Notes that, in working with prekindergarten children, elementary counselors may integrate such therapeutic approaches as play techniques, affective education, behavior modification, bibliotherapy, relaxation training, and family counseling. Focuses on benefits of developmental play counseling and affective education with young children. (NB)

The social participation patterns of 28 young children with visual impairments (some with additional disabilities) during free-play periods was compared across specialized and integrated settings. Although no significant differences were found between settings, there were significant differences between children with and without additional…

Strategies for social pretend play were compared for 15 preschoolers with mild disabilities and 15 nondisabled preschoolers in 3 integrated sites. Videotapes of children during free play were analyzed to determine strategies used to enter, initiate, maintain, and terminate play. Both groups initiated play without discussing roles, conducted short…

Illustrates the use of thematic fantasy play, or play that involves the enactment of stories from literature, in a kindergarten classroom. Maintains that thematic fantasy play facilitates children's development of social competence and story comprehension. (BB)

Two boys (ages 6 and 15) with severe, multiple handicaps participated in social play activities with 10 nonhandicapped fifth graders, who had been trained on interaction with socially withdrawn children. Increases in all participants' socially directed behavior were observed. Both boys with handicaps increased targeted motor responses when…

An activity book to help elementary teachers and students explore the environment offers information and questions about spaceships; an ecology primer and poster with questions; information on animal adaptation with poster and questions; ecological and dramatic arts projects; a script for performance; and suggestions to make Earth Day celebrations…

Examined the effect of observation of gender-related information in the peer group on preschoolers' attention to toys that were not clearly delineated as appropriate for one sex or the other. Contemporaneous peer involvement was significantly associated with children's toy adoption, but cumulative peer involvement was not. (Author/BB)

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the possible relationships among children's extracurricular habits, orientations, abilities and science achievement. Results indicate that sex differences are related to social, personal, and educational factors. (KR)

This study compared the effects of drama and drawing planning activities with a traditional planning activity (discussion) on the quality of second and third graders' narrative writing. After 15 sessions, researchers found that drama and drawing were effective forms of rehearsal for narrative writing and more successful than discussion. (SM)

Provides examples of three pedagogical approaches for using play structures in elementary school physical education. The examples focus on objectives relating to health-related fitness and skill development. (GLR)

Three studies explored age changes and individual differences in preschoolers' sustained attention in different contexts. Found that changes occurred earlier for play and television viewing than for reaction time tasks. Results suggest that children have stable tendencies to sustain attention but that attention varies with task demands and…

Discusses elements for a developmentally appropriate movement program for young children ages 3-5 years old. Emphasizes four major areas from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education guidelines: child development, teaching strategies, content, and assessment. Includes a vignette of an appropriate movement class for 4-year-olds.…

Two interventions (environmental modification and adult prompting) were evaluated for promoting conversations between three preschoolers with and six without disabilities. Three conditions were used: classroom baseline, theme boxes, and system of least prompts. Use of the system of least prompts produced increases in rates of conversation, turns…

Discusses the value of children's games in developing and revealing personality traits; describes games in literature and suggests activities for library media specialists; and presents creative activities for elementary and middle school students that involve games and literature. (LRW)

Siblings, mothers, and fathers in nine families of a child with autism were observed in dyadic play interactions with the autistic child. Parents exhibited more play behaviors toward children than siblings, but the autistic children initiated more interactions toward siblings than toward parents. Vineland Adaptive Behavior scale scores correlated…