Preschool Day Research Articles

Children’s Diets and Planetary Health: A Study in Wroclaw, Poland, and Sydney, Australia

Meals served to children should not only satisfy hunger and taste preferences but also be nutritionally adequate. Nutrition in early childhood is critical, as children spend a significant portion of their day in kindergarten or preschool, making these settings key contributors to their overall dietary intake. With the rising prevalence of nutrition-related health conditions among children, early interventions are essential for developing and establishing lifelong healthy eating habits. This study assessed the nutritional value and quality of children’s diets in two distinct settings: kindergartens in Wroclaw, Poland, and preschools in Sydney, Australia, evaluating their alignment with the planetary health diet. The research analysed 10-day menu cycles from five kindergartens in Wroclaw and the contents of lunchboxes from five preschools in Sydney’s Upper North Shore area. A total of 100 menus were reviewed in Poland, while 100 children’s lunchboxes were assessed in Australia. Different analytical methods were employed: the Diet 6D software program for the Polish menus and the Food Consumption Score for the Australian lunchboxes. Both methods revealed dietary imbalances, such as excessive intake of protein, vitamin A, salt, and sugar, alongside deficiencies in calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D. The study concluded that children’s diets should adhere to nutritional guidelines, meeting both Polish and Australian standards, and align with the principles of the planetary health diet. To achieve this, nutritional education is essential for kindergarten staff in Poland, while targeted educational interventions are needed for parents and children in both Poland and Australia, promoting health and environmental sustainability through better nutrition.

Young Children's Directed Question Asking in Preschool Classrooms.

Question asking is a prevalent aspect of children's speech, providing a means by which young learners can rapidly gain information about the world. Previous research has demonstrated that children exhibit sensitivity to the knowledge state of potential informants in laboratory settings. However, it remains unclear whether and how young children are inclined to direct questions that support learning deeper content to more knowledgeable informants in naturalistic classroom contexts. In this study, we examined children's question-asking targets (adults, other preschoolers, self-talk) during an open-play period in a US preschool classroom and assessed how the cognitive and linguistic characteristics of questions varied as a function of the intended recipient. Further, we examined how these patterns changed with age. We recorded the spontaneous speech of individual children between the ages of 3 and 6 years (N = 30, totaling 2875 utterances) in 40-min open-period sessions in their preschool day, noting whether the speech was directed toward an adult, another child, or was stated to self. We publish this fully transcribed database with contextual and linguistic details coded as open access to all future researchers. We found that questions accounted for a greater proportion of preschoolers' adult-directed speech than of their child-directed and self-directed speech, with a particular increase in questions that supported broader learning goals when directed to an adult. Younger children directed a higher proportion of learning questions to adults than themselves, whereas older children asked similar proportions of questions to both, suggesting a difference in younger and older children's question-asking strategies. Although children used greater lexical diversity in questions than in other utterances, their question formulation in terms of length and diversity remained consistent across age and recipient types, reflecting their general linguistic abilities. Our findings reveal that children discriminately choose "what" and "whom" to ask in daily spontaneous conversations. Even in less-structured school contexts, preschoolers direct questions to the informant most likely to be able to provide an adequate answer.

The Impact of an Acute Active Reading Intervention on Physical Activity Levels in Preschoolers: A Comparative Analysis.

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of an active reading intervention on physical activity (PA) levels in preschoolers. Participants were recruited from the 3-5-year-old classes at two preschools. A total of six classrooms and 37 children participated in three conditions: an active reading book read by a researcher (Act_R) trained in active play techniques, an active reading book read by a preschool classroom teacher (Act_T), and a book about health behavior read by both the researcher and the teacher (Sed_H). The order in which classes received each condition was randomized. The Actigraph accelerometer assessed PA. Motor skills were assessed with the Peabody Motor Development Scale, 2nd Edition. Participants spent significantly more time in sedentary behavior during the Sed_H condition compared to Act_R (p < 0.000) and Act_T (p < 0.008). Participants spent significantly more time in MVPA during Act_R compared to Act_T (p = 0.030), Act_T compared to Sed_H (p < 0.001), and Act_R compared to Sed_H (p < 0.001). The amount of MVPA participation within the active reading sessions was not dependent upon the level of fundamental motor skill competence. Active reading books may provide a feasible method to incorporate physical activity and active play into the preschool day.

