Presents a case study of a four-year-old girl who had pulled out all her hair. The child's responsiveness to play therapy is described, and implications for the use of play therapy in school counseling situations are described. (JAC)

Two studies were conducted to (1) develop measure of infants' executive capacity, defined as difference between infants' most sophisticated level of functioning displayed first in free and then in elicited play and (2) to test several hypotheses regarding relationship between these performance and competence measures of child functioning and home…

A behavior education program for teaching mothers to develop toy play in their developmentally delayed children was evaluated. After training, mothers displayed target skills and children showed increased rates of appropriate play. Mothers and infants were generally more responsive to each other's behavior and children self-initiated more…

Contrasts effects of three modes of mother/child interaction on children's subsequent compliance with maternal directives. Subjects were 39 children from lower-middle-class families, ranging in age from approximately three to four-and-a-half. Responsive play and noninteractive conditions produced higher levels of compliance than the untrained free…

The social and play behaviors of toddlers enrolled in two early childhood programs were videotaped and then analyzed with regard to categories of child interaction, play behavior, and adult interaction. (RH)

Examines various situations in which young children use social comparison to elicit understanding from a peer. Data are drawn from naturalistic observations of three- , four- , and five-year-olds. Children used social comparison to seek information, agreement, permission, compliance, verbal responsiveness, and attention. (Author/RH)

This article discusses metalinguistic awareness (the ability to make language forms opaque and attend to them in and for themselves) its relation to literacy, its development in children from their play with language; and educational implications. (MS)

The major seven observational techniques used in study of the dominance hierarchies of young children are discussed, and findings related to sex differences and developmental changes are presented. (JY)

To assess the effects of toy guns and toy airplanes on children's antisocial behavior, 4- and 5-year-olds (ten in Study I and 13 in Study II) were observed during 15-16 free play sessions. During experimental sessions children played either with (novel, aggressive) toy guns or with (novel, nonaggressive) toy airplanes in addition to their usual…

Many preschool teachers recognize the importance of play for children's development and learning and emphasize play in their classrooms. This paper explores how they remember their own childhood play and how they perceive children's play today. Twenty Swedish preschool teachers were interviewed regarding their views of play. Two characteristic…

Strong support from eminent educators such as Froebel and Dewey and other scholars has led to play becoming a major component of early childhood curricula. This paper draws on research studies to: (1) elaborate on the nature of play and its function in children's overall development; (2) discuss how children's play relates to their literacy…

This collection of play sheets for parents and early intervention personnel was developed by the "Let's Play! Project," a 3-year federally supported project that worked to promote play in infants and toddlers with disabilities through the use of "low-tech" assistive technology. Each single page guide provides guidance to…

This book provides a collection of easy-to-implement ideas and creative strategies designed to help teachers manage indoor recess by developing temporary playrooms. Chapter 1 helps teachers make a good assessment of the present situation. Chapter 2 encourages teachers to take heart, no matter how frustrated they may have been in the past, and…

Client-centered, psychoanalytic, and release and structure play therapy approaches have diverse philosophical viewpoints about the therapist's role, goals of therapy, and use of structuring in play therapy. While each approach aims to help children cope with emotional difficulties, the methods employed and the play therapy process differ…

Author attempted to answer the question of whether or not a classroom could be a stimulating environment where creative learning on both the social and intellectual levels occurs. (Author/RK)