Contemporary Children Research Articles

Giant tree versus iPad kids: Reflecting on childhood outdoor play, then and now

Abstract Childhood play experiences, particularly outdoor play, positively affect children’s holistic development and well-being. This qualitative study examined teacher education students’ perceptions through retrospective reflection on their own childhood play experiences in the past (then) compared to contemporary children’s play at present (now) to recognize the value of childhood play. Ten student teachers enrolled in various teacher education programs at one university participated in this study. Analyzing a drawing task and interviews revealed that participants recalled outdoor play as their favorite childhood play experiences, engaging in unstructured and child-initiated activities, taking risks, and creating their own rules. These outdoor experiences not only fostered social interactions but also nurtured a special emotional bond with the natural environment where they grew up and played. Furthermore, participants reported that children’s play has changed in recent times, with a decline in outdoor play due to increased parental safety concerns and the prevalence of technological devices. The teaching implications regarding prioritizing outdoor play, as well as the intersection of outdoor play and digital technology, are discussed.

Los álbumes ilustrados de Raquel Díaz Reguera: Itinerario lector imprescindible para la educación en valores / Raquel Díaz Reguera’s illustrated albums: an essential reading itinerary for education in values

This article focuses on an approach to the figure of Raquel Díaz Reguera in the extensive field of contemporary children’s literature, highlighting the importance and value that the illustrated album acquires, not only as a means of artistic expression, but also for its role in literary education and the transmission of values. Through a qualitative description of her career as a creator within this genre, we will highlight the author’s commitment to themes of great social and educational importance. Emotional and affective development, gender roles, diversity and peaceful coexistence are some of the topics addressed in her titles. After an approach to the album genre, we will focus on the production of Díaz Reguera, so as to offer a reading itinerary through a selection of various valid titles that will help us forge a literary education that, at the same time, guarantees not only emotional stability, but also the creation of civic awareness and social commitmentl.

Taboo Topics in Children’s Literature: Lijeve Priče (Left Stories) by Alija Isaković

The publication of Lijeve priče (Left Stories) by Alija Isaković (1990), although nearly unnoticed by contemporary literary critics, marked a turning point in Bosniak and Bosnian-Herzegovinian children’s literature at the end of the 20th century. In this only collection intended for the youngest readers, Isaković offered unexpected themes and initiated an unusual dialogue with young readers. Addressing them as equals, the author opens up a whole range of topics that had previously been taboo, such as sexuality, death, violence, and many others, which prior literary practice had avoided, offering an idyllic portrayal of childhood where there was no place for “serious” life situations. In this way, Isaković was among the first to free children’s literature from idealization and its utilitarian pedagogical dimension. This paper examines the themes that continue to qualify Lijeve priče as “inappropriate” for young readers today, as well as the justification for taboo topics in contemporary children’s literature.

Contemporary Normative Values for Five Common Static Standing Tasks on Firm and Compliant Floor Surfaces in Children Two to Thirteen Years.

Static upright tasks, including standing unsupported (SU), eyes closed (SEC), feet together (SFT), tandem (TS), and single limb (SLS), are routinely examined in children and are included in many norm-referenced measures. Existing normative values for these standing tasks may not apply to contemporary children and have not been established across wide age ranges. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate developmental trajectories of and relationships between four static standing positions (SPs [SU, SFT, TS, SLS]) in children aged 2 through 13 years who are developing typically. The effects of altered sensory input, including floor surface (firm and compliant) and vision (eyes open [SU] and eyes closed [SEC]), as well as influences of sex, height, weight, and BMI on static standing were also examined. Children (n = 807) developing typically performed two trials of each task up to 2 minutes per trial using standardized procedures. A total of 482 children were also tested on a compliant surface. Descriptive statistics were calculated by age, height, weight, task, and floor surface. Two-way ANOVA showed no significant effects (p > 0.05) of sex on standing times; however, age was significant for all standing tasks. Repeated-measure ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests identified significant effects (p < 0.05) of age and floor surface on standing times. SU, SEC, and SFT times increased up to 8 years, with most children achieving the 2 minute maximum by age 8. TS and SLS times improved up through 13 years, with wide variations in performance noted in children 8 years and older. Contemporary normative performance values are provided for five common standing tasks on firm and compliant surfaces by age in one-year increments.

