Hannah Aguilera

ECE 252- 1001

Cognitive Observation

Part A
1.a. Mila is a 10 month old infant. Mila crawled over to a toy sitting
on a mat in the middle of the room. Mila sat down facing the toy. The
toy was a rectangular plastic box with four worms sticking up out of
holes, and 4 different levers beneath the worms. Mila was facing the
toys backside, away from the levers. She lifted both hands and started
to pat the worms hard. 3 of the worms sunk into their holes once she
did this. Mila stopped patting the worms after the 3rd one went down.
She tried patting one of the worms that went down, and it stayed
down. She tried to pat the next worm that was in the hole. The worm
wouldnt come up either when she patted it. Now she tried to hit the
worms harder. She stopped and stared down at the toy, and now all 4
worms were in the hole. The teacher walked over to Mila. She slowly
turned the toy around so the front of the toy, with the levers were
facing Mila. The teacher pressed down on the first lever with her finger,
which was a button. After pressing the button, the worm came up out
of the hole. The teacher then pushed the worm back into its hole, and
pressed the button again so the worm would pop up again. Mila smiled
after the worm popped up a second time. She hurried and reached her

hand over to pat the worm down again. She tried pressing on the worm
in its hole. The worm didnt come up. Mila then pressed the button, and
the worm popped up. Mila pressed the button again. The worm stayed
up. She pushed the same worm down, and right after that pushed on
the button. The worm popped up. She continued doing this process of
pressing down on one worm, and the one button it makes pop up for
another minute.
Another example of Milas cognitive development is she had a grasp
on object permanence. Mila picked up a plastic frog toy off the floor.
She held it in her hand while she watched other children move around
her. Mila let go of the frog and she watched it fall in front of her. The
teacher moved over to the frog, sat down in front of Mila and picked up
the frog. Milas eyes followed the frog in the teachers hand. The
teacher said You like the frog Mila? Do you like the frog sitting down
here? The teacher then places the frog on a yellow blanket nearby.
Milas eyes follow the frog as the teacher puts in on the blanket. The
teacher then picks up the frog off the blanket and lifts the blanket up to
put frog underneath. The lets the blanket fall over the frog. Mila stares
at the yellow blanket. She sits for a few seconds. Still staring ath the
blanket, she crawls towards it. She stops at the blanket and puts her
hand down on the blanket. She keeps her hand there for a few
seconds. Then the teacher reachers her hand over and pulls up the
yellow blanket to show the frog. Mila smiles and reaches for the frog.

The teacher goes to get a small white cloth now. She sits back down
next to Mila. Mila lets go of the frog when the teacher sits down.
Teacher grabs the frog, places it next to the yellow blanket, but then
places the white cloth over the frog. Mila only stares at the white cloth.
She then scoots over to the white cloth and touches it, like the did with
the yellow blanket. She moves her hand a little over the white cloth,
towards to visible lump. She stops her hand though. The teacher says
Is that the frog under there? She looks up at the teacher as the
teacher moves to lift up the white cloth, revealing the frog.
b. I think this child is in sensorimotor substage #4.

2. Mila seems to be pretty close to understanding object permanence,

and the abundance of shelves, chairs, mats, blankets, etc to act as
tools to hide toys to test Milas object permanence, and her own
experimentation with hiding objects. In order to assist Mila moving to
the next substage she needs to become more intrigued by the
environment and objects around her so she feels compelled to explore.
She already is very aware of the people around her, and interacts with
them(such as the teacher, and other infants), so that presence of
others will help her advance to next sensorimotor substage. There are
also other toys, such as colorful plastic tambourines, which might press
Milas experimentation and push her to explore this new toy, as well as

how to manipulate it in different ways. Also, toys similar to the unique

tambourine, such as a large drum, can further her experimentation.
3. This teacher was fostering cognitive growth by allowing the child to
play on her own, while also making sure to actively engage with Mila.
The teacher created an environment that stimulates Milas cognitive
growth, such as provided materials that can be used in the frog hiding
game for instance. She created a comfortable and interesting
environment (both soft mats, hard carpet, vast range of toys for Milas
age group, such as sound board and board with small balls and rings to
manipulate in the board.) The teacher is warm and actively talking with
Mila, creating a safe environment. Mila acts like this is a safe
environment because she knows she can rely on the teacher. For
example, when Mila tried climbing over a foam bridge, she tumbled
forward onto her back and started to cry. The teacher game over and
talked to her soothingly, stroking her hand after Mila flipped herself
over. After the teacher comforted her for a second, Mila continued on
the climb the foam bridge again.

