Performance prediction

The Camouflage Disco is an exhibit within the Camouflage Disco Area of the Big Box area. This exhibit is unique in that it is intended for children of all ages to play and be fully engaged. The exhibit consists of high-energy music and projections for older children, as well as mirrors and low-energy soundtracks for younger children, making it common to see babies and five-year-old children interact with the exhibit simultaneously. Of the 26 total children observed, five were babies, seven were toddlers, 11 were between the ages of 3 and 4, and three were between the ages of 4 and 5. The results from this study showed that children spent an average of 1 minute 31 seconds playing within the camouflage disco. Among the age groups, babies spent the shortest time with an average of 72 seconds, toddlers spent an average of 96 seconds, children ages 3 to 4 spent the longest time with an average of 99.5 seconds, and children ages 4 to 5 spent an average of 80 seconds. The behaviors of children interacting within the Camouflage Disco were recorded using the behavioral checklist found as Item 15 in Appendix B. The results from these observations were compiled into a bar graph to determine the most common

behaviors from children of each age group. The bar graph can be found as Item 39 Appendix G and was used to create the commonly observed behaviors table for the Camouflage Disco, shown below as Table 10.

Camouflage Disco Commonly Observed Behaviors

Babies Toddlers Ages 3 to 4 Ages 4 to 5

Interacting with self Interacting with self Interacting with self Interacting with self Interacting with Crawling, Walking Copying Others Playing with others Walking, Running,

Jumping

Sitting, Standing Running, Jumping Reacting to Projections

Pointing at Mirror Walking, Running Dancing Reacting to animals

Touching Mirror Dancing Reacting to

Projections

Naming

projections/animals Reacting to Animals Pointing Reacting to music Performing

imaginative play

Table 10: Camouflage Disco Commonly Observed Behaviors

An analysis of the results from the observational study on the Camouflage Disco showed that children tend to interact independently of their caregiver more often as they grow older. This is demonstrated by the trend in the bar graph as well as by the simplified behavioral tables. The observed children between the of ages 4 and 5 spent 100% of their time interacting without their caregiver, while the observed babies averaged only 65% of their time interacting without their caregiver. The analysis also shows that children interact and play with one another more often as they grow older. Babies did not interact with other children during the observations, while toddlers spent 10% of their time with other children, children ages 3 to 4 spent 13% of their time with other children, and children ages 4 to 5 spent 33% of their time with other children.

During the observations, there was a clear separation between the behaviors of younger and older children as they interacted with the exhibit. As babies are still very early in the

developmental stages, they do not have the required motor skills to exhibit the same behaviors as children ages 4 to 5. Instead, most babies crawled or sat on the floor and observed the space

around them. Although they were too young to move with ease, they often reacted to the

projections on the floor by pointing or slapping at the insects or animals. Babies took a particular interest to the mirrors, often crawling over and touching their reflections on the mirror. Older children preferred the high-energy aspects of the exhibit by running through the open floor space and dancing to the music. The older children often reacted to the floor projections by chasing them across the floor and jumping onto the projections. Children ages 4 to 5 were observed naming the different projections on the floor, verbally stating names such as “footprints” and

“snake!” The verbal responses of children demonstrate that children are engaged and learning while interacting with the exhibit, as they are learning about various animals and speaking in loud and excited tones. Another observation unique to the 4 to 5 age group is the use of

imaginative play. Although only one of the 25 observed children were recorded displaying this behavior, the observer noticed other children ages 4 to 5 engaging in this type of play while recording behavior data on a different child.

Children of all ages showed scared or excited expressions during a particular soundtrack and projection, during which foot prints would lead children towards a realistic lion that would then light up and roar. However, this particular soundtrack and projection combination only occurred twice during the observation period and therefore is not sufficiently represented in the data. If a child is engaging with the Camouflage Disco exhibit during the time of this sequence, it can be expected that the child will show scared or excited expressions and possibly begin to cry, depending on age.

The commonly observed behaviors table created from the results and analysis of the observational study on the Camouflage Disco very closely replicates the expected behaviors table provided by Alexandra Price, shown as Item 6 in Appendix B. Both tables show clear trends in the decreasing caregiver interactivity with age, as well as an increase in interactions between children with age. The provided expected behaviors predict that babies will crawl across the floor, stimulated by the projections on the walls floor and the mirrors. Both of these

statements are proven to be true by the team’s analysis of the observation study above. The expected behaviors table shows older children will dance and react to the projections, which was also proven to occur by the observational study. The high level of similarity between the

expected behaviors and observed behaviors for the Camouflage Disco exhibit indicates that this exhibit is successful in achieving its intended goals.