Dialogues between picturebooks for children and childhood sciences and cultures

This article brings reflections on contemporary children’s literature in dialogue with the childhood views originated in social sciences and in comparative studies of the Portuguese language. These studies are associated to the hearing of children’s voices and to analytical readings of illustrated books. In the field of social sciences, Daniel Goldin’s, David Buckingham’s and Manuel Sarmento’s research works are here imbricated. The titles we examined were selected during a visit to Portugal in 2022, plus the Brazilian work Inês (2015) by Roger Mello and Mariana Massarani, all of them examples of a literary production that comprehends the young reader’s full interpretation and re-creation skills. The analysis of this material composes a critical fortune, contextualized to demonstrate a net of formation agents of multidisciplinary character that are transformed into plurisignificant crafts in dialogue with child cultures.

Representation in Engineering-Focused Children’s Literature: A Critical Content Analysis

AbstractChildren’s picturebooks have long been understood as a powerful medium for exploring aspects of children’s lives, experiences, and identities serving as mirrors which allow children to see themselves reflected, as windows through which they can gain insight into the experiences of others, and as sliding glass doors when children are connected to the story and characters in meaningful ways. Utilizing a critical content analytic approach, this research examined the identity markers and engineering practices found in contemporary children’s picturebooks with an engineering focus. The analysis yielded key themes that highlight the ways children can interact and connect to the characters and engineering content through both visual imagery and storyline. As the reviewed books held limited social, cultural, and personal identity representations, study findings hold implications for early childhood educators as they highlight the importance of affirming and connecting engineering and design work to the diverse, multifaceted identities of the students in their classrooms. Recommendations from this research call for extending traditional classroom building and construction experiences through the inclusion of engineering-focused children’s literature to enhance and extend children’s understandings of design and engineering work.

The intimate lives of hunter-gatherer children and adolescents

The primary aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the daily lives and experiences of children and adolescents in contemporary hunter-gatherer societies. The study focuses on cultural and demographic factors that influence children’s experiences and examines general characteristics of childhood among forager communities. A secondary aim of the paper is to discuss, when possible, links between hunter-gatherer children’s lives and the archaeological record. This review focuses on the Aka and other Congo Basin hunter-gatherer because of the extensive amount of recent research on childhood in these groups, but also includes comparisons with foragers in other natural and social settings. The study analyses multiple features of childcare and children’s experiences, such as infant care, physical and emotional intimacy, play, co-sleeping and social learning. Hunter-gatherer societies have relatively unique cultural practices common to many groups living in diverse natural environments and which seem to have been conserved over time and space (Hewlett BS et al 2024). The archaeological record may have limited physical artefacts associated with children, but their lived experiences and activities can still manifest as discernible archaeological signatures. The examination of childhood in hunter-gatherer societies yields valuable insights into the breadth of human experiences and the impact of cultural practices on and by children. Understanding the cultural diversity, life experiences, and behavioural patterns of contemporary hunter-gatherer children holds promise for enriching our understanding and interpretation of children in prehistoric archaeological contexts. The findings demonstrate that children played an active and influential role within their communities, engaging in, learning from, and contributing to cultural practices and archaeological signatures.

‘Never again’? Resonances of the past in contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child removal

Kevin Rudd’s 2007 Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples acknowledged the devastating impact of child removal on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities and included a commitment that ‘the injustices of the past must never, never happen again’ (Parliament of Australia 2008). Today however, while First Nations children comprise 6% of the total child population in Australia, they make up 41% of children in out-of-home care (SNAICC 2024b). This article explores the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child removal during the Stolen Generations era, considering the ongoing impacts of this history on First Nations families today. While there have been changes, I identify significant continuities between past and contemporary child removal. These disturbing resonances of the past highlight the failed promise of Australian governments to deliver meaningful change in contemporary First Nations child removal policies and practices and to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not being repeated.

