We acknowledge the importance of scaffolding during play; thus, the present study explores the ways early childhood (EC) teachers provide guidance during children's socio-dramatic play and how they employ creative drama in their play interactions. Data collection included the play video recordings of an in-service teacher with a drama background,…

This article describes teachers' collaborative inquiry into the pretend "bad guy" play of 12 children in a university laboratory preschool classroom in the northeastern United States. The article describes the inquiry process and includes details and documentation of children's decisions, actions, and interactions related to the bad guy…

From adding richness and variety to learning, to redesigning a playground, this highly accessible text will provide early years practitioners with a wealth of ideas on how to foster creative play and learning in the outdoor environment with a focus on interacting with the natural world. "Nature and Young Children" contains many simple ideas on the…

Offered as a supplement to the House Corner Curriculum Manual (HCCM) this trainer's guide for center directors and others responsible for teacher training and parent education focuses on developing and presenting workshops. The guide is divided into five sessions, each of which corresponds to the five chapters in the HCCM. Topics include the…

A practicum project was designed to retrain preschool personnel on the importance of indoor play and on their role during play sessions. Workshops and training sessions were developed to examine the physical environment of the classroom, discuss play theories, and review skills that children can develop during play sessions. Pre- and posttests,…

This trainer's guide is designed for day care center directors and others responsible for teacher training and parent education who wish to develop and present workshops based on the manual "Blocks - A Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood." The guide is divided into five sections, called "sessions," which correspond to the…

Reports recent research which illustrates the educational value of play in preschool education. Play theory, the relationship between cognitive development and play, implications from research on preschool program models, the use of play equipment, dramatic play and teacher participation in play activities are discussed. (SDH)

Evaluates the effects that environmental changes in early childhood activity centers and patterns of teacher guidance have on children's literacy behavior. Finds that the children are likely to engage in voluntary literacy behaviors during free play when literacy materials are introduced and teachers guide children to use those materials. (MG)

Describes frame play as a type of play in which children and teacher jointly plan the theme, roles, and actions and produce an extended imaginary play situation that can be repeated. Presents other types of play and discusses teachers' role in supporting theme development, resource organization, and environment transformation. Analyzes frame play…

Vivian Gussin Paley's "storytelling curriculum" consists of two interdependent activities, dictation and dramatization. It has long been recognized for its impact on young children's psychosocial, language, and narrative development. As a result of the Bush administration's educational policies, holistic, play-based curricula like storytelling are…

In this article, the author describes some of the key research findings that demonstrate the relationship between school readiness and preschool play. She begins with definitions of both school readiness and play, and then describes the teacher's role in ensuring that play is used effectively to promote school readiness. The author goes on to…

This paper provides an extensive discussion of children's play, including examination of theoretical, developmental, measurement, and classroom or playgroup perspectives for teachers of children between the ages of 2 and 6 years. The first section offers a brief overview of theories of play and describes several distinguishing features of play,…

Suggests that children will become more constructively involved during outside play time if teachers and caregivers plan and implement outdoor learning centers and change them frequently. Identifies four kinds of play and describes appropriate learning center activities for each. (BB)

Describes a play-based procedure for assessing young children's knowledge of the functions of writing. A case study highlights this discussion. (BB)

Discusses the critical relationships among play, learning to read, and early reading achievement. Gives examples of kindergarten play activities that nurture the ability to read, including painting, playing with lettered blocks, movement activities, sociodramatic play, and field trips. (FL)