Japanese provides a valuable contrast for crosslinguistic studies of noun and verb dominance in early child language, and the effect of input on the early lexicon. In this study, 31 Japanese children between 1;0 and 2;0 and their caregivers were recorded in two contexts: joint bookreading and play with toys. Context had the largest effect, as…

This paper explores some questions surrounding the provision of outdoor play for young children, and challenges adults who share responsibility for "creating future play" to consider not only what we as adults value but also what children value about the outdoor environment. The question is raised as to how the values we hold and the…

From a very early age, people learn from games and play. Parents and preschool teachers use games to teach colors, numbers, names, and shapes; the process is drill and practice. Games engage everyone, capturing their attention. People willingly spend time on task. Although students in high school and college continue to play games, games rarely…

Interest Forums address the diverse issues encountered in the field of early childhood education. This article focuses on one, the Play, Policy, and Practice Interest Forum, and its origin, development as a caucus, and eventual formalization within the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) organizational structure. The…

There is a Chinese proverb which tells that a child is like a piece of paper: everyone who touches it leaves a mark, so one should make sure those marks are positive. In this article, the author raises an issue which concerns providing for, recognizing and celebrating creativity in children's play. It involves challenging the set of ideas about…

One sunny afternoon, six-year-old Zachary and his friend John Michael, four and a half, discovered a dead frog in a bag of clay in the garage. Zachary proposed, "Let's have a funeral for the frog." This is how the funeral drama of Froggy the Frog began. This article describes the play experiences of Zachary and John Michael as designers,…

Most of the games children play require learning and practicing the concept of give and take, or turn taking, a crucial element in play/life. This article shares a dialogue between Margaret (Peggy) Cooney, a professor in the Department of Elementary & Early Childhood Education in the College of Education at University of Wyoming, and Mark…

Winter, like all seasons, adds a new sense of mystery and discovery to the world of young children. It is the time when they can study snowflakes, find icicles, or observe the birds that share their yards. This article presents ideas and suggestions on how to plan a playscape. A playscape is a man-made seasonal playground for young children. It…

Because sensorimotor and environmental factors have a profound effect on children's learning, every teacher should know how to weave strategies from occupational therapy (OT) into their everyday instruction. This is the guidebook K-3 teachers need to "think like an OT"--and form effective partnerships with OTs in their schools--so all students can…

This paper examines some personal and interpersonal issues concerning group work and informal learning in the music classroom. It analyses data from a recent research project, which adopted and adapted the informal music learning practices of popular musicians, for use in the classroom. The discussion focuses on three aspects of the project.…

The purpose of the present study was to explore the effect of both short- and long term Child-Centered Play Therapy on teacher-student relationship stress. Teachers identified 58 students exhibiting emotional and behavioral difficulties who were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Students in the short-term intensive play therapy…

This study examined and compared the effectiveness of a simultaneous prompting procedure used in both 1:1 and small group instruction to teach pretend play skills to a group of preschool students, three having a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder and one having a diagnosis of severe developmental disabilities. The study also assessed…

Play is the spontaneous or organized recreational activity of children; it is at the heart of the preschool curriculum. Play aids in the development of physical, intellectual, and social skills. Children's play progresses through three developmental stages: solitary, parallel, and social. Preschool teachers should arrange for four kinds of…

Considering the creation of proper play areas for children (school sites, municipal and mini parks, private homes and backyards, shopping centers, apartment complexes, recreational areas, roadside parks, nursery schools, churches, summer camps, and drive-in theaters) as one of today's major challenges, the author recommends that professional…

This study examined the effects of sex, structure, and social interaction on 18 white middle class children, nine boys and nine girls, attending a daycare center. The children were observed over a 6-week period during a 2 1/2-hour free-play time. Results showed that both sexes equally apportion all types of free-play time behavior, show the same…