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…

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…

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 article provides practitioners with a guide to (1) understand the developmental emergence of play skills in young children to inform developmentally appropriate instructional decisions (e.g., toy choices); (2) set up the play space to support social play; and (3) use key strategies from an evidence-based intervention for young children with…

"Developmentally appropriate practice" (DAP) is a term tossed about by practitioners as if everyone understands exactly what it means. DAP seems self-explanatory in that it requires educators to use only those strategies for teaching and discipline that are appropriate for the age of the child. The basic tenet of DAP rests on the assumed knowledge…

The normal developmental challenges experienced during early childhood as well as more significant emotional and behavioral problems require that parents and caregivers communicate effectively. The manner in which parents and caregivers communicate with each other about children's behavior can have a significant and lasting impact on children,…

The theory of emotional intelligence has elicited great interest both in the academic and the nonacademic world. Therapists, educators, and parents want to know what they can do to help children develop their emotional intelligence. However, most of the research in this field has investigated adults' emotional intelligence. This study reviews the…

ZERO TO THREE's parenting survey, Parenting Infants and Toddlers Today (Hart Research Associates, 2010) revealed a number of interesting findings that provided useful insights into how professionals can better support parents and other caregivers. The insights from the survey provided an opportunity for ZERO TO THREE to develop new resources to…

Nurturing potential is a critical aspect of development for young children with and without disabilities, especially if a child is gifted. This article provides resources that offer ideas for family members and professionals on how to recognize and support each child's strengths. Many of the materials specifically address nurturing potential in…

Each year, approximately 100,000 refugees arrive in the United States (Refugee Council USA). Nearly half of these arrivals are children. The number of refugees worldwide has more than sextupled since the 1950s, and according to the United States Committee for Refugees and immigrants (USCRI) this number is expected to continue to grow in coming…

Almost 300,000 children in the United States from birth to 3 years of age are affected by a developmental disability. Disabilities have a lasting effect on a child's development and, in turn, may have a psychosocial impact on the child's family. In addition, the limitations of a child with a disability are often related to family members' stress,…

This secondary analysis of the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, a randomized study of program participation of children and families in Early Head Start (that is, enrolled in programming prior to children's first birthdays) investigated sociodemographic (race and ethnicity, income level, and maternal education level) and program…

Bruce Perry's "Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics" (NMT) has great potential for enriching how children are cared for in families and in the social institutions charged with treating emerging disorders in young children. The NMT also suggests that many, if not most, currently used interventions seem pale and destined to have little or no effect…

This article provides early childhood practitioners a way to develop a common understanding of the importance of play in the early learning experience of young children. Meaningful discussion among teachers, parents, administrators, and teacher candidates regarding play in early childhood education programs is critical to ensure the growth and…

The home is the most frequently used location for providing early intervention supports and services. However, practices to address child development outcomes have shifted from direct, hands-on "treatment" to supporting families through collaboration and consultation so that they can promote their child's development by using identified…