Several early and contemporary theories of the role of play and make-believe are discussed. Studies which have examined the antecedents of social class differences in the young child's play are also explored and their implications for later development and education are analyzed. (Author/AM)

Children in grades 1-3 were asked to retell and explain a series of riddles. Ability to recall riddles was not predictive of ability to explain them. Three cognitive factors seemed to determine level of riddle competence. Implications concern the relationship of riddle competence to reading ability and metalinguistic facility. (CHK)

An experiment on children aged 2 to 7 led to a critical evaluation of Piaget's implicit contention that young children use determiners anaphorically. It is suggested that the importance of young children's processing procedures on the linguistic environment has been underestimated in Piaget's interactive epistemology. (CHK)

Offers an organizational perspective designed to illuminate processes of symbolic development in both normal and abnormal populations. Focuses on the symbolic system of Down Syndrome children. Data support the claim that the symbolic system of these children is intact. (RWB)

Provides a theoretical framework for thinking, from a developmental perspective, about the role of television as a "dominant activity" of American childhood. (PD)

Young children think and learn differently, yet early childhood education is now subject to new pressures. Many believe that early exposure to technology accelerates mental development and improves sensory and mental capacity. There is no factual support for this idea. Children who grow up with technology are not necessarily more proficient with…

Argues that since 17 percent of a child's growth occurs between four and six, kindergarten programs should stress all aspects of child development; cognitive, social, affective and psychomotor, rather than being school readiness programs. (MS)

Uncover critical information about children's emotional, social, physical, communicative, and cognitive development by observing their nonverbal expressions. "The Dancing Dialogue" shows how to assess the behavior and movement of children with a wide range of issues and to use what is learned interventions. Equally effective for those with…

Children's sociodramatic play is very much associated with their growing ability to use symbols for a variety of functional purposes external to the symbols themselves. Defining such play as "voluntary social role-playing involving two or more children," this paper draws on research on sociodramatic play to: (1) discuss the nature of…

One of the ways in which children of depressed parents are affected is in the area of cognitive schemata. In cognitive behavioral theory, schemata drive emotions and therefore influence behavior. Subsequently, a better understanding of the cognitive schemata of children of depressed parents is attempted in this paper. It offers a review of the…

Two studies examined children's first references to the mental states of perception, desire, and belief in themselves and others. In Study 1, children interacted with their mothers in a laboratory setting at 14, 20, and 32 months of age (n=52); in Study 2, children were observed in their homes at 3-month intervals from 18 to 42 months (n=32).…

Neurological research indicates that children's experiences, both inside and outside of school, significantly influence brain development. But little is known about children's out-of-school activities and the influence such activities may have on academic achievement. To better understand this relationship, the extra-school activities of 75…

Based on the view that adults are more effective in teaching positive behavior and in responding to children if they have some knowledge about child development, this pamphlet outlines children's typical abilities and behaviors at various ages from birth to 8 years. The pamphlet is designed to help parents protect their children as they grow up so…

The measurement of self concept and motivation of children ages 3 to 6 with an interview instrument is not an easy task. It has been accomplished with middle income, suburban children before. However, this same interview did not work well with low income, urban preschoolers. This study presents the preliminary psychometric work on a new interview…

Vygotsky is widely considered one of the most significant and influential psychologists of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, true appreciation of his theories has been hindered by a lack of understanding of the background to his thought. "Vygotsky's Developmental and Educational Psychology" aims to demonstrate how we can come to a new and…