Multilingualism in Contemporary Sephardic Children’s Literature

This article explores the resurgence of contemporary Sephardic children’s literature, with a particular focus on its multilingual nature as a central feature. The study aims to demonstrate how the use of multiple languages within a book serves as a tool to keep young Sephardic readers connected to Ladino – their heritage language – which, nowadays, is considered severely endangered. The methodological approach is based on Jeffrey Shandler’s concept of post-vernacularity, positioning contemporary Judeo-Spanish children’s literature as a post-vernacular phenomenon. The selected books were published in Israel and the United States between 2010 and 2023. This research categorises these works based on the various configurations of multilingualism, which may manifest as direct translations or the use of different languages (and alphabets) in distinct sections of the text and in the pictures. The study concludes that multilingual children’s literature offers a meaningful way for young Sephardim to connect with their cultural roots and engage with Ladino culture.

Super-Charlies mamma

Theme: Motherhood and Mothering. Ill. ©Stina Wirsén Super-Charlie’s Mum: Public Mothers, Adult Address, and Parasocial Relationships in Contemporary Swedish Picturebooks This article examines contemporary Swedish celebrity picturebooks in which the central characters share names with the children of the authors. The focus is on the relationship between the authors’ public personas and the maternal figures depicted in the books, as well as the ways in which such publications can be understood from a book market perspective. The analysis includes Margaux Dietz’ books about Arnold (2020–2021), Marie Serneholt’s books about Nico and Phille (2020–2021), and Camilla Läckberg’s first instalment in the Super-Charlie series (2011–). The rise of celebrity-authored children’s books has been a notable trend in the Anglo-American publishing industry, with parallel developments emerging in Sweden. The symbiotic relationship between celebrities eager to publish children’s literature and publishers seeking to capitalize on public figures is key to understanding the mechanisms that drive the production of such books. By integrating theoretical frameworks from children’s literature research, motherhood studies, and sociology of literature, this article demonstrates the value of a multifaceted disciplinary approach when analyzing the contemporary Swedish children’s book market. The article explores the adult address created by references to the authors’ actual lives — visible through texts, paratexts, and illustrations — which are primarily accessible to the adult reader. This phenomenon reflects the parasocial relationships that these books utilize to engage readers. As a result, different approaches to motherhood can be discerned: as a carer, a role-model, or a playfully distant star author. These variations of the literary mother figure comment on the authors’ public personas for the benefit of the adult readers, which in turn showcase the commercial possibilities surrounding motherhood, online and on the book market.

Growth, maturity status, motor proficiency and fitness of participants and non-participants in organised sports 7–10 years

Background Lifestyles of contemporary children are largely organised with relatively little time for free play. Aim To compare the growth, maturity status, motor proficiency and physical fitness of non-participants and participants in organised sports 7–10 years. Subjects and methods Height, weight, skeletal age (SA), physical activity, fundamental motor skills, motor coordination and fitness were assessed in 234 boys and 235 girls. Sex-specific comparisons of the characteristics of sport participants and non-participants 7–8 and 9–10 years were evaluated with Student’s t and Mann–Whitney U tests. Results Boys and girls in each age group active in sport had significantly higher levels of sport-related physical activity. At 7–8 years, boys active in sport were significantly taller and heavier than peers not active in sport, while girls not active in sport performed significantly better in ball rolling and balance. At 9–10 years, boys active in sport were more proficient in catching, while girls active in sport were more proficient in hopping and side-to-side jumping. Conclusion SA and performances among children 7–10 years active and not active in sport were largely non-significant statistically, while those active in sport were physically more active.

