One of the crucial 21st-century digital skills, in the context of digital transformation, is problem solving--equally so in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In the context of kindergarten, learning through play is central; therefore, pretend play, and particularly guided pretend play, is suggested as an…

Play is an essential component of childhood, but parents and educators sometimes view it as an optional add-on, which gets in the way of learning. This view persists in spite of evidence that play is helpful and sometimes critical to learning in multiple domains, perhaps because precise mechanisms whereby play occasions learning are not well…

The purpose of the present study was to investigate children's connected communication during play with a sibling and friend from early to middle childhood. Participants included 65 4-year-old focal children at time 1 (T1) and 46 7-year-old focal children at time 2 (T2) who were videotaped at home in separate semi-structured free play sessions…

This paper, drawing on Margaret Meek Spencer's work, considers the value of reflecting on literacy histories, whether of children, teachers, authors or academics. Margaret argued that teachers need to be open to literacy as lived, and to look, listen and learn about literacies that develop "without" direct instruction and stretch beyond…

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EMJMD) offer a unique opportunity to jointly design and deliver an integrated curriculum of excellence in an international context. This study analyses the case of a Master's Degree specialised in Education: PETaL "Play, Education, Toys and Languages". This is the first EMJMD obtained by the…

This article will focus in on one short play spell in the outdoor space of a classroom of 2-year-olds. Using the medium of video as data, it explores the way that children's bodies are caught up in what Ingold calls a 'dance of animacy', when bodies and matter encounter each other. I will deploy the figure of the 'post-human' child to challenge a…

In digital play, social interactions have aroused much debate among early childhood stakeholders, particularly in the areas of young children's social learning and their domains of development. The main concern of early childhood educators is the limits of children's social interactions occurring in digital play. This study used a four-week…

Upon entering the gallery, we are met with directives, narratives, and impositions set forth by an authoritative presence. Please remove your backpack. Do not run. Do not speak too loudly. Do not touch. Do not stand too close to the artworks. The presence of security guards or invigilators enforce these instructions on how it is assumed we are to…

Parents are children's first educators. Parents influence children's cognitive, physical, social and emotional development from an early age. This qualitative study explored parents' perceptions of children's play through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using open coding. Themes emerged related to the…

In what the author calls an autoethnography, he examines two aspects of his love of a favorite childhood toy: G.I. Joe. First, because the author is a contingent pacificist and this military figure--a fundamentally violent toy--played so important a role in his life, he now seeks to reconcile his aversion to (real life) violence with his enjoyment…

A robust emergence of outdoor nature-based play areas in several European, Australian, Asian countries, as well as North America Canadian provinces, has occurred recently. This study explored the rationale for and construction of different play zones and affordances for children at a United States Central Kentucky local arboretum and research…

Problem solving is a critical component of academic and social emotional learning. It is a life-long skill. For young children, opportunities to make choices and problem solve lay the foundation for later development of self-determination (Palmer et al., 2012). However, young children may not have the experience or ability to resolve problems…

Cross-case study research was used to explore the school readiness of four 5-year-old children entering kindergarten during the 2020-2021 school year after three or more years of play-based early childhood education at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education center. Data included a series of three 1-h individual interviews with four…

This qualitative study explored mothers' and fathers' perspectives on children's play through semi-structured interviews. Fifteen fathers and 19 mothers were interviewed using open-ended questions. Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using open coding. Several themes emerged related to the definition of play, use of play, play activities,…

Pretend play is one of the most beneficial and complex forms of play that promotes a myriad of children's development. Children's engagement in pretend play can be influenced by their genders, age, material or toys available, and adults' support. Pretend play has been long studied globally, however, there is still a dearth of available information…