Purpose: In the current study, we examined the alignment of language choice of bilingual parent-child dyads in play-based interactions. Method: Forty-four bilingual Spanish-English parent-child dyads participated in a 10-min naturalistic free-play interaction to determine whether bilingual children and their parents respond to each other in the…

This longitudinal study investigated parents' different pretend play behaviors (substitution, animation, and role enactment) to their infants during free play and the bidirectional links with infants' vocabulary development at 14 months (Time-1: N = 34, M[subscript age] = 14.23 months) and 20 months (Time-2: N = 34, M[subscript age] = 20.33…

Speech development occurs in highly variable environments; however, little is known about the effect of situational context on emerging infant vocalizations. At 4 time points (4, 6, 9, and 12 months), we longitudinally measured vocalizations of 104 White infant-caregiver dyads (41 girls) during three play contexts: book-sharing, toy play, and…

Children's theory of mind (ToM) is a crucial milestone in early childhood, with implications for prosocial behaviours and cognitive skills in later years. Therefore, it is important to characterise children's ToM and the factors influencing its development, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and parental interactive resources. However, most…

From an early age, children internalize gender stereotypes and roles, which can influence their preferences, aspirations, and social interactions. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of an intervention using counter-stereotypical narratives to reduce gender stereotyping and its consequences at two developmental stages: before the period of…

As an increasingly recognized facet of early childhood development, the integration of play into early STEM education is garnering attention. This paper delves into the role of engineering play within early childhood education, emphasizing its application in natural playscape settings. The focus is on investigating the extent to which engineering…

The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child reflects the role and status of children in society as being competent and capable participants on matters that affect them. The Convention is foundational in understanding children's rights to participate in all aspects of everyday life, including in research in which children are participants. This…

The purpose of the current investigation is to analyze existing research examining the impact of play therapy on the development of language skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As rates of ASD diagnoses continue to increase, families and educators are faced with making critical decisions regarding the selection and…

Friendships offer many benefits throughout a child's life, yet there is limited understanding of how neurodivergent children (e.g. autism) develop friendships through play. Research indicates that once neurodivergent children identify a friend, they often enjoy engaging with them through play. Verbal and non-verbal communication strategies are…

Nature-based learning environments for early childhood are expanding, as is research into their affordances and pedagogies. Engineering in these environments is not well studied. Previous work considered engineering experiences through the lens of 'designerly play', finding that natural materials, the space for larger creations and constructions,…

This paper introduces new tools for the cultural-historical analysis of children play in early years and how the cultural-historical genetic-analytical model can be applied as a tool of analysis of the role of children's play in psychological development. The paper discusses the complexity of the interrelations of several situations in child's…

With the increase of global migration comes a growing cultural and linguistic diversity in many countries around the world. Public schools in the U.S. experience this reality each year with the rising number of emergent bilinguals in the classroom. Emergent bilingual is a category or classification to designate a person who speaks a language other…

This article shares findings from an 18-month research project at Te Whai Hiringa, a primary school in Hawke's Bay, where over 90% of learners identify as Maori, or Pacific peoples. The project explored how play-based learning and culturally sustaining pedagogy can be integrated into a single, purposeful approach. Drawing on the Play-Based…

Medical fears are common in early childhood, and managing young children's distress with routine healthcare encounters is essential for promoting lifelong health. Previous research suggests medical play guided by healthcare professionals reduces children's anxiety and distress in medical settings, and medical play has been recommended as a…

This article shows how a student centered pedagogy called the Improvisational Theater Art Form (ITAF) empowers transformative awareness, growth, and change. In this particular study representative of a larger body of work, 30 undergraduate researcher/participants created improvised games and scenes as expressions of their inner selves to explore…