Please read over my paper and make sure it fits the necessary requirements:

Requirements:

Each student is expected to observe a child between the ages of 6 months to 7 years of age and to write a developmental play study of this child. This observation can be conducted virtually, can be a family member and/or can even be your own child as long as the observation is 45 minutes in length. (All observations are to be 7 pages long including title page, page numbers, introduction, observation, conclusion) Format: Page 1: Title Page Pages 2-6: Introduction, observation, conclusion Page 7: Reference Page - 3 References Required in each observation paper This is not a developmental evaluation or assessment of parent/child interaction, but rather an opportunity for you to be with a child in his/her home and/or school environment and observe and document the child's play, as well as how you might be able to enhance the child's play through your engagement. Respond to 3 colleagues' play observation #1 and #3 (to be explained) Each observation should last at least 45 minutes of complete free play. This does not include adult led play, circle time, small group instruction, meal time or virtual/screen play. The child should be observed playing with what they want, where they want, how they want and should only be interrupted for safety purposes. During each observation, consider engaging with the child in relation to their play but only do so if you decide it is best for the child. If you do not observe enough of what you consider to be free play in an observation, you must repeat this observation. (we may ask you to do so, if we feel you have not followed observation requirements) If you do not have enough material to write your paper, at the end of your third observation, then you must schedule a makeup observation. ONLY WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU SEE THE CHILD DO AND HEAR THE CHILD SAY DO NOT INCLUDE INTERPRETATIONS, OPINIONS, DESCRIPTIONS OR INFERENCE IN YOUR OBSERVATIONS. You will identify, analyze and describe the type of play you observed in the summation/reflection section of your observation. Each play observation should include 3 sections. Paper Format: 1. A brief introduction to the child including name, place of observation family/culture background (if known), the environment and your overall disposition as well as the disposition of the focus child you are observing. This section should only be a paragraph or a page. Please share specific information about the child, environment, disposition and site of observation (home, school, neighborhood, park etc.) 2. Actual observations of the play activity: This section is 3 pages long and includes an objective observation of play, recording and noting what you saw the child do and what you heard the child say. Please do not include your thoughts, ideas, interpretations, judgments/bias or inferences. ONLY DOCUMENT WHAT YOU SEE AND HEAR THE CHILD DO AND SAY IN THEIR PLAY 3. Reflection/Summation/Interpretation of PLAY: This section should be your reflection and interpretation of the play you observed. In this section you will identify the play types/ages and stages and make connections to research/readings/ theories and theorists. You will also share your engagement or lack of in the child's play. *Please include 3 references to course readings in your summation/reflection. Only include the readings and the topics covered in class.

PAPER:

Developmental Play Observation Student Name Course Title Instructor Name Date

For this play observation, I had the opportunity to observe a 4-year-old boy, referred to here as "Child S.," in his home setting. The observation took place in a warm and welcoming family home during the afternoon. The environment was clearly designed with children in mindcolorful shelves, a soft rug, low tables, and a wide variety of age-appropriate toys. The indoor space offered building blocks, a toy kitchen set, dolls, puzzles, and books. Just outside was a small backyard with a sandbox, slide, and some plastic outdoor toys.

Child S. comes from a mixed Latinx and African-American background. Although I didn't observe any specific cultural practices during the session, the diversity of the toys and books seemed to reflect his family's cultural awareness. His demeanor during the session was energetic, curious, and joyful. I kept a respectful distance and didn't interfere unless invited. My role was to quietly observe how Child S. interacted with his environment and to document the nature of his free play.

From the start, it was obvious that Child S. was ready to dive into play. He ran straight over to a bin of wooden blocks and began stacking them into a tall structure. "I'm building a super tower!" he shouted proudly. The tower quickly toppled, and he laughed, shouting, "Crash!" rather than getting frustrated. This cycle of building and knocking over continued a few more times. Each attempt came with new sounds and excitement, and once, he said, "This time it's gonna be the biggest one ever!"

After some time with the blocks, he shifted focus and walked over to the toy kitchen set. He selected a frying pan and some pretend vegetables, stirred them thoughtfully, and said, "I'm making eggs for Mama." He then walked over to a doll seated nearby, placed a toy plate in front of her, and said, "Eat your food, baby." He even wiped her face with a tiny cloth, clearly playing out a nurturing role. He then patted her gently and said, "You did so good."

