Identifies behaviors of young children during play on swings that may be consistently observed as evidence of their construction of the physics principles related to pendulums. Findings indicate that children's activities on swings demonstrate their interest in experimenting with balance, force, gravity, resistance, and resonance. Discusses…

Examined development of young children's psychomotor behaviors on outdoor swings, devising a Guttman hierarchical scale. Found that children consolidate basic movements into proficient swinging skills, and then experiment with the physical properties of the swing and with the social context. Modeling, informal instruction, and practice contribute…