Many observations take place with children between the ages of 14 and 30 months old and these studies involve a group play with their peers. For at least one full hour, the toddlers are observed by their motor skills, as well as how they interact with the other children in the room. Observers also take note of the words the children use to communicate.
In the observation, the administrators write notes about everything they observe the children doing during their play. The notes should begin with basic physical characteristics, such as skin color, facial features and ethnic background. The notes should define how the toddlers control their movement and how they use their arms, hands and fingers to pick up objects. Another important aspect to study is social interaction and how well the children cope with familiar faces and those they may not know as well. Other things to note during the observation are the use of the five senses, the use of language and the use of emotion.
After the observation period has extinguished, the administrators of the study begin to make connections about what they have seen. These important connections begin with certain questions, which may include what they believe was some of the important connections that they observed. For example, if the child did not associate well with the other children and did not verbalize much during the session, then a connection could be made that these two traits may be related. You can also find out what the child is interested in and what kind of games that he likes to play.
After collecting information and making connections, you may be able to develop a well-researched plan of action. Many education programs use these types of observation studies to adjust its programs to better suit the children's needs. It is also important to periodically review an observation method to make sure the study is gathering enough information.