TRANSITIONAL OBJECTS1

Transitional Objects

Following the American Psychological American Style Guide

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Professor

Introduction

This essay will respond to the following questions. What are transitional objects? What are some examples of transitional objects that me or others whom I know had? What role do transitional objects play in the emotional development of the toddler? I will want to refer back to Lesson 5.

For Part 2 of this assignment, I will provide five strong examples to describe the role of the early childhood professional in enhancing physical and motor development in children ages six through eight? I will want to refer back to Lesson 8.

Part 1

What are transitional objects? Transitional objects for a toddler include the actual crib in which they used to sleep in as a baby which will change to a small child’s bed that a toddler would sleep in. Transitional objects may include but do not always have to include the food that a toddler will eat. If the baby was eating baby food and being breast fed, then the toddler would then start eating food that is appropriate for a toddler. However, there is an encouragement for many baby’s to fed the same food that adults eat in order to grow strong and healthy (Winnicott, 1986).

Transitional objects can also include the toys that are in the lives of the babies in comparison to the toys that are in the lives of a toddler. There are certain toys that are more appropriate for a baby than they are for a toddler. For example, softer toys that a baby can chew on or plastic toys that a baby can play with and/or rattle are more age appropriate for a baby (Blakemore, LaRue Olejnik, 1979). Whereas, toys that are more appropriate for a toddler may include small trucks and/or cars for boys or girls, or even electronic games or even dolls which have a slightly harder composition than a soft-structured toy (Blakemore, LaRue Olejnik, 1979). All of these are transitional objects for toddlers.

As having already given examples of transitional objects for toddlers, the role that transitional objects play in the emotional development of a toddler, well a pet could be used as an example. If you have a pet such as dog that is a friendly one and good with toddlers, then this will improve the affinity that a toddler will have towards for their lives (Triebenbacher, 1998). However, if you have a pet, such as a dog, that is not good with children and attacks the child – this will develop an emotional anxiety level in the child towards dogs and also is an illegal act for the dog to attack the child that is highly punishable in any court of law (Triebenbacher, 1998).

Part 2

Five strong examples that an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) can use in order to improve the physical and motor skills of a toddler include the following:

  • Use of the monkey bars in a park.
  • Playing on a swing in a park.
  • Use of the slide in a park.
  • Encouraging swimming lessons.
  • Encouraging walks out in nature.

All of these elements can be successfully used in order to improve the physical and the motor skills of a toddler and/or children, and in some cases babies as well depending on the activity Ulrich & Sanford, 1985).

Conclusion

This essay responded to the following questions. What are transitional objects? What are some examples of transitional objects that me or others whom I know had? What role do transitional objects play in the emotional development of the toddler? I referred back to Lesson 5.

For Part 2 of this assignment, I provided five strong examples to describe the role of the early childhood professional in enhancing physical and motor development in children ages six through eight? I referred back to Lesson 8.

References

Blakemore, J. E., LaRue, A. A., & Olejnik, A. B. (1979). Sex-appropriate toy preference and the

ability to conceptualize toys as sex-role related.Developmental Psychology,15(3), 339.

Triebenbacher, S. L. (1998). Pets as transitional objects: Their role in children's emotional

development.Psychological reports,82(1), 191-200.

Ulrich, D. A., & Sanford, C. B. (1985).Test of gross motor development. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.

Winnicott, D. W. (1986). 10. Transitional Objects and Transitional Phenomena: A Study of the

First Not-Me.Essential papers on object relations, 254.