bottle and she sat her on the sofa, while she said bye to us.
Physical development
Aroush can now walk unaided, using her arms to balance and she also looks more confident. When she was walking around outside in the garden I was able to see this, and according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall this is what is expected of a child of 15 months. I also noticed. that Aroush is able to kneel down with help and support; I was amazed when I saw this because on my last visit she couldn’t do this.
When aroush and I were painting on the easel I saw that she could stand up and paint without help. When she was painting I noticed that Aroush could hold a paint brush in a palmer grasp, and this is also what I saw last time when she was drawing. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall this is what is expected of her, however she learnt this at the age of 14 months, and this is quite advanced
At dinner time I saw that Aroush ate the same food as everyone else but she left a lot on her plate and she basically played with her food and according to (leaflet) a child from the age of 12 months should start to eat the same food as their family. When Aroush was drinking water, I saw that she drank from a plastic beaker and this is advanced from the last time I saw her, because last time she drank from a bottle. When holding the beaker she held it with both of her hands and she seemed very careful. I could tell this by her facial expression. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall this is expected of Aroush.
Intellectual development
When I meet aroush this time I noticed that her intellectual development had improved. I noticed that she was able to understand some words that her mum would say to her; like at dinner her mum asked her what she wanted and she pointed to the plate on the table, and according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall it is expected that a child of 15 months understands some of the words being said to them.
At the age of 15 months Aroush has become more conscious of her surroundings and she likes exploring and being adventurous. For example her mum said that when it started snowing aroush got really excited and wanted to go outside to see what it was. She also likes saying the word “snow” and when I saw her she kept on repeating it. Her mum taught her the word “snow” as it was snowing for the whole week. According to children aged between 12 and 17 months should start to say some words and know what they mean.
Emotional development
When I saw Aroush, she knew who I was straight away because I saw that she smiled when she saw me through the window, and in a compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall it says that a child of 15 months shows a lot of love and affection. Aroush also showed me other positive and negative emotions. Like when her mum told Aroush and her sister to come inside after playing, Aroush didn’t listen and then when her mum brought her inside aroush stood by the garden door for a while. When aroush was standing near the door, I knew that she was upset and still wanted to play. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall it is normal for a child to show their emotions. In this case aroush showed her sadness.
When Aroush and I were painting on the easel, Aroush fell down on the floor and she hit her head, she then started crying. When Aroush’s mum came, aroush decided she didn’t want to play any more and so she went and sat in the living room on her mum’s lap. According to a child of 15 months needs comfort and reassurance from their parents.
Social development
Throughout the visit, I was playing with aroush, and I think she did like my company, I think that now that I have seen her many times, she has got to know me and she has built a bond with me.
While I was at Aroush’s house, she had her bath with my presence. I noticed that when her mum was getting aroush dressed, aroush tried helping and wanted to put he clothes on by her self. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall when a child is about 15 months they become more helpful and try to do things themselves, but they still need help.
When I went to Aroush’s house, I went with my sister and mum as well, and because Aroush has never seen them before she seemed shy and a bit scared but she soon got used to their presence. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand Hall it is normal was a child of 15 months to be shy when they see strangers.
Possible activities for next visit
For my next visit I have decided to visit aroush, and maybe take her out somewhere. I will be able to see how she is outside of her home. The creative activity I have planned to do with her is using an activity book, where she will be able to colour, draw, and look at pictures and words. Aroush’s mum has told me that aroush has many activity books which she enjoys using. Another activity I could do with aroush is playing with plastercine.This will be good as it is different from other activities.
Visit 3
Date of visit- 8 January 2011
Age of child- 16 months
Place of visit- Aroush’s house
Length of visit- about 4-5 hours
People present- Aroush, Aroush’s mum, Aroush’s sister and brother, my sister
By 16 months children may still like scribbling, and they may also like helping around the house. A child of this age may be willing to co-operate with dressing and, about this time, they’ll begin to take an interest in going up and down stairs.
Sometimes a child of 16 months may feel upset and have tantrums; however this is seen as normal. ( )
Aim
For this visit, I would like to go somewhere outside with Aroush, like to the shops. I would like to see how she is when she goes outside. My aim is to look at how she behaves outside, with her mum and how she is with strangers around her. I would also like to do the activity I planned.