Иммуномодулирующие эффекты пробиотиков: возможности профилактики острых респираторных инфекций у детей

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) currently represent a major health concern in pediatric populations, accounting for up to 90% of all acute respiratory tract infection cases. While the efficacy of probiotics in treating various diseases is well-established, their potential role as a preventive measure to enhance the body's resistance against ARIs is garnering increased attention. Numerous clinical studies involving children have demonstrated that probiotics can reduce the incidence of ARIs, decrease the average duration of ARI episodes, lower the frequency of antibiotic usage, and decrease the number of school or preschool days missed due to illness. The careful selection of probiotic strains — considering their safety, tolerability, and varied physiological effects — has led to the development of several clinically effective probiotics in the market. This article reviews key data supporting the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum 7315/7316 in clinical practice. KEYWORDS: probiotic, prevention, Lactobacillus plantarum, children, microbiota, immunity. FOR CITATION: Nikolaeva S.V., Pogorelova O.O., Shushakova E.K., Gorelov A.V. Immunomodulatory effects of probiotics: possibilities of acute respiratory infections prevention in children. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2024;7(3):276–280 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618- 8430-2024-7-3-12.

The association between physical activity during preschool hours and early numeracy

Previous findings suggest positive association between physical activity (PA) and children's cognitive outcomes. Early numeracy (EN) refers to young children’s mathematical proficiency, including relational and counting skills. EN has been shown to strongly predict later mathematical and academic achievements. Previous research has mainly focused on school-age children; however, research in early ages is scarce. No previous studies have used device-based measurement of PA with an individual test of EN to understand the associations between preschool PA and EN. The study investigated the relationship between PA during preschool hours and EN in 4-5-year-old children (N = 95, Mage = 4.6). PA was measured during 5 consecutive preschool days using hip-worn accelerometers, while EN was assessed using the Finnish Early Numeracy Test. Results revealed no significant correlation between preschool PA level and EN. Furthermore, latent profile analyses identified three profiles with high, medium, and low PA, whereas EN did not significantly differ among the profiles. While the results showed significantly different amounts of PA among children during preschool, the current study suggests no direct relation between preschool PA and EN.

Taking a detailed look at early childhood educators’ worktime

Despite the acknowledged complexity and time pressures of early childhood educators’ work, very few studies have examined the nature of this work, minute-by-minute, over the working day. This paper reports on data gathered through 10,155 time-use diary (TUD) records provided by 321 educators participating in the Exemplary Early Childhood Educators at Work Australian Research Council Linkage Project. Participants were recruited from preschool/kindergarten and long day care centres that had achieved a rating of Exceeding the Australian National Quality Standard on all seven Quality Areas. Analyses of this extensive dataset illustrate the rhythm and diversity of educators’ work across a typical day and identify the similarities and differences in worktime distributions for educators working in preschool vs. long day care settings, and for educators with different qualifications and positional responsibilities. The findings suggest differential allocations of worktime that raise important considerations for achieving high quality early childhood education and care services.

Unpacking and unpicking the challenge of 600 hours of preschool attendance

The Australian Government’s (2022) Preschool Reform Funding Agreement and initiatives by state governments aim to lift enrolment and maximise the benefits of early childhood education (ECE) in the year before school. The Agreement is particularly relevant for children and families from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom do not utilise the annual attendance target of 600 hours available to every child. Children’s enrolment and daily attendance records are key to understanding participation in ECE, but few studies or government reports have examined this information in detail. Drawing on administrative records provided by 19 long day care and preschool centres/schools in areas of socio-economic disadvantage, we analysed weekly attendance for 971 preschool-aged children over four 10-week terms. Results for the ‘percentage of enrolled days’ attended (M = 88%) and ‘total hours’ attended (M = 576 h) approached the target but differed for children enrolled in preschool versus long day care.

