A study explored how 12 African-American mothers and their infants played and communicated with one another. Infants from middle socioeconomic status (SES) initiated play verbally more frequently and produced over twice as many vocalizations their low-SES peers. Middle-SES mothers used a wider variety of words when playing with their children.…

A study of 18 children (ages 5-12) with autism and 18 children with Down syndrome found the children with autism displayed less positive affect than children with Down syndrome when involved in a semistructured play session with their mothers. Further, children with autism showed more deficits in self-regulation. (CR)

This study of primary school children's play interaction in an English-Swedish school setting combines a sequential approach to code switching with an analysis of footing, extending prior work in showing that code switches often involve a subtle shift of footing. Code switches were employed as important rhetorical and dramaturgic play devices.…

A well-developed playground in a park or school setting can greatly enhance childen's overall development, making playgrounds more than just fun. Playgrounds offer children opportunities to develop physically, mentally, and socially, improving academic readiness as well as overall health. The paper discusses the importance of movement, how…

A therapeutic board game was devised in order to generate discussion and to dispute irrational thinking in 10 children (age 10) with behavior problems. The pupils responded positively to rational-emotive behavior therapy, and teachers found that the cards used in the game provided a framework for discussion and self-help strategies. (Contains…

Fourteen mother-child dyads involving preschool children with autism and 14 matched dyads of typically developing children and mothers were observed during free play. Mothers of autistic children directed verbalizations to something within the child's focus of attention as often as other mothers. They directed verbalizations to something not…

Evaluated preschoolers' (28 girls, 33 boys) perceptions regarding gender-typed and cross-gender-typed play, and if differences in these perceptions between girls and boys are related to spontaneous toy choices during play. Results show that boys tend to be more preoccupied with social constraints than girls. (EMS)

Four children (ages 1-2) with language delays were evaluated to assess the benefits of a play-based model for providing an accurate analysis of a child's language capabilities. The play-based assessment model provided a broader picture of the children's emerging skills, which was helpful in planning interventions. (Author/CR)

Four toddlers with Down syndrome (ages 10-30 months) were presented with six nonreactive and reactive toys for 90 sessions of free play. When the toys were nonreactive, the subjects vocalized to express their disappointment or to seek assistance from the adults in the room. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This study demonstrated the increase of social interaction skills in four preschool children with autism as a result of a daily 10-minute intervention emphasizing naturalistic teaching tactics designed to stimulate children's play and interaction with others. Two of the four children continued to display high levels of interaction during the…

This study investigated the duration, frequency, and trajectory of passive behavior in 14 children (developmental age 1-3) with Down syndrome and 14 controls over a 47-minute independent play session. Subjects exhibited more time in passive behavior and for some, passivity increased commensurate with time spent in the play session. (Contains…

Discusses Foucault's notion of "heterotopia"--real places but which exist unto themselves, such as a floating ship. Considers data on children's use of computer and video games to apply "heterotopia" to children's everyday social lives. Argues that childhood is subject to increasing boundaries, and that children create…

Every summer and fall, Japanese children (mostly boys) spend hours catching and playing with insects, or mushi. Different species are associated with the seasons, times of the day, or specific games. Mushi customs are centuries old, were traditionally passed from grandfather to grandchild, and are reflected in electronic and "virtual"…

Explores the integration of developmentally and culturally appropriate practice (DCAP) within early childhood teachers' initial preparation and suggests DCAP's place in veteran practitioners' professional development. Presents a cycle of inquiry-oriented reflective supervision for DCAP that includes self-examination, reflective discussion,…

Summarizes 17 recent ERIC documents and journal articles discussing Piagetian perspectives on children's cognitive abilities and development. Includes sources on children's thought, learning, and problem-solving processes; physical and natural causality; correspondence and number conservation; circular reactions; the 5- to 7-year shift; science…