This study presents a comparative study of the free-time activity preferences of 9- to 11-year-old children in the UK and USA, as drawn by them in art workshops. Six themes emerged relating to sport, outdoor play, family/peers, media, special occasions and other (indefinable) activities. The children's talk about their drawings revealed additional…

Many epoch-making biological discoveries (e.g. Darwinian Theory) were based upon observations. Nevertheless, observation is often regarded as "just looking" rather than a basic scientific skill. As observation is one of the main research methods in biological sciences, it must be considered as an independent research method and systematic practice…

Assistant teachers are a ubiquitous yet virtually overlooked part of the early education workforce. Assistant teacher education level and its relationship to various classroom characteristics and the roles lead teachers feel assistants play in classroom management and teaching were examined in a nationally representative sample of 3,191…

There are many ways to share a collection of data and students' thinking about that data. Explaining the results of science inquiry is important--working scientists and amateurs both contribute information to the body of scientific knowledge. Students can collect data about an activity that is already happening in a classroom (e.g., the qualities…

Dabrowski's Theory of Overexcitabilities suggests that gifted and creative children experience the world via heightened levels of psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, emotional, and imaginational intensity. According to Dabrowski and Piechowski (1977), "intellectual, emotional, and imaginational linkages are the basis for highly creative…

The aim of the present study was to investigate the play, behaviour, language and social skills of children aged 5-8 years participating in a play intervention (based on the "Learn to Play" program) compared to a group of children participating in traditional classroom activities within a specialist school over a six month period.…

Purpose of the study: Previous research found that "fun on line" is the most dominant content in seniors' online communities. The present study aimed to further explore the "fun culture" in these communities and to discover its unique qualities. Design and Methods: The study applied an online ethnography (netnography) approach, utilizing a full…

Many children naturally seek challenging physically active play which may involve injury-risk. Prior studies have attempted to describe the characteristics of risky play but to date none have considered factors that impact on opportunities for risky play or the likely resultant outcomes. Using semi-structured interviews and naturalistic…

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulties with social-communication skills, including imitation, language, joint attention, and play. This study investigated whether imitation performance in two different contexts (structured-elicited vs. social-interactive) was differentially related to attention-following, social…

The complexities associated with living and learning in a rapidly changing world impact on children's play, learning, wellbeing and resilience. Evidence suggests that parent education and parent-teacher partnerships in the early years can support positive outcomes for young children and their families. This paper provides an overview of a pilot…

Preschool teachers' beliefs relating to the importance of social-emotional competence and teacher practices that support children's competence were investigated through surveys and focus groups. Survey results indicated that Head Start and public school pre-K teachers placed higher importance on social-emotional behaviours and skills than on early…

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of change in parental stress (including parent and child factors), depression, and interaction style in parents of toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), exposed to two types of early intervention (EI) programs, PLAY and Community Standard (CS). This study utilized secondary data of…

The purpose of this mixed-design study was to examine the impact of three types of professional development activities aimed at improving conversations in four targeted preschool classrooms. A review of the literature was used to identify the professional development approaches and the importance of improving teacher-child conversations as a…

Now in its second edition, "Nature and Young Children" promotes the holistic development of children by connecting them with nature. It offers advice and guidance on how to set up indoor and outdoor nature play spaces as well as encouraging environmentally responsible attitudes, values and behaviour in your early childhood setting. Covering topics…

Lego robotics is engaging, hands-on, and encompasses every one of the NETS for Students. It also inspires a love of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and provides the experience students need to use digital age skills in the real world. In this article, the author discusses how schools get involved with Lego Robotics and…