This vital two-volume handbook summarizes current and emerging research and clinical evidence to provide a working knowledge of the contributions of pediatric psychology, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and developmental science, and promote the integration of these disciplines to improve child and adolescent health and well-being. In a…

This book champions the unique knowledge, skills and behaviours of early years (EY) practitioners, and shows how they can exercise individuality in response to the diverse needs of children and their families. Fully mapped to the requirements of the new Early Years Lead Practitioner HTQ, this practical guide offers a reflective and challenging…

For a century, America's early childhood policy has been premised on a myth. This falsehood--which dictates that child care and education are somehow separate and distinct--not only suboptimizes the most important window into all human development, but costs American taxpayers an untold fortune. It's time to think differently. Written in plain yet…

"Systems Approach to Early Childhood Development: Bridging Theory, Policy and Practice" offers a comprehensive and compelling, evidence-based roadmap for strengthening development in early childhood years. Drawing on neuroscience, developmental psychology, developmental diversity and laws for protecting children, the book presents the…

This user-friendly guide uses narrative storytelling to describes the principles of early relational health with direct application to day-to-day work with infants and parents. Practitioners on the front lines often feel great pressure to know "what to do" in a wide range of challenging situations. Drawing on both developmental science…

Background: Early childhood development (ECD) practitioners are encouraged to implement play pedagogies and their views of play as a pedagogy in rural settings have not been captured widely. They are the main role players in implementing play pedagogies for learners' learning and development. The commitment to play can be traced through theory and…

"Working Well with Babies" describes the comprehensive competencies (including the knowledge, dispositions, and skills) that educators of infants and toddlers must have to provide optimal support for infants and toddlers. Designed as a learning resource for both in-service and pre-service infant/toddler practitioners, this text details…

This book provides a scientific foundation for the design of physical education and movement education in early childhood, focusing on the key development stage between 3 and 6 years of age. Drawing on cutting-edge contemporary research, the book examines physical education as a process for promoting holistic development and well-being of children…

The host of the internationally popular early childhood podcast "That Early Childhood Nerd" provides a framework for understanding the importance of free play. Free play is disappearing from the lives of too many young children, leaving them vulnerable to negative effects on their physical and mental health, social and emotional growth,…

This book equips early childhood professionals to grow their "screen awareness"--the knowledge and practices that uphold the developmental well-being and rights of children in a screen-based, media-centric society. The authors introduce the Screen-Aware Framework for Early Childhood (SAFEC), a versatile approach for making informed,…

Art education, which contributes to a wide range of activities from supporting children's fine motor development to increasing aesthetic sensitivity, is a basic learning area that supports children's creativity and strengthens their sensory and cognitive development in the preschool period. The purpose of the research is to create a roadmap for…

This brief provides policymakers and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of the purpose, characteristics, uses, and types of Kindergarten Entry Assessments (KEAs). It emphasizes the importance of high-quality KEAs in guiding instructional practices and assessing developmental progress in young learners. It highlights that high-quality KEAs…

Scaffolding is the process through which a learner is provided with support to complete a task that surpasses their individual abilities (Van de Pol et al., 2010). The purpose of this article is to describe a framework to support early childhood educators' reflection and intentional planning of scaffolding to support children's development within…

This book is an exploration of story and its importance in early childhood. It provides a thorough theoretical foundation, and considers how to practically implement the use of stories to aid children's wellbeing and holistic development. The chapters cover topics including cognitive and emotional development, creativity, play, mathematics,…

With the growing understanding of the importance of early childhood, leaders in many communities are looking for concrete ideas about how to improve the lives of young children and their families in their communities. They are looking for information and guidance about where to put their resources and energy, how to implement effective programs…