Child sexual assault or curious play? Adults negotiating appropriate behaviour in terms of age, gender and sexuality when responding to an incident in Swedish early childhood education

ABSTRACT Using an intersectional analysis, this article critically analyses implied and expressed norms to identify perceptions of appropriate behaviour in children’s play, and to explore how social communicative arenas such as Internet forums construct knowledge and values. Adults’ responses to an incident that occurred amongst a group of children in Swedish early childhood education as part of free play during the preschool day were analysed. The incident was described in a thread posted on the Familjeliv (Family Life) internet forum. The research questions were: what images of children are prominent in discourse on appropriate behaviour as part of free play; what discursive categorisations of children related to age, gender and sexuality can be identified within this discourse; and how do these categorisations intersect? Netnography provided the method used together with thematic content analysis. Findings reveal two contrasting views: first, the view that four-year-olds cannot commit sexual assault on another person; and second, the view that they can. Young children were constructed either as non-sexual, innocent, curious and playful, or as perpetrators who lack consequentialist thinking. Age was the dominant discursive category utilised in relation to sexuality and appropriate behaviour, followed by gender.

Factors associated with implemented teacher-led movement and physical activity in early childhood education and care.

Movement and physical activity (MoPA) is critical for children's development and health. This study aimed to explore early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators' reported frequency of implemented gross motor and physical activities (MoPA) among children in ECEC, as well as the educators' reported personal physical activity (PA) levels in leisure time. A cross-sectional survey was performed in 68 preschools in southern Sweden. Data were obtained from questionnaires completed by 359 ECEC educators. The participation rate was 61%. About two thirds offered MoPA once a week or more seldom, while one quarter offered MoPA at least every other day. Educators who reported personal PA three times or more per week, offered MoPA for the children at least every other day to a higher extent (37%) compared to colleagues who reported personal PA once or twice a week (26%) or colleagues who reported that they were never or seldom active (18%) (p = 0.034). The results from multiple logistic regression analysis showed that reported implemented MoPA among children in ECEC was significantly associated with the educators' perceptions that free play improved children's gross motor skills (OR 2.7), the educators' perceptions of needed curricular guidelines for MoPA (OR 2.1), the educators' own leisure PA level (OR 2.0) and the educators' perceptions that adequate gross motor skills were not learned at home (OR 0.4). Teacher-led MoPA occurs sparingly during the preschool day and the teachers believe that the children get sufficient MoPA in free play. The children are expected to develop their motor skills to a sufficient extent during the short moments of offered outdoor play. Teachers who are physically active in their leisure-time seem to offer gross motor training for the children to a higher extent than less active or inactive colleagues.

Adult Supports for Preschool Writers During Learning Centers

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to describe how experienced emergent writing teachers supported 4‐year‐olds in writing their own messages during the learning centers period of the preschool day. Data were drawn from two, year‐long qualitative studies of early writing instruction. Adult participants were three researcher‐teachers who worked in publicly funded prekindergarten classrooms 1 or 2 days per week across a school year. A sample of six open‐ended, researcher‐child writing events were selected and microanalyzed using the constant/comparative method and multimodal interaction analysis. Results showed that more than a fourth of adult message units were produced in conversations occurring “off the page” aimed at developing a shared, meaningful topic for writing. Drawing was used as a platform for developing ideas and as a launch for page‐based composing. Adults wrote their own texts alongside children as a means of engaging children as co‐authors and providing demonstrations of adult writing. Adults frequently invited children to write messages related to their play and activity, and then asked them to read their writing. They provided direct support for writing processes. Support for children's phonetic spelling was most frequent, followed by support for writing concepts. Handwriting support was provided infrequently. Adults praised all attempts at writing, regardless of the conventionality of the product. Findings provide an empirical description of how adults can support early writing in the context of informal learning center events.

