Discusses a method by which young children learn about life and death by studying plants. Plants are used because their life cycle has minimal emotional significance to the children. Parent involvement, teacher attitudes, and experiences with the method are discussed. (DG)

Discusses measures of infants and toddlers developing vocabularies. Suggests that what is needed are norms derived from observations of typically-developing bilingual children, followed up by measures of concurrent and predictive validity. (Author/VWL)

Riding toys and push-pull toys are traditionally part of every early childhood program. Young children can develop a wide variety of skills and get numerous health benefits from riding toys if one is careful and thoughtful in setting up the riding-toy area. This article describes various types of riding toys and activity ideas to enhance…

Discusses developmental changes in visual exploration and manipulative investigation among children from birth to six months, six to 12 months, and 12 to 36 months of age. Also discusses pretend play in terms of decentration, decontextualization, and integration. (RH)

When serving special needs children under the age of 24 months, two divergent curricular approaches should be fused: a narrow curriculum focusing educational stimulation on the area of risk or disability, and a broad curriculum supporting the child's general humanity by making available a comprehensive array of experiences. (Author/JDD)

This article on pediatric physical therapy first offers a historical perspective and then looks at the scope of clinical practice in the field, the field's scientific basis, and its theoretical foundations. (Author/DB)

Employed a new methodology to test children's ability to produce metaphors incorporated into metaphoric compounds. In two studies, 59 children aged between 2 and 6 years, and 34 adults participated in elicited production tasks. Results show that children have an early ability to use metaphoric language, but the significant developmental change…

Discusses the importance of cultural sensitivity and specific cultural knowledge when providing care for infants and toddlers. Makes suggestions for responding to cultural differences. Describes dialogue and reflective-thinking strategies for identifying and responding to cultural differences. Asserts that caregivers need diversity training to see…

A grandfather and educator of the gifted recounts his experiences systematically observing and recording the development of his granddaughter from birth through age 5. He notes the special advantages grandparents have in such observation and offers advice to parents, grandparents and talented youth on ways to develop talents and interests…

Evolution has provided babies with wonderful ways to get the loving attention and care that they need from adults. When a baby is distressed, his cry is the most primitive and powerful tool for bringing help. By the time a baby is 2 or 3 months old, his dazzling smile and crooked grin evokes tenderness, smiles, and nurturance from adults who are…

This article presents calming activities and routines for children at different ages and stages. Honig discusses the different stages of arousal for children ages 0-2 and gives suggestions for ways to sooth fussy babies. Miller discusses calming activities and comforting environments for children ages 3-4, and recommends activities that require…

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's question on a baby's behavior who keeps banging on his high chair and laughs uncontrollably. The author states that young children pay close attention to adult's emotional responses. Their lives depend on knowing the best ways to get positive or at least neutral responses from grown-ups in charge…

Fred Rogers, creator and host of the television program "Mister Roger's Neighborhood," believes strongly in several propositions concerning the healthy development and education of young children. These ideas include the following: (1) to grow up to be healthy, very young children do not need to know how to read, but they do need to know how to…

Caregiver-infant interactions in the first years of a child's life provide models and shape patterns of responding that can have consequences throughout the life-span. Research and practice have produced knowledge about the sensitivity of outcomes to characteristics of the infant nurturing situation. Infant caregivers should accept babies' need…

A survey of research findings on environmental and person variables provides clues as to what is required in a high quality infant-toddler program. One of the most important components of such a program is a loving, responsive caregiver. Research has shown that there are specific adult qualities that nurture the roots of intellectual competence,…