This study aimed to obtain consensus on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) policy items for use in Canadian childcare settings. Purposeful sampling of Canadian experts in PA/SB (n = 19) and Early Childhood Education (ECE; n = 20) was used to form two distinct (i.e., PA/SB and ECE) panels for a 3-round Delphi study. In round 1, the…

This qualitative study explored mothers' and fathers' perspectives on children's play through semi-structured interviews. Fifteen fathers and 19 mothers were interviewed using open-ended questions. Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using open coding. Several themes emerged related to the definition of play, use of play, play activities,…

This study investigated the relationship between children's mathematics performance and physical health using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 (ECLS-K 2011). A two-level hierarchical growth curve model was used to explore the relationships between childhood mathematics performance and childhood…

Literacy is a common goal of early childhood programs in libraries. Through the "Every Child Ready to Read" initiative of the American Library Association, librarians emphasize educating caregivers and parents to work with their children on early literacy skills (Every Child Ready to Read, n.d.).This program identifies singing as one of…

Literacy is the foundation of education and supporting young children's early literacy opportunities prepares them for a variety of learning experiences, both in traditional and non-traditional settings. Reading to shelter dogs in non-traditional settings may offer a space that is judgement-free and inviting for the development of motivation and…

In summer 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, 8 parent-child dyads were recruited to participate in a pilot project to investigate the potential benefit of an at-home adaptation of an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) for literacy. After completing a demographic survey and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (Cohen et al., 1983), children's reading…

The purpose of this single case study was to investigate if a functional relation existed between online training and coaching, and early interventionists' use of an approach to practice meant to facilitate family-centered practices. Four professional/family dyads participated in the study. Three of the four professionals demonstrated an immediate…

Using the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2014 (FACES 2014), this study examined the associations of Head Start children's behavioral challenges with teachers' well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, job commitment) and intent to leave, controlling for teacher characteristics. We sought to explore the direct…

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are being increasingly included in early childhood settings. As such early childhood teachers need pre-service training to support their knowledge of ASD and preparation to implement evidence-based practices. Mentor teachers and administrators of pre-service clinical sites play an important role in…

Drawing on ethnographic research, this paper investigates the gendered involvement in early literacy programs at one central library in the Greater Toronto Area. This study consisted of observations and field notes across family literacy programs, along with in-depth interviews with librarians and mother attendees. In particular, this research…

Character strengths such as love, kindness and forgiveness promote emotional health, positive relationships and enhanced well-being for children and adults. Yet little research has investigated how early childhood educators practice love, kindness and forgiveness at work, or how they observe these virtues in children. A strength-spotting…

Children's picture books, both fiction and non-fiction, play a vital role in introducing the reader to the natural world. Here we examine the representation of turtles, terrapins and tortoises (Testudines) in 204 English language picture books and find a mean of 3.9 (SD 9.1) basic biological errors per book. Only 83 (40.7%) of the examined books…

The role that caregivers can play in their child's science education is often overlooked within science education research. Few studies have focused on the capacity and abilities of caregivers to guide science activities. The purpose of this study was to describe how families utilize science activity packs at home. Data indicate that the adults…

This study was designed to investigate children's abilities to count and make quantitative comparisons. In addition, this study utilized reasoning questions (i.e., how did you know?). Thirty-four preschoolers, mean age 4.5 years old, participated in the study. According to the results, 89% of the children (n = 30) were able to do rote counting and…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effects of a modified reciprocal imitation training (RIT) on the imitation skills of children with autism. Two parents were trained and coached to use the modified RIT with their young children with autism in home settings. The modified RIT was composed of contingent imitation, descriptive…