Revised | Originally Published: July 3, 2021 @ 4:55 pm

Overview

Use this free Child Observation Form for periodic assessment of a child’s development or when you’re attempting to make sense of a behavior you’ve observed.

Using The Child Observation Form

To use the form, first enter the following information:

• Observer’s Name
• Child’s Name
• Child’s Age
• Date Of Observation
• Observation Start and End Time (The time range can be as little as 5 minutes or up to an hour or more)
• The Setting (Block Area, Sand Pit, Playing With Play Dough, etc.)
• The Reason For The Observation

During your observation time, jot down what you see in the large box on the form’s first page. Try to be a neutral observer–avoid letting any biases or preconceived ideas color your observations.

Once your observation time is up, try to break down what you observed into the four developmental areas on the second page. Do this as soon as you can after the observation so that things are still fresh in your mind.

Next, answer the questions on the bottom of page 2. You may want to let some time pass before doing this so that you can reflect on what you observed.

After that, make use of your observations. At least consider making changes to the play environment or other aspects of your setting that would help make the space more learning rich and child-friendly.

Finally, file away the completed form for future reference. Completing a 10-minute observation once a month for a child’s first 3 years would provide an amazing snapshot of their developmental journey.

Here’s The Free Child Observation Form

Download it, print it, and use it to help better understand what’s happening in your early learning environment:

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