- Fine motor skills are activities involving part of the body and muscles such as the hands and fingers in children in their early childhood. Such skills include holding toys, crawling, and painting, holding objects using their lips and tongues, and many others. Besides, these skills are vital in daily activities and lead to increased self-esteem and confidence in the behavior of the child.
These skills differ according to the different ages. For example, a child with 3 years to 8 years will paint, draw, build blocks, and write while the infants crawl and hold objects on their lips and fingers. Fine motor skills help in the physical development of a child.
- According to video 1, I observed two females, ages 7 and 8, one uses bricks to build a beautiful house while the other uses blocks to make a very tall tower (0:10-4:00). According to video 2, I observed a female, 5 years writing her name down(0:35-0:40) then afterward draws a person using crayons (0:40-1:49)
- The use of their hands to build bricks is an example of fine motor skills among young children ages 3-8. The involvement of fingers and hands to draw and write indicates the development of fine motor skills.
- # video 1, https://youtu.be/XdUx3iHNuhs and #video 2 https://youtu.be/365LlfbRdME, are links illustrating the fine motor skills portrayed by the children.
- Gross motor skills
- These are skills acquired when the large muscles of the body are involved. In this case, the whole body is engaged, especially the arms and legs. These activities include jumping, running, climbing, and kicking. Mostly, gross motor skills accompany fine motor skills. Gross motor skills assist in the brain and mind development of the child.
- According to video 3, I observed a 5-year-old female, playing on the playground. She climbs over the ladder in the playground without touching the edges (0:15); she slides down (0:23) and runs around as she chases her friends (0:38), jumps from one playing metal to another (1:30). According to video 4, I observed children around the ages of 4 playings in the playground. The children were running in and out of the place they were making a sand house. While others were chasing each other, some were kneeling and jumping up and down (0:11-5:01).
- The use of her feet to run, her arms and feet to climb and hold things indicate gross motor skills in application. She has great stability when climbing and running around the playground. The children’s ability to move around without any difficulty shows the development of gross motor skills. The jumping, climbing, and running without any support demonstrates the use of gross motor skills developed over time.
- # Video 3 https://youtu.be/ednPM16yhdE and # video 4 https://youtu.be/iGwpjwhjwoY, are videos link showing the gross motor skills demonstrated by the children in the playground.
- Cooperative play
- This is where children interact and play together to achieve something together. This concept in child behavior is crucial in their development. Cooperative play builds up the social skills of a child. A child can develop good relationships with others, have empathy and make friends
- According to video 5, I noticed two children, one female, and a male, around the age of 4 demonstrate cooperative play when they work together to get a solution to the puzzle of a school bus (0:10). When they finish, they tap their hand and shout, “hooray.” (5:00). According to video 6, I observed three children who are preschoolers, one male and two female working to put together a puzzle. All of them collaborate, even after failing they repeat putting together the puzzle as they converse ( 0:09-2:12)
- The children in video 5, work together to find a solution, when they finish, they are excited about their efforts. This indicates a cooperative play. Besides ,the preschoolers after failing to put together the puzzle they continue to help each other until they solve the puzzle
- # Video 5 https://youtu.be/TlCHMA29Wgk and # video 6 https://youtu.be/TVJlOtWNKYE, are video links demonstrates the aspect of cooperative play
- Over regularization
- This refers to the errors a child makes when speaking. It occurs in early child development when the children are in the process of learning their native language or grammar. Children often over regularize compared to adults, for example, when they say “I go to play” instead of “I went to play”. Over regularization helps a child acquire language and grammar.
- According to video 7, I observed an 8 year old female, replying to the instructor when asked about the details she included in her portrait “I add rubber brands, eyes and eyebrows” the word add was grammatically wrong and should have been added. According to a video 8 named language development among children, children, most likely the age of 3-5, are engaged in small talk. The children are happily playing with their toys as they converse. A boy mentions “I see somebody taked it”
- The concept of over regularization is seen when the child uses present tense “add” instead of the past tense “added”. The use of taked instead of take illustrates over regularization. This helps the children come up with new vocabulary and sharpens their grammatical skills
- # Video 7 https://youtu.be/jPnwYLAmc_c and # video 8, https://youtu.be/CQa_ZTyIdyE are video links showing the aspect of over regularization.
- Rough and tumble play
- It is a children’s play that is more active and full of fun. Mostly when children rough and tumble their faces are always with a smile. Activities such as chasing each other, climbing over each, tickling, and even wrestling are common. This may seem like a harmful activity, but in the end, it’s not, since the main result of the play is to have fun. It is common among boys and not girls.
Rough and tumble play help maintain strong bonds between the children and their father and between their fellow friends.
According to
- video 9 involving a kid, female and male 4 and 5 years respectively, and the father I observed the rough and tumble play. The kids are giggling as they climb on their fathers back. They roar as they chase over their dad. As the father says “save me” the kids are enjoying the moment.
- The chasing and the physical contact between the father and the kids is an actual show of rough and tumble play. This play enables the boys to gain control when playing and establishes good friendships among themselves.
- # Video 9, https://youtu.be/mR71m72gO_Y. The following link is the video of the rough and tumble play
- Pragmatics
- Also known as social communication, pragmatics is the ability of a child to communicate effectively within different circumstances. Activities involved in pragmatics are, the ability of a child to concentrate and focus, understand, maintain eye contact when speaking to a person, and the ability to mimic individual voices when reading a story.
Pragmatics in early childhood is useful in language development and acquisition
- According to video 9 “Joseph reading the three little pigs”, I observed a 5 year old male understand the story by looking at the pictures. He finishes his instructor’s sentences and even imitates the voice of the characters as he looks at the instructor. Also, according to video 10 “real conversation during a pretend lunch with two girls”, two girls both 4 years, are involved in discussion with their instructor, asking questions and providing answers to their instructor. While speaking the girls look at the teacher.
- The conversational skills between the boy and the instructor, imitation of the character’s voice, comprehending the story through pictures and finishing the instructor’s sentences are all pragmatics. Besides, the girls hold a conversation with their instructor showing excellent conversational skills.
- # Video 9 https://youtu.be/nrK7Ykp5dcQ and # Video 10 https://youtu.be/3IOKLIJos90. are the video links illustrating the aspect of pragmatics.
- Gender identity
- This is where children identify themselves with their physical characteristics and behaviors as male or female. In most cases, their choice of toys, clothing distinguishes their gender. For example, a girl would want a doll, and a boy would want a car toy. In other cases, gender identity is revealed in the behavior where the male kids exercise dominance and control.
Gender identity helps with child’s self awareness and instills boundaries of what and not to do
- According to video 11 “Alexa and Ulysses order pizza”. I observed a 5 year old girl and 6 year old boy involved in a dramatic play. The boy pushes the girl behind so that he can make the call. Afterwards, he tries to fix the phone while the girl plays with the iron box. According to video 12 illustrating gender roles in early childhood, I observed two girls and two boys been asked about gender roles. When the first girl is asked if she is a girl or a boy she replies “girl” the second boy says he will never be a girl, the third boy says he is a boy and that boys are stronger than girls. When all of them are asked to point who takes care of the baby and cleans the house they point a lady and when asked who goes to work thy all point at the man
- The boy in video 11 takes control and dominates when he pushes the girl behind to make the order. The girl taking the iron box reveals that she knows her role in the play of a woman, and not a man. This reveals that they are aware of their gender. The children are aware of who they are and know what roles are played by a man and a woman.
- # Video 11https://youtu.be/EFrg5om9mOo and # video 12https://youtu.be/-VqsbvG40Ww, are the links to the video source.