Introduction
The activities children engage in while playing with other children reflect the stage of cognitive development at a certain age and the child’s attachment style. In a scenario where two 20-month-old babies play in a sandbox, the following activities related to their cognitive and emotional development can occur. A peek-a-boo game reflects the development of object permanence, and symbolic play demonstrates a child’s ability to use particular objects to represent others. Parallel play demonstrates the development of social skills, while attachment play shows the child’s attachment style patterns. All the activities in a sandbox reflect a child’s developmental stage.
Activities Reflecting Cognitive Milestones in the Sensorimotor Stage
Peek-a-Boo
The first activity that children can engage in at this age is the peek-a-boo game. This game reflects the children’s ability to perceive object permanence. The perception of object permanence is developed during Piaget’s sensorimotor stage, starting at 8 months old. By 20 months, toddlers typically have developed this ability (Infant cognition, n.d.). During this activity, toddlers can hide objects such as toys while others look for them.
This activity demonstrates that children understand that the object that has disappeared still maintains its identity regardless of its location and still exists despite being out of the child’s sight (Infant cognition, n.d.). Object permanence is one of the most critical aspects of the sensorimotor development stage, representing a fundamental step in a child’s cognitive development.
Symbolic Play
In the second activity, babies can engage in symbolic play, using particular objects to represent other objects. An example can be when children take a toy car to pretend they are using it as a phone. Pretend, or symbolic, play appears during the second year of a child’s life and lets children perform actions they cannot perform independently (Infant cognition, n.d.). In this case, babies pretend they can talk on the phone even though they cannot do it yet.
Parallel Play
The third activity that these babies might engage in is parallel play. This type of play involves children playing side by side with similar toys but not necessarily interacting with one another. At 20 months, children are still developing their social skills and might prefer to play independently. However, they might still look to each other for cues when playing with a particular toy or engaging in similar activities.
In this same activity, children can also demonstrate an ability to categorize, which begins to develop at 12 months. After 18 months, babies typically can create a specific “workspace” in front of them where they will put objects of a similar kind (Infant cognition, n.d.). For example, if a baby plays with several toy cars, they might choose cars of the same color to put in one space. The ability to categorize objects and participate in parallel play represents a new stage in a child’s social skills and cognitive development.
Attachment Play
The fourth activity that these babies might engage in is attachment play. Attachment styles are developed in a child’s early life and are formed by their early interactions with their caregivers. The attachment styles can be reflected in the children’s activity. For example, secure attachment can be reflected in the activity where children playfully comfort others when they cry or are hurt.
They might also engage in a game of chase or tickling, with one baby seeking comfort and reassurance from the other. Other attachment styles can also be reflected in this game, for example, a child with an insecure attachment style might feel anxious and start crying if the other child rejects their attempt to receive comfort. Overall, attachment styles are often seen in children’s playground activities.
Conclusion
To conclude, cognitive development and attachment styles are reflected in the activities that 20-month-old children engage in. These activities include object permanence, symbolic play, parallel play, and attachment play. These activities represent certain milestones children reach as part of the sensorimotor stage or attachment styles. Understanding these developmental milestones can help caregivers and educators provide appropriate stimulation and support for children in their early years.
Reference
Infant cognition (Ch5&6). (n.d.). [Lecture notes].