Infant Observation

Student's name:
Infant's name:
Age/sex:
Childcare Center or home:
Address of Center or city of home:
Date of observation:

Complete the following observation:
Describe examples of behaviors that illustrate what you have observed. The infant should be between the ages of 4 to 12 months of age.  See the general requirements for assignments on your green sheet. 1.5 or double spacing. Staple your Infant evaluation sheet on top of your typed observation, followed by your hand written notes. You are observing 1 infant. Type in all subtitles. example: Gross motor skills, fine motor skills.

Obtain permission from the director of the center or the parents of the infant in order to complete your observation. Maintain confidentiality by not using the infant's family name.

During the observation be as unobtrusive as possible. You are the "fly on the wall: sitting off to the side. Do not interact with the infant. You are there to observe only. Try to be as objective as possible. Avoid words like " helplessly", "angrily", "whined", and "pleaded". Describe the behaviors rather than guessing what the child is thinking or feeling. Be as descriptive as possible.

You must be free to observe during this assignment. It cannot be done if you have primary responsibility for the infant you are observing. This may not be your own child. Describe in detail each activity that the infant is involved with.  More information will be given during class.  Type the bold headings.  Example Description of the environment, or Gross motor skills. etc.

Description of the environment: Please describe in detail where you observed the infant.  What was surrounding him/her?  You may draw a picture in place of your written description.

General characteristics: Describe the infant's appearance. Note such characteristics as to the infant's skin color, hair. Include the infants height and approximate weight. What ethnic background is s/he? Describe facial features and any unique characteristics about this child.  What was he/she wearing when you did the observation?  Ask the parents for some of this information.

Motor Development:
A. Describe not just list, the infant's ability to control his/her body: Note the ability to lift the chest while lying on his/her stomach, rolling over, sitting, moving into or out of a sitting position with or without help. How does he pull himself up into a sitting or standing position?
Make sure you use descriptive words.  2 examples are needed in this category.

B. Describe the infant's control of his/her arms, hands, fingers: This means note the infant's random waving, reaching out for objects, (name the object) grasping with one or both hands, with or without the use of their thumb. Do they use the ulnar grasp or pincer grasp for picking up objects?    Describe their hand to mouth coordination and hand preference.  Give two different examples in each section. These examples must be different from the ones in the above section.

C. Describe control of legs and feet movements: Comment on such actions as pushing with the feet when lying down, making stepping movements when held in a standing position, and supporting his/her weight partially or wholly when held erect.  Can they crawl, if so how do they use their feet and arms to do so?  If they are walking how do they walk?  Give two different examples.

B. What did you learn from this observation?

When you are ready to turn in your observation to your folder, staple the infant evaluation form to the front of your paper. Remember to put your name on the form. You are required to observe the infant for at least an hour. Make sure you include your hand written notes.

1 to 5 points will be deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and lack of complete sentences.  Please see your green sheet.  The Reading  and writing  center is open to help you with your paper.  Go to room ATC 309. Please have someone proof read your paper before you turn it in.  For more information click on http://faculty.deanza.edu/writingcenter More information will be given in the class.