Part B
1.
a. An example to determine Quentins cognitive development
was his mother kissed him goodbye on the forehead when she dropped
him off. Fast-forward to later in the day; Quentin was standing near a

shelf, pushing a toy truck across the top of the shelf. On the second
push, it went to the opposite end of the shelf. Quentin stared at the
truck, stuck his arm out to reach it. The truck was too far. Quentin then
looked to his right. To the right of the shelf was a board with mirrors on
it. It was behind the truck, but now was visible since the truck was
moved. Quentin shifted his body to face the board head on. He saw
himself in the mirror. He smiled and pointed his index finger to the
mirror. He pushed his finger to touch the mirror. He then bent his knees
a little show he was lower to the ground. He still looked up at the
mirror. He smiled again. He lifted his knees up, still staring at the
mirror. Once he lifted himself back up, he stopped smiling. His pointed
his finger to his reflected forehead in the mirror. On his forehead was a
lipstick stain from his mothers kiss. Quentin jabbed his finger twice at
the stain in the mirror on his head. He said No, No. He started to rub
his index finger over the red stain in the mirror. The teacher walked
over the said Quentin, the lipstick mark is on you head. She touched
the mark on the boys head, which was still reflected in the mirror.
Quentin still kept his finger on the mirror.
Another example is when Quentin sat down next to a boy rolling a ball
down the foam bridge. Quentin was also sitting down next to the foam
blocks. After watching the other boy roll the ball for a few seconds,
Quentin got up and grabbed a foam block. He walked over to the foam
bridge, and put the block at the top of the bridge. He let go and looked

at the block. Then he used his index finger to scoot the block. The
block started to move, but stopped once Quentin let his finger go.
Quentin then used both hands and pushed the block over. The block
flipped. Quentin then pushed the block with both hands until it started
to slide down the rest of the bridge with gravity.
b. Sensorimotor stage 5.
2. Toys such as the mirror board foam blocks, and drums will assist
Quentin in moving to the next sensorimotor stage. For example, these
large foam blocks were new to Quentin. They allowed him to
experiment with something new, such as stacking them high up. These
blocks can also help him advance to the next stage because they can
be used in pretend play. Knowing and getting used to how these large
blocks balance, or what makes them fall down/how high they can
stack, prepares him for the next substage, in which hell be better at
anticipating how certain materials, such as these blocks, can be
manipulated.
3. The teacher is very kind and talkative with Quentin. When he picks
up a block of a certain color, she says That block is blue Quentin.
When Quentins right shoe fall off his foot at one point, the teacher
continues to talk about colors with Quentin by saying Your red show
fell off. The teacher is involved with Quentin, observing his interests
and then helping him pursue them. Such as when Quentin kept looking
at the cover of a book that had a picture of a young boy on it. The

teacher took an opportunity to go over the body parts (nose, eyes, lips,
ears) with Quentin while pointing at the picture of the boy. She set up
the environment well, low shelves at their height, a multitude of
objects to be used my multiple kids at once (such as the blocks). There
was also 3 large buckets with many different plastic shapes and
objects inside.

Part C

Scale V: Developmental achievement of the construction of the

object in space.
22 month old child was observed.
1. Holding up both a red lobster plastic toy and a red flower toy 12
inches from the childs eyes, 12 inches apart from each other.
Reversed the two toys after 20 seconds. The childs eyes, moved
to the right and followed the red lobster toy. He followed the red
lobster toy again when the toys were reversed again after 20
seconds. The child successfully completed the step by following
the toy when it moved.
2. After placing child in front of an uninteresting visual field, I
giggled car keys above the childs head. Before I was able to stop
shaking, the child started turning his head to the right, looked
with his eyes for a few seconds. Turned his head to the left right
when I finished shaking the keys. He then turned around to look
behind him. His eyes looked upward and saw the keys. Did this
same process 4 more times,, while shaking to keys to the left and

right oh the childs head as well. Each time the child actively
moved his body and his eyes gazed everywhere until he saw the
keys in my hand. He would then stop his search. This child
successfully completed this step
3. Once the child focused on the small dog-stuffed animal, I hurried
and placed it behind and to the right side of the child. After I
placed it, the child turned his head to the right. He couldnt see
the toy. He shifted his body to the right so his shoulders turned
backward. He could see the toy then, and he reached and
grabbed it. I repeated the same step to his left, fast enough so
he couldnt see the displacement. He stared at me for a while.
Then he turned his whole body to the left, and saw the toy.
Successfully completed the step.
4. Object retrieval: Used a squeeze toy tiger. He seemed interested
it in my staring at it, and smiling when I squeezed the tiger. I
moved the tiger slowly across the floor, and then moved it
quicker so the child couldnt grab it while I put it to his far right.
The child reached out his right hand, couldnt feel the toy. Then
he reached out his left hand, and didnt feel anything. He then
returned his whole body to the right, and saw the toy, grabbed it.
Repeated this process to the childs left side. The child
immediately turned his whole body to the left and grabbed the
toy. Successfully completed the step.
5. After the child fixates his eyes on the toy, I drop it and the childs
eyes immediately follow. I kick the soft stuffed animal toy under

