A CASE STUDY OF A CHILD AGE 3

BY WYATT REID
EDU 220-1001
 PHYSICAL BEHAVIORS

• Run, jump, explore, active

• Scribbles in circles, finger-paints
• Can dress self, does not tie shoes
• Can use the toilet, but can’t stay dry every night.

University of Washington. (1993)

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT BY SNOWMAN

• Children are active.

• The need many rest periods.
• Finger and hands are not as developed as large muscles.
• Brain growth helps in planning, and focusing.
• Gender differences have not emerged yet.

• Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013)

 MY 3 YEAR OLD’S PHYSICAL
BEHAVIORS/CHARACTERISTICS
• The three year old girl I observed was like a typical child this age. She likes
to explore, wander, and is learning how to organize thoughts.
• She is more advanced when it comes to drawing. During a coloring activity she
colored a fish perfectly inside of the lines. The other children in the room were
scribbling away.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION

• Development monitoring can be used to see if the child is growing and changing. This
can be a tool to see if the child is growing properly (Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2017).
• Children should be allowed to dress themselves (University of Washington, 1993).
• Activities should be planned that help develop fingers and hand functions (University
of Washington, 1993).
• Playing is one of the best activities for developing (Child Development Institute,
2015).
 EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR

• Child is sensitive to feelings from other people about them

• Is developing a bit of self-reliance
• The child may start to have fears of dark, people, or animals
• The child is dependent on adults love and affections, wants to please them.

University of Washington. (1993)

TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR BY SNOWMAN

• Children are starting to become aware of there feelings. They can control them
partially.
• Jealousy between classmates is a common thing.
• Children are very fond of their teachers. They want the teachers approval.

Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013)

 MY THREE YEAR OLD’S EMOTIONAL
BEHAVIOR/CHARACTERISTICS
• The three year old girl I observed had a desire for her teachers to like her.
She want their approval of her coloring.
• She is able to feel the emotions of her classmates. When a boy was crying,
she asked him what was wrong, trying to help him.
• She is very normal for a child her age.
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

• Never force a child to participate in things that scare them

• Encourage the child to act independently
• Give love and support to the child.
• Be patient.

University of Washington. (1993)

COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL BEHAVIORS

• Learns by sense.
• The child likes to imagine.
• Is very curious in how things work
• Is starting to see the cause-and-effect relationship.

• University of Washington. (1993)

TYPICAL COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
PIAGET
• “Preoperational Stage” this stage is where
children can think symbolically.
• They are starting to use language in a
more complex way.
• Have trouble with more complex things like
time.
VYGOTSKY
• Vygotsky believes that cognitive functions
are determined by social factors.
• The home of the child will affect how the
child learns.
Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013)
 MY THREE YEAR OLD’S COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORS/CHARACTERISTICS
• The girl I observed loves to learn. She is very capable of learning new
information and remembering things that she has learned.
• Her language is very advanced for a child. Perhaps this is a nod to Vygotsky,
her parents are very bright, and use a lot of words at home.
• She likes to imagine.
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Children need sensory activities
• Pointing out cause-and-effect relations will help the child learn them.
• Explain. Teach the child how things work and function

University of Washington. (1993)

 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL BEHAVIORS

• The child can leave the mother for short intervals. The mother is still important
• The child is starting to notice gender differences.
• Likes being in groups.
• Is not ready for competition.

University of Washington. (1993)

TYPICAL PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
BY ERIKSON
• The three year old is dealing with Erikson's third psychosocial crisis.
• The child will immerge with an ability to imagine, cooperate with others, and
lead and follow.
• Fear is a big part of this crisis

Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013)

 MY 3 YEAR OLD’S PSYCHOSOCIAL
BEHAVIORS/CHARACTERISTICS
• My three year old is good at getting along with others.
• While the older children in the room were playing a game she was there, but
couldn’t quite grasp the concept of competition. This is normal for her age.
• She is right on track in her development.
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• It is important to show interest in what the child has been doing while away
from parents.
• Act the way you want the child to act.
• Provide enough materials so that it is easier for them to get along in groups.

University of Washington. (1993)

 MORAL/CHARACTER BEHAVIORS

• Begins to learn right from wrong

• Uses extreme words and phrases, without knowing the true meaning
• More self-controlled than before.

• University of Washington. (1993)

 TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT BY
KOHLBERG
• “Wrong” behaviors are those that will not be caught.
• Make decisions that are best for themselves
 MY 3 YEAR OLD’S MORAL
BEHAVIOR/CHARACTERISTICS
• The three year old I observed is learning self control. She still struggles with
improper behavior when her friends indulge in the activity.
• She is good at being honest.
• She is an average child her age. It will take more time for her moral compass
to fully calabrate.
 MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Model honesty.
• Talk about proper behavior.
• Explain what it means to be honest

PBS Parents. (2017)

 REFERENCES

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Child development. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html
Child Development Institute (2015). The ages and stages of child development. Retrieved from
https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/#.WR3Id_QrLrc
PBS Parents. (2017). Child development tracker Ages 2- 8. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/parents/child-development/
Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013). ED PSYCH. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
University of Washington. (1993). Child development: Using the child development guide. Retrieved from
http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/chidev/cd06.htm