Play and Documentation: Cognitive Development in Children

RUNNING HEADER: Early childhood education
Bachelor of early childhood education and care
Name
Professor
Course
Date
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RUNNING HEADER: Early childhood education
Play and documentation.
This discussion describes a child by the name Emma trying to match alphabetical letters with
appropriate space. The play displays the cognitive development in children .The table of anecdotal
documentation is illustrated as shown below.
Table of anecdotal documentation
Date Context;
The story starts with a list of alphabet puzzle pieces
containing cards which are distributed on the floor .It
is a game of matching alphabetical letters of different
shapes with the appropriate shape. Emma is sitting on
the floor and is matching different letters by using
specific order (Shonkoff, 2010). In the alphabet puzzle
game Emma listens to her mother keenly and tries to
match each letter with specific shape.
Name of child.
Emma
Age of the child
2 years old
Observation ;
Anecdotal
Narration in form of a
story describing
events.
For example, one can realise that when Emma is holding each card she tries to think on shape of the
card whether it conforms to the space or not. Emma holds each card keenly and matches depending on
the instruction and what he hears from her mother (Pellegrini & Nathan, 2011). When Emma picks a
letter E, her mother asks her, “which letter is that?” she answers correctly and places it correctly in the
puzzle.
Emma stares at each letter and keenly matches them with appropriate puzzle slot. She tries to match the
letters in the puzzle telling her mother the exact alphabetical letter every time she picks. The alphabet
puzzles are designed in a way that they only fit the correct letter and if Emma picks a letter and places
it in the wrong place, the letter does not fit. She goes forward to fit it correctly in the required specific
slot for that letter.
She is able to organize the letters by placing them on her lap and fitting them on the puzzle indicating
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RUNNING HEADER: Early childhood education
ability to organize information.
Cognitive
development.
 Cognitive development. For example, in our case Emma is in position to use her eyes to
understand each letter and place them following appropriate alphabetical order.
 She is creative and that’s why her mother whenever asks what each letter stands for, she is
determined to fit the letters in the puzzle even if they do not fit.
 She is much creative by utilizing trial and error approach in learning.
 Motor skill development (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010).Emma holds the letters together and is
able to pick the shape required by her mother.
 Emotional development .In the alphabet puzzle Emma knows how to take turns when
using the letters in the puzzle with her mother. She is gaining a sense of autonomy and
he matches alphabet letters without help.
 Emma shows social skills by listening and responding to her mothers questions regarding the
letters without any help.
 She does not get upset easily if she does not do it rightly tries all the time to match letters.
Learning and
development linkage.
Theories Early years learning strategy
Piaget theory argues that cognitive
development for children is achieved through
ones knowledge. In Vygotsky theory we see
that cognitive development for children
depends on Zone of proximal development
(Shonkoff, 2010).
Childhood education 1; “Children in primary games”
(Pellegrini & Nathan, 2011).
Childhood education 3; “Children in alphabet puzzle
games” (Spodek & Saracho, 2014).
Childhood learning 2; “Alphabet puzzle as basis for
learning in children” (Seifert, 2013).
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RUNNING HEADER: Early childhood education
Goals for future learning and development
From the beginning we see that Emma is enjoying the play. This is to
suggest that she is concerned with the alphabet puzzle.
The way Emma is thinking before putting each letter means a lot .This
illustrates that if Emma is provided with necessary resources
(alphabetical letters) and consistent practice then she will be in position
to handle concepts appropriately.
Emma has techniques on handling the games (Steinberg & Darling,
2017). This builds skills for children who later solves situations using
apt measures.
Solving the alphabet puzzle indicates the problem solving skills. What
Emma is doing seems to be advantageous to her and prepares child for
future learning.
However, the cognitive development is evident through the strategies
used by Emma in matching alphabet letters. Through this concept
Emma gains important concepts.Therefore, for Emma to improve she
has to practice the game so as to master entire concept of putting the
letters in the puzzle.
Emma is able to recognize the letters correctly. This means that in future
she will be able to identify and master different concepts when learning.
Learning possibilities to include in education
curriculum
Piagetes stages of development to the children.
Learning mathematic using stick wooden game for
children. Involves learning simple maths calculations
using symbols in class.
References.
Pellegrini, A. D., & Nathan, P. E. (Eds.). (2011). The Oxford handbook of the development of play. Oxford Library of
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