Development in the Life of a 4 Year Old Boy

¶ … Old Boy at a Children's Museum Play Area

Soren is a 4-year-old boy. He has light blonde hair that is cut short on the sides and is longer on the top. He is a generally smiley child. He likes to interact with his surroundings and likes to run and hop, crouch and spring into action with a cry of delight as though he were taking great amusement in catching the world by surprise.

He is viewed at a play area in a children's museum. The observation begins just before noon and continues until a quarter past 1 pm.

The play area is very crowded and full of children around his own age, with parents standing nearby watching their children. Most of the children are playing on their own, looking at the environment around them, engaging with the activities (puzzles, blocks, interactive equipment, play sets, scooters, and jungle gym equipment). Soren's social competence is fair: he engages with other children easily but is also wary of them if he senses that they have aims opposite or contrary to his own. He plays both by himself and with others while at the play area in the Children's Museum.

His happy, enthusiastic, athletic and bursting with enthusiasm -- but his energy and stamina cannot keep up with all the possibilities that the area affords him, and by the time he and his father leave, he is already tired and appears to be ready for a midday nap. Despite his loss of stamina (perhaps he is hungry as well), he protests at having to leave the fun play area.

Stage

A 4-year-old is in the Early Childhood stage of development. At this stage, children are learning dexterity and growing their motor skills when they play, which accounts for the repetition of actions, such as stacking blocks in neat stacks or attempting to climb objects and obstacles. These children are in a pre-maturation phase; the prefrontal cortex has not developed enough to allow them to limit impulsivity and so they generally run from one activity to the next. However, not all children in this stage act this way; some have the quality of perseveration and are able to do one activity for a long time and cannot, in fact, stop; when they speak, they speak repetitively, using the same words again and again, unaware of the main purpose of speaking, which is simply to communicate -- not to be a broken record. They become frustrated and cry when they are scolded for saying the same things repetitively. As the children grow and the brain develops, their emotional awareness and ability to be less impulsive develop too. At 4, a child is in the middle of the maturation process and may seem at times older than he is (that is mature) and younger than he is (that is, immature). Children will typically display a psychosocial yearning for adventure that is based on Erikson's observations and that causes children to want to roam and explore their surroundings.

The sections of the brain that help children at this age develop are the amygdala and the hippocampus. These are parts of the brain that support learning. If they are undeveloped, a child will appear to be reckless and show no awareness of surroundings or of others, and behavior can lead to one or more children crying. At the same time, children with undeveloped amygdala and hippocampus may show an irrational fear (such as to the noise of a vacuum cleaner) when the fear is completely unwarranted. It is important with this in mind that children not be overly stressed during this stage of development because the hypothalamus, which regulates hormones in response to signals from the amygdala and the hippocampus, can be permanently damaged.

Children at this stage are also more likely to be involved in the imaginative world that exists inside their head and less inclined to be thinking rationally or realistically: their considerations typically fragmented and suggestive/figurative; this is in accordance with the preoperational period of cognitive theory. In terms of viewing the world that they inhabit, their perspective is egocentric. They look to others for guidance and leaders help children at this stage move towards a zone of proximal development (ZPD). Scaffolding is a term that Vygotsky uses to explain how ZPD is approached through the guidance of older individuals -- mentors -- who navigate between boredom and complexity to steer the child towards behavioral understanding and development. Scaffolding is as the term suggests a mode of temporary support, which is taken away, like training wheels, after a time. Examples include explaining, pointing and affirming, and may include such exchanges between child and parent as: "What is this?" "This is a fridge. What do you think is inside?"

At this stage children also learn language and their vocabulary grows by leaps and bounds. They will learn up to 10,000 words by age 6 and this process is aided by fast-mapping -- a method of sticking a new word to a grid in their minds that makes up their mental image of their language map.

Children in this stage may also display a preoperational thought known as animism, in which they perceive objects as being alive; thus children will interact with dolls or stuffed animals as though these objects have life.

According to Elkin, playtime for children in this stage is a most productive and fun activity. It is moreover a universal phenomenon that children of all cultures and times enjoy, even if cultures have their own particular playful activities for children according to the methods of their era. Children learn social skills through play and playtime with other children helps them to learn maturation skills like empathy. Children learn rules of playing and there comes into practice a form of negotiation as rules are changed or altered over the course of play. There are several types of play -- solitary play, onlooker play, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play. In the first, the child plays alone; in the second, the child is an observer of others playing; in the third, children play with the same objects the same way but they do not play together; in the fourth, children interact but they are still not quite playing together; in the fifth, they are playing together and sharing objects.

