All persons are born and blessed with a creative nature, and are all artists of their own lives. By the time individuals reach adulthood, however, most of them have lost touch with their creativity, believing only "others" are "artists." Awareness of and regular use of the creative aspect of their being makes substantial…

Story-telling and family play can exert powerful effects on children. Some beliefs, values, and personal life-style choices that relate to how play is created are examined. Using the primary concepts in "narrative therapy,""adventure-based programming," and "family play therapy," play is employed to create an empowerment framework to consider the…

This book provides 250 games and activities designed to help infants to 8-year-olds with all types of disabilities grow through play. Many activities come with special adaptations for children with physical, visual, hearing, emotional, and cognitive impairments. Each chapter focuses on a particular "world" or activity theme. Topics of individual…

This final report reviews activities and achievements of the "Let's Play!" project, an effort to apply assistive technology (AT) to promote the play skills of infants and toddlers with disabilities within their natural environments. The federally supported project was designed to assist county early intervention programs and developed,…

This paper investigates high school students' reactions to the science theater play "Mapping the Soul," which was developed by the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts. Science theater is both an educational technique and a type of museum theater. This study explores these questions: (1) Do students differentiate learning science from…

This document is comprised of the four issues in the second volume of a quarterly journal for parents of children in Montessori infant and toddler programs. The May 1998 issue contains an article on Treasure Baskets which are designed for non-mobile babies who can sit up, an article discussing the personal growth of a Montessori teacher who became…

In December, 1921, the Board of Education of Washington, North Carolina requested the United States Commissioner of Education make a survey of the school buildings of Washington, NC with a view to working out a building program for the schools of that city. The author of this bulletin was detailed by the commissioner to make the survey, which she…

There are many people of middle age in America still who do not believe in play. They grew up without playgrounds themselves and they do not realize how greatly conditions have changed during the intervening years. When the author was a boy in southern Michigan the school session in his country community was only four months a year. Under these…

Girard College was founded and endowed by Stephen Girard, mariner and merchant, a native of France, who came to Philadelphia in 1776. After a long life of service to his adopted city, State, and country, he died in 1831, leaving the bulk of his estate in trust to the city of Philadelphia for the erection and maintenance of what is now known as…

Examines current approaches to treating child abuse using a model that includes both parents and children. Shows how a rural Parents Anonymous chapter, combined with a children's group, is an effective family-focused option for dealing with child abuse. (Author)

This package of patriotic learning activities refers to historic tales about colonial days, Black history, and the contributions of the states to America's wealth and history. Poems, skits, riddles about states and presidents, and a play featuring mock presidential interviews are included. A Save-the-Statue-of-Liberty project is noted. (PP)

Provides a partial list of similarities between play therapy and family therapy and reviews methods for using play with families. Considers the question of indications and contraindications for play therapy with families. Clinical examples are utilized to illustrate throughout the paper. (Author)

The behavior of four boys who were referred for oppositional, rule violating, and aggressive behaviors was assessed by direct observation and parent reports. Changing contract behavior to solitary toy play resulted in reduced oppositional behavior during the observation sessions, fewer reports from the parents of low-rate problem behaviors, and…

Social interaction and play behavior were compared in community-based infant day care and at home for two matched groups of 18-month-old infants. Adult-infant, infant-peer, and infant-toy interaction were time-sampled. (Author/SS)

Explains how moving, singing, and having fun build character, confidence, and coordination while helping children grow up feeling good about themselves. These activities provide an integrated, multisensory approach to learning. Employing a variety of fun and effective activities also helps children release stress and tension. (TJQ)