Preschool language exposure and use: A comparison study of dual‐language learners and English monolingual children

AbstractThis study explored the language experiences of dual language learners (DLL; n = 19) and English monolinguals (EM; n = 13) in preschool classrooms where English is the primary language of instruction and many home languages are present. Using the Language ENvironment Analysis™ system as a primary tool, we quantitatively analysed an average of 34 hours of recordings collected over 5–8 days for each participating child (Mage = 52 months) in six classrooms. Results showed that, during a typical preschool day, DLLs spoke as much as EMs but received less adult talk overall and had more 5‐min segments with zero adult–child conversations than their EM peers. Follow‐up analyses revealed that teachers generally talked less when children initiated the conversations than when adults initiated the conversations, and this pattern was particularly evident for DLLs. Study implications and future research are discussed.

A Convergent Mixed Methods Study to Explore Physical Activity Among Teachers and Children During the Preschool Day.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10643-023-01486-8.

How Teacher Verbal Prompting and Demonstrated Modeling Correlate to Preschooler's Physical Activity Levels.

Teacher-led strategies targeting verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling can increase preschoolers' physical activity levels; however, it is unknown which strategy promotes higher levels. The purpose of this study was to explore whether teacher verbal prompting or demonstrated modeling elicits higher levels of physical activity among preschoolers. Participants included 117 (56 females and 61 males; mean = 3.77y) preschoolers who were observed for 3days during regular preschool instructions. The System for Observing Student Movement in Academic Routines and Transitions observation system assessed verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling of the teachers, and preschoolers wore an ActiGraph accelerometer to measure physical activity. The multivariate analysis of variance results showed a significant difference for verbal prompting (P < .001), demonstrated modeling (P = .032), light physical activity (P < .001), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; P < .001) between segments of the preschool day. A stepwise linear regression showed that preschooler's MVPA (P = .005) and light physical activity and MVPA (P = .036) were significantly related to demonstrated modeling, but not verbal prompting. During indoor time, light physical activity and MVPA were highest during large group, work time, and morning group, where teacher demonstrated modeling occurred the most. Teacher demonstrated modeling had a significant relationship to preschoolers' MVPA and light physical activity levels, while teacher verbal prompting did not.

Associations between educators’ and children’s physical activity and sedentary time in Norwegian preschools: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Preschool educators may be important role models influencing children’s physical activity (PA) behaviours. The main aim of this paper was to examine the relationship between educators’ and children’s PA and sedentary time (SED) by including 1230 children (mean age 4.8 yrs, 48% girls) and 422 educators (mean age 42.4 yrs, 90% women) from 68 preschools in Western Norway. PA and SED were measured over 10 preschool days using hip worn ActiGraph GT3×+ accelerometers. Associations between child and educator PA and SED during preschool hours, determined by multivariate pattern analyses, provided explained variances (R2) = 2.8–5.2%. Levels of educator moderate PA were positively related to child PA (all intensities) and educator vigorous PA were positively related to child vigorous PA, while educator light PA was negatively associated with PA and positively associated with child SED. Educator SED were positively associated with child vigorous PA and negatively associated to child SED. Association patterns were similar for boys and girls, while educator moderate and vigorous PA were more strongly related to the younger vs. the older children’s PA. The positive relationships between educators’ moderate and vigorous PA and children’s PA found herein suggest educators’ PA behaviours should be addressed in future interventions.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a therapeutic program for children with global developmental delay

