Purpose: Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children's language development and delays are well documented, yet less is known about their delays in theory of mind (ToM) development. Importantly, conversational-communicative experiences, language competence, and teacher/parent influences loom large. The present study examined ToM development and the…

Although the impact of remote education during the pandemic on executive functions and mathematical skills has been extensively studied, few studies have examined its effect on pre-school education. Our study aimed to compare the executive and mathematical performance of preschoolers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 122…

Quantifier spreading (Q-spreading), children's incorrect falsification of a universally-quantified sentence based on an 'extra-object' picture, may persist beyond childhood, and children adhere to Q-spreading without changing responses throughout testing. We examined the error patterns across wider age groups (aged 4-79) with a picture-sentence…

This study assessed the relationship between preschoolers' directly and indirectly assessed emotion word comprehension. Forty-nine two-to-five-year-old Norwegian children were assessed in a tablet-based 4-alternative forced choice (AFC) task on their comprehension of six basic and six complex emotions using facial expression photographs. Parents…

This study aims to investigate the practice patterns used by Portuguese speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with preschool-age children with pragmatic impairment and to identify the actual need(s) perceived by SLPs in this field. A total of 351 SLPs responded. The results reveal that 81.5 per cent of the respondents (n=286) reported working or had…

Purpose: Typically developing multilingual children's speech may include mismatches and phonological patterns that are atypical in monolingual peers. One possible reason for mismatches is cross-linguistic transfer, when structures unique to one language are used while speaking another language. This study explored cross-linguistic transfer in…

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder where children can speak in some situations but are unable to do so in others, despite having age-appropriate language skills. There is limited awareness and understanding of SM in both school settings and society, often leading to misunderstandings of affected children. Early intervention is crucial to…

Purpose: This cross-sectional study investigated the development of voice recognition (VR) from childhood to adulthood and the relationship between VR and two linguistic skills (i.e., phonological awareness [PA] and phonological working memory [PWM]). Method: The participants, comprising 25 children (aged 8-9 years), 25 adolescents (aged 12-13…

There are long-held concerns regarding the impact of screen media on children's cognitive development. In particular, fast pace and fantastical events have been theorized to deplete children's cognitive resources, leading to reductions in their attention and executive functions (EF). To date, however, empirical tests of short-term effects of media…

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…

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…

Exposure to heroes and villains via media may influence individuals' behavioural characteristics, but little is known about its effects on the developmental process. Especially, it is unclear whether preferences for heroes or villains are associated with behavioural characteristics in preschoolers, when exposure to TV rapidly increases. We…

Children's inquiry is a pedagogical approach that positions young learners as active investigators who co-construct understandings through sustained exploration with materials, peers, kaiako, whanau, and local communities. It nurtures creativity and critical thinking while inviting children to engage deeply with people, places, and ideas. Grounded…

Theories linked to embodied cognition emphasise the importance of kinaesthetic learning in shaping higher-order cognitive processing. By spreading the cognitive load to other senses while still contributing to central schema, embodied learning can build long-term memory and engagement, especially in young children, leading to improved performance.…

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…