the couch. The child looks down without bending his body. He
scans the floor with he eyes, left to right. He then bends, trying
to free himself from his mother. He uses his right hand and flaps
it toward the bottom of the couch. The child leans back up and
tries to slip from the mothers grasp to plant his feet on the
ground. The mother lets go and the child put his feet on the
ground. Immediately he bends down and looks at the floor in
front of him. Then he turns his head to the left and looks under
the couch. He grabs the toy under it.
6. A small cat stuffed animal is tied to the string. I swing the string
with the cat attached around the childs head so he cant see it.
He child turns his head to the right, but cant see the toy. He
moves his body, turning his shoulders to see more to the right.
He then tries to move to the left side of his mothers shoulders.
He turns completely around to face me. The child successfully
completed the step.
7. Placed a sippy cup, with the bottom side facing the child. The
child immediately grabs the cup. He drops it on the floor. It
slightly rolls. Then he picks it up from the bottom, and has the
top facing up. He successfully completed the step.
8. The child picks up the wooden hammer and bangs on the
xylophone in the fashion that I demonstrated. I then place the
hammer farther away to his right, and place the xylophone
father away to his left. He goes straight to the xylophone and

bangs on it with his hand. Then he walks over to the wooden

hammer, brings it back to the xylophone, and bangs on it.
9. After placing a few blocks and small animal toys, and a plastic
open container in the front of the child, the child reaches over to
the container. He puts his hands inside. The pats around. Then he
reaches over to one block. He rubs it between his hands. Then he
puts it on the ground next to the container. He grabs a plastic toy
zebra. He immediately throws it in the container. Then he grabs
the block in front of him and places it in the container. After that,
he continues to put the toys in the container, sometimes picking
up two blocks at a time. Once all the toys are in the container. He
pulls one out at a time. Successfully completed step.
10.
The child does not stack the blocks into a tower on his
own. I demonstrate. He stacks 2 blocks on his own. Then he
stacks two more in a separate tower. Then he puts one more
block on his first tower. He then knocks down this tower. He puts
another 2 blocks on his remaining tower. He successfully
completed step.
11.
After placing the child in a high chair and giving him a few
small objects, he immediately tries to get out of high chair. Then
he picks up a small plastic container, and bangs it on the high
chair. He accidently drops it on the ground. He watches it fall.
Then he grabs another toy and throws it on the floor. He does
this with another 3 toys, leaving only 1 toy left, a small plastic

zebra. He holds onto the zebra. He successfully completed the

step.
12.
Ring stack: After demonstrating, I placed the 3 rings placed
in front of the child. He child picked up the smallest ring and put
it on the pole first. He then picked up the 2nd ring, but it wouldnt
fit on the pole because of the small ring was in its way. The child
flipped the pole over and banged on it the get the smallest ring
to fall off. Then the boy put the largest ring on, then the medium
ring, then the smallest. I encouraged him to take all the rings off,
and he flipped the pole over again to dump all rings off.
Successfully completed step.
13.
Barrier: The child took the longer distance around to
retrieve the object, following the direction I took. He grabbed the
toy off the table. Did this 3 times, and always followed my long
path. Did not successfully complete step, but did retrieve toy.
14.
Examiner serves as screen: After placing the toy behind
my back, the child stared at my hands resting by my sides. He
didnt hesitate to approach me, and he got up and walked over
and tried to lift up my left arm. He then walked even more to my
left and looked behind my back. Retrieved the toy. Successfully
completed step.
15.
Nested Boxes: I placed the 3 boxes of increasing order from
the childs left to right. The child picked up the largest box and
tried to put it on top of the medium box. He then knocked it over.
He put the smallest box on the bottom, and tried to put medium

box on top this time. He knocked it over. He then left the boxes
like so. Did not successfully complete step.
2.

The toys I might offer to facilitate this child to the next step on the

scale is by making sure he completes this nesting boxes step first, so

Id supply him with many sort of objects that can fit into each other.
Such as large plastic containers and supply him with numerous small
toys so he gets the action down of putting items inside of other items.
Ids also supply only 2 sizes of boxes, that way he would be easier for
the child to fit one box into another, instead of trying to fit 2 inside of 1
box. Id also give him long sticks and strings for him to advance to the
next step of toy retrieval, so he gets accustomed with these retrieving
objects, even if he might not be using them in the correct manner yet.