DIGITAL STORYTELLING IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES

Digital storytelling (J. Lambert) is an interdisciplinary tool that helps teachers to personalize educational process and students to acquire learning material better, improve st century skills and develop agency. It implies narratives and animated presentations of ideas, created by students with the use of computer-based tools. The work on a digital story improves students’ computational thinking skills and multimodal literacy, associated with visual perception, understanding and responding to digital and multimedia texts. In order to study learning potential and students’ perception of such educational technology the research was conducted by The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Childhood in March, . It was completed on the basis of School № in Kashira within the government assignment «Development of technology for overcoming adolescent risks: school theater based on role-playing experimentation».  adolescents took part in  lessons in Fine Arts. After reading “Letters about the good and beautiful” by Dmitriy Likhachev, they fi gured out the appropriate statements to develop them into digital stories of moral choice. Having sketched the plots of their stories in pencil, the schoolers worked on animated fi lms in stop-motion technique. That work included drawing scenery and characters, taking and editing photos, processing photos into short animated fi lms, adding sound and subtitles. Adolescents completed  digital stories. Due to their  refl ective journals, fi lled in the form of open-ended questions, they mostly experienced interest, pleasure and fun at the lessons. Adolescents wrote that they learned to work in teams, be attentive to others and overcome interaction challenges. They found diffi cult to come up with visual metaphors and story plots, but all their new skills might be practical for other school projects. To conclude, digital storytelling may be incorporated into the curriculum to update and enhance studying as well as bridge Literature, IT and Fine Arts together.

RECONSTRUCTING CHILD CUSTODY POST-DIVORCE IN ISLAMIC FAMILY LAW: A BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD-BASED APPROACH IN THE CONTEMPORARY ERA

The concept of child custody post-divorce has been a critical issue in Islamic family law, particularly in light of contemporary debates surrounding children’s rights and welfare. In recent decades, there has been a growing emphasis on the Best Interest of the Child (BIC) standard, which has shaped custody decisions in Western legal systems. This article explores the integration of the BIC principle within Islamic family law, specifically addressing how it can be reconstructed to align with modern child welfare needs. Through a comprehensive literature review, the paper examines Islamic legal sources, including the Qur’an, Hadith, and classical fiqh, to evaluate the traditional understanding of child custody in divorce cases. It further investigates the compatibility of Islamic principles with international human rights frameworks that advocate for the child's best interest. The article highlights the challenges and opportunities in adapting Islamic family law to contemporary child custody norms, considering cultural, legal, and societal factors. It also compares the Islamic approach with Western legal perspectives on child welfare, identifying areas for potential reform. The findings suggest that while Islamic law provides a strong foundation for protecting children's rights, it requires contextual adaptation to ensure the child’s best interests are consistently prioritized. This research calls for a balanced and progressive approach to reforming child custody practices within Islamic family law. Ultimately, it aims to contribute to a more child-centered framework in Islamic legal systems, offering insights for policymakers and legal practitioners.

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: A Century of Child Psychoanalysis

ABSTRACT There is a tendency to see the status of contemporary child and adolescent psychoanalysis in pessimistic terms. But a careful comparison of the current-day scene with the past suggests that the situation is more nuanced. These are both the best and the worst of times. Looking back at the evolution of child analysis over the past 100 years reveals significant current-day progress despite some worrisome difficulties that can be rectified. This history is reviewed, and the many positive signs are delineated. In summary, modern day child analysts must continue to be proactive in demonstrating the value of knowledge and experience with development and clinical child work for analysts who work with all ages. Supporting an integrated curriculum is key to keeping child analysis in the forefront of psychoanalysts' minds.

Trends and inequalities in thinness and obesity among Chinese children and adolescents: evidence from seven national school surveys between 1985 and 2019

