The present article aims to systematically summarize the effects of free-play (FP) on preschool-aged children's physical activity (PA) level, and motor (MC), cognitive (CC), and socioemotional competence evaluated through randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. A systematic review of relevant articles was carried out using two electronic…

The conducting of universal mental health screening is one widely endorsed practice suitable for use within P-12 school settings to more proactively identify children and young people experiencing or displaying characteristics of a mental health disorder. Absent routine screening, many school-age youth with mental health concerns, especially those…

Preschool teachers are uniquely positioned to impact children's physical activity levels, yet the relationship between teachers' and children's physical activity levels has not been widely investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore preschool teachers' physical activity levels, practices, and perceptions and how this relates to…

As elementary schools expand to include Prekindergarten (PreK), many elementary school physical education teachers are surprised to find PreK classes on their teaching schedule. Equally, many PreK classroom teachers are recognizing the need for quality movement opportunities for their students and are searching for resources that can help all…

China has made significant progress in enhancing maternal and child health over the past 70 years but geographic-based disparities in early childhood development remain. This study investigated trends in urban-rural gaps in early childhood development and the factors that influence them by leveraging secondary data from the China Family Panel…

Health education is one of the key components of pre-school education. Preschool age children have acquired knowledge about health, and this forms the basis for developing, maintaining, and strengthening their health. However, children's knowledge of health is insufficient and their healthy lifestyle skills are insufficiently developed. On the one…

This occasional paper is the ninth in a series on the National Quality Framework (NQF). The Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations govern the minimum standards and requirements that all providers of NQF regulated services must meet, including health and safety requirements. Quality Area 2 of the National Quality Standard…

This paper presents a historical account of conceptual development at the intersection of American education and health. Beginning with early advancements from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the World Health Organization, the authors show the movement from early considerations of the codependency of health and…

In this article we experimentally evaluate Colombia's Think Equal program, which teaches socioemotional skills to children ages 3 to 6. Given the context of COVID-19, the original design was adapted as a hybrid model, alternating in-person and remote instruction and engaging families in the implementation of the curriculum. We found that the…

The main objective of the research is to examine the impact of regular implementation of Education Program made of CATCH Program Movement Activities on the locomotor and manipulative skills of preschool children. Implementation of Education Program made of CATCH Program Movement Activities was carried out in an independent preschool located in…

Head Start is a national program that helps young children from families with low income get ready to succeed in school. The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is the premier source of national information about Head Start programs and participants. For more than two decades, FACES has been advancing the knowledge base about…

A statewide coalition of nearly 50 experts -- including doctors, medical and environmental health researchers, educators, youth and community groups -- worked together to explore the challenges of climate change from the perspective of children's health and education. The insights and recommendations are published in this report. It is presented…

Amid fires, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and other climate-driven disasters and health hazards, California's leading experts in children's health and education have come together to call for a cost-effective, ten year $150 billion investment to ensure K-12 public schools can remain open and provide safe and healthy places for California's…

Objective: The Healthy Environment Project (HEP) was designed to improve familiarity with attitudes, confidence and knowledge related to health-promoting best practices, as well as the implementation of health-promoting policy, system and environment best practice change in diverse early childhood education settings. Design: Pre-post study design…

Recent findings from the Kids Activity and Learning Study complement North Carolina's multidimensional approach to promoting school readiness by emphasizing the integrated nature of motor and cognitive development in early childhood. Children whose motor skills improved the most over the course of an academic year also tended to demonstrate the…