This study compared the effects of drama and drawing planning activities with a traditional planning activity (discussion) on the quality of second and third graders' narrative writing. After 15 sessions, researchers found that drama and drawing were effective forms of rehearsal for narrative writing and more successful than discussion. (SM)

Provides examples of three pedagogical approaches for using play structures in elementary school physical education. The examples focus on objectives relating to health-related fitness and skill development. (GLR)

Three studies explored age changes and individual differences in preschoolers' sustained attention in different contexts. Found that changes occurred earlier for play and television viewing than for reaction time tasks. Results suggest that children have stable tendencies to sustain attention but that attention varies with task demands and…

Discusses elements for a developmentally appropriate movement program for young children ages 3-5 years old. Emphasizes four major areas from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education guidelines: child development, teaching strategies, content, and assessment. Includes a vignette of an appropriate movement class for 4-year-olds.…

Two interventions (environmental modification and adult prompting) were evaluated for promoting conversations between three preschoolers with and six without disabilities. Three conditions were used: classroom baseline, theme boxes, and system of least prompts. Use of the system of least prompts produced increases in rates of conversation, turns…

Discusses the value of children's games in developing and revealing personality traits; describes games in literature and suggests activities for library media specialists; and presents creative activities for elementary and middle school students that involve games and literature. (LRW)

Siblings, mothers, and fathers in nine families of a child with autism were observed in dyadic play interactions with the autistic child. Parents exhibited more play behaviors toward children than siblings, but the autistic children initiated more interactions toward siblings than toward parents. Vineland Adaptive Behavior scale scores correlated…

Construction-based activity in schools is an essential part of the design and technology curriculum. Issues behind the evolution of construction kit-based activity are examined, with a focus on the early childhood and other influences that may have shaped the minds of those individuals who have invented construction kits in the last 200 years.…

Since 1936, this Phoenixville (Pennsylvania) school, summer day camp, and day care center for children aged 2-7 has implemented the philosophy that children learn best through play, in a nurturing environment where loving people attend to their physical and emotional needs and their intellectual and artistic growth. Contains a resource list of…

Drawing on interviews with six American and Korean mothers, this article explores the range and coalescence of ideas that mothers from different cultures have about interactions with their 12-month-old babies in social interactive play and joint play with objects. Differences and similarities about the mothers' ideas about interaction are…

A survey of 28 sexual abuse experts, 36 therapists involved in sexual abuse training, 210 medical students attending a human sexuality program, and 35 group facilitators of the human sexuality program, found role and gender influenced beliefs about normal and abnormal childhood sexual behavior. (Author/CR)

Examines the current practices and possibilities of using the teaching-in-role strategy (where the teacher takes on a fictional role for educational purposes) through a survey of professional youth theaters. Finds that, of 38 programs that responded, all indicated having an educational program with several characteristics compatible with…

Surveyed state preschool centers in North Queensland, Australia to identify behaviors involved in antisocial play and the range of strategies used to deal with disruptive play. Findings highlighted the practice of keeping center rules and guidelines in public view, and the need for diversity and flexibility in access to and deployment of…

Reviews Newman's book, a play-oriented guide for parents of preschool children with disabilities. Recommends the book as a small step in fostering parental perspectives on school readiness issues and as one way of helping children by encouraging parents to adopt a teacher's stance. (TJQ)

Explored preschoolers' solitary-active play in the presence of peers as a marker for maladjustment among 153 children. Found that, compared to peers, children with frequent solitary-active behaviors were temperamentally less attentive, were more difficult to soothe, behaved more shyly, displayed more externalizing problems, performed more poorly…