Access to playful experiences outdoors is critical for children's learning and development. With a significant amount of young children attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings (OECD, OECD Publishing, 2023), these programs have an important role in furthering children's equitable access to outdoor play. As part of a larger…

Assessments provide teachers with essential information regarding children's learning. Alternative education systems offer insight into ways that assessments can be redesigned to be developmentally appropriate to particular ages, including unique stances on what defines assessment, who should assess, and what should be assessed. We examined themes…

The purpose of this study is to explore a theoretical idea in relation to a body of empirical material from a reading activity involving a picturebook on shadow. The theoretical idea, sprung from variation theory, entails children's discernment through synchronic simultaneity as a key to their ability to imagine. To explore this idea, an analysis…

Despite the variety of positive influences siblings have on developmental outcomes, very few interventions targeting these outcomes include siblings. In this article, we argue that practitioners should consider including siblings in interventions. We provide evidence highlighting the positive influence siblings have on three developmental…

Research on children's literature focuses on preschool children's books (children aged 3-6) and on juvenile fiction, yet is lacking in studies on toddler books (ages 0-3). In this paper, I present a definition of the genre of "toddler books" (often referred to as "boardbooks," despite it including non-boardbooks), while…

This study considered the influences of the home learning environment and preschool quality on the development of 5-year-old Chinese (N = 43) and South Asian (N = 32) children in Hong Kong. Children were recruited from two preschools--one admitted only South Asian children, and the other admitted only Chinese children. Children were assessed in…

Adverse experiences in early childhood may directly and indirectly impact children's development, including their preparedness to learn in their preschool and kindergarten classes. However, like many other developmental processes, these skills can be supported through positive experiences and resources in a child's environment. This work uses the…

This study analyzed the fit of data collected with the Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships for 3- to 5-year-olds (MEISR 3-to-5-years-old) to a proposed theoretical model based on the cross-walk of MEISR 3-to-5-years-old items and codes from 7 chapters of the Activities and Participation component of the International…

Policies related to the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms have led to questions regarding how teachers can help cultivate inclusive learning communities where all children are supported and valued. In play-based kindergarten programs, teachers are tasked with ensuring goals for children's learning and development are…

This article examines the effects of Montessori music-movement activities on the development of the rhythmic abilities of 59 children from Montessori preschools, aged between 3 and 6 years. Children were deployed into two experimental groups (EG 1 (n = 20) & EG 2 (n = 22)) and a control group (CG) (n = 17). Our intervention consisted of…

Drama therapy incorporates play, imaginary engagement, embodiment, and perspective taking to promote interpersonal skills and affective functioning. Existing school-based drama therapy (SBDT) research has demonstrated utility with select populations; however, much of the SBDT literature has featured disparate findings. Absent from the current…

Due to the lack of tools that can be easily used by practitioners, there is a need to develop acceptable embedded ways to assess children's fine motor skill development within early childhood education and care settings. This study examined the validity and reliability of a brief and ecologically valid fine motor assessment tool for preschool-aged…

This study examined the role of parenting practices on preschoolers' secure exploratory behaviors; specifically, the extent to which parenting practices mediate the relationship between socio-economic status, perceived neighborhood support, parental depression and children's exploratory behaviors. The participants (n = 3268) were parents of young…

Making mistakes and receiving feedback are crucial elements of learning. Reading picturebooks with young children can help shape their perceptions of mistakes and model adaptive responses they can emulate, both in the short term and for years to come. This content analysis identified and analyzed the story characteristics of 25 recently published…

A unique component of early childhood involves understanding how caregivers and educators promote children's developmental outcomes, with play opportunities being a key avenue for enhancing these skills. Targeted coaching is one type of support that can tap into active family engagement during playful learning. This collective case study examined…