This dissertation examines the meaning-making of children (ages 2-5) as they read and play with picture books related to social justice themes, such as identity and diversity, in a preschool and childcare center. The study goal is to investigate the analysis of children's meaning-making of picture books to understand the social world around them…

The paper outlines the design of a LEGO Serious Play (LSP)-based undergraduate management module delivered to a diverse group of students, and consequently evaluates the LSP workshops. It argues for the importance of participatory and co-creational approaches to management education, and demonstrates that LSP is a method that has the potential to…

Background: Studies of early caregiver-mediated interventions targeting social communication of young autistic children have yielded variable child outcomes. This study examined the effects of combining two caregiver-mediated interventions on caregiver strategy use and child social communication and language outcomes. Method: This was a multisite…

This study aims to investigate the relationship between dramatic play and self-regulation in preschool age. The descriptive correlational methodology is utilized using three tools: dramatic play questionnaire, self-regulation scale (Head, Toes, Knees, and Shoulders), and children's interviews. The sample of the study consists of 60 children aged…

Loose parts is often an ambiguous term with different interpretations depending on the context. Using the search parameters, a scoping review was implemented to narrow down over 2,400 articles related to "loose parts," "early childhood," and "outdoor classrooms" to 15 articles for in-depth review. From the selected…

Children are always learning. Innovative initiatives that offer opportunities for learning and skill building in environments outside of school are as important as ones designed for the classroom.

Play provides an opportunity for students to learn information and concepts in an active format while facilitating different ways of learning. This puzzle activity is designed to increase student engagement, leverage different learning styles, help students make connections in communication theories, and enhance memory of important communication…

Playing enhances learning. Teachers who recognize and foster the science and engineering practices of playful endeavors push the envelope of children's thinking. Play is purposeful learning, and it serves an important role in human development. Researchers define play as exploratory, process oriented, intrinsically motivating, and freely chosen…

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with challenges in social cognitive ability, Research comparing PWS to ASD is important given the implication of 15q11-q13 region in the biology of autism. However, recent findings question the accuracy of relying solely on parent report in behavioral…

Play is an important part of early childhood education and has been defined from different perspectives and paradigms. However, definitions of play have been studied more from adults' perspectives than from those of children themselves. This ethnographic research, with children aged three to five years and built on sociological constructs, will…

The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes of university students to play educational games and games consisting of physical activity. Totally, 514 students (187 male, 327 female) were taken part in this research. Data was gathered through Attitudes to Play Games Consist of Physical Activity Scale (Playfulness Scale) which was developed by…

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate fewer and less varied play behaviors than children with typical development. This article describes two studies designed to increase two aspects of play complexity--diverse play actions and sequential play actions--in a child with ASD. In Study 1, we use a multitreatment single-case…

With the unprecedented increase of forced displacement in recent years, there has been a growing concern with how children from migrant and refugee backgrounds adjust to resettlement in Western schools. Adopting a sociocultural approach to science education, the authors explore how scientific concepts related to the water cycle and practices such…

Children's mathematical knowledge at school entry varies considerably and predicts long-term achievement outcomes. Differences in children's exposure to math and number talk at home may help to explain variations in school-entry math ability. However, nearly all research on exposure to math and number talk has been conducted with parents and…

Adaptations for specific cultural populations are needed to respond to children affected by natural disasters. After Hurricane María, we provided disaster response training to mental health professionals and Disaster Response Play Therapy services to children in Puerto Rico. In this article, we describe culturally specific, field-tested…