PurposeGlobal developmental delay (GDD) is highly prevalent among patients at child psychiatry clinics. However, preschool day treatment centers are currently scarce. As such, this study aimed to evaluate a program that was designed for children with GDD in order to improve their global skills and prepare them to join the school system.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized an observation retrospective design with a comparative group sample and included all children aged between 3 and 6 years who participated in the program for at least one academic year (experimental group). Their GDD diagnoses were based on the DSM-5 criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Children with similar diagnoses who were on the waiting list constituted the control group. Pre- and post-scoring of the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) were conducted by the children’s teacher and blinded investigator for the experimental group, while the children’s mothers conducted the post-CGAS scoring for the control group.FindingsThe pre- and post-CGAS scores for the experimental group were 49.5 ± 12.8 and 58.3 ± 12.7 and 47.3 ± 17.3 and 66.6 ± 17.3 for the control group, respectively (p = 0.001). The children in the experimental group scored significantly better than the control group with respect to securing places in integrated, regular classes in the education system (p = 0.001).Research limitations/implicationsThis study had certain limitations. First, the number of children in the control group was relatively small. Second, the baseline skill levels of some of the children in the control group may have been lower than those of the children in the experimental group at the beginning of the evaluation; this may explain why they had been put on the waiting list. Third, the information was gathered retrospectively; this is a method that is known to have its own limitations.Practical implicationsThe clinical implications of the study are that the early identification and referral of GDD are key elements in the rehabilitation of these children and that early intervention programs are necessary for cases of moderate and severe GDD. Primary care physicians should follow up with GDD patients to ensure that referrals are being appropriately sought (Choo et al., 2019).Originality/valueThe program was effective in both increasing the general functioning skills of the children in the experimental group and preparing them to attend regular, integrated classes. The program should be expanded and made available to more children with GDD.

Preschool children’s temperament and its associations with energy intake

Abstract Background and objectives Child's temperament dimensions have been linked with different weight outcomes as well as dietary factors such as consumption of fruit and vegetables, sugar-rich foods and drinks and an overall dietary quality. Links between temperament dimensions and energy intake, however, remain under-examined. This study expands the literature by investigating associations between child's temperament dimensions and energy intake. Methods Altogether 505 Finnish children aged 3-6 years provided data for the analyses. The data is a part of the DAGIS (Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools) study conducted in 2015-2016. Child's energy intake was measured with 3-day food records. To be included, children had to 1) have food record for two preschool days and one weekend day and 2) to have consumed both lunch and an afternoon snack in the preschool on the two preschool days. The very short form of Children's Behavior Questionnaire was used to measure child's temperament dimensions. Concurrent associations between three temperament dimensions (surgency, negative affectivity, and effortful control) and energy intake were examined using linear regression models adjusted for child's age, sex, mother's highest education, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Results Surgency, temperament dimension referring to characteristics such as impulsivity, high activity level and high approach, was positively associated with energy intake. Effortful control or negative affectivity were not associated with energy intake. Conclusions The findings imply that temperamental surgency may be one relevant determinant of energy intake among preschool children. The result is in line with previous studies linking child's surgency as well as its specific facets, such as impulsivity, with weight outcomes and food approach behaviors. Considering child's individual temperament dimensions when counselling families in eating issues could be beneficial. Key messages • Surgency, a temperament dimension referring to characteristics such as impulsivity, high activity level and high approach, was positively associated with energy intake. • When promoting children’s balanced eating, tailored support for parents acknowledging child’s temperament could be beneficial.

ОРГАНІЗАЦІЯ РЕКРЕАЦІЙНИХ ЗАХОДІВ У ПРИШКІЛЬНОМУ ТАБОРІ З ДЕННИМ ПЕРЕБУВАННЯМ ДІТЕЙ

The article analyzes the modern system of recreation and recreation of schoolchildren in the country and its compliance with the Law of Ukraine «On recreation and recreation of children». The characteristics of various types of health camps are given, and statistical data are given, which indicate a reduction in the number of inpatient state health institutions and, at the same time, an increase in preschool day camps for children. Considering the economic components, it has been determined that the preschool camp with children's day stay is the most optimal form of organizing health and leisure activities for schoolchildren during the holidays. Based on the analysis of theoretical literature and practice of the work of domestic and foreign health camps of various types, contradictions between the request of modern children regarding the organization of their rest and those forms of work that prevail are highlighted. In the practical part of the article, the experience of the preschool recreation and rehabilitation camp for children is highlighted, namely: the directions of the camp's work (cognitive-intellectual, creative, physical culture-rehabilitation, entertainment), design of its activities, structuring of the recreational space (micro-local, macro-local, meso-local) are characterized; techniques for involving children in determining the content of weekly work are given; the ways of ensuring the psychological comfort of pupils are outlined; measures aimed at uniting the team and improving children's health have been determined; the possibility of children with special educational needs staying in a preschool camp as an additional condition for their further socialization has been proven. It was concluded that it is necessary to combine many years of experience in this type of camp with new forms of work that take into account modern social and cultural realities, oriented to the requests of schoolchildren, their personal characteristics, and their psychophysical state. Key words: improvement and recreation of schoolchildren, preschool day camp, recreational activities, recreational space, planning of preschool camp activities

