The objective of the current study was to assess how a LEGO intervention, implemented by a grandparent and a parent at home, affected social interactions for four children (two girls, two boys; ages 6-7 years) on the autism spectrum in China. A multiple probe design across four families was used. Grandparents and parents were trained to use…

Programming is becoming a key subject in early education globally, with surging problems of how computer science can become a subject for children of all ages and backgrounds. Problems of implementing new technologies in the old curricula have long been noted, and lately, concern over computer science education goals is often too narrow and…

Purpose: Telehealth delivery increases accessibility of parent-mediated interventions that teach parents skills and support autistic children's social communication. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), an evidence-based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) focused on imitation skills, a common difficulty in autism, holds…

Math language plays a crucial role in early math skill development. However, previous studies have measured math language using children's knowledge or the environmental input of mathematical language, often limiting the scope to specific types of mathematical language. This study examined both numerical (e.g., number-related) and non-numerical…

Drawing on the enactive account and the 4E's approach to cognition, we discuss here how both physical play and dance improvisational practice can be seen as (participatory) sense-making processes. In this article, we will specifically focus on children's physical play and dance improvisation since both activities are open-ended, creative and call…

This article is from a continuous professional development project where preschool teachers are introduced to the framework Play-Responsive Early Childhood Education and Care (PRECEC). Aspects of play and teaching are discussed in focus groups, before and after a first attempt to enact and re-enact play-responsive teaching, with science content.…

Using a grounded theory method, the authors explore the phenomenon of adult play guilt, or the negative emotions associated with the perception of being unproductive while engaging in play. They interviewed twenty-four emerging adult undergraduate students about feeling guilty when contemplating or engaging in play. The authors found that…

Children who are in high-quality childcare are encouraged to explore the material and social environment. Boys and girls might differ in their susceptibility to this quality of childcare. In the current study, we tested whether childcare quality is related to children's involvement in home-based childcare, and whether child gender acts as a…

Educational game designers face persistent challenges in integrating learning activities seamlessly into gameplay. Existing content integration strategies, such as intrinsic and extrinsic integration, often struggle to balance motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes effectively. This paper addresses these long-standing challenges by…

Early childhood experiences have lifelong physical, social, emotional, and cognitive impacts. High quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can put children on the path to personal development, lifelong learning, and future employability. Among the fastest growing ECEC options are nature-based preschools, where children spend most or all…

Play has a significant role in children's learning and development. "Play in the Early Years" examines the central questions about play from the perspectives of children, families and educators, providing a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of play for children from birth to eight years. In its fourth edition,…

The aspiration of the LEGO Foundation is to support children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners, who thrive in a constantly changing world by experiencing the benefits of learning through play. Learning through play offers deep learning experiences that are joyful, meaningful, active, engaged, iterative, and social. Effective teacher…

Sozo Kurahashi's (1882-1955) theories, formed from his profound respect for children, have influenced Japanese early childhood education and care (ECEC) practitioners for a long time. They also have influenced the national ECEC curriculum in Japan, which emphasizes the need for a rich environment where children can actively learn and play rather…

Integral to the global nature play movement, nature play programs have flourished over the last decade, both in Australia and internationally. Internationally, there are two prominent schools of thought in this movement, Danish Nature Kindergartens, and British Forest Schools. The underpinning philosophy of Danish Nature Kindergarten programs has…

Previous research has supported selecting development-matched targets rather than age-matched targets to teach play skills to children with autism spectrum disorder. However, few studies have been conducted, and replications and extensions of this research are needed. The current study replicated Pane et al. (2022) by comparing the acquisition of…