Sand is an excellent material to play with. It is versatile, widely available, open-ended and cheap. And you don’t need a fancy plastic mould to make something special.
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Articles on Play-based learning
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How to make a ‘fortune teller’ or ‘chatterbox’ with children, and why the paper activity targets many developmental domains at once.
People, policies, practice and place all matter in publicly funded, school-based children’s early learning programs.
The lack of a fully interactive environment in kindergarten due to pandemic school closures may negatively impact some children’s learning in later grades.
The two biggest states have jointly committed to a huge investment in early childhood education and learning over the next decade. But delivering high-quality universal preschool access won’t be easy.
New research demonstrates the many aspects of nature play that make it a great way for young children to gain STEM knowledge.
Talking to a puppet, as opposed to a person, makes the conversation feel less personal. It’s sometimes used in therapy to help the child feel less self-conscious and open up.
P.L.A.Y.: An acronym to remind you why letting children play is a responsible and critical way to support children’s development through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your children can have a rich experience, seeing different parts of the world and understanding other cultures. And there are several things you can do to support their learning.
One-quarter of children who start school aren’t developmentally ready. Play-based learning in the early years of school can help with the transition, as well as providing a host of other benefits.
Children need to play and discover the world for themselves without too much restriction. Here are some ways we can enhance children’s opportunities to do this.
Being outside helps kids learn. Here are some ways to get them to spend more time in nature.
Children aged three to five don’t need to do formal academic assignments in early childhood education to hit their milestones.
Research shows play-based learning programs enhance children’s learning outcomes and teaches them skills relevant to the 21st century, such as problem-solving and creativity.
Playfulness is frowned upon in secondary school. It shouldn’t be.
Youth sports are viewed as a rite of passage in a child’s development. If the clichés that permeate sports broadcasts and locker room speeches are to be believed, sports participation teaches children…
When are children “ready” for school? There is much debate about when the transition between play-based pre-school and the start of “formal” schooling should begin. The trend in the UK primary school curriculum…
Anyone who’s ever watched a toddler play with water and different-sized containers has seen play-based learning in action. A child will fill up a big container and tip the water into smaller ones, watching…
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Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University
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Assistant Professor, Child and Youth Studies, Mount Saint Vincent University
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Senior Lecturer in Education, Queensland University of Technology
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PhD student, University of Warwick
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Clinical Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Austin
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Associate Dean (Research) & Associate Professor of Education (Personal Development, Health & Physical Education), Charles Sturt University
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Executive Dean and Professor of Sustainability, Environment & Education, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University
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Associate Dean Teaching & Learning and Senior lecturer, James Cook University
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Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Deakin University
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Assistant Professor, Canada Research Chair in Early Childhood: Diversity and Transitions, Mount Saint Vincent University
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Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Deakin University
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Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, Deakin University
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