The Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) program encourages reading among families of preschool children by mailing age-appropriate books, once per month, until the child reaches the age of five. An evaluation of a DPIL program in a southern state in the U.S. was conducted to assess the impact on enrolled children. Focus groups were conducted…

Learning disabilities are currently conceptualised as involving underlying weaknesses in cognitive processing, which has prompted growing interest in cognitive interventions that may alleviate learning challenges. One such programme , the Arrowsmith programme, targets a broad array of cognitive domains, but has not been evaluated. This study…

Mind in the Making and Vroom are partner initiatives that exemplify a unique "civic science" approach to "bringing developmental science into the world." Mind in the Making offers families and professionals working with children 0-8 access to developmental research, by engaging them in an active process of professional…

Pre-reading and early childhood literacy skills are important for brain development and fundamental to a child's long-term cognitive and social well-being. As such, the fostering of these skills is an important preventive health measure. Family physicians can play key roles in encouraging parents to routinely read with their children. However, in…

"Music and Talent" is an educational project for children between 3 and 9 years old. The aim of the project is to use music and musical intelligence as resources for enhancing important skills in social and cognitive development. These skills are self-esteem, self-confidence, motivation, social and emotional relationships, and…

Learning ought to be supported by both in class activities and outdoor activities contributing to structuring knowledge. Outdoor activities allow children to actively participate and to learn by doing. Learning requires a lot of work and activities. These activities, which provide primary experiences, help children to change theoretical knowledge…

We review the development of the Jamaican home visiting intervention for children under 4 years and its evidence base. The intervention has focused on supporting mothers to promote the development of their children through interacting in a responsive way, labelling the environment and activities. The curriculum is structured and cognitively…

The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of home-based programmes aimed specifically at improving developmental outcomes for preschool children from socially disadvantaged families. The authors searched the following databases between 7 October and 12 October 2010: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2010,…

The early childhood years (conception to age 8) are not only the most critical time for human growth but also for development and learning. Neurological and behavioral scientists document how inadequate stimulation and interactions can disrupt basic neural circuitry and cause long-term challenges for child's cognitive development. Yet, despite the…

Noting that an examination of play from diverse perspectives deepens understanding and opens up new avenues for research and educational practice, this book brings together studies, research syntheses, and critical commentaries that examine play-literacy relationships from cognitive, ecological, and cultural perspectives. Each set of chapters is…

The article describes the Chapel Hill Gifted Handicapped Project (housed at the University of North Carolina) designed to develop a model and field tested curricula for gifted and handicapped preschoolers. (SBH)

Presents implications for consideration by community, parents, educators, and policymakers if guided by the recommendations of the final report on the "Early Years Study" by McCain and Mustard. Cautions against an overemphasis on brain development during the early years and against viewing children as capital for social policy purposes.…

Describes project SWING (Starting With Individual Growth), a comprehensive preschool education program for children at risk of a wide range of learning or social difficulties. (Author/RH)

Young, sexually abused children should be identified and treated as early as possible. Structured and directive treatment proceeding at a regular pace achieves greater success than an unstructured, nondirective approach. Structure reduces anxiety for the children, parents, and therapists. (Author/BB)

Describes and evaluates a Head Start project, Bringing Out Head Start Talents, designed to train staff, parents, and volunteers to identify and develop appropriate programming for funtionally or potentially gifted children, and to develop procedures to ensure smooth transitions and appropriate programming in public schools. (BB)