The authors discuss loose parts -- pipe cleaners, acorns, fabric, stones, and so forth -- as versatile materials not originally intended for children's play that they can manipulate, modify, and use in their play activities. The authors review the historical foundations of loose parts play, focusing on influential individuals and theories, and…

The nature play movement has gained global attention, as early childhood spaces have been transforming from manufactured playgrounds to incorporating nature-based play spaces with a focus on natural elements and features. Despite the growing evidence base indicating that nature play is beneficial for children's health and development, there…

This research investigates the influence of color-filtered lighting in relation to biophilic design, specifically within the preschool learning environment where design elements impact early childhood development. Among various architectural design components, research underscores the pivotal role of lighting in affecting children's pleasantness…

Research on children's risky play and young children's risk taking is a relatively new research area that has drawn the attention of many researchers in the last decades. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no earlier studies have measured the prevalence of risky play when children can freely choose what to play, with whom, and where. Most research on…

Children's risk-taking is increasingly acknowledged as an important part of early childhood education. Previous research has predominantly focussed on children's engagement with, and educators' perspectives on, children's risk-taking in outdoor physical play. However, little attention has been paid to how educators conceptualise children's…

Risky play is defined as thrilling and challenging forms of play that have the potential for physical injury and has been linked to development and health benefits for children in the early years. These benefits include risk-assessment skills, increased physical activity and well-being, and promoting social competencies and resilience. Currently,…

Young children's use of their Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environment affordances, and especially the affordances of the floor, is an under researched area, both in Greece and internationally. This paper draws on findings from an ethnographic case study research conducted in Greece and presents an account of children's…

What does it mean to inquire? Grownups would say it means to question, to search for information, or to finding out about a topic of interest. For children in an early childhood classroom, the definition is no different. From the time of their birth, children want to know how the world works and actively seek out information. How educators respond…

Mixed methods research (MMR) is useful for addressing complex and multidisciplinary urban problems. This article demonstrates an integrated MMR approach with a novel two-phase exploratory sequential design while studying play, play space, and children's (age 7-15 years) location preference for play in three residential areas in Dhaka. We used…

Time spent outdoors benefits children's physical, social and psychological development, although children today spend far less time outdoors than children of previous generations. The nature-based school initiative has grown in popularity as a means of increasing children's connection with nature and harnessing its benefits for their educational…

This study examines the effectiveness of an intervention course for changing early childhood pre-service teachers' understanding of children's risky play. Twenty-six of the early childhood pre-service teachers who were enrolled in this course filled out an open-ended questionnaire at the beginning and end of the six-week course. Data from the pre…

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics' primary mission is to enhance data collection and reporting on children and families. "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2013" provides the Nation with a summary of national indicators of children's well-being and monitors changes in these indicators.…

A growing body of literature indicates that humans need contact with nature for their wellbeing, however at the same time young children are becoming increasingly separated from the natural world as their access to the outdoors diminishes. The importance of school and prior-to-school settings in connecting children with nature has been…

This year's Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics' (Forum) report provides the Nation with carefully selected key national indicators of children's well-being and monitors changes in these indicators. The purposes of this report are to improve reporting of Federal data on children and families; make the most relevant data on the…

This year's "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being" continues more than a decade of dedication and collaboration by agencies across the Federal Government to advance our understanding of our Nation's children and what may be needed to bring them a better tomorrow. "America's Children in Brief, 2018"…