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…

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…

Play skills are a behavioral cusp as they provide the foundation for the development of other related skills in young children. Children with developmental disabilities often demonstrate significant delays in their play skills. When children do not engage in play at the same rates or in the same ways as their peers or siblings, their ability to…

The benefits of play for children's learning are well-documented and well-researched. The evidence for its positive impact on brain development, social interactions, emotional wellbeing, and motor skills is widespread. So, why should this practice stop after the early years? "A Practical Guide to Play in Education" encourages teachers to…

Schools are increasingly encouraged to adopt evidence-based or evidence informed interventions and implement them using insights from implementation science. The literature relating to implementation of interventions in schools has focused largely on universal interventions, particularly for social and emotional learning (SEL), which are designed…