Soon after, we moved to the backyard. Child S. sprinted out the door, carrying a bucket and a plastic shovel. "I'm digging for treasure!" he announced. With focused effort, he scooped sand and sifted through it carefully. After a few minutes, he discovered a small plastic coin that must've been buried from a previous play session. He held it up high, smiling proudly, and yelled, "I found the gold!" before dropping it into his bucket like a pirate collecting loot. His joy was contagious.

The next phase of play involved the slide. He climbed to the top, raised both arms, and declared, "Super S is flying!" before zipping down. This superhero storyline continued for several minutes. He ran around the yard pretending to fly, calling out phrases like "Watch out, bad guys!" and "The city is safe again!" He was fully immersed in his fantasy world. At one point, he ran over and handed me the doll. "Can you hold her while I fly?" he asked. I nodded and held the doll. "Thanks," he said. "She wants to fly next." When he was ready, he came back for her and had her "fly" with him down the slide.

After all the outdoor activity, Child S. came back inside and selected a puzzle. He sat cross-legged on the floor and worked patiently. When a piece didn't fit, he said, "Hmm... not there," and when one clicked in perfectly, he exclaimed, "Yes! Almost done!" He clapped when the puzzle was finished and proudly said, "I did it all by myself!"

To finish his play session, he chose a picture book. While flipping through the pages, he created his own version of the story. "The boy goes to the zoo, and then the lion says ROAR!" he narrated excitedly. His storytelling voice changed depending on the character, and he even added sound effects to bring it all to life.

What stood out during this observation was how naturally Child S. moved from one type of play to anotherconstructive play, pretend play, physical play, and storytellingall without any prompting. He seemed completely comfortable in his world, confidently making decisions and creating narratives all on his own.

Watching Child S. during this observation reminded me of how vital free play is for young children. He wasn't just playinghe was exploring, problem-solving, and storytelling. In every phase of his play, there was a sense of purpose, creativity, and joy. It brought to mind Vivian Gussin Paley's view that "fantasy play is the work of children" (Paley, 2004). Paley emphasizes that through pretend play, children explore important ideas and emotions. That's exactly what I witnessed. Whether he was cooking, flying, or searching for treasure, Child S. was working through scenarios that allowed him to test ideas and express his identity.

Paley's work in Bad Guys Don't Have Birthdays (1988) also highlights how children use fantasy to make sense of social rules and relationships. Child S.'s play reflected this beautifullyespecially in how he assigned roles to the doll, made her part of the superhero storyline, and made sure she got a turn. This kind of behavior shows an early understanding of fairness, empathy, and inclusion.

Ruth Wilson (2010), drawing on the work of Rachel Carson, talks about how wonder is both an emotional experience and a way of knowing. Watching Child S. uncover his plastic "gold" coin and yell "Treasure!" was such a perfect example of this idea. He wasn't just digging in sandhe was experiencing the thrill of discovery. Wilson notes that wonder helps children stay fully present in the moment and sparks learning that goes beyond facts. That sense of wonder was alive in every part of this observation.

I also noticed that the freedom Child S. hadbeing able to choose his activities, set the rules, and change directionsplayed a huge role in how rich and imaginative his play was. I only joined in when he invited me to, and I think that helped him feel ownership over what he was doing. This aligns with best practices in early childhood education, which stress the importance of following the child's lead and allowing their ideas to drive learning.

Overall, this observation reminded me that play is a powerful tool for growth. It supports language development, social-emotional learning, creativity, and problem-solving. Most importantly, it gives children a way to express who they are and how they see the world. Watching Child S. play was both joyful and humbling. It confirmed that some of the deepest learning happens not through instruction, but through freedom, imagination, and wonder.

References (Page 7)

Paley, V. G. (1988). Bad guys don't have birthdays: Fantasy play at four. University of Chicago Press. Paley, V. G. (2004). A child's work: The importance of fantasy play. University of Chicago Press. Wilson, R. A. (2010). Aesthetics and a sense of wonder. Exchange, May/June, 24-25.