During our visit to the Children’s School, I observed mostly the 5 year olds and spent some time observing the 3 year olds. Having taken Introduction to Psychology last year, I was familiar with Erikson’s 8 stages of psychosocial development; so, it was really fascinating to see things I’ve learned in class apply in everyday life. It was really interesting to see how the 3 year olds behaved compared to the 5 year olds. The 3 year olds definitely presented a sense of autonomy while the 5 year olds exhibited a sense of industry.

3 Year Olds and Autonomy

While observing the 3 year olds, I noticed that each of them had a tendency to play around other children; however, mostly all of them were doing their own thing. For example, there were two kids playing with magnetic gears on a whiteboard and two kids playing with trains and train tracks. Each of the two pairs were playing with their respective toys right next to each other. But, each kid was interested in something unique. By the whiteboard, one kid was fascinated by magnetism and the other was trying to fit the gears together. The kids were working to establish independence.

5 Year Olds and Industry

While observing the 5 year olds, it was really interesting to see the differences between this group and the 3 year olds. The 5 year olds definitely interacted with the people around them more than the 3 year olds. I noticed that the 5 year olds developed a sense of pride in their accomplishments. For example, I noticed that two of the 5 year olds, after making their houses, called to a teacher and asked her to look at what they made.

What Engages Children’s Curiosity and Creativity

I noticed that the 5 year olds really took a liking towards making things themselves. They really liked making houses and collages, and drawing things on their own. I also noticed that some 5 years enjoyed board games. The 3 year olds took a liking towards magnets, pieces that fit together, and glue. Both groups of children were interested in light, taking stuff apart and putting it back together, and bright colors.

Reflection

After considering everything the children engaged in, here are some components of the project that I think are necessary: making it interactive, including some sort of ambiguity, and adding bright colors. For the 5 year olds, I feel like the children should be able to compete with the machine in some way as I got the sense that they like participating in activities where someone wins.