Child observation study in yıldız park

The Conditions of the Survey

As we are in winter it is difficult to find people in park but (16. 12. 2017) Saturday was really sunny day which unexpected in these cold winter days. By virtue of weekend and a sun Intersected same time and people wanted use that chance by taking their family to come parks.

I went to Yıldız Park around 14. 00 pm to do this assignment. There are many playground areas which include sport equipment’s in Yıldız Park and many people hang outing around. I choose one group which occurs from two women who about forty years old and they have two kids with them. These kids are around six years old one boy and a girl. I observed a six years old young boy. I observed them approximately fifty minutes. If it necessary to inform about place, Yıldız park is one of big park of area and that’s why there were many people who also want to use that day in nature area. As park located in central area during summer time many people come there to relax and do their sport thanks to many sport tools and well designed walkways, beside it is a huge area with jungle. It was obvious mothers know that area before and they came well prepared with eating stuff, extra dresses, picnic basket. I suppose that they are planning to spend long time here as a chilling time. The boy who I decide to observe is around 70-80 cm look short for his age, tiny athletic and energetic one. He has also short curly hair, crown skin and brown eyes and has a beautiful face.

Motor and Cognitive Skills

When I start the observation they were playing with flat round stone (kaydırak). Kids are claiming the stairs to rich up of that slide (kaydırak) one after another and once one rich beginning of slide just screaming as ‘ Ben daha hızlıyım senden, yakalayamazsın beni.’ then lay them on the tool to slip. Whenever they rich ground without waiting start to run again to climb stairs. The boy who I observed was so athletic. He climbs so fast, sometimes he climbs two or three steps with one jumping. that was little bit surprising to see that kind athletics moves from him not because his age not allow to do these moves, but he looks so thin and weak. The girl looks less slow and less athletic than boy and always shooting him that ‘ sen hile yapıyorsun herzaman ‘. Mother of boy was concerning about that boy will get sweat then could be sick. Because she calls like that: Furkan Oğlum çok terledin gel üstünü değiştirelim üşüteceksin. Mother gives to other clothes. He changed of clothes by himself without any help and does it very capable. After that mother said to him, my son that’s enough you run around, you will be sick boy, come and sit with us. In that moment I realize that boy is very talkative. He tried to convince her with many arguments for example, ‘ mom I didn’t go outside for two months, you promise me to that we will play with hammock, my father also told me I can play until he come to take us (salıncak) etc. I find all these points very persuasive and very organized way to make talk. I believe that he has kind of linguistic ability to compare his age group. Boy gives perfectly theatrical face expression to her mother during that convincing effort. He shows very dramatically face to his mother about let him to be free during his game time. That was mostly about his cognitive skills which are more about his memory, language and perception.

The Level of the Child’s Development

According to Erikson this young boy is in play age (3-6). In this small scene between boy and his mother was about that during this time children start to affirm their power to around as I saw that child how convince his mother about his decision and that is time which conflict may arise about control of their environment by their own plans and activities. This stage also equal two Paige’s Preoperational stage (2-7) as we see boy tend to be egocentric and struggle to see things from the perspective of others. After mother has been sure he changed his dress and she looks tired of /his theatrical performance she just let him to go back his play area with girl. He went back. There, and they keep play another game ups to more muscle. There was a bar system which they could hold by hand then move to another bar just with their hand. Boy just holds one and starts to move another one so athletic. The moves which young boy does even for me very difficult, even he looks not muscled and not enough developed for 6 years old, he does moves more than ten years boys who could capable to do. Here I can say his specifically his gross motor skills are well developed.

The Conversation With the Mother

As I see girl does not want to do same as boy do and she went to Hammock area. Now it is kind of moment see how each child does his/him interest despite what other people decide. After that last observation I went to there to talk with mother. I did introduce myself by showing my psychology ID card then tell them what my purpose about this observation is. For my good fortune she was a teacher and very nice person. She really interested that study and she asked me a few questions about child stages and I guess she also thought I have professional about development because she ask about how she should manage about hyperacidity of Furkan and also she thinks her son is stubborn. I had to explain that I am not professional yet and I am just a student. If I give and wrong advice which could let unwanted result will be regret for all of us. After that small chat I did tell her how much I appreciate her kindness. Then I left.