Children go through several stages in their development, each characterized by its features. However, this process is not fixed and is the same for all children without exception. Although there are general descriptions of developmental stages, internal and external factors can change a child’s development, making it atypical. This essay aims to study the provided videos to study the behavior of children and analyze the typicality of their development.
The first video, dedicated to the game of the girl Olivia with the block constructor, touches upon several areas of development at once. First of all, the fine motor skills used by the girl during the connection and disassembly of various parts of the constructor are demonstrated (Olivia & Lucas Opens Toys, 2016). In this case, the large format constructor is ideal for developing fine motor skills due to the need to accurately connect parts. However, such activities also fall into the area of cognitive development. The child needs to solve problems by finding suitable components like wheels for a car (Olivia & Lucas Opens Toys, 2016). The girl copes with all the tasks very successfully, which indicates the toddler’s developmental stage. She understands the speech of others and can speak individual words, explaining what exactly she needs. In addition, Olivia is physically fit enough to cope with the constructor without any difficulties. Given the child’s milestones at this age, it can be concluded that the girl’s development is typical. Olivia does not exhibit any skills ahead of her age, nor does she show any developmental delays.
The second video touches on the same areas of development. It shows a child, aged one year and four months, enthusiastically putting together a puzzle (Taras Vovk, 2014). This activity requires the problem-solving skills necessary to find the right place for the part and fine motor skills to put it there. Although according to age and part of the child’s behavior, he is in the toddler stage, some skills indicate that his development is not typical. For example, the child’s speech is not yet fully developed, which fits into this development stage, but he collects the puzzle pieces quickly and precisely. The absence of errors also indicates a higher cognitive development than would be expected. Thus, it can be noted that the child’s development is somewhat atypical. Usually, at this age, children do not demonstrate such fine motor and problem-solving skills. Still, the baby in the video does not experience any difficulties in solving this puzzle.
Finally, the girl in the third video demonstrates skills that fall under the fine and gross motor skills development category. The entire video consists of a child’s vertical wall climbing process (Little Zen Monkey, 2015). Although the child in the video is also in the toddler stage, being only 19 months old, her physical development is far beyond the standard for this stage. However, in all other respects, the girl’s development is appropriate for her age, as can be judged from such a short video. The child does not have a clear speech and carefully examines the world around her. Nevertheless, muscular activity and coordination of actions, which are more characteristic of three-year-old children, allow for the conclusion that the girl’s development is atypical. While ordinary children are just starting to get up independently, they can climb up a sheer wall without any support, demonstrating a fluidity of movement that is sometimes lacking in beginner climbers. At the same time, in the field of cognitive and social development, no deviations are observed, which allows concluding that development is shifted towards the physical.
Thus, from the analysis of these three videos, it can be concluded that the development of children is a unique process. Despite the existence of general descriptions, the growth process of children can be uneven, as a result of which they achieve great success in any area. The possible atypical development is the reason for more careful treatment of the child, going beyond following strict instructions, as often a much more subtle approach is required.
References
Little Zen Monkey. (2015). Baby climbing indoors. YouTube. Web.
Olivia & Lucas Opens Toys. (2016). MEGA BLOKS for Olivia Toddler playing. YouTube. Web.
Taras Vovk. (2014). 1 year, 4 months baby plays with puzzle game. YouTube. Web.