The most common form of play for this age is rough-and-tumble play. It is a form of active play, like sociodramatic play, and involves interaction and rough-housing with other children who are viewed as friends; it involves chasing, tackling, wrestling, pushing, grabbing -- and it is all done in fun and is part of the developmental process of learning about oneself and about others and one's environment.

Comparison

Soren displayed many signs of Early Childhood stage. He exhibited motor skills when he neatly set about stacking blocks (first small hard blocks, which he did alone, and later large foam blocks, which he did with a friend). His play was solitary, parallel, associative and collaborative. His first block-stacking play was parallel; his play with the scooter was solitary; his play with the large foam blocks was both associative and collaborative; his play with the boy climbing the padded walls was collaborative as the two took turns climbing and were engaged with one another's activity and overall performance, expressing approval and satisfaction when one succeeded and expressing enthusiasm for movements. Soren also showed observational play when he was watching the two girls play with scooters.

Additionally, Soren showed signs of imaginative playing when he was on the scooter; he said he was flying like Superman. He also imagined to be Superman and that he was battling the bad guy Zod when he was throwing foam blocks at his playmate late in the session.

Soren showed some sign of irrational fear when he abandoned his blocks for his father's protective side upon discerning that a girl was playing with the blocks as well and was not going to relinquish hers to him. This suggests some immaturity in the development of his limbic system. This immaturity was also on display when he recklessly scooted across the floor in the room without regard for anyone around him: his view was entirely egocentric, but this is consistent with children at his age who are still developing their amygdala and the hippocampus regions of the brain.

Soren showed great confidence and happiness to be playing, which is consistent with the theory of Elkin that playtime is a most productive and enjoyable experience for children in this stage. He showed a desire for adventure when he tried to climb the slide -- but his unawareness of the other slide user on the other end showed more of his egocentricity.

Soren is still relying upon scaffolding, which is also consistent with children of his age: he depends upon his father to offer guidance and to point out others so that Soren is aware of what is going on around him. For example, on the slide, Soren climbed up the slide while the user of the slide who went up the ladder was ready to slide down. A collision ensued that left both boys confused -- but neither appeared upset by the collision, which is consistent with the rough-and-tumble style of play that is okay for children at this age.

Soren does not quite have his emotions regulated at this point, which is normal for this stage. He resisted attempts by his father to end playtime and he cried when his father finally put a stop to it, but this could also indicate that the child was wearing down physically and psychologically and that a nap (or lunch) was in order.

Soren played collaboratively with another boy and they engaged in physical activity -- building and stacking foam blocks and knocking them over and throwing them at each other. Soren described himself as Superman again and called the other boy Zod and the other boy called himself Batman and so the two played in this imaginative, role-playing manner while throwing blocks till a parent guided them back to stacking towers, which the boys did and then proceeded to knock down as part of a continuation of their role-playing. Soren also showed confidence and authority in his imaginative playing because when the boy said that he was Batman, Soren continued to identify him as Zod and the boy accepted this role.

Soren did show some signs of empathy when he knocked down a smaller child while playing in solitary-mode on the scooter. The child cried dramatically and Soren was called to attention both by the child's cries and his father's gentle admonitions. Later, when his playmate fell when Soren threw a large foam block at him, Soren apologized and the boy got up and laughed and they both laughed and continued in their rough-house playing style.

In short, Soren's behavior was consistent with the typical behavior of a child in Early Childhood stage. He did not show much of a sign of language repetition but his block-building indicated a perserveration indicative of a still immature limbic region that is undergoing development.

Analysis

Soren displayed signs of secure attachment, for example, when he retreated to his father upon realizing his parallel play meant that he was running out of blocks and he was unsure of what to do next. It indicates that his father is nurturing and that he trusts his father as a form of support and shelter. It also suggests that he looks for guidance from him as a student from a mentor. And his father did give pointers and explanations, so there was a lot of scaffolding going on for Soren, so that he could move towards his ZPD over the course of play.

Judging from Soren's appearance (he was well-groomed) his father probably takes good care of him at home and he appeared to have a healthy amount of energy and enthusiasm for exploring. He was very proud of himself when he did manage to climb up the slide without using the ladder and his father laughed and applauded him though he still had to offer scaffolding so that Soren could realize that another user wanted to climb the slide the correct way.

Soren's interactions with the boy at the end of his play showed that Soren is able to play in a diversity of play modes and this suggests a healthy support system at home. His imagination was active and he appears to be familiar with pop culture references such as Superman, so his parent must share this information with him on a regular basis.

