Throughout an individual's life, one grows and develops based on the changes in their surroundings. This statement can be proven after my extensive research and observation of a group of kids playing at the local playground. These kids are around 8- 9 years of age. Through their various activities, I have observed that small little things they do can lead to a big change in their behavior and thinking,

When first stepping foot onto the playground, I immediately realized the kids would already assign "roles" for each other. They would use a sense of leadership and teamwork and ponder upon what game to play next. One child usually takes the lead in proposing the game and they all vote on what they want to play. Within a couple of minutes, the children would start their game and engage thoroughly in whatever they were doing.

After some time, the kids started to get bored and the leader of the group suggested that they move on and start a new game. Agreeing, the other kids gathered and wondered again about what game to play next.

They finally decided on Spider, a game similar to Lava where the ground was the "danger zone" and only the actually play structure was the "safe zone".The player who was "It" would close his or her eyes and try to tag the others on the play structure but when the player yells "Spider!" the other members must be on a play structure or they are out.

While the kids were occupied with this game, I realized that this game was actually contributing to the children's sense of communication. I saw the kids would be whispering to each other about where to go next and what the best strategy would be to not get caught. They were constantly talking to each other and plotting master plans about how to be victorious against the "It" player.

Towards the end of the 45 minute I visited the park, I saw that the kids would just run around and play with the structure itself. They would get tired of playing games and would just go from slide to swing to monkey bars to seesaw. This engagement of the different structures shows the physical development of the children.

So,through a visit to the playground,children can not only improve their social skills but can use physical strengths to ensure a good time at the park for themselves.

As shown through the various activities the children engage in, it is shown that a small action can, in fact, lead to better skills to be used in the real world. These actions may seem minor at first but with time, the children are sure to grow and develop as needed.