Cortisol across preschool day relates to teacher ratings of executive functioning for children facing economic hardship

Experiences of poverty and racism in early childhood can overburden physiological systems that respond to stress with implications for the development of the prefrontal cortex and related executive functioning. The present study is unique in its examination of basal cortisol output across the preschool day in relation to teacher ratings of executive functioning. Participants were 310 children attending Head Start preschool in the United States, a majority of whom were Black, Hispanic, or Asian Heritage. Salivary cortisol was sampled in duplicate at 4 times across 2 days near the beginning of the school year, resulting in a total of 16 samples per child. Several weeks later, the BRIEF-P teacher rating scale assessed various components of executive functioning. Zero-order correlations suggested that basal cortisol output across the preschool day related to each assessed component of executive functioning, as well as to composite scores. Results of hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher cortisol across the preschool day related to greater difficulties in overall teacher-reported executive functioning, controlling for child age, birth-assigned sex, race/ethnicity, and family income. Implications concern understanding the impact of stress on executive functioning in the preschool classroom and promoting positive outcomes for children facing adversity.

Discussions on the inequality of the school day in preschool, elementary and middle school education in Colombia

Discussions on the length of the school day in Latin American countries have been constant and conflictive, particularly in recent decades, following the progress in coverage that most of these countries have made. As we shall see, there is no agreement on the correlation: longer school day - better academic results, or at least this is not considered to be the only determining factor. However, other dimensions of the social system are analyzed in which there is a positive impact of extending the school day, especially those related to a better use of children's free time, avoiding their involvement in gangs and facilitating the working lives of their mothers, fathers and caregivers. We insist on the lack of commitment, especially in the allocation of resources by the Colombian State to advance in the definitive establishment of the single school day in the country's public schools and how this results in unequal conditions between official and private educational institutions, which, in spite of this, are evaluated and classified on the basis of a supposed meritocratic model: through standardized tests, which in turn are decisive when it comes to accessing higher education, either because they are the first filter in public universities or because they are a prerequisite for accessing scholarships or financing credits; thus a perverse system is configured that is doubly exclusive and inequitable, which, as observed towards the end of the essay, was further deepened as a result of the social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

«ЗДОРОВЫЕ ДЕТИ -ЗДОРОВОЕ БУДУЩЕЕ» ОХРАНА МАТЕРИНСТВА И ДЕТСТВА В ПОЗДНЕСОВЕТСКОМ КАЗАХСТАНЕ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ КОСТАНАЙСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ)

The most important indicator of the socio-economic well-being of society is the level of protection of childhood and motherhood. During the period of developed socialism, state policy was aimed at improving the quality indicators in this area. Social legislation was supposed to help increase the birth rate and reduce mortality, especially infant mortality. But at the same time, a number of problems persisted: an undeveloped network of medical and preventive institutions; the quality of the provision of preventive, general medical and specialized care. Taking care of the health and physical development of children was one of the main tasks of preschool institutions and day nurseries. Those with deficiencies in medical care and control over the observance of the sanitary and anti-epidemic regime led to the spread of diseases among children, especially in rural areas. The article examines the development of children's health care in the Kostanay region in the context of a national framework, but with certain features. The study of local experience contributes to the reconstruction of the general picture of improving the system of children's health care of the Kazakh SSR.