Planned activities
The activity I have planned for Aroush is playing with Plasticine but I will have to ask Aroush’s mum if I am able to do this activity with her, because Aroush puts anything she finds in her mouth, and I don’t want her to put plastercine in her mouth, because of health and safety reasons.
If I do get a chance to see Aroush play with plastersine, I would like to see her use of fine motor skills and her creativity with it. I would like to see how she handles it and what she makes with it. As well as all the above I would like to see her sensitivity to plastercine: weather she likes touching and playing with it.
Before letting Aroush play with plastercine, I will need to think about health and safety:
- Aroush will need to wear an apron
- There should be enough space for her
- The equipment should be suitable for her
- A mat will be needed
- Make sure that the plastercine isn’t toxic
- Make sure Aroush doesn’t put it in her mouth or use it in other places
Hypothesis
From this activity I expect Aroush to be creative with plastercine, but I don’t expect her to know what plastercine is and how to use it. I also expect that the product she makes with the plastercine wouldn’t be recognisable, but Aroush will know what it is showing. When using the tools, I expect her to hold them with pincer grasp, because according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it is expected that a child this age is able to use pincer grasp. Pincer grasp is a type of reflex that a child uses to pick objects with their finger and thumb. ( ).
Visit
Before I went to Aroush’s house, I called to ask weather we could go out somewhere. Aroush’s mum said that that was fine.
When I went to Aroush’s house, Aroush’s mum was getting Aroush and her self ready, so we could go shopping.
I noticed that Aroush was trying to put on her clothes by herself and I also saw that Aroush could say many other words that I haven’t heard before.
We had to take Aroush’s pram with us, which we put in the boot of the car. The pram was from mamas and papa, and it looked secure and suitable for Aroush.
When getting ready, I noticed Aroush’s was really excited.
In the car, I saw that Aroush had to sit on her booster seat. It was also from mamas and papas and it had a back support, and the belt of the car could be used. According to this type of booster seat is right for a child of 16 months.
When we got to the retail park, Aroush’s mum put Aroush in to her pram, and made sure it was secure. While walking I could hear Aroush making noises and screaming because she wanted to get out of her pram. At the shop Aroush wanted to get out of the pram, and didn’t stop crying, so her mum took her out of the pram and held her hand. This enabled me to see Aroush walking.
At the shop Aroush looked amazed at everything and she kept on pointing at things. She also kept on touching things. I also noticed that she wasn’t shy or afraid of strangers, because when the lady at the check out smiled and said hi, Aroush gave out a little laugh.
When we got back home, Aroush’s mum gave us all lunch. She handed Aroush a beaker of water, which Aroush sucked on for a while and then left on the floor and went someone else. After about an hour I decided to do the activity I planned with Aroush.
Aroush’s mum had said that we could get the plastercine out, but I had to make sure Aroush didn’t put it in her mouth or use it anywhere else in the house, which she did try to do. After the activity I didn’t think it was suitable for aroush, but I think she did enjoy it.
After playing with the plastercine, Aroush’s mum put Aroush to sleep because it was her nap time.
Physical development
Aroush is more stable and confident on her feet; she is able to walk well. I have noticed that she is able to do many other things which she couldn’t do before. She is able to kneel down to the floor, but she sometimes falls down. Aroush can also walk backwards sometimes. According to this is expected of a child of 16 months. A child of 16 months should also start to walk up the stairs, but because aroush lives in a bungalow, it is a disadvantage for her and so she hardly gets the experience of walking up the stairs.
She also likes to trot and prance around a lot. At Aroush’s house I saw that when the TV was on she would trot and prance around, but she would then fall. According to this is advanced for Aroush.
When I was doing the activity with Aroush, I saw that she was using her pincer grasp to pick the plastercine up. According to a compressive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall this is expected of her. Also while doing the activity Aroush kept on standing up and walking over to the walls; she was trying to stick the plastercine to the walls. This is when I noticed that she could walk able-bodied and she didn’t even lose her balance.
Aroush’s height is 32 cm and her weight is 22 kg .According to her height is right for her age, and according to she is a few kg under the right weight for a child of 16 months.
Intellectual development
Aroush is able to say many new words now than she could before. Aroush’s mum said that is able to say about 10 words. According to a child of 16 months should be able to say about 10-15 words. This tells me that Aroush is at the right stage of development. When I went to Aroush’s house I noticed that her favourite words were: “no” and “shh”. This is because she kept on repeating theses two words constantly to people around her.
