The variability in the play of 30 preschool children with cognitive delays associated with different toy sets (vehicle, doll, and mixed toy sets) was examined. Sex differences emerged for only 4 of 12 play behaviors: exploration, pretend, ordered multischeme sequences, and global play sophistication. (Author/CR)

Examines 16 preschoolers' classroom literacy behaviors. Studies one student's literacy activities at home. Finds book-related dramatic play to be an important part of children's literacy interactions. Indicates each instance could be described in terms of scope of play, type of connection, purposes for play, perspective explored, sign systems…

Used interviews to examine mothers' satisfaction with London play services provided specifically for disabled school children and those provided for children in general. Found a high level of satisfaction, with play services seen as providing respite and benefits such as play, companionship, and varied experiences for children. Problems included…

Provides specific steps and techniques for teaching and using creative dramatics in elementary school classrooms. Notes that creative dramatics address children's powerful emotions and imaginations, which children rely on to explore and understand the world. Discusses four necessary components of creative dramatics--structure, open-endedness, a…

Explores how child care providers can use outdoor activities to enhance young children's cognitive, social, emotional, and motor development. Discusses surveying the outdoor play space, using outdoor prop boxes, planting a garden, and reflecting on outdoor experiences after moving indoors. Includes list of sample outdoor play materials and sample…

The automatically reinforced self-injury of a girl (age 11) with autism was treated by providing noncontingent access to a single set of preferred toys during 30-minute sessions. Rotating toy sets after 10 minutes or providing access to multiple toy sets resulted in reductions that lasted the entire 30 minutes. (Contains four references.)…

Using a case study, discusses the "seductive environment," a virtual environment of popular culture in which the human mind is seduced and turned into a "hungry ghost." Examines ideas about possible solutions through art therapy. Reviews the value of the creative process, contemplation, and Winnicott's idea of play. (Contains…

Investigated how 50 preschoolers evaluated the appropriateness of excluding boys and girls from two types of activities and two types of future roles across different exclusion contexts. Found that straightforward gender-based exclusion was judged wrong. Decisions were justified on the basis of moral reasons. However, children used both moral and…

A review of 11 single-subject research studies designed to enhance the object-related play of youths with mental retardation found that positive outcomes in the form of improved play behaviors were consistently reported across intervention type. The responsiveness of participants to intervention suggests a need for research to determine the most…

Examined peer-related social interactions of preschool children with communication disorders. Found that subjects engaged in fewer positive social interactions and conversed with peers less often during nonplay activities than did normal peers, were less successful in their social bids, and appeared to be less directive with their peers. However,…

Argues that an "as-if" mode of making sense of the world is an important characteristic of human development across all age groups. Illustrates the role of as-if functioning in adults following loss of a loved one, maintaining that self-reorganization centers on the grave as a physical and symbolic entity and the deceased as an…

Maintains that Josephs (1998) identifies a new and significant research question: how individuals relate to loved one's death through an imaginary dialog created in an "as-if" manner. Discusses the issues of how adults' as-if activities are related to children's pretend play and how such dialogs might transform the self over time.…

Analyzes two student group Hypertext projects and a MOO (multiuser domain, object-oriented) project. Finds the play element can enrich readerly experience through the creation of a dramatic experience of information. Suggests that composition instructors need to recognize the play element in computer-based composition and encourage the development…

Assessed beliefs of 6-, 8-, and 10-year-olds about the injury risk presented by various play behaviors in stories. Found that children rated boys as having lower likelihood of injury than girls during the same activity. Children were more accurate in identifying the sex of the character in stories of boys' injuries than girls' injuries, and…

Toy-lending libraries provide parents and professionals with opportunities for shared play and the loan of toys. This article reviews the history of toy-lending libraries and the purpose of Lekoteks, the Swedish toy library. Guidelines and suggestions for developing and maintaining a toy-lending library are discussed. (JPB)