This study investigated the relationship between children's response to the colors black and white and their interracial behavior. Subjects were 20 black and white male and female preschoolers. The children were observed in a free play situation on a playground. Color preference and attitudes were measured in three different ways. (MS)

Advocates the use of recess meetings to help children succeed socially. Describes case studies of use of recess meetings in a first- and third-grade class, showing how teachers got to know each child better, and detailing how children were better able to express ideas, share experiences, voice concerns, solve problems, and laugh. (Author/SD)

Advocates play in a child's life. Describes how science fiction seizes the imaginations of young readers with its tales of the future and of outer space. Talks about various nonfiction books about space. Elaborates a workshop on books about space exploration. Gives 10 questions about stimulating student response. (PA)

A study investigated the interaction, play, and other behaviors of 24 preschoolers with visual impairments in the indoor play areas of two programs. Children interacted and played at lower levels than expected and their learning medium (visual or tactile) affected amount of interaction and amount and type of play. (Author/CR)

Suggests that banning superhero play is not most effective means of dealing with children's exposure to inappropriate television. Maintains that valid data on possible increases in classroom superhero play are not available, superhero play may fulfill some developmental functions, and superhero play may provide an opportunity to teach about values…

Reports on an intervention for labeled children (N=6) in elementary schools that engaged them in nondirective child-centered play therapy sessions. Results indicate that the therapy provided the children the opportunities to express feelings, experience control, and develop coping skills. Claims that play therapy provides labeled children with the…

Reports on a technique that combines Adlerian therapy with adventure therapy to provide a therapeutic milieu that blends play with self-growth. Results, based on six brief interventions conducted with 42 fifth-grade students, indicate that both statistical significance and therapeutic efficacy were achieved by these interventions. (RJM)

Investigated associations between expressive language and symbolic play in deaf children with deaf parents or with hearing parents, and hearing children with hearing parents. Defined three language level groups. Hearing status was associated with duration of symbolic play. Higher language levels were associated with more canonically sequenced and…

Five experiments investigated whether children, ages three to eight, think of pretending as a mental state. Results indicated that most children under six see pretending as primarily physical. Eight-year-olds claimed that execution of pretense did not involve the mind, although the planning aspect of pretense did. (MOK)

Investigated effects of depressed mothers' touching on their infants' behavior during still-face situation. Subjects were 48 mothers and their 3-month-old infants. Findings suggested that by providing touch stimulation for their infants, depressed mothers can increase infants' positive affect and compensate for negative effects often resulting…

Analyzes play discourse participation frameworks in groups of different gender and age compositions, focusing on different ways that children "voice" a pretend play role. Uses a preschool classroom for an observational study. Finds significant differences in voicing used by older and younger play groups. Discusses results with respect to the…

Childhood play and adolescent leisure preferences were solicited from 168 predominantly white undergraduates who also completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory and rated the amount of time spent playing with same- and opposite-sex siblings. There was evidence of more stereotyped preferences by those with same-sex siblings. (SLD)

The second of two articles on play reviews the construct of play and its development in typically developing infants, toddlers, and young children. It considers developmental levels of play from early sensorimotor-exploratory to symbolic play involving the functional components of agent, instrument, and scheme. A developmentally based,…

Observed 10-, 26-, and 42-month-olds playing under several distraction conditions to describe development of attention and distractibility. Found that casual attention decreased and focused attention increased with age. Ten-month-olds were more distractible than older children, even during focused attention. Infants were most distracted by the…