Aroush also combines her gestures with her speech. Like when she wanted her doll, to take with her when we went shopping, I noticed she said “dolly” while reaching out for it, as it was on the table. According to many toddlers are known to show this type of behaviour. During the activity aroush learnt to say the word red, because the colour of the plastercine was red, and so I kept on repeating it. By the end of the activity I noticed that she could say “red”. This was quite amazing, because this tells me aroush is able to pick up words easily.
Emotional development
When Aroush saw me in the morning, she didn’t really pay much attention and just continued getting dressed by her mum.
Aroush is aware of behaviour, she knows what her mum expects of her, because at the shop Aroush was touching and playing around with the clothes in the shop and when her mum told Aroush not to, she understood. According to a child of 16 months should be able to understand the behaviour that is right and the behaviour which is seen as wrong. I also noticed that she didn’t really throw a tantrum, because normally she would, this surprised me.
Aroush is a child who is attached to her mum, she likes being with her mum because she feels secure. If her mum isn’t in the same room as her, then she goes to look in her other rooms for her. According to a child of Aroush age wouldn’t like their parents/careers to be out of their sight.
Social development
Aroush is able to understand basic instructions said, by her mum and others who she knows. When we were playing with plastercine Aroush started messing around with it and tried sticking it on the wall. Aroush’s mum then told her off and took the plastercine away from her. I could tell Aroush knew it was wrong and from then she didn’t do it again. According to Aroush is at the stage where is able to follow simple instructions.
Before going to the shops, I saw Aroush being dressed by her mum. I noticed that Aroush was helping to get herself dressed and she even put on her sock by herself, but her mum positioned it for her. According to a child between the ages of 13 months and 20 months should starts to be able to take off and put on their clothes.
After we came home Aroush’s mum gave Aroush a beaker of water. I saw that Aroush held it with two hands when drinking but then she was holding it with one, before she dropped it on the floor.
Aroush mum told me that Aroush has a few friends around her age, who live on her street, and she likes to see them often, but she doesn’t like sharing her toys with them. She sits beside them while she is playing with her toys, or she watches as another toddler plays with their toys. According to it is normal for a child of Aroush‘s age to, sit beside another toddler and watch them play.
Possible activities for next visit
For my next visit, I would want Aroush to come over to my house instead, as it will be a change of environment for her. The activity I have decided to do is using an activity book, where she will be able to colour, draw, and look at pictures and words; this is because I planned to do this last time.
I also think playing with plastercine wasn’t a good activity to do with Aroush because she was sticking it in other places around her home and messing around with it. I think I should stick to simple creative activities because I don’t think plastercine was an activity that was suitable for Aroush.
Visit 4
Date of visit- 31st January 2011
Age of child- 17 months
Place of visit- my house
Length of visit- 3 hours
People present- Aroush’s mum, dad, brother and sister, my mum, dad, and sister
At 17 months, most toddlers have , and some might even be combining words. A toddler of this age might also be able to take off their clothes by themselves or pretend to feed their toy. Some children this age are learning to brush their teeth with help. Toddlers may also be able to recognise their toys and games, and work out how to play with them.
Aim
For this visit my aim is to look at aroush when she is in a different environment. I would like to invite her to my house instead of me going to her house. I would like to see how she acts in a different environment and with different people. I would also like to do my planned activity with her.
Planned activity
For my planned activity, I have decided to let Aroush play with and in an activity book. In this she will be able to draw, colour, and look at pictures and words. This will develop her intellectually and physically as she will be able to use her fine motor skills and maybe learn new words because from the last visit I noticed that aroush is able to pick up words easily when she hears them being repeated to her.
There are health and safety measures which I will need to aware of when doing this activity with Aroush. They are the following:
- Make sure Aroush doesn’t put the crayons in her mouth
- There should be enough space for her and around her working space
- The equipment should be suitable for her
- Make sure that Aroush doesn’t use the crayons in other places like drawing on the walls.
Hypothesis
From this activity I expect aroush to use her fine motor skills when using the crayons to colour and draw. When holding a crayon I would like to see her hold it with a pincer grasp because according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child of aroush‘s age should be able to hold a crayon in pincer grasp. I also expect her to show emotions when looking at the pictures. For example show happiness when she sees something she likes and show sadness when she doesn’t like something she sees. According to a child of Aroush’s age is expected to express their feelings.
