This pilot study is an exploratory investigation into the effectiveness of the routine and systematic use of a specific play intervention common in many mainstream early years settings meeting the needs of children with autistic spectrum disorders. The intervention, known locally as Tabletop Identiplay, combines the use of a play script with adult…

The influence of older peers on younger children's emerging symbolic play was examined for 24 young children in eight participating long-day child-care centres. Toddler participants (aged from 17 to 31 months) were observed and video-taped in three conditions in free play in the outdoor environment as follows: condition one, with their same-age…

This article deals with playthings and equipment that encourage child initiated play. Physical objects refer to concrete items within the play setting, such as balls, bats, craft supplies, playground equipment, musical instruments, and so forth. Social objects are other people, such as leaders, friends, teachers, and other participants. People are…

The purpose of this paper is to present data demonstrating the differential pattern of association among play behaviors and developmental age that emerge for children with and without mental retardation across play situations. Seventeen preschool children with mental retardation and 17 preschool children without mental retardation were matched on…

Studies indicate that young children's literacy learning can be promoted in a play setting. Literacy interactions, strategies, and activities in the children's play environment can facilitate their acquisition of literacy. In literacy-related play experiences, children select and utilize their abilities that are essential for literacy learning in…

This study examined the effects of different recess timing regimens on preschoolers classroom attention. Using cognitive immaturity theory, we predicted that attention to a classroom task would be greater after a recess break. We also examined the extent to which different recess timing regimens related to post-recess attention. Participants were…

The author argues that American educators rely on standardized tests at too early an age when administered in kindergarten, particularly given the original intent of kindergarten as envisioned by its founder, Friedrich Froebel. The author examines the current use of standardized tests in kindergarten and the Froebel model, including his emphasis…

In this article, the author discusses how to motivate students and put fun back in the classroom. Through the inservice training on a Basic Intensive Week in William Glasser's Choice Theory, he learns that human beings are motivated by five basic human needs, fun, being one of them, is the genetic reward for learning. However, what is fun for one…

Play is important in child development and learning. The intent of this study was to assess the effects of play, using physical movement and pretend imagery, on learning dance. Four preschool dance classes, encompassing 32 children ages 3-6, were randomly divided into pretend imagery groups and traditional teaching groups. The classes were…

The 18 preschool teachers in the study tended to agree that preschool education for 4-year-olds should foremost be fun and engaging, not stressful. Teachers should develop curricula based on children's interests and everyday lives, and allow children to choose their activities and to direct their own play and exploration at their own pace. The…

The general European discourse of childhood presents children as innocent and vulnerable, but within this discourse different images of "the perfect child" exist. In this article ideals for upbringing are studied as they are represented in French, German and Dutch printed advertisements for children's products. The sample consists of 290…

This article reports on ongoing work in initial teacher education (ITE) where student teachers have been required to observe and record children's play, to describe and analyse this, and to consider the pedagogical implications. They have been introduced to a theoretical background, which takes into account the increasingly multi-modal nature of…

No Child Left Behind, Reading First, Early Reading First, Good Start, Grow Smart ... the current whirlwind of education initiatives in the United States commits millions of dollars of federal money to "scientifically based" reading and early literacy development. In 2003, President Bush directed Head Start programs across the country to…

Examined the underlying structure and factorial validity of the Children's Playfulness Scale in evaluating preschool children's behavior. Found that factor loadings, factor variances/covariances, and error variances/covariances are invariant across calibration and validation groups, indicating the good cross-generalizability of the scale. (JPB)

Scientific learning in the early years quite correctly focuses on the development of skills. However, at this stage of learning, science should also be about developing motivational attitudes to encourage children to explore the world around them and convince them that science is an exciting subject. Practical experiential play activities do this…