There are little recent data in China regarding contemporary nutritional inequities among children and adolescents, particularly in relation to urban-rural residence and regional socioeconomic status (SES). We aim to assess inequalities in thinness and obesity in Chinese children and adolescents. Weight and height measurements for 1 677 261 children and adolescents aged 7-18 years were obtained from seven cycles of the Chinese National Surveys on Students Constitution and Health (1985, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014, and 2019). Sex-specific BMI-for-age Z scores were applied to define thinness (Z scores <-2SD) and obesity (Z scores >+2SD). Urban-rural classification came from the Statistical Urban and Rural Division Code, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the province in which the school was situated was used as a proxy for SES. T1 represented the provinces with the most disadvantaged SES and T3 represented the provinces with the most advantaged SES. General linear regression models assessed correlations between prevalence and GDP per capita, with projections to 2030 derived from best-fitting models. The mean prevalence of obesity rose from 0·10% (95% CI 0·09 to 0·11) in 1985 to 8·25% (8·13 to 8·37) in 2019, whereas thinness prevalence decreased from 8·49% (8·41 to 8·58) to 3·37% (3·29 to 3·45). High SES provinces exhibited a significant drop in obesity prevalence from 2014 (8·42% [8·19 to 8·65]) to 2019 (7·73% [7·52 to 7·95]). Nationally, the prevalence of obesity was consistently higher in urban areas than in rural areas for both sexes from 1985 to 2019; however, a greater prevalence of obesity was observed in rural than urban girls residing in T3 regions in 2019 (urban-rural gap: -0·37% [-0·07 to -0·80]). Rural boys had a higher prevalence of thinness than their urban counterparts across all survey waves, with the exceptions of 1985 and 1995. For girls, no significant urban-rural gap in thinness was observed in the most recent survey in 2019 (-0·10% [-0·24 to 0·04]). From 1985 to 2014, boys and girls from high SES regions had a higher risk of obesity and a lower risk of thinness than those from low SES regions. However, in 2019, a nationwide shift occurred, and the T3-T1 difference in obesity approached or went below zero for boys (-0·49% [-1·02 to 0·04]) and girls (-0·68% [-1·00 to -0·35]). T3-T1 differences in thinness also approached zero for boys (-0·46% [-0·77 to -0·14]) and girls (-0·14% [-0·43 to 0·15]). The projected estimates to 2030 for urban-rural obesity gaps (boys: -1·00% [-2·65 to 0·65]; girls: -2·88% [-6·91 to 1·15]) and T3-T1 obesity differences (boys: -8·88% [-13·76 to -4·01]; girls: -8·82% [-12·78 to -4·85]) were both negative, with forecasted estimates for urban-rural gaps and T3-T1 differences in thinness prevalence in 2030 close to zero for both boys and girls. China's socioeconomic development continues to influence within-country inequities regarding the regional distribution of child and adolescent weight according to urban-rural location and regional SES. Contemporary Chinese children and adolescents in socioeconomically disadvantaged regions and rural areas constitute a vulnerable population facing nutritional risk, but from obesity rather than thinness. Disrupting projected inequities in obesity will require extensive preventive investments. National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing Natural Science Foundation, Peking University Talent Introduction Program Project, and Clinical Medicine Plus X-Young Scholars Project of Peking University. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Interactional space for agency: Discussing photography with preschoolers

According to the latest research in both arts education and childhood studies, young children's agency is relational, entangled and negotiated. However, in early childhood visual arts education, modernist practices emphasising the independent and self-expressive child–agent are still recognisable. In this article, early childhood artistic activities are seen as a shared venue for interaction, social exchange and joint meaning-making, thereby providing a specific forum for displaying agency. Informed by conversation analysis, we explore discussions between 14 preschoolers and a researcher on contemporary art and children's self-authored photographs in a workshop in an early childhood education and care centre. By examining our discussions as turn-by-turn procedures, we identify children's displays of agency. The findings illustrate children's agency as a multifaceted and complex interactional phenomenon based on verbal and non-verbal communication and demonstrating both imaginative, progressively oriented talk and modes of resistance. While a shared playful stance appeared as a suitable means to approach art/creative photographs, it simultaneously became an essential interactional resource for inviting and promoting children's agency. Collaborative play with photographs provided an interactional space in which the fixed child/children–adult binary could be questioned and different types of agency were available for both children and the adult.