Aroush should also be able to pick up words easily when said to them and I expect her to learn at least one new word when looking at the activity book. According to children between the ages of 1 and 2 are able to pick up words easily from around them.
I also anticipate aroush to be able to turn pages of the activity book, but not one page at a time, a handful of pages at once. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child from around 16 months should be able to do this.
Visit
Aroush came to my house, instead of me going to her house, this time.
When I opened the door, I saw that aroush was picked up by her mum and Aroush had a smile on her. This told me that she was excited. This could be because she is in a different environment instead of her own home.
At my house aroush and I first sat down with everyone in the living room; Aroush sat with her mum. I then took Aroush upstairs to my room and gave her an activity book and some crayons which I had brought for her. We were on our own for about 20 minutes. This enabled me to play with aroush on my own.
Downstairs aroush and I played together with my sister and Aroush’s sister. We played with many different games, such as skittles and a large snakes and ladders board game. Even though these games were a bit advanced for aroush she enjoyed playing with them because she kept on clapping her hands and laughing.
After playing for a while, it was time for dinner. Aroush sat next to her mum while she ate. Aroush ate some chicken which were cut in to pieces and she had a couple of bites from a celery stick, but she then sucked on it for a while.
After dinner I took aroush back upstairs, in to my sister’s room this time because she has many toys, which aroush may like.
Aroush played with a toy telephone and she kept on pressing the buttons which played music. This told me that she liked hearing sounds.
About half an hour later it was time for aroush to go home. At the front door I noticed that aroush tried to put on her shoes by herself.
Before she went home I waved at aroush and she waved back.
Physical development
When I was taking aroush upstairs, I noticed that she wanted me to pick her up. This may be because aroush hasn’t experienced going up stairs because she lives in a bungalow and this is a disadvantage for her. According to a child around the age of 12 months should be able to crawl up the stairs. This tells me that aroush is a step behind in her development and this may take time for her to develop.
I have also noticed that aroush is able to open doors knobs, because when going to my room she was in front of me so she turned the door handle and opened it. I was really amazed to see this because according to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child of 18 months should be able to do this. Aroush also used her fine motor skills in opening the door.
During the activity aroush again used her fine motor skills when holding a pencil and turning the pages of the activity book. This proved my hypothesis because According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child from around 16 months should be able to turn a handful of pages at once in a book. She also used the movement of her whole arm when using pencils. According to it is expected from a child of Aroush’s age.
While we were playing downstairs with the skittles I handed aroush the ball. I saw that she held it with both hands and threw it but it didn’t land very far. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child the age of 18 months should be able to throw a ball. This means aroush is developing this action and is at the right stage of her development.
Intellectual development
During the activity, I noticed aroush was good in her intellectual development because she recognised the colour red when she saw it in the activity book and she said it to me. Aroush learnt this word when I visited her last time because the plastercine was the colour red.
The activity book had many different pictures in it and in the book aroush recognised a picture of a cat and started to scribble on it. She also said the word “cat”. This is another word aroush had learnt. Aroush’s mum said that because their neighbour has a cat that frequently comes to Aroush’s garden; aroush picked this word up from her sister. According to a child of Aroush’s age should be able to recognise some pictures when seen in a book. Also according to the same website a picture book is suitable for a child of Aroush’s age.
My room has a mirror which Aroush would like to look in to and smile at herself. She would also point and want me to look in the mirror with her. According to a child of Aroush’s age should be able to recognize themselves when looking in a mirror.
Aroush also knows some of her body parts, because downstairs her mum pointed to Aroush’s nose and aroush knew the word so she said it. According to a child between the ages of 12 and 24 should be able to recognise some body parts. Aroush is also able to recognise her eyes and her lips.
Social development
When Aroush came over to my house, I noticed that she was a bit shy with my parents at first because she has only seen them a few times and also because she is in a different environment, but she quickly got used to them because when my mum called Aroush over, she came. According to a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child of 17 months should start to become more sociable with others around her.
When Aroush was leaving my house I noticed that she tried to put on her shoes by herself. She sat down on the floor to do this. According to comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child Aroush’s age likes to help dress and undress them selves.
When I took Aroush upstairs to my sisters room she liked the toy telephone so I saw that she played by herself with it, while I sat beside her a watched. According to comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall a child of 17 months normally likes playing on their own. This is known as solitary play.
