Children have a natural inclination to play and imagine themselves as characters. Research has supported theories that connect this pretend play and related theatrical play to the development of children's social and emotional skills, but the author contends we need further, more rigorous research on whether such play directly relates to such…

The symposium provides an overview of the Early Years STEM Australia (ELSA) program. The conceptual underpinnings of the program are framed within STEM practices, rather than traditional thinking concerning the integration of discipline content knowledge. We will argue that our focus on practices is more aligned with the play-based and intentional…

This study describes the development and evaluation of a behavioral parent training protocol via telecommunication for three parents of preschool children with autism, with limited access to behavioral expertise. A single-subject, multiple baseline experimental design across child behaviors, replicated across parents, was used to evaluate the…

The present study aims to investigate the association between parenting behaviours, children's daily activities and their cognitive development. Participants were 52 Turkish-German and 65 German pre-school children and their mothers, who were matched in terms of education level (10-12 years of schooling). Children's cognitive skills were assessed…

To ensure the best possible outcomes for young children with and without disabilities, early childhood educators must enter the classroom ready to conduct all types of early childhood assessment--including determining if children need additional services, planning and monitoring instruction, and determining program effectiveness. They'll get the…

This article addresses considerations for assessment and intervention planning in serving twice-exceptional preschool children. The authors propose blending recommended assessment practices in early childhood gifted education and early childhood special education in a comprehensive assessment process. In doing so, unique needs of twice-exceptional…

The purpose of this guidebook is to help persons interested in establishing a family day care program in their homes set up a quality learning environment that enhances children's cognitive development through play. Following a literature review showing the importance of play in Piaget's theory of child development, the author describes a…

A study of Newfoundland's and Labrador's Direct Home Services Program (DHSP) for families of developmentally delayed infants and preschool-age children evaluated current efforts and obtained data for use in the development of strategies for future interventions. The study had six purposes: (1) to examine parents' early experiences pertaining to…

This article presents two models for creating new developmentally appropriate preschool movement programs: CHAOS (Children Helping Adults Open Senses) at Eastern Connecticut State University and "KinderPlay" at Florida International University. CHAOS and KinderPlay utilize skill themes and movement concepts as their focus and incorporate…

Educational therapy and the procedures for use with neurologically impaired children are discussed. Areas considered are educational evaluation, including information from parents, the actual evaluation, and interpretation of the results; and program planning, including home training of the preschool child and ways in which the child's behavior…

This collection of articles deals with the plight of preschool children in developing countries and contemporary thought in the field of child care. In "Speaking Freely--Highlights of a Roundtable Discussion on the Preschool Child, with a 'Commentary' by Dr. William M. Schmidt," 18 doctors exchange ideas about the major problems in child…

The project reported on is designed to develop a model program of infant and child day care in a municipal setting. The development of the program is discussed under the following topics: (1) physical caregiving routines; (2) guided learning through play; (3) supervising children in free play; (4) staff guidance and communication: inservice…

National concern about the growing number of identified children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased efforts in the research field (National Research Council, 2001; Odom et al. 2003; Simpson, 2005) and the U.S. federal government (U.S. House of Representatives, 2005) to provide specific recommendations regarding appropriate…