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Play it Forward: Lasting Effects of Pretend Play in Early Childhood

September 19, 2024 sarah JonasFeature Expert

As the school year revs up, a renowned child developmental psychologist highlights the robust benefits of pretend play on cognitive, social, and emotional development in children and cautions how “learning through play” has changed with the demands of contemporary society. Given natural selection’s shaping of childhood for the acquisition and refinement of species-adapted social-cognitive skills – much through pretend play – he says it’s unfortunate that modern culture is ignoring the evolved wisdom of how best to educate young children.

‘Baby Talk:’ Decoding How Children’s Vocal and Cognitive Cues Sway Adults

August 6, 2024 sarah JonasResearch Results

In infancy, caregivers rely on facial expressions and vocal cues to understand a baby’s needs and emotions, as babies do not use language. A new study shows that while facial expressions are important, they are less effective than vocal and cognitive signals. Adults are more focused on a child’s voice when assessing emotional states and helplessness, but use cognitive content, such as reasoning abilities, to gauge intelligence. When a child’s vocal immaturity conflicts with advanced cognitive abilities, caregivers prioritize vocal cues for emotional needs and cognitive cues for intelligence, highlighting how different cues influence judgments in early childhood.

Getting adults on board with messy nature play

June 29, 2023 sarah JonasResearch Results

Climbing trees, making mud pies, or simply playing outside, parents and educators know that being in nature is an important part of every childhood. But when it comes to messy or risky play, it’s a whole different story according to new research from the University of South Australia.

Universal Preschool in the United States by 2040 is Achievable

March 31, 2021 sarah JonasFeature

Universal high-quality preschool is achievable within the next 30 years if the federal government and state and local governments partner to share costs under a two-part plan proposed by the National Institute for Early Education (NIEER) at the Rutgers Graduate School for Education.

Pandemic Threatens Current and Future Funding for State Preschool Programs

March 17, 2021 sarah JonasResearch Results

The pandemic’s impact on state budgets and preschool enrollment threatens future funding for preschool programs, similar to the years of cuts to preschool following the great recession, according to a new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).

Trauma and kids:

November 11, 2019 sarah JonasResearch Results

As catastrophic bushfires continue to rage across New South Wales and Queensland, thousands of people are reeling from the devastation. It’s a shocking start to Australia’s fire season, but beyond the physical damage, the emotional scars persist, especially for Australia’s youngest citizens. Now, in new research from the University of South Australia, researchers have explored the growing uncertainty faced by children aged 0-8 years in disaster zones, finding that early childhood teachers hold a vital role in supporting children dealing with trauma.