I also had a conversation with Aroush’s mum about Aroush and during this conversation she told me that Aroush is ready to brush her teeth and they have just brought her a toothbrush for her. According to toddlers should star to brush at the ages of 1 and 2, because this is when there baby teeth are developing and growing.
Emotional development
When Aroush was in my sister’s room, she found a beaded necklace and she put in around her neck, however when she took it off she broke it and the beads came apart. Aroush suddenly began to cry. Aroush also wanted her mum at this time. According to it is normal for a child of Aroush’s age to show negative emotions and want comfort and reassurance from parents after.
When ever I took aroush upstairs, about 20 minutes later she would want to come back downstairs; she would then look for her mum. Aroush is a child who likes to feel secure and needs her mum with her most of the time. According to toddlers between the ages of 12 and 18 months, need a parent of carer with them and they feel Separation anxiety when they are left alone.
Possible activities for next visit
This was my last visit for my child study .however for my final evaluation I will compare and look at how aroush has development over the last five months. I will compare my initial assessment visit to this last visit. I will look at Aroush’s social, physical, emotional and intellectual development.
Final evaluation
Physical development
Gross motor skills
In my introductory visit aroush had the habit of picking things up and putting them in her mouth and she still does this even after 5 months of development. At the age of 13 months aroush was able to walk but hadn’t much balance and I saw that she crawled if she needed to get somewhere in a hurry, however at my final visit I saw that aroush was able to walk without balancing and she walked most of the time. I didn’t really see aroush crawl at any time during my last visit.
At 13 months aroush tried sitting on a chair on her own, and sometimes she didn’t really achieve this; on the other hand aroush is now able to get up on a chair and sit down. This really amazed me when I saw her sitting on a chair. Also according to her mum aroush hardly uses her high chair and prefers to sit on a chair like others in her family. Aroush is also able to kneel down and roll over, now however at 13 months she wasn’t able to.
In a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 13 months should be able to:
- Walk unsteadily on their own
- Stand alone
- Try to sit and climb on furniture
And a child of 17 months should be able to:
- Walk confidently unaided
- Able to sit on a chair unaided
- Stand alone
Fine motor skills
In my introductory visit aroush held a crayon in a palmer grasp when colouring, but in my last visit I noticed that she could hold a crayon in a pincer grasp. This tells me that aroush has developed her fine motor skills used with paper and crayons. Aroush is also able to hold a cup with both hands and able to open a door by turning a door handle, however by her facial expressions and body language, I can tell that she tries putting a lot of pressure on the door when trying to open it.
In a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 13 months should be able to:
- Use a palmer grasp when holding a crayon
- This is the time in their development when they are developing their fine motor skills
And a child of 17 months should be able to:
- Hold a crayon in a pincer grasp
- Some toddlers are able to open a door
By the end of my visit according to my references Aroush is at the right stage in her development.
Intellectual development
Compared to my introductory visit, I have noticed that Aroush’s vocabulary and intellectual development has improved a lot. During my introductory visit aroush was able to say only a few words like “mama and papa” and she could also say “1, 2, and 3”. However during visits I noticed that her vocabulary increased each month, and this is expected of aroush because this is the stage where she is supposed to pick up vocabulary from around her. Aroush is now able to say about 10 to 15 words, like “red and cat”. This is one of the things which amazed me throughout my visits.
Aroush is also now able to recognize many things when she sees them in a picture book or around her. At 13 months aroush wasn’t really interested in picture books but at 17 months she likes looking in them and pointing things out. For example she recognised a picture of a cat in the activity book. She also said the word “cat”. This also means aroush memory is developing and according to a child of 18 months should start developing their memory and as aroush is only 17 months this is advanced for her and I am proud to see this.
Aroush is also able to understand simple instructions, like when her mum says “no” aroush knows that something is wrong. Aroush also talks to her parents using gestures. She would say one word and do actions so her parents can under stand what she is tying to say. Aroush’s understanding has developed a lot from the first visit to the last.
Aroush also knows her facial features. When her mum asked her to point at her nose, she did. This is quite good for Aroush.
In a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 13 months should be able to:
- Say a couple of words but not understand what they mean
- Some advanced 13 month toddlers are able to follow simple instructions
And a child of 17 months should be able to:
- Know a variety of different words
- Have good vocabulary
- Combine words with gestures
By the end of my visit according to my references Aroush is at the right stage in her development.
