Child Running Record Form Overview

Use this free Child Running Record Form to capture a snapshot of what a specific child is up to in your early learning play space over the course of 10 minutes.

Using The Child Running Record Form

First, complete the top section of the form to get started. Enter the observer’s name, the name of the child being observed, the reason for the observation, the location being observed, and the date.

Next, settle in to the environment you’re observing–try not to call attention to yourself. If you draw a lot of focus in the environment, you may end up observing a child asking you what you’re doing for 10 minutes. Things can go horribly wrong when you, as the observer, become the center of attention (minute 1–Chuy is wondering what I’m writing, minute 2–Chuy asked if I just wrote his name, minute 3–Chuy wants to write his name…)

You’ll want a clock, timer, or stopwatch handy, to track the minutes as they tick past. After you’ve faded into the background, start your 10-minute observation. Write what you observe the child doing during each minute of the observation in the corresponding box. Try to be neutral and unbiased in your observations. When the 10 minutes has passed, log the observation’s start and end time.

This form allows you to capture a 10-minute history of the child’s actions and interactions that you can use to better understand their developmental level, interests, behavior, language skills, and more.

Here’s The Free Child Running Record Form

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

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