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

Overview

Here’s a DAP Observation form we put together using the 5 Key Developmental Domains favored here at Playvolution HQ. It’s intended to help users observe DAP (Developmentally Appropriate Practice) during play. We hope this form will help caregivers and parents pay more attention to the depth and breadth of learning taking place during play.

Using The DAP Observation Form

The form can be used in two ways:

While observing play, jot notes about your observations in each DAP domain. For example, while observing children playing with play dough, you might note the children are using their upper body strength to press the dough flat under Physical Development or the amount of conversation between children under Communicative Development.

It can also be used to perform a frequency count. First, decide how long you will observe (this can be noted in the form’s margins). Then, as you observe children at play, simply add a tally mark to a category each time you observe an activity that fits that developmental area. For example, observing kids self-organizing and taking turns while playing with ramps would warrant a tally mark under Social Emotional Development, and seeing them use masking tape to keep ramps from slipping would mean a tally mark under Cognitive Development.

Here’s The Free DAP 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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