LAB 4: TIME SAMPLING 1

Lab 4: Time Sampling

Rachel Dodds

Michigan State University

LAB 4: TIME SAMPLING 2

Lab 4: Time Sampling

Introduction

The purposes of this assessment are to determine the skills that children demonstrate

through types of cognitive play in the classroom. By evaluating these cognitive play skills,

manners in which the classroom environment can be modified to support and extend the skill

development of all children. Time sampling is used as a method to determine how often an

identified behavior or situation occurs (Nicholson & Shipstead, 2011, p. 213). Time sampling

was chosen to assess this in order to measure the time spent in various types of cognitive play by

each child observed; these observations will allow for a recommendation of how to modify the

classroom environment based on the assessment results. Each childs type of play was

documented every 30 seconds for 10 minutes each; tally marks were made depending on which

type of play a child was engaged insensory, social-reciprocal, functional, symbolic,

constructive, pretend play or role play, games with rules, unoccupied or wandering, or another

activityduring a 30-second interval. One major advantage of using time sampling is that [it]

can yield quantitative data about the group as a whole and about individuals [] The observer

may also evaluate the effectiveness of the program and environment (Nicholson & Shipstead,

2011, p. 237).

Four children were observed during two observation periodsthe first being October

26th, 2017 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and the second on October 27th, 2017 from 8:30 to 9:30 in the

morning. Each observation occurred in the 48 to 60-month old classroom in the East Lansing

Child Development Center, during free choice and arrival time. Child A is a 52-month old male;

Child B is a 58-month old male; Child C is a 52-month old male; and Child D is a 56-month old

female.
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Data
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Summary and Interpretation

Constructive play was the most common type of play for Child B and Dwhich they

engaged in 62.5 percent of the time and 42 percent of the time, respectively. For Child A, the

most common type of play behavior was games with rules, which the child spent 40 percent of

the time observed engaged in. Child C spent 37.5 percent of the time observed engaged in

functional play behaviors. All children demonstrated constructive play skillsChild A spent

27.5 percent of the time, Child B spent 62.5 percent of his time, Child C for 35 percent of the

time, and Child D for 42.5 percent of the time. No children were observed to have engaged in

symbolic play or pretend play and role play. All children with the exception of Child B, varied

activities that they engaged in during the observation period. The children who were recorded to
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demonstrate other play behaviors, were Child B and DChild B spent 5 percent of the time

reading to himself and Child D spent 22.5 percent of the time observed drawing.

One play behavior that all children demonstrated for a large quantity of time was

construction play with blocks and Legos. Children who displayed functional play (Child C and

D) were interacting with cars and a parking structurethe children used the cars to park and

drive around the classroom. During the first observation day, Child A and B played with others

while playing musical chairsthis was led by one teacher. Child A also played a game with a

large dice that had pictures of animals on it, when the child rolled the dice, the child was to make

the noise of the animal that the picture showedthen the child went on to take turns rolling the

dice with other children. Additionally, it is important to consider that the sensory tablewhich

was filled with sand during both observationswas only open to children during the first

observation period and then at very end of the second observation at the CDL. Therefore, the

results seem to be accurate regarding the amount of sensory play. Social-Reciprocal play was

anytime that a child was interacting with a teacher through play. Surprisingly, none of the

children chose to visit the pretend play area where there was a kitchen and dress-up clothes.

According to the CDC Milestone Checklist (2016), children who are four years of age are

capable of pretend play involving familiar situations and engage with objects such as dress-up

clothes, blocks, and kitchen sets to promote expansion of imagination. Children are also able to

learn games such as tag, follow the leader, or musical chairs (CDC Milestone Checklist, 2016).

At 5 years old, children typically prefer to play with other children and are learning how to put

things together like blocks, explore interests outside of school, and play a variety of activities

and games (CDC Milestone Checklist, 2016). These milestones in play skills help define the

level of play skills that children should typically be at, as well as which types of play skills
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children typically develop during four to five years of agethe ages of the children in the

observed classroom. The results of the assessment indicate the children appear to be

demonstrating play behaviors that are developmentally appropriate, according to the CDC. All

children observed exhibited play in more than one cognitive play type, which is expected based

on the childrens development and age.