Overall, Soren's development appears to be normal and this implies that his genetic make-up is decent, that his psychological history is standard, and that he is eating well and having his basic and fundamental needs met in every sector of development. His articulation was well and he could ask questions to his dad, such as, "Where's the scooter?" and he was receptive to incentives such as ice cream as a reward for good behavior: this incentive is what his father used to get Soren to stop crying when it was time to leave the play area. Soren's crying could be considered as a dramatic play that worked in this case to his advantage as he was promised a sweet snack to make up for having to leave. Thus Soren's sense of how to work his environment to his advantage shows his remaining egocentrism which suggests that he still has maturing to do. His father may need to provide more mentoring about developing empathy for others and paying attention to surroundings so as not to injure or cause annoyance to others; Soren showed little sense of maturation in this respect.

Conclusion

Soren's prosocial behavior is consistent with a positive home environment and suggests that Soren will grow up to be an active and well-rounded adult, thanks to support and proper scaffolding and mentoring from his father.

His strengths include imaginative role playing and collaborative role playing as well as a degree of empathy (displayed towards his collaborative play partner but not really towards the younger stranger child whom he accidentally knocked over when playing in solitary mode). He showed a degree of secure attachment to his father when he retreated to his father upon realizing that his solitary play with blocks was actually parallel play and that he was out of blocks to build with. His other strength was his robust and energetic enthusiasm for active play and for rough-and-tumble play, both of which are signs of a keen desire to explore and have adventures and are in line with appropriate Early Childhood stage.

His weaknesses were his limbic system immaturity: he was not really aware of others when scooting across the floor or climbing the slide; he was full of his egocentric outlook.

As Soren develops into an adult, his father is likely to continue to be a guiding force in his life and as he displayed at the play room, he is on hand to offer support and mentoring. His father did not always steer with great authority, as Soren easily fled knowing that his father would give him another few minutes to play, but in the end Soren's father affirmed his dominant role -- with the caveat of ice cream, of course. This indicates that Soren will likely lead a moral life so long as he is convinced that there is some incentive behind doing so or that there is something in it for him. His egocentric perspective did not appear to be something that would totally dissolve of its own without some more authoritative action on the part of the father.

Appendix: Observational Notes

Soren sees blocks and runs to them and begins to build.

Another child, a girl, is nearby playing with the blocks as well.

Soren does not seem to notice her

He runs out of blocks that he is using to build.

He then sees that she has blocks.

He hesitates

He appears to want to take her blocks but she is constructing something too, like him

Both children suddenly seem wary of the other

Both practically get up and retreat to their respective guardians at the same time as though signaling their mutual and simultaneous defeat.

Soren looks back upon reaching his father's leg

He sees that the girl has deserted her stash;

He now runs over to them

He claims them as his own and begins building anew.

This occupies him for a few more minutes until he has exhausted his supply of blocks.

He stands up and looks at something else that has caught his attention.

He is observing a group of children, two girls, who are playing with a scooter.

Between them is a slide.

Soren appears drawn to both the playing girls and the slide and he slowly moves towards them.

The girls withdraw some ways when Soren approaches

He goes to the slide and begins climbing up from the bottom of the slide instead of going around to use the steps.

He knows how to use the steps because he does this at other times, but now he wants to climb up the slide.

It is a difficult task and he fails numerous times because the slide is slippery.

He says something to himself but I cannot hear

He perseveres and finally reaches the top of the slide.

He beams a smile of great satisfaction and pride

He stands tall atop the slide

He is lit up with delight at a job well done

He calls to his dad for approval, "Hey, Dad!"

He stands there exulting in his ability.

He does not realize that as he has been climbing, another child has been going up the slide steps on the opposite end

The child is now waiting for Soren to move so that he can finish going up.

The child is confused by what Soren is doing

He stands atop the ladder and looks around

Soren does not seem to notice the child.

Soren's father intrudes and tells Soren to slide

Soren does not want to slide and resists his father's interruption

He still does not seem to understand.

The father does not wait for Soren to get a better grasp of his environment and picks him up and forces him down the slide.

Soren protests loudly and his father retreats.

Soren moves to go back up the slide again -- but now the other child is at the top ready to come down.

Soren still does not see him

The child does not want to wait so he begins to slide.

The two collide

It is not a violent collision

Neither one makes much of a protest

Both simply appear to be confused about what is going on -- a little sulky perhaps

Soren gets down and wanders off to find something else of interest.

He looks back at his dad for a brief moment to see that he is still there and Soren then darts off in the opposite direction towards a woods scooter that is now free.

The scooter is simply a square block of wood about two inches thick on a set of four wheels, one at each corner.

Soren lies down on his belly atop the scooter and holds on to its sides with his hands as he scoots across the floor.

He is completely regardless of who or what is around him

Anyone who happens to be walking in his pathway has to stop or run or jump to get out of his way.

Soren's father scolds him though not in a very objecting or angry way and Soren does not pay much attention to him.

Soren's father stands back and just observes as Soren scoots around on the scooter some more.