Emotional development
Aroush was a child who liked being with her mum and always wanted her mum to be around her. Aroush also didn’t really come to me much during the first couple of visits. However when she saw that I come to her house frequently, she let me play with her more. I also noticed that aroush became less attached to her mum, but she would still make sure that her mum was still around her, by looking for her.
Aroush’s emotions have developed a lot as well. She is a toddler whose emotions change a lot. One minute aroush is normal and the next she is upset, but this is normal for a child between the ages of 1 and 2.
Comparing my visit to my last, I can see that aroush has become more independent as a toddler and she has developed many emotions over the visits.
In a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 13 months should be able to:
- Show affection for family members
- Wants to feel secure
And a child of 17 months should be able to:
- Show affection for family members
- Become more independent
By the end of my visit according to my references Aroush is at the right stage in her development
Social development
Aroush has been a friendly and a responsive child throughout all my visits, and I have seen that her social development has developed a lot over the five months. At 13 months she wore a pull up nappy during the day and a normal nappy while she slept. However now aroush has experienced the toilet and often uses it. She uses actions with gestures to tell her mum that she needs the toilet.
During my first visit aroush had about eight teeth and she was still developing other as she was at the stage of teething; but now aroush has developed most of her baby teeth and her mum believes aroush is ready for a tooth brush.
Aroush is able to now hold a cup with both of her hands and she seems more aware of it, whereas before she drank from a beaker which she usually dropped purposely. I am really amazed at Aroush’s development and how quick she developed these skills.
Aroush is a toddler who is quite sociable and sometimes likes playing with her sister; however she prefers to play alone most of the time (Solitary play).
In a comprehensive textbook for gcse by Brennand hall it states that a child of 13 months should be able to:
- Drink from a beaker
- Be at the stage of teething and have around 8-10 teeth
- Still wear a nappy
And a child of 17 months should be able to:
- Hold and drink from a cup using both hands
- Start to use the toilet
- Have most of their teeth
By the end of my visit according to my references Aroush is at the right stage in her development
How was creative play linked to my visits?
Creative play takes place when children use different materials to make something from their own ideas and imagination. It allows them to explore and experiment, and to use their senses. The product may not be familiar but they may still like it.
Creative play was one of my aims throughout all my visits and I looked at the development of creative play with a child of 13 months.
With my child I did many activities related to creative play. The table below shows the activities and how they are linked to creative play and development in a toddler:
I think all my visits went well and that my child study is a well written report of what I had seen in Aroush’s development throughout all my visits. I tried many different activities with Aroush and I think she enjoyed them a lot.
In my opinion the best visit was when Aroush came to my house and we played in an activity book. This was interesting to see as this visit was in a different environment and this activity developed both Aroush intellectually and physically.
Even though all my visits went well I think the activity done on the third visit didn’t go as planned, because Aroush wasn’t co-operating and I don’t think this was a suitable activity for her, however the overall visit went well.
On a whole all my visits went as planned and expected, and I enjoyed spending time with my child and learning the development of toddler. It was interesting to see how fast a toddler develops within a short amount of time. Furthermore I think I have learnt a lot about the development of a toddler.
Glossary
Pincer grasp is a type of reflex that a child uses to pick objects with their finger and thumb.
Palmer grasp is a type of reflex that appears at birth persists until five or six months of age
Fine motor skills are the coordination of small muscle movements which occur e.g., in the fingers.
Gross motor skills are the use of large muscle and body control and coordination: development of skills like head control, rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.
Milestones are physical or behavioural signs of development or maturation of infants and children.
http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002348.htm
Intellectual development refers to the growth of children in such a way that their brain becomes more and more.
Emotional development is using a full range of emotions from sad to happy to angry, and learning to deal with them appropriately.
Social development refers to the development of interaction with the human world around a child.
Physical development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in a child.
Solitary play means playing without any regard for those around oneself.
Separation anxiety is a developmental stage during which the child experiences anxiety when separated from their primary carer (usually the mother).
Nuclear family is a type of family that consists of a father and mother with their child/ren.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-
Bibliography
- Child development textbook by brennand hall
Pages- 285,325,333,351,352,353,362,364
- http://www.nncc.org/series/good.time.creat.htm
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- http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=318)
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by
dhaniya (student)
