|
My research question for this Signature Project at Arizona State University is “What is the effect of play on physical, cognitive, and psycho-social development on the early childhood stage children?” I will be researching the early childhood group, aged between 3 and 8 years old. I will be highlighting my findings on the physical developmental domain this week.
First, we will look at the developmental milestones of a "typical" child between the ages of 3 and 8 years old (early childhood age).
|
| |
Major Physical Developmental Milestones
for Early Childhood Age Children, Aged 3 to 8 Years Old
(By Age) |
A "Typical" 4 Year Old
(My Daughter)
Milestone: Ride a Trike
Milestone: Have Increased Endurance of Play
(She never stops...)
|
2 to 3
years old: |
Walk up and down stairs; jump off one step, kick a ball, stand and walk on tiptoe, run and dodge (Scholastic, n.d.). |
|
|
3 to 4
years old: |
Walk backward and forward unselfconsciously; turn and stop well, jump off low steps or objects, but find it hard to jump over objects, begin to ride trikes and pump on swings, stand on one foot unsteadily; balance with difficulty on low four-inch balance beam while watching their feet, play actively, but tire suddenly (Scholastic, n.d.). |
|
|
4 to 5
years old: |
Skip unevenly; run well, stand on one foot for five seconds or more; master the low balance beam, alternate feet when walking down stairs; judge well when placing feet on climbing structures, jump on a small trampoline, show awareness of things in environment (such as cars on the street), but still need supervision and help protecting self, have increased endurance in play (Scholastic, n.d.). |
|
|
5 to 6
years old: |
Walk backward quickly; skip and run with agility and speed, incorporate motor skills into games, walk a two-inch balance beam easily; jump over objects, hop well; jump down several steps; jump rope, climb well; coordinate movements for swimming or bike riding, show uneven perceptual judgment, have high energy levels in play and rarely show signs of fatigue; find inactivity difficult and seek active games and environments (Scholastic, n.d.). |
|
|
7 years
old
and up: |
Have increased coordination for catching and throwing, be able to participate in active games with rules, sequence motor activities, as with gymnastics or shooting baskets, have improved reaction time in responding to thrown balls or oncoming vehicles (Scholastic, n.d.). |
|
A "Typical" 4 Year Old
(My Daughter)
Milestone: Play Actively
Milestone: Pump on Swings
|
|
My research question explores the milestones that are typically experienced at all ages between 3 and 8 years old, identifies the risks of not meeting those milestones, and the protective factors that support healthy development in the early childhood years. |
|
Trauma is a RISK Factor
(Luckily she only fell while climbing and sustained a black eye.)
Proper nutrition is a RISK factor
(I make my children a balanced lunch and breakfast every day.)
|
| |
There are always RISKS factors that can derail healthy development for any child. As parents and teachers, it is our job to help them avoid these risks at all costs. A few examples of risks are:
|
| Trauma: |
Any interruption in this process, such as trauma, stress, under-nutrition or lack of nutrients in the development of the brain during these years can have long-term effects on the brain's structure and on the child's socio-emotional development (Ali, 2013). Bumps and bruises happen, but larger injuries are more preventable through safety and smart choices, by the parent and the child. |
|
|
| Environment: |
“Some of the environmental factors influencing early childhood development involve the physical surroundings and geographical conditions of the place the child lives in, as well his social environment and relationships with family and peers,” (Mahok, 2019). The environment is one of the biggest factors in developing a happy, healthy child and should be monitored closely by teachers, parents and affiliated educational professionals. |
|
|
| Nutrition: |
“Nutrition is a critical factor in growth as everything the body needs to build and repair itself comes from the food we eat. Malnutrition can cause deficiency diseases that adversely affect the growth and development of children.,” (Mahok, 2019). A well balanced, healthy meal is the best way for a child to make sure they don't jeopardize their development through poor choices in nutrition. A better diet will give the child more and longer lasting energy, fuel their bodies longer and allow them play actively, have better endurance and hit their milestones on schedule. |
| |
|
There are always PROTECTIVE factors that can SUPPORT healthy development for any child in spite of the many risks present in everyday life. As parents and teachers, it is our job to promote them to ensure proper, healthy development all costs. A few examples of protective factors are:
- Self-regulation: Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that are acceptable and produce positive results such as well-being, loving relationships, and learning; these abilities allow a child to play fair with other children and develop physically through play with others (Risk, n.d.)
- Mastery of communication and language skills: This ability allows them to talk with other children and authority figures to develop physically through fair and positive interaction with others (Risk, n.d.).
- Ability to make friends and get along with others: This ability allows them to make friends and develop along with them through imagination and play (Risk, n.d.). They say strength come in numbers, well so does development, and by children developing together they are less likely to take unseen risks and always have someone there to get help.
|
| |
| |
|
| Problem Statement |
Children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old derive substantial benefit physically through play but must avoid risk factors associated with physical development (trauma, nutrition and environment among other things) so that their proper development is not hindered. |
| |
|
|
|
| “Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth (Ginsburg, 2007).” As parents, you can PROMOTE positive development outcomes in the physical domain in many ways, including but not limited to: |
Play allows us to engage and interact with our children more.
|
- Play offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children through physical activities.
- “It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them. Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles (Ginsburg, 2007). Take the time to play make-believe with your kids, even if for a few minutes a day.
- “Overeating can lead to obesity and health problems in the long run, such as diabetes and heart disease. A balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats is essential for the development of the brain and body (Mahok, 2019). Through keeping an eye on your children’s eating habits you can help them understand the importance of nutrition for proper physical development; by modeling good eating habits and a balanced diet you can show them how important it is.
- “A good school and a loving family builds in children strong social and interpersonal skills, which will enable them to excel in other areas such as academics and extracurricular activities (Mahok, 2019). For this reason, the environment the child is raised in is seen as the most important factor in proper physical development of children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old.
|
| Actionable items that families can do to increase active play |
- Use common household objects for some fitness fun and games.
- Have recess at home by playing old school throwback games, jumping rope, or doing any of these 50 ideas.
- Play! Try sensory play or play on the go to encourage kids’ imaginations whenever, wherever.
- Do a nature scavenger hunt to get kids exploring the outdoors
|
The ideas are beneficial to whoever reads them because it brings attention to a few of the most important factors in the proper physical development in children between the ages of 3 and 8 years of age and offers simple solutions to some of the problems offered by these factors.
Thank you for your time. |
|
|
