Parental engagement in stimulating activities and support in both formal and informal learning environments are important for early childhood development. However, little is known about how parental mental health and beliefs about early childhood development shape such investments. We draw on a sample of young children and their primary caregiver…

This paper analyzed the integration of theatrical arts into storytelling instruction for primary school students. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of theatrical arts on the effectiveness of storytelling teaching, identify suitable theatrical techniques for the content and conditions of teaching, and propose methods for integrating these…

This paper presents a narrative case study of an innovative Froebelian approach to professional development, implemented in a large Nursery School and Family Centre in southern England undertaken as part of an extended programme of research and development funded by the Froebel Trust from 2021-2024 which was trans-national, including two early…

This article describes developments in Uruguay in early childhood provision since 2008 and in particular the organization of the curriculum framework for childcare and education from birth to age six. By means of the creation of an interinstitutional body mainly responsible for promoting high-quality education in early childhood and the…

Aim of this study was to examine motor skills and quality of life values of Turkish children according to age and gender factor, and to examine the relationship between motor skills and quality of life values. The sample of the study comprised of 434 students in 8--10 age group (X¯= 9.17±0.80 years; BMI = 17.46±3.05 kg/m2; Weight = 32.45±8.30 kg;…

Background: Despite broad scientific consensus about the importance of the early years in the lifelong health and wellbeing of children, there is debate about whether and how healthcare professionals can optimise early child development through monitoring or screening. The evidence in support of a systematic population-level intervention is…

A questionnaire given to 221 mothers for gathering information about residential area and family size and three aspects in children's play habits: frequency, location, and choice of playmate. The results showed that there was a general tendency to play indoors rather than outdoors, regardless of residential area (urban vs. rural). Family size and…

Emotion comprehension (EC), theory of mind (ToM), and language are particularly important aspects of child development. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in understanding how these three variables are related to preschool children. However, results have been contradictory, and it is not clear how EC, ToM, and language are…

In typical development, gestures precede and predict language development. This study examines the developmental sequence of expressive communication and relations between specific gestural and language milestones in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who demonstrate marked difficulty with gesture production and language. Communication…

The purpose of this study was to design and validate a complex gait test (CGT) in preschool children and to examine the relationship between CGT performance and age, sex, and cognitive functioning. A total of 1,040 preschool children, aged 3 to 6 years, participated in this study. In all children, standardized dynamic balance test, and several…

This study analyzes the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-Learning Potential (WCST-LP) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) versus children with typical development (TD). Its main aim was to assess: the test's construct validity; the effect of IQ on its pretest and LP scores; and whether the WCST-LP held any relationship to cognitive/EF and…

The production of a well-constructed narrative is the culmination of several years of language acquisition and is an important milestone in children's development. There is no current description of narrative development for Catalan speaking children. This study collected elicited narratives in Catalan from 118 children aged 4;0-10;11. Narratives…

Institutions make new forms of acting possible: Signing executive orders, scoring goals, and officiating weddings are only possible because of the U.S. government, the rules of soccer, and the institution of marriage. Thus, when an individual occupies a particular social role (president, soccer player, and officiator), they acquire new ways of…

Standards and competencies are critical structural supports for any professional workforce, including early childhood professionals. Workforce capacity building, career progression, and career longevity can be supported by the foundation of consistent competency expectations. Defining and embedding consistent, evidence-based competencies is a…

Mental health researchers emphasize the importance of practitioner understanding of biology-environment interplay. Accordingly, our goal of the study described in this article was to understand students' preconceptions and misconceptions about biological and environmental influences on development through investigating their conceptions of…