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The paper aims to present the extent to which the application of the concrete mathematical and musical play contributes to the child's cognitive development. The research was conducted in two international schools in Belgrade, using the play titled 'Musical Monkeys'. The results of the research have shown that this kind of approach in working with children encourages attention and motivation, activity and engagement, while requiring and encouraging critical thinking in solving the set of mathematical or musical tasks and contributing to cooperation as well as finding a joint strategy in problem-solving. The obtained results confirm that the children established connection between the mathematical and musical segments, reaching a culmination in a moment of interest within the play, and rises inevitable question – how can mathematics and music be connected? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Playing is essential for the development of higher psychological functions. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that playing constitutes an essential step in children's socio-cognitive development by describing playtime as the indicator of the gradual overcoming of self-centred thinking, with a view to acquiring new social adjustment strategies. The research activity included 64 children from nursery schools in Italy (average age 4.3) and was based on the direct and video-recorded observation of children's spontaneous play at school. Two coding systems were applied to analyse variations in ideation, exploration, socializing, and imitation activities. The preliminary results seem to confirm that playing provides a framework within which it is possible to articulate and express the child's progress in terms of both social development and cognitive skills. The mutual adjustment of the development of these two processes is also shown in the stepwise changing of the way in which conflicts are negotiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined play memories from adults who grew up in a wide range of international contexts. Surveys and semi-structured interviews asking adults to recollect play memories were completed with 135 adults (100 Females, 35 Males) who grew up in 21 countries. Play memories were analysed to identify adults’ favourite types of childhood play, barriers preventing their play, beliefs about the impact of their childhood play across their lifespan, the emotions associated with recollecting their play, and the similarities and variations represented across the adults’ play memories. Pretend play, play in nature, and risk-taking were prevalent themes, however, the data reflect how variation in sociocultural and historical contexts strongly influenced children's play experiences. The majority of participants associated play memories with positive feelings and reported lifelong benefits of early play experiences. The literature on sociocultural variations in children's play and neuroscience research on memories as reconstructions informs discussion of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This small scale research project examines opportunities for creative thinking and imagination through den making in a rural private day nursery with its own woodland area on the borders of England and Wales in the UK. The research is underpinned by sociocultural theory and is an ethnographic study of non-participant observations of children aged between three and four years old and early years practitioners involved in supporting their play. The focus is on children's creative play in peer social groups and examines the way in which children explore their environment and utilise their play space and resources to sustain imagination and creativity. The research considers how the environment and den-making context provides opportunities for possibility thinking [Craft, A. (2001). Little c creativity. In A. Craft, B. Jeffrey, & M. Liebling (Eds.),Creativity in education(pp. 45–61). London: Continuum], where children are encouraged to explore ‘what if?’ questions. The research explores the way in which an outdoor environment can support flexible opportunities and resources where children are able to engage in imaginative and creative play, develop their communication skills and build relationships with other children and adults. The research considers children's fascination with the story ‘bears in the wood’ and how early years practitioners facilitated their creative thinking and imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]