Introduction
Early childhood is a stage in human development where remarkable changes are experienced physically, socially, and in cognitive abilities. These changes occur in an orderly manner and vary from one child to another. There are distinct stages in the development of human beings from infancy to adulthood (Cooper and Doherty, 2010). Early childhood experiences determine the intelligence, personality and social skills of a person later in life (Lock, 2012). This is an assessment of two different age groups. One is the school age group and the other one is the adolescent stage. These two groups were observed as they engaged in playful activities. It gives an account of what happened at the play ground against what is expected of these different ages.
Observations made
In the school going age, of particular interest was a boy aged 5 years. In the adolescent group, the object of interest was also a boy aged 13 years. These two sets of children were observed in a play ground. During the observation, various attributes were looked into, ranging from the physical look to matters of emotional, social, psychological and mental growth.
The five year old child in the school going age group was free and interactive with the rest of the peers. However, this child was weak, and slower when compared to the rest. There is a probability that this child had a problem because, children in this age bracket are normally strong and vibrant. As for the adolescent boy aged 13 years, he was withdrawn and stayed away from his peers. On inquiring why he was not playing, he gave excuses that he was not in the mood, and that he would start playing later. He was shy and reserved opting to play games on his mobile phone other than play with his peers.
Discussion
The child in school going age had perfect communication skills. The use of verbal communication, eye contact and body language was his way of doing things as he had perfect non verbal communication skills. Though his tonal variation could be misleading, he responded well to the information given. This child could be lacking proper diet for healthy development (Cooper and Doherty, 2010). The adolescent boy had a problem with social skills. A lot was read from the non-verbal communication, eye contact and the tonal variations. His communication was limited to a few words, an indication that his social development was lacking (Crain, 2011).
Recommendations
According to Crain (2011), there is a need for a person to merge the two conflicting forces. This ensures a successful movement to the next stage. The child in the school going age seems to be doing well socially and emotionally. I would, however, recommend that a lot of care should be given to his health so that the physical aspect can also be built. The adolescent has developed well physically and matches his peers. However, he requires support to help him develop social skills. This will enable him to interact freely with the peers. Withdrawing from other people may indicate psychological disturbance, hence the need for emotional support (Cooper and Doherty, 2010).
Conclusion
Childhood development is sensitive because it determines the quality of life that a person leads as an adult. Physical development allows a child to enjoy play; through this the child also develops socially and mentally. From the two case studies, it is evident that physical and social aspects are equally important in determining a child’s quality of life as an adult. Human beings are social animals. Therefore, children should be observed, and guided during play to ensure healthy development.
References
Crain, W. C. (2011). Theories of development: Concepts and applications. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall.
Cooper, L., & Doherty, J. (2010). Physical development. London: Continuum International Pub. Group.
Lock, J. K (2012). Child Development. Developmental Psychology, 83(5), 1465–1839.