An Analysis of Traditional and Contemporary Children’s Songs With Considerations for Music Therapy Practice

Abstract Children’s songs include a diverse collection of traditional and contemporary songs. (Yinger and Springer [2016]. Analyzing recommended songs for older adult populations through linguistic and musical inquiry. Music Therapy Perspectives 34, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu048) analyzed musical and textual features of songs used by music therapists with older adults; however, studies on children’s songs in music therapy have not included musical and textual features analysis. Our purpose with this study was to analyze the musical and textual features of a sample of 20 traditional and 20 contemporary predominantly U.S. children’s songs and consider applications for music therapy. Text information was collected, including total and unique words, the song topic, and potential applications. Musical information was collected, including form, melodic range, and harmonic/chordal structure. Findings included that the traditional songs were strophic, had fewer overall words, were harmonized with three chords or fewer, and had melodic ranges of five to seven notes. By contrast, contemporary children’s songs used complex song forms, had more words, were harmonized with more than three chords, and had melodic ranges of eight or more notes. Song topics and applications had similar codes across the song types. A music therapist may apply traditional songs in clinical work, where a simpler musical structure and fewer words support the client’s needs. Likewise, a music therapist may apply contemporary songs for greater musical complexity and more vocabulary. Future studies of children’s songs in music therapy could include an analysis of music therapists’ composed songs and songs used by music therapists who work with young children.

Literature as a Remedy for the (De)sensitization of the Contemporary Child. Attempt of Practical Approach Using the Theme of War

The text is theoretical in its nature and deals with the subject of the influence of literature on the child in early school age in terms of affecting the sensitivity of the recipient. The author considers the phenomenon of (de)sensitization as a process that would help the modern child to accept taboo phenomena on the example of the subject of war. The article refers to the theory of the Highly Sensitive Child and the “bitter-sweet” impact of art, recalling the works of Elaine Aron and Susan Cain. It was emphasized that the child’s hypersensitivity to certain images or sounds is related not only to natural stages of development, but also, or perhaps mainly, to individual predispositions to sensitivity to stimuli. The considerations included in the article also refer to war-themed texts for children published in Poland. The researcher provides a list of reading materials that may be interesting for contemporary child readers, but are not part of the school canon. The text is supplemented by a practical example of working with Liliana Bardijewska’s work entitled Karim’s Cat and Pictures with the use of a board game as a form of work with text at the level of grades I–III of primary school.

"Listen to the World". Musical Themes in Children's Literature as a Space for Knowledge Integration

The authors of this article analyse contemporary children’s books containing a musical theme. Selected books were examined to determine their educational potential in promoting children’s ability to integrate associative knowledge of music. The following research questions were formulated: can the content and form of the studied works initiate the integration of children’s knowledge? What types of literary editing approaches promote knowledge integration? The study demonstrated that the analysed books can inspire educators to promote identity-building and the development of self-awareness, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and socio-cultural identity in children. They can provide students with the necessary tools for discovering their identity and true potential, becoming independent thinkers, formulating and expressing personal beliefs, and – above all – integrating their knowledge.

THE MAIN TENDENCIES OF THE MODERN GEORGIAN CHILDREN’S POEMS

The issue of children's literature, particularly children's poetry, presents certain challenges in the 21st century. This genre was significantly impacted by the Soviet economic pressures that persisted throughout the 70 years prior to the restoration of Georgia's independence. With the transition to a free Georgia, it became necessary to explore new themes, forms, and expressive techniques to cultivate the literary knowledge and taste of the future generation. This issue, which affected literature for adults, also had a profound impact on children's literature, including children's poetry. The growing influence of globalization further highlighted the need for the creation of educational and supplementary materials for preschool and school-aged children. In this context, the work of Mariam Tsiklauri, a contemporary children's writer born in 1960, stands out. As the author of over 30 printed books, 12 electronic books, and the founder of the "Children's Literature Development Fund" in 2011, Tsiklauri has made significant contributions to the field. Her children's poems have been included in numerous school textbooks. Therefore, her poetry not only reflects the traditions of the previous century but also introduces innovative elements, providing a representative glimpse into the evolution of Georgian children's poetry in the 21st century—an exploration that is the primary focus of this scientific study.