Play and playgrounds provide essential experiences for young children's growth, development and enjoyment of life. However, such play experiences are now limited for many children due to excessive fear of risk, or "surplus safety". In this article, the authors examine the pervasiveness of surplus safety in the lives of young children.…

Quality preschool education enhances the social, cognitive and language development of children. Children in an enriched environment are more likely to be emotionally secure, self-confident and proficient in language use. Preschool settings where staff have higher qualifications demonstrate higher-quality education and provide children with better…

This article reports on a study based on interviews with 40 parents in Singapore. The study examined parents' views about their children's development and learning, and how these were or were not congruent with the views and practices of the childcare centre the children were attending. Findings showed that, although there were some similarities,…