Young children learn best through hands-on, authentic experiences that motivates, stimulates and supports their growth in all areas of development. This includes the skills necessary to enhance their literacy and language acquisition, physical and cognitive development in addition to their social-emotional development and approaches to learning.…

Purpose: This study aims to explore young children's information practices within the context of their individual interests, examining children's interest-related information activities, challenges encountered and enablers received. Design/methodology/approach: Participants included 18 children between five and seven years of age and their…

Children's food preferences are strongly associated with their consumption patterns. Children tend to choose foods with which they are familiar. It is proposed that the earlier and broader the experience with food, the healthier the child's or adult´s diet. In a focus group we developed a toolkit consisting of a training course for kindergarten…

Play-based learning is of growing interest in many English-medium primary schools throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. I share my insights from researching play as learning, and supporting teachers with curriculum design and pedagogy in play-based contexts. Although play is a slippery concept and its value often underestimated, the evidence of the…

The engagement and adult and peer interaction of 37 young children with a range of disabilities was measured in free play, group, and meal-routine activities in inclusive childcare settings. A significant effect for activity type was found for total engagement, active engagement, and passive engagement, with the children being more engaged in…

Play is well documented as a purposeful, authentic way for children to engage in literacy practices. Although the benefits of play are widely agreed upon, there is some debate regarding its place in school. In fact, play is often marginalized in place of "back to the basics" language instruction. For kindergartners, this means word…

This project/report partnered researchers with teachers from two centres to explore and theorise understandings of children's inquiries and working theories. This project investigated the following questions: (1) What is the nature and content of infants', toddlers' and young children's inquiries and working theories in relation to their everyday…

This paper explores ideas of language as a cognitive tool and the role of gesture in expressing children's interests and levels of knowledge. The context is a group of three-year-old children who participate in a weekly music session with a trained musician. The authors present drawings from photographs of children's hands and interpret them,…

Teachers of very young children have the awesome task of providing rich information and experiences that build skills and understanding in the context of every day routines "and" within intentionally-designed play opportunities that capture children's interests, wonder and curiosity so they want to know more. Pennsylvania's learning…

Young children's own perceptions of their preference for television viewing relative to other developmentally appropriate activities were studied through means of a questionnaire. The respondents rated television viewing as a less attractive activity than playing outside, playing with play dough, and building with sand, but few preferred story…

Practical suggestions on utilizing various types of boxes in activities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. (SP)

Contains excerpts from unpublished research which illuminate aspects of the play/drama/theatre continuum--research representing over 20 years of study of college students reflecting on their own childhood performance experiences. Focuses on young performers--how children practice the adult art form of theatre through dramatic play. (PA)

Examines the effects of providing different reasons for young children inteacting with a peer during play. Shows that dispositional or situational information about an unknown peer affects children's impressions of that peer differently, depending on the age of the child. (HOD)

Describes a Montana child development center's creation of an area in which children could enjoy messy, creative, sensory experiences playing with mud and a wide variety of outdoor props. Discusses how mud play contributed to young children's emerging interests and provided opportunities for expressing creativity, enhancing fine motor skills, and…

Examines the role of the outdoors in child development. The expanse of outdoors teaches humility, yet does not judge, thereby teaching self-esteem. Nature's diversity teaches that difference is the norm, thereby teaching tolerance. Small nearby places that children favor--trees, brooks, ponds--nurture a sense of home. Early outdoor experiences are…