The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory and the Rheingold and Cook Checklist were respectively used to assess the home environments of children whose mothers were married/working, married/nonworking, or divorced/working. (Author/MP)

In this article, the authors review "The Music, Movement, and Learning Connection," written by early childhood educator and musician Hap Palmer in the September 2001 issue of Young Children, which is of significant interest to parents and teachers. As trained musicians, the authors agree with Palmer's message about music's positive effect on…

This document, the first in a four-part series, presents a synopsis of a Geneva research report delivered at Cornell University (New York). It describes a study in which 10-month-old infants were given intermittent free-play opportunities to manipulate 18 objects. Regularly presented in disarray were 6 balls, 6 sticks, and 6 open cubes; each set…

The value of language and intellectual stimulation in young children is stressed in a report designed for health administrators and family planning organizations. First year developmental milestones are outlined, and a baby's need for attention as well as the need to provide information on speech and intellectual development to parents are…

Notes that, to enhance a baby's brain development, more stimulation is not necessarily better. Suggests that parents strike a balance by following baby's cues about what makes him or her happy, curious, or bored; read to the baby often; and allow them time and space for individual exploration. Also suggests setting guidelines and limits for…

Normal infants were administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 6 months and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale at 3 years. At 6 months the quality of stimulation found in the early environment was measured. Results indicate that home environment may contribute to instability of performance on infant tests. (GO)

Vocal and object-directed behaviors of parents and infants were examined according to the social-construction view of development. Interactions of 66 infant-parent dyads were observed. Normative changes and stability of individual differences of joint-action variables and the relation of these variables to 30-month cognitive-development status…

Noting current brain development research, this book offers simple, straightforward ways to boost children's brain power with active exploration, repetition, sensory exploration, laughter, and more. The chapters describe how and why the brain develops and explain how parents can give their children the best foundation for future learning.…

Notes that rough-and-tumble play must be considered in the context of social values; has beneficial influences on children's cognitive and social development; and is distinguishable from aggression. Makes a case for the use of socializing techniques in conjunction with rough and tumble play. (LB)

This study examines the influence of social context on the home environment for children aged 0 to 14years, testing for differences between Cubans (n = 47), Mexicans (n = 240), Mexican Americans (n = 415), and Puerto Ricans (n = 162). Hierarchical linear models showed significant cultural and acculturation effects on the trajectories of cognitive…

Cortical blindness is defined and its diagnosis is explained. Guidelines and sample activities are presented for use in a cognitive/visual/multi-sensory stimulation program to produce progress in cortically blind infants. The importance of using the eyes from birth through early development in order to form the nerve pathways responsible for…

This document reports a study investigating the effects of father absence on measures of cognitive, social, and motivational development in infancy. The sample included 54 black infants, 27 of whom were classified "father-absent." This classification was based on two indices, (1) a dichotomy of father-absent or father-present based on…

Assesses ability of infant tests to predict language and cognitive development and to detect infants at risk for developmental problems. The Bayley Mental Development Index was particularly capable of detecting infants at risk for developmental delay. The Caldwell Inventory of Home Stimulation identified home environment as a key factor in…

To identify the characteristics of early intervention programs most predictive of growth in participants' competencies, a comparison was made of the effects of three different Iowa Head Start programs on teachers, mothers, and children. Three agencies with home-based, three with center-based, and three with combination programs from rural areas…