The original purpose of this assessment was to determine ways in which the classroom

environment can be modified to support and extend cognitive play behaviors of the children.

With the CDC Milestones (2016) in mind, it is important to consider ways in which pretend play

or role play can be supported in the classroom in ways that meet the interests of the children. By

adding to the pretend play area, the environment can be structured so that symbolic play skills

can also be supported in addition to pretend play or role play behaviors.

Follow-Up Recommendation

Based on the summary and interpretations above, I find that it is necessary to modify the

pretend play area to support children in developing age-appropriate cognitive play behaviors.

Since there were no children that visited the pretend play area or demonstrated pretend play or

role playing, it is essential to provide materials in the environment to ensure that this area of

cognitive play is supported. Many children chose to engage in constructive play by using Legos

and blocks, so in turn, this observation may provide insight into the interests of the children as a

whole. By adding dress-up clothes (such as construction worker, fireman, racecar driver, or other

transportation related occupations), tools, pretend phones, and other materials, more children

may be inclined to explore the pretend play or role play skills. This will also provide

opportunities for children to engage in symbolic play by using objects around the classroom to

extend their pretend play in these areas.

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Additionally, adults in the classroom can be placed accordingly in the classroom to

encourage children to explore pretend play and symbolic playthese adults also are essential for

extending play in areas that children seem to already be spending a large quantity of time in,

such as constructive play. Many children also chose to participate in games with rules when

adults were directing activities such as musical chairs. This relationship between the children and

adults can be utilized to promote play skills in all areas.

For the cognitive play areas in which many children already seem to be spending vast

amounts of their time engaging in, the environment can be changed to promote higher level

cognitive play skills. For example, many children engaged in constructive play; by pairing

blocks with unfamiliar materials, play can become more creative and advanced. Based on the

fact that children demonstrated sensory play behaviors when the sensory table was open for

children to use, I would recommend that the sensory table be open to children earlier in the day.

Also, by adding sensory manipulatives to the block area (or adding some sort of blocks to the

sensory table), children have the opportunity to expand their constructive play skills and sensory

play skillsthis may also create an environment for symbolic play to occur. This can be done by

adding rocks, carpet squares, fabrics, and/or other sensory materials to the block area. Children

may also find it engaging to play with tubes and water at the sensory table so that they are able to

engage in constructive play as well as sensory play.

In summary, by fostering adult support for childrens play and adding materials to the

pretend play area, the sensory table, and/or block area, the cognitive play skills of children in the

classroom can be supported and extended. The suggestions for manners in which to adapt the

classroom environment relate to the MSU Childrens Curriculum goals of using tools or play to

solve problems, self-regulation in order to effectively navigate social interactions such as

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waiting for a turn, role playing according to family roles and [recognizing] differences in

family structure, and anticipating problems and identify alternative approaches (without using

trial and error) (MSU CDL, 2017), all by simply adding to the classroom environment.

Reflection

By using time sampling, I gained a greater understanding for manners in which I can

assess my own teaching or classroom environment in order to support the development of the

children. This can be done by observing behaviors that children demonstrate or by noting which

areas of the classroom children play in during certain time periods. Also, this assessment showed

me how children in the classroom may demonstrate cognitive play skills, which is very important

to determine how to best arrange an environment accordinglyor to design curriculum or adult

support for children based on which behaviors or interests children exhibit. Through this lab

report, I also learned how to communicate the results of an assessment to other professionals or

parents of the children in the classroom.

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References

CDC Milestone Checklist [PDF]. (2016, August 18). Atlanta, GA: Center for Disease Control

and Prevention.

Nicolson, S., & Shipstead, S. G. (2011). Through the Looking Glass: Observations in the Early

Childhood Classroom (3rd ed.). Pearson

MSU CDL. (17, January 31). The MSU Children's Curriculum: Infant and Toddler [DOC]. East

Lansing: Michigan State University.