Amateurism is the authentic sporting spirit, the spirit of playful delight. The competitiveness and elitism of professional sports have a place in American life, but not on its school campuses, where coaches should emphasize true educational values: fitness, enthusiasm, morality, self-awareness, and self-mastery. (Author/SJL)

The use of symbols in the play of young children during the preoperational period of cognitive development provides the foundation in representation that will be needed later when using higher abstract forms such as written words. (JN)

Presents findings of two studies that sought to clarify the issue of the comparative effectiveness of two different methods of prosocial teaching for the very young: depicting the desired behavior in a totally prosocial setting v depicting the desired behavior as a strategy for resolving an explicitly portrayed conflict situation. (Author)

The Parent as a Teacher Inventory (PAAT) was administered to 30 Mexican-American parent pairs to assess child rearing expectations. Scores were correlated to income, family size, parental sex, parental education, and parent accessibility to the child. Consonance of observed behaviors with PAAT responses indicated an acceptable instrument validity.…

Children have a need and a right to active, movement-oriented play. With the aid of an imaginative parent, such play can assist in the maturation of a child's cognitive ability and serve as a means of developing basic motor skills. (LH)

Videotapes were made of 164 children aged eight or nine playing alone and playing with a parent in a toy room. Data on their parents' work histories, socialization techniques, and self report of sex roles were analyzed in relation to the children's play activities. Effects of family constellation were also investigated. (JMB)

Results of this study indicate that programs designed to break down the barriers to cross-sex and cross-race association could be a powerful approach to increasing positive social interaction in the classroom. (MM)

Several short improvised skits were used in a class on language usage for foreign teachers of English. The dramas were successful in getting the class to use idiomatic English and to induce even the self-conscious to speak. (CHK)

Examined the relationship between 41 preschool children's peer competency and the exchange of reciprocal negative affect displays during physical play with parents. Found that fathers who typically responded to their children's negative affect displays with negative affect of their own had children who shared less, were more aggressive, and…

This study observed 65 friendship/acquaintance dyads, half of which involved one child with learning problems, among preadolescent children during play. Unlike friendships between children without disabilities, friendships involving a disabled child were marked by limited collaboration and shared decision making, a low level of cooperative play…

Defines "Orff-Schulwerk" as an educational technique that guides children through several phases of musical development: (1) exploration, (2) imitation, (3) improvisation, and (4) creation. These phases are integrated throughout various learning activities that occur in a group context. Briefly discusses the development of Orff-Schulwerk…

Comparison of 8 toddlers and 14 preschool special needs children who participated in teacher-facilitated computer play activities and 15 similar children whose curriculum did not incorporate computer activities found statistically significant differences favoring the experimental group for amount of simple and cooperative social play and positive…

This article provides strategies that early childhood special educators can use to incorporate the learning of specific skills into a variety of developmentally appropriate play activities for children with disabilities. The development of individualized education programs that incorporate play as a framework for intervention is discussed. (CR)

Tells how hummingbirds can serve as a source of information and fun for children, including a rationale for attracting and teaching about hummingbirds and the outdoors. Explains that children need first-hand knowledge of nature and gives details on attracting hummingbirds and selecting safe plants for a hummingbird garden. (BGC)

Investigates young children's literacy activity within play settings designed to reflect authentic literacy contexts in children's real-world environment. Finds that, in the course of play activities, children demonstrated declarative knowledge about literacy (e.g. names of literacy objects), procedural knowledge, and strategic knowledge. Suggests…