Recognizing that toy-making activities have tremendous potential for developing good parent-child interactions, this paper examines (1) the why, where, when, how, and who of making toys at home; (2) the use of toys in play; and (3) the value of toys as tools for learning. The snags and obstacles of toy making as well as the challenges and benefits…

One of a series of resource manuals written by participants in the University of North Dakota teacher education programs to help teachers develop more open and responsive classrooms, this booklet focuses on the teaching of creative drama. Following an introduction by Vito Perrone, the titles and authors of the articles are as follows: (1) "'They…

Theoretical conceptions of the value of social pretend play in the socialization process have focused on two potentially different mediating factors: play enactment and negotiation of the rules for play. In this study, observational measures of enactment were distinguished from negotiation so as to examine their independent and joint relations to…

In an attempt to demonstrate the direct relationship of physical play to sensory integration, this descriptive study measured fine and gross motor activities, and the repetition and duration of preferred activities among 179 children between 2 and 8 years of age who participated in 3 early childhood programs in California. Data were collected by…

Containing many handouts for parents, this manual for parent group trainers provides guidelines for conducting workshops on the nature and value of young children's play and on regulating children's television viewing. In addition to the guidelines, the manual offers basic information about play, suggests hands-on activities, and provides a list…

The relationship between symbolic play and early language was studied in 40 girls and 39 boys between 12 and 24 months of age. Subjects were individually tested during two or three sessions by a female experimenter in a day care center in Jyvaskyla, Finland. Children's symbolic play level was assessed according to a developmental structure of five…

This paper provides a basic framework for using creative drama to achieve a wide range of objectives in educating students with mental disabilities; these objectives include enhanced communication skills, discipline and teamwork, self-concept, and creativity. Drama techniques such as movement exercises, games, structured play, role playing, and…

Public and private organizations have developed toy libraries in Sweden for children with disabilities and children in need of special support for their development. Toy libraries have become places where parents can acquire advice with regard to play, meet a pedagogue with experience with children with handicaps, and meet other parents with the…

Current interest and controversy about the use of microcomputers with young children led to a study of 13 3- to 5-year-old girls and boys enrolled at the De Anza College Child Development Center in Cupertino, California. Designed to determine the effectiveness of the computer in enhancing language experiences and development of cooperative play…

Examined in a longitudinal study of children were correspondences and correlations between early language development on the one hand, and the manipulation of objects and play development on the other. There were developmental correspondences between the onset of five language landmarks (the emergence of first word, referential word, demonstrative…

Proceedings of the 1984 Music in Early Childhood Conference held at Brigham Young University are presented in this document. Part I contains keynote addresses; Parts II through IV, respectively, consist of reports by research teams, synopses of workshops, and abstracts of research sessions. Keynote speakers addressed a broad scope of issues…

The focus of this issue is to explore the lives of pioneers who lived during the territorial period (1838-1846). Articles and activities highlight various aspects of pioneer life. "Celebrate 150!" reviews the settlement of the territory and the establishment of a territorial government. Excerpts from actual newspapers and books,…

The purposes of the present study were (1) to determine if there were significant differences in the divergent thinking ability of kindergarten children who engage in much fantasy play behavior as opposed to those who engage in little fantasy play behavior, and (2) to determine the effect of sex, socioeconomic status, and previous preschool group…

The effects of specific play apparatus experience on a test of upper body muscular endurance was investigated among a group of children 4-6 years old. Both the control and experimental group consisted of 45 subjects randomly selected on the basis of age from two private day care centers situated in the same community. The two groups were of…

Creative dramatics can be used to teach young children a variety of communication skills. Noisy stories help children to learn and make sounds and later can be used for dramatization purposes. Narrative pantomimes can teach children word order, sensory awareness, and nonverbal communication. Phrases, pictures, and props help stimulate imagination,…