Many studies have linked quality in early childhood education and care [ECEC] to school performance, but the mechanisms of how ECEC process quality affects children in ways that lead to improved school performance is unclear. In this study on 7431 children in Norway, we test the hypothesis that the relation between process quality in ECEC and…

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of musical play on the social skill development of third-grade students and to investigate the opinions of classroom teachers on the effect of musical play on the social skill development of their students. The study sample consists of 60 students: 30 in the experimental group, and 30 in the…

Young children are growing up in a digital age that is constantly evolving. They are experiencing new and emerging technologies, such as mobile devices, virtual reality, smart toys, voice-activated assistants, and social robots. This article focuses on exploring what social robots are and how they could disrupt and transform early childhood…

Primary school (i.e., Kindergarten to Grade 3) educators typically support students' social and emotional learning (SEL) through targeted lessons delivered in the classroom; however, integrating SEL strategies into other subject areas both within and outside the classroom context can expand their ability to support students' SEL. Research suggests…

Parent-teacher relationships are known to promote positive outcomes for young children in early childhood education; however, parents and teachers face barriers to forming quality relationships. To better understand how to support parents and teachers in forming quality relationships, the present systematic review sought to identify existing…

The paper presents the results of a survey conducted among preschool teachers in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, the aim of which was to investigate the attitudes of the participants towards the role of science in education and society. Recent global trends in economic development have introduced new educational concepts in national curricula…

The present article aims to systematically summarize the effects of free-play (FP) on preschool-aged children's physical activity (PA) level, and motor (MC), cognitive (CC), and socioemotional competence evaluated through randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. A systematic review of relevant articles was carried out using two electronic…

This study seeks to understand how children express themselves socially and emotionally in play negotiations in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. It addresses the following research questions: What strategies do children employ in play negotiations? How do these strategies manifest themselves socially and emotionally? The study…

Over the last two decades, early childhood education (ECE) has come to the top of the political agenda in New Zealand and internationally. The interest of governments and policy-makers in ECE has been driven by the thinking that an 'investment' in ECE is a key for a country's future social and economic development (OECD 2007, "Policy Brief:…

Literacy is the foundation of education and supporting young children's early literacy opportunities prepares them for a variety of learning experiences, both in traditional and non-traditional settings. Reading to shelter dogs in non-traditional settings may offer a space that is judgement-free and inviting for the development of motivation and…

Research suggests that 10%-20% of preschoolers have emotional and behavioral problems that would place them at-risk for development of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Preschool children who exhibit early onset of antisocial and externalizing problem behaviors require early social-behavioral interventions focused on social skills. A…

Decades of evidence demonstrates that a strong foundation in early childhood leads to healthier, more successful life outcomes. Developing socio-emotional skills and executive functions in this period of life improves academic outcomes, school readiness, and wellbeing, as well as work, health, wealth, and public safety outcomes. Thus, social and…

Considerable interest is directed to promoting children's success as they transition to kindergarten. It is generally proposed that children who experience lower levels of transition difficulties at kindergarten entry achieve higher academic and social-emotional gains, although this premise has seldom been explicitly evaluated in tandem with…

Children's peer-related social skills in early childhood set the stage for school readiness, social competence, and lifelong well-being. Preschoolers spend most of their classroom time in free choice, offering substantial opportunities for learning experiences that facilitate peer interactions that support social development. Yet, little is known…

This research explored if a social robot would play a role in facilitating the development of friendship between young children while they engage in playful learning. Grounded in child-robot interaction and child development literature, we instantiated four sessions of triadic interaction activities among two children and a robot, where the robot…