This review will explore the importance of play and its impact on the health and well-being of children of all ages. Evidence that supports the importance of play will be highlighted. Additional resources will be provided to assist parents, caregivers, and professionals on how to utilize play strategies in the everyday experiences of children.

Within the objectives of the "Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs" (CSPAP) and the "Let's Move in School Initiative" (LMIS), the PA leaders (PE teachers) strive to instill the knowledge, skills, and confidence that help their students be physically active for a lifetime. PA leaders strive to involve family and…

The impact of parental mental health difficulties on the developing child is well evidenced and documented. In this article Kate Olliver-Kneafsey, Ev Thornton and Wendy Williamson suggest that despite the difficulties young people face when parental mental illness is a feature of family life, it is not all gloom and doom, and give some important…

Individuals with Down syndrome typically have low fitness levels and obesity despite data that indicate physiological gains from physical activity and exercise interventions. Low fitness levels and obesity in individuals with Down syndrome may be related to sedentary lifestyles, social and recreational opportunities, or low motivation to be…

With its roots in clinical and educational psychology, school psychology is an ever-changing field that encompasses a diversity of topics. "The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology" synthesizes the most vital and relevant literature in all of these areas, producing a state-of-the-art, authoritative resource for practitioners,…

From time to time, every parent must evaluate a child's symptoms of illness or developmental problems and decide what action to take. This reference book is designed to help parents distinguish minor everyday problems from more serious conditions, and to suggest a reasonable course of action. The book is divided into two major sections: an A to Z…

Designed as a "Participant's Manual" to be used as part of a "Chemical and Mercury Management in Schools Training," this document focuses on the policies and programs needed at the school and district level for safe and sustainable chemical and mercury management practices. This document is designed primarily for school…

As researchers continue to analyze the role of parenting both in the development of childhood overweight and in obesity prevention, studies of child nutrition and growth are detailing the ways in which parents affect their children's development of food- and activity-related behaviors. Ana Lindsay, Katarina Sussner, Juhee Kim, and Steven Gortmaker…

This special issue on child care presents articles on children's health, day care, grandparents, father-child relationships, pregnancy after age 40, children's dental care, children's moral development, parties for children, children's fighting, fashions in children's clothes, sibling relationships, and health care programs for children. (BC)

This guide provides parents with information intended to help them deal with different aspects of parenthood. The first section describes nine developmental stages and the growth of children from birth to late adolescence. For each of these stages, descriptions of children's characteristics, suggestions for parents, and recommended books are…

This workbook provides a means of assessing the health maintenance and promotion skills of youth in foster care and offers exercises to develop those skills. The workbook is designed to be used collaboratively by foster parents and youth in substitute care, enabling them to assess, develop, and practice independent living skills, and to maintain a…

The teaching guide and resource manual present information to help parents and other adults talk to children and adolescents about AIDS. The teaching guide is a resource for conducting parent AIDS education programs. It presents step-by-step instructions for facilitators that explain the activities and objectives and the teaching techniques for…

Intended for use by health education professionals, teachers, parents and others interested in the health status and health risk behaviors of young persons in Maine, this report describes the results of three concurrent studies of adolescent health. Data were obtained by written and telephone surveys taken from parents and adolescents in Maine.…

With input and recommendations from physicians, health care professionals, and parents, this book for parents, grandparents, and child caregivers provides numerous interesting facts, pages of useful information, and listings of resources to guide and inform anyone who cares for children. Section 1, on child health care, provides a brief history of…

Noting that parents play an essential role in preventing or breaking the cycle of violence, this pamphlet shows parents how to prevent violence in their home and community. The pamphlet, designed for use with children of all ages, is part of the "Bright Futures